thedrifter
03-08-04, 03:17 PM
Issue Date: March 08, 2004
Military Muscle
A little isolation is a good thing, for muscles
By Janet Frank Atkinson
Special to the Times
In a recent e-mail, a reader raised the question of using isolation exercises versus compound exercises during her weightlifting session.
It’s good to include isolation exercises in your workout regimen, but they shouldn’t make up your entire workout. A good program will include basic and compound movements, as well as isolation exercises.
Compound exercises — squats or bench presses, for example — employ a number of muscles, but isolation exercises focus your efforts on a particular muscle or muscle group. For example, dumbbell flys allow you to isolate your upper pectoral muscles and fully develop them.
Competitive bodybuilders use isolation exercises to shape and define the body, creating the look of muscle separation and achieving an overall symmetry of their physique.
One example is the preacher curl, which isolates the bicep. To perform a preacher curl, you need a curl bar and a bench that positions your arms at a 45-degree angle, a position that allows the upper body to isolate the bicep. Place your hands on the preacher-curl bar so that they are shoulder-width apart. Start with your arms extended or with your forearms parallel to the floor. Curl the bar until your forearms are perpendicular to the floor, then lower the bar back to the starting position.
If you are in a time pinch, compound exercises are the way to go. And because compound exercises require the work of several muscles at once, they stimulate the most responsive muscle growth. You will get the most from your efforts by using free weights or dumbbells, which encourage effort from many supporting muscles during your set.
If you are employing compound and isolation exercises in your session, begin with the compound exercises.
A quick list of compound exercises includes: deadlifts, squats, bench presses, lat pulldowns, pull-ups, dips, lunges, front squats, hack squats, upright rows, standing dumbbell curls, hammer curls, standing calf raises and step-ups.
A quick list of isolation exercises includes: leg extensions, hamstring curls, dumbbell flys, cable crossovers, decline bench presses, side lateral raises, front raises, abductor/adductor exercises, shrugs, pushdowns, kickbacks, preacher curls, concentration curls, wrist curls and seated calf raises.
By incorporating both isolation and compound exercises into your workout regimen, your body will develop overall strength, as well as visible results.
Janet Frank Atkinson is a freelance writer specializing in health-and-fitness issues. She is based in Pittsburgh. Atkinson has a bachelor's degree in corporate communications from Robert Morris University. Contact her at janet@ jfatkinson.com.
http://www.marinetimes.com/story.php?f=0-MARINEPAPER-2676721.php
The Drifter
:marine:
Military Muscle
A little isolation is a good thing, for muscles
By Janet Frank Atkinson
Special to the Times
In a recent e-mail, a reader raised the question of using isolation exercises versus compound exercises during her weightlifting session.
It’s good to include isolation exercises in your workout regimen, but they shouldn’t make up your entire workout. A good program will include basic and compound movements, as well as isolation exercises.
Compound exercises — squats or bench presses, for example — employ a number of muscles, but isolation exercises focus your efforts on a particular muscle or muscle group. For example, dumbbell flys allow you to isolate your upper pectoral muscles and fully develop them.
Competitive bodybuilders use isolation exercises to shape and define the body, creating the look of muscle separation and achieving an overall symmetry of their physique.
One example is the preacher curl, which isolates the bicep. To perform a preacher curl, you need a curl bar and a bench that positions your arms at a 45-degree angle, a position that allows the upper body to isolate the bicep. Place your hands on the preacher-curl bar so that they are shoulder-width apart. Start with your arms extended or with your forearms parallel to the floor. Curl the bar until your forearms are perpendicular to the floor, then lower the bar back to the starting position.
If you are in a time pinch, compound exercises are the way to go. And because compound exercises require the work of several muscles at once, they stimulate the most responsive muscle growth. You will get the most from your efforts by using free weights or dumbbells, which encourage effort from many supporting muscles during your set.
If you are employing compound and isolation exercises in your session, begin with the compound exercises.
A quick list of compound exercises includes: deadlifts, squats, bench presses, lat pulldowns, pull-ups, dips, lunges, front squats, hack squats, upright rows, standing dumbbell curls, hammer curls, standing calf raises and step-ups.
A quick list of isolation exercises includes: leg extensions, hamstring curls, dumbbell flys, cable crossovers, decline bench presses, side lateral raises, front raises, abductor/adductor exercises, shrugs, pushdowns, kickbacks, preacher curls, concentration curls, wrist curls and seated calf raises.
By incorporating both isolation and compound exercises into your workout regimen, your body will develop overall strength, as well as visible results.
Janet Frank Atkinson is a freelance writer specializing in health-and-fitness issues. She is based in Pittsburgh. Atkinson has a bachelor's degree in corporate communications from Robert Morris University. Contact her at janet@ jfatkinson.com.
http://www.marinetimes.com/story.php?f=0-MARINEPAPER-2676721.php
The Drifter
:marine: