Working as a fitness professional, there is one type of question I get all the time that shows that many people are missing the big picture regarding the benefits of strength training. This popular question usually goes something like this:
“What exercise can I do to isolate my (insert your muscle of choice – abs, quads, biceps, triceps, etc)?”
It doesn’t matter which muscle someone is asking about, they always seem to be asking how to ‘isolate’ it. My first response to this question is always – Why in the world would you want to isolate it?
The first thing I try to teach my clients is that the body does not work well in muscle isolation. Rather, it works better in movements along a kinetic chain; that is, large portions of the body assist other portions of the body in completing a complex movement. In fact, there really is no such thing as true muscle isolation. There is almost always a nearby muscle group that will assist in some way with whatever movement you are doing. However, this article compares attempting to ‘isolate’ body parts via single-joint exercises to the much more effective strategy of performing multi-joint complex movements.
When you attempt to ‘isolate’ muscles by performing single-joint exercises, you are actually creating a body that is non-functional and will be more prone to injury. Essentially, you are creating a body that is a compilation of body parts, instead of a powerful, functional unit that works together.
Now if you really want to end up hobbling around in a body bandaged up with joint problems, tendonitis, and excess body fat, then by all means, continue trying to ‘isolate’ body parts. On the other hand, if you would rather have a lean, muscular, injury-free, functional body that works as a complete powerful unit to perform complex movements (in athletics or even everyday tasks), then you need to shift your focus away from muscle isolation. Believe me, focusing on how well your body functions will give you the side effect of a body that looks even better than it would have if you focused on muscle isolation. For example, take a look at the physiques of any NFL running backs, wide receivers, or even world class sprinters. Trust me when I say that these guys pretty much NEVER train for muscle isolation (their strength coaches wouldn’t be crazy enough to let them), yet they are absolutely ripped to shreds! Just look at guys like Maurice Green or Terrell Owens and tell me who wouldn’t want a physique like those guys.
Another benefit to moving away from the ‘muscle isolation’ mindset to a more ‘complex movement’ mindset is that you will find it much easier to lose body fat. The reason is that by focusing more on multi-joint complex movements as opposed to single-joint muscle isolation, you not only burn a lot more calories during each workout, but you also increase your metabolic rate, and stimulate production of more fat burning and muscle building hormones like growth hormone and testosterone.
Let’s look at an example. The machine leg extension is a single joint exercise that works mainly the quadriceps, can potentially cause knee joint instability in the long run, and doesn’t even burn that many calories. On the other hand, exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are all multi-joint complex movements that work hundreds of muscles in the body (including the quadriceps) as a functional unit, create more stable and strong joints in the long run (when done properly), and also burn massive quantities of calories compared to the single-joint exercises.
Showing posts with label isolation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label isolation. Show all posts
Moving From Beginner To Intermediate Level Bodybuilding
By now you’ve made significant progress in your bodybuilding career. For the past three to six months you’ve learnt how to perform the core lifting exercises in a technically correct manner. You’ve also conditioned the body and developed sufficient core strength to prepare yourself for a whole new level of intensity. Hopefully you’ve also built some rock solid muscle! But that’s only the beginning.
In recent weeks your workouts have probably lost some of their effect so, even though you’re lifting bigger weights, your muscles now need even greater stimulation to generate maximal growth. Don’t expect miracles though – from this point onwards, every little bit of improvement will take even greater and more intensive work than before.
Because you’ll be working your muscles more intensively, they’ll also need more recovery time to adapt and grow and that’s why you’ll be reducing your workouts to three a week. Each primary muscle group trained will now need one full week to recover. After being used to whole body sessions and more workouts per week it may seem as if you’re not doing enough but the point is, you’ll be working your muscles very, very intensively and making better use of your time.
As you gain more experience you’ll be able to tweak or re-design your basic muscle building program to suit your own individual needs, but the program described here should provide a useful starting point. What I’m proposing is basically a 3-split of the body on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
MONDAY (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders)
1. Chest Exercises
Incline dumbbell press – this is a compound exercise that targets the chest but also works the triceps and shoulders to a lesser extent.
Pec-deck flye – this is an isolation exercise that works the pectorals.
2. Triceps
Dips – this compound exercise targets the triceps but also works the chest and shoulders.
3. Shoulders
Front military press – this compound exercise targets shoulders but also works the triceps.
Dumbbell lateral raises – this isolation exercise works the shoulders only.
Bentover dumbbell laterals – this isolation exercise works the rear delts.
WEDNESDAY (Back, Biceps, Forearms)
1. Back
Front lat pulls – compound exercise that targets lats but also works the biceps and mid-back.
Deadlifts – compound exercise that targets the back and quads but also works hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Dumbbell rows – compound exercise that targets mid-back but also works biceps and lats.
Dumbbell shrugs – isolation exercise that works traps.
2. Biceps
Dumbbell biceps curl – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
Dumbbell hammer curls – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
3. Forearms
Barbell wrist curl – isolation exercise that works the forearms.
FRIDAY (Lower Body)
1. Legs
Squats or leg press – compound exercise that targets the quads but also works the hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Leg extension – isolation exercise that works the quads.
Leg curls – isolation exercise that works the hamstrings.
Standing calf raise – isolation exercise that works the gastrocnemius calf muscle.
Seated calf raise – isolation exercise that works the soleus calf muscle.
You could start this program by aiming for two sets of 8-10 reps per exercise but as your strength and size increase you should really introduce techniques that boost the intensity even further. This can be achieved in a number of ways including the use of pre-exhaustion, super sets, partial reps, isometric contractions and forced reps. These techniques are covered in detail elsewhere in this series of articles.
In recent weeks your workouts have probably lost some of their effect so, even though you’re lifting bigger weights, your muscles now need even greater stimulation to generate maximal growth. Don’t expect miracles though – from this point onwards, every little bit of improvement will take even greater and more intensive work than before.
Because you’ll be working your muscles more intensively, they’ll also need more recovery time to adapt and grow and that’s why you’ll be reducing your workouts to three a week. Each primary muscle group trained will now need one full week to recover. After being used to whole body sessions and more workouts per week it may seem as if you’re not doing enough but the point is, you’ll be working your muscles very, very intensively and making better use of your time.
As you gain more experience you’ll be able to tweak or re-design your basic muscle building program to suit your own individual needs, but the program described here should provide a useful starting point. What I’m proposing is basically a 3-split of the body on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
MONDAY (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders)
1. Chest Exercises
Incline dumbbell press – this is a compound exercise that targets the chest but also works the triceps and shoulders to a lesser extent.
Pec-deck flye – this is an isolation exercise that works the pectorals.
2. Triceps
Dips – this compound exercise targets the triceps but also works the chest and shoulders.
3. Shoulders
Front military press – this compound exercise targets shoulders but also works the triceps.
Dumbbell lateral raises – this isolation exercise works the shoulders only.
Bentover dumbbell laterals – this isolation exercise works the rear delts.
WEDNESDAY (Back, Biceps, Forearms)
1. Back
Front lat pulls – compound exercise that targets lats but also works the biceps and mid-back.
Deadlifts – compound exercise that targets the back and quads but also works hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Dumbbell rows – compound exercise that targets mid-back but also works biceps and lats.
Dumbbell shrugs – isolation exercise that works traps.
2. Biceps
Dumbbell biceps curl – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
Dumbbell hammer curls – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
3. Forearms
Barbell wrist curl – isolation exercise that works the forearms.
FRIDAY (Lower Body)
1. Legs
Squats or leg press – compound exercise that targets the quads but also works the hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Leg extension – isolation exercise that works the quads.
Leg curls – isolation exercise that works the hamstrings.
Standing calf raise – isolation exercise that works the gastrocnemius calf muscle.
Seated calf raise – isolation exercise that works the soleus calf muscle.
You could start this program by aiming for two sets of 8-10 reps per exercise but as your strength and size increase you should really introduce techniques that boost the intensity even further. This can be achieved in a number of ways including the use of pre-exhaustion, super sets, partial reps, isometric contractions and forced reps. These techniques are covered in detail elsewhere in this series of articles.
Moving From Beginner To Intermediate Level Bodybuilding
By now you’ve made significant progress in your bodybuilding career. For the past three to six months you’ve learnt how to perform the core lifting exercises in a technically correct manner. You’ve also conditioned the body and developed sufficient core strength to prepare yourself for a whole new level of intensity. Hopefully you’ve also built some rock solid muscle! But that’s only the beginning.
In recent weeks your workouts have probably lost some of their effect so, even though you’re lifting bigger weights, your muscles now need even greater stimulation to generate maximal growth. Don’t expect miracles though – from this point onwards, every little bit of improvement will take even greater and more intensive work than before.
Because you’ll be working your muscles more intensively, they’ll also need more recovery time to adapt and grow and that’s why you’ll be reducing your workouts to three a week. Each primary muscle group trained will now need one full week to recover. After being used to whole body sessions and more workouts per week it may seem as if you’re not doing enough but the point is, you’ll be working your muscles very, very intensively and making better use of your time.
As you gain more experience you’ll be able to tweak or re-design your basic muscle building program to suit your own individual needs, but the program described here should provide a useful starting point. What I’m proposing is basically a 3-split of the body on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
MONDAY (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders)
1. Chest Exercises
Incline dumbbell press – this is a compound exercise that targets the chest but also works the triceps and shoulders to a lesser extent.
Pec-deck flye – this is an isolation exercise that works the pectorals.
2. Triceps
Dips – this compound exercise targets the triceps but also works the chest and shoulders.
3. Shoulders
Front military press – this compound exercise targets shoulders but also works the triceps.
Dumbbell lateral raises – this isolation exercise works the shoulders only.
Bentover dumbbell laterals – this isolation exercise works the rear delts.
WEDNESDAY (Back, Biceps, Forearms)
1. Back
Front lat pulls – compound exercise that targets lats but also works the biceps and mid-back.
Deadlifts – compound exercise that targets the back and quads but also works hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Dumbbell rows – compound exercise that targets mid-back but also works biceps and lats.
Dumbbell shrugs – isolation exercise that works traps.
2. Biceps
Dumbbell biceps curl – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
Dumbbell hammer curls – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
3. Forearms
Barbell wrist curl – isolation exercise that works the forearms.
FRIDAY (Lower Body)
1. Legs
Squats or leg press – compound exercise that targets the quads but also works the hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Leg extension – isolation exercise that works the quads.
Leg curls – isolation exercise that works the hamstrings.
Standing calf raise – isolation exercise that works the gastrocnemius calf muscle.
Seated calf raise – isolation exercise that works the soleus calf muscle.
You could start this program by aiming for two sets of 8-10 reps per exercise but as your strength and size increase you should really introduce techniques that boost the intensity even further. This can be achieved in a number of ways including the use of pre-exhaustion, super sets, partial reps, isometric contractions and forced reps. These techniques are covered in detail elsewhere in this series of articles.
In recent weeks your workouts have probably lost some of their effect so, even though you’re lifting bigger weights, your muscles now need even greater stimulation to generate maximal growth. Don’t expect miracles though – from this point onwards, every little bit of improvement will take even greater and more intensive work than before.
Because you’ll be working your muscles more intensively, they’ll also need more recovery time to adapt and grow and that’s why you’ll be reducing your workouts to three a week. Each primary muscle group trained will now need one full week to recover. After being used to whole body sessions and more workouts per week it may seem as if you’re not doing enough but the point is, you’ll be working your muscles very, very intensively and making better use of your time.
As you gain more experience you’ll be able to tweak or re-design your basic muscle building program to suit your own individual needs, but the program described here should provide a useful starting point. What I’m proposing is basically a 3-split of the body on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
MONDAY (Chest, Triceps, Shoulders)
1. Chest Exercises
Incline dumbbell press – this is a compound exercise that targets the chest but also works the triceps and shoulders to a lesser extent.
Pec-deck flye – this is an isolation exercise that works the pectorals.
2. Triceps
Dips – this compound exercise targets the triceps but also works the chest and shoulders.
3. Shoulders
Front military press – this compound exercise targets shoulders but also works the triceps.
Dumbbell lateral raises – this isolation exercise works the shoulders only.
Bentover dumbbell laterals – this isolation exercise works the rear delts.
WEDNESDAY (Back, Biceps, Forearms)
1. Back
Front lat pulls – compound exercise that targets lats but also works the biceps and mid-back.
Deadlifts – compound exercise that targets the back and quads but also works hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Dumbbell rows – compound exercise that targets mid-back but also works biceps and lats.
Dumbbell shrugs – isolation exercise that works traps.
2. Biceps
Dumbbell biceps curl – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
Dumbbell hammer curls – isolation exercise that works the biceps.
3. Forearms
Barbell wrist curl – isolation exercise that works the forearms.
FRIDAY (Lower Body)
1. Legs
Squats or leg press – compound exercise that targets the quads but also works the hamstrings, calves and glutes.
Leg extension – isolation exercise that works the quads.
Leg curls – isolation exercise that works the hamstrings.
Standing calf raise – isolation exercise that works the gastrocnemius calf muscle.
Seated calf raise – isolation exercise that works the soleus calf muscle.
You could start this program by aiming for two sets of 8-10 reps per exercise but as your strength and size increase you should really introduce techniques that boost the intensity even further. This can be achieved in a number of ways including the use of pre-exhaustion, super sets, partial reps, isometric contractions and forced reps. These techniques are covered in detail elsewhere in this series of articles.
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