Exercise order on SS

[thiago-barbosa]

Hi Mark,
In your book SS you mentioned that the exercises in the program should be performed in that order, but I have a question regarding squatting first.
The idea of doing-what-is-harder first makes sense to me, but some strength coaches (which are not as smart as yourself, but they are still respected) claims things such as this:

“No matter how hard and heavy is your bench/press, it will never screw up you squat. But virtually every heavy squat will screw up your bench/press”

The argumentation here is that heavy squats screws heavy bench due to their longer ROM and the absolute weight involved. So even though they are two very different movements, as you always pointed out, your body is a system, and energy is energy. So supposably the “squats takes away energy” and screws benches and presses.

So the my question is: is this bullshit? Or it does make sense swap the order of the exercises and leave squats for last?

PS: the main reason I’m asking is that I would never modify your master piece without your consensus. I might be old fashion on this.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Squats make you tired, correct. They also make you warm. If you bench/press after you squat, you adapt to benching/pressing after you squat. And then you deadlift after squats and benches/presses. You adapt to that too. Later, when it's time for more complicated programming, you may split the week into lower body/upper body, as our 4-day split routine does.

[AndrewLewis]

For most people, squats are the most psychologically stressful and difficult. If you can just get those done, there is some semblance of "relaxing" mentally the rest of the workout.

Also, the only alternative is to deadlift, bench, squat which is just a horrible idea, because no one wants to squat heavy after they deadlift heavy. Deadlifts are just so god damn hard and taxing, doing anything near maximal afterwards is a bad idea.

[Eric Schexnayder]

For most people, squats are the most psychologically stressful and difficult. If you can just get those done, there is some semblance of "relaxing" mentally the rest of the workout.

Hear, hear. If I can make it through my squats alive, the presses and pulls are actually exciting and fun. Last week I told myself, "just one more squat set, and then you get to Press."

If I told myself squats could be last, I would probably end up not doing them.

[m_sporkboy]

Nowadays I sometimes press or bench first when I know it's going to be an especially difficult session, but nobody should mess with The Program until they're done with The Program, meaning well into intermediate programming.

[FatButWeak]

I find benching/pressing - no matter how heavy - after squatting is always a break. I need to be fresh for squatting. Its the most brutal.

[tompaynter]

What if you are doing a lighter, higher-rep day on squats, but were going to do a normal, heavy deadlift set of 5? Which would work better, squats 3X10 deadlift 1X5 or the reverse?

[Mark Rippetoe]

It has been written. That which has been written shall be obeyed. Your pathetic attempt at "reasoning" pales in comparison to the wisdom I have brought the world. It has been written, and you shall obey.

YOU SHALL OBEY.

[Chad Mynhier]

What if you are doing a lighter, higher-rep day on squats, but were going to do a normal, heavy deadlift set of 5? Which would work better, squats 3X10 deadlift 1X5 or the reverse?

Aside from the admonition to obey the master of this forum, the bringer of truth, He-who-shall-not-be-questioned, I find light squats to be an excellent warmup for deadlifts.

[KangaJoo]

From my experience with intermediate programming, yes, that's bullshit. Benching heavy will make your squat feel harder. Even benching light will make your squat feel at least a little different since your shoulders will probably be tight. Stick to the normal order for your LP. I play around with the order now that I'm doing HLM so I'm always doing the heavy lift first and doing the light and medium exercises later.