How to train large muscle groups better (Pre-Exhaust training method)

Have you ever tried that when bench pressing, the triceps fatigue faster than the pectoralis major? Maybe you feel that your chest muscles are still strong, but your sore triceps prevent you from bench pressing. At this time, you can use Pre-Exhaust to thoroughly train your pectoralis major muscles, which will surprise us. The main muscles!

​What is Pre-Exhaust

As mentioned above, when bench pressing, the triceps are often tired before the pectoralis major. Because the triceps is a small muscle, its strength and endurance are smaller than that of the pectoralis major. Therefore, we can let the pectoralis major through first. Perform a little more training on single-joint movements before moving on to double-joint movements.

We can apply this principle to all major muscles, such as latissimus dorsi, hamstrings, quadriceps, etc.

​How to use Pre-Exhaust

We first do 1-2 single-joint movements, and then do double-joint movements. It's that simple.

However, since the large muscles have been trained first, when performing double-joint movements, the overall strength decreases and the weight that can be handled is relatively reduced. But don't worry, the most important factor in making muscles hypertrophy is to fully stimulate the muscles, that is, whether the range of movement is large enough and whether the force point is accurate, followed by weight. The following are Pre-exhaust combinations for various large muscles:

​Pectoralis major

First do single-joint movements: dumbbell fly, tensioner fly, machine fly

Then do double-joint movements: dumbbell bench press, barbell bench press

​Latissimus dorsi

First do single-joint movements: straight arm pull-downs, decline supine arm flexions and extensions

backDo double-joint movements: pull-ups, seated wide-grip pulldowns, and seated rows on the cable machine

Straight Arm Pulldown



Decline supine arm extension



Seated wide-grip pulldown

​Quadriceps

First do single-joint movements: leg flexion and extension

Then do double-joint movements: squats, leg presses, leg lunges

​Hamstrings

First do single-joint movements: leg curls

Then do double-joint movements: squats, deadlifts, leg lunges

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