Execution sequence
- Read the main exercise and the additional exercise in the listed order.
- Complete the main exercise using its specified load and repetitions.
- After the assigned transition or rest, perform the additional exercise with its own load and effort limit.
Reading a program example
The source example is a dumbbell bench press followed by a cable crossover. In a combined row, match the numeric targets to the exercise names in order.
Important distinction
Post-exhaustion and pre-exhaustion differ in the position of the single-joint exercise. Continuing after the main lift still requires fatigue management; “complete exhaustion” should not be an undefined compulsory instruction.
Check before starting
- Use a separately assigned load for the additional exercise that accounts for fatigue.
- When the exercises form a group, count complete rounds rather than adding all repetitions together.
- Ask for an alternative if a safe transition is not possible.
Frequently asked questions
Must the second exercise always reach failure?
No. The plan must specify the effort limit; the name post-exhaustion alone does not do so.
How does it differ from pre-exhaustion?
Post-exhaustion starts with the main exercise. Pre-exhaustion places the single-joint exercise first.