Degraded performance at the end of fullbody workout: Junk volume or still valuable?
Hey fitness folks! Need some advice on my full-body routine. Today, I left lateral raises for last because the machine was occupied. By the time I got there, I was exhausted (hit PRs on bench press and preacher curls!). Ended up failing at around 14 reps for lateral raises, while last session I managed 22.
Some context:
- I typically do full-body workouts 3x a week
- Cable lateral raises are my main shoulder isolation exercise
- I've been progressing by increasing reps, aiming to bump up the weight once I hit 25 reps
- I usually follow the same order (chest -> back -> shoulders -> legs -> biceps/triceps)
Questions:
- Was this a junk set? Should I have skipped it and tried again next session?
- Is this common in full-body routines? I enjoy the program but I'm open to tweaks.
- Should I consider drop sets or rest-pause techniques for exercises at the end of my workout?
- Is it worth pre-exhausting larger muscle groups to save energy for smaller ones at the end?
- Do you typically see reduced performance in later exercises during full-body workouts?
I'm curious about your experiences and any suggestions you might have. Thanks in advance!