In order to optimize training time (are we not all short on time these days?), let's stick to compound movements. They target more muscle groups, illicit more lean muscle growth and...BONUS...help you move functionally. In other words, it will be easier to lift your child, or pick up a bag of potting soil, or move some furniture, or...well the list goes on and on. What's the downside of compound movements? Well, really, their isn't any. Period. If you do happen to be ultra vain, then isolation movements can sculpt a more visually appealing bicep or quad (front of thigh) or deltoid (shoulder). Which will come in handy when you are looking at yourself in a mirror, or being looked at.
Guess what, you can look great doing compound movements. In fact, it's CRITICAL for those who are strength training as a means to lose weight. Wanna know why? Building lean muscle is sadly overlooked by those who want to lose excess fat stores. Lean muscle burns fat even when you are not working out. Trainees supplement their cardio minutes with isolation movements that work a single muscle, or very few muscles at a time. An example would be the tricep extension. The only muscle that gets worked is the tricep. It's not a very big muscle and it doesn't have huge potential for growth. It won't make a significant impact on fat loss throughout your day. Instead, do an over head press with a barbell or dumbbells. Many muscles are involved in an over head press including; tricep, fore arm, shoulders (anterior, lateral, posterior), traps (the muscles that support your shoulder blades), lats and teres major (the large muscles of the back that form the arm pit) and the core muscles of your abs and obliques, even the pecs (chest).
So why waste time with isolation movements? If you are a body builder, then by all means. If you already have good muscle mass and definition then enjoy the sculpting that isolation can produce. If you are the average person looking to make realistic gains in the gym, then stick to compound movements. They produce the most adaptation.
Squat - Dead Lift - Bench Press (push ups) - Over head press - pull up (assisted is a great place to start) - Cleans (Power Cleans)
Stop wasting precious time.
Guess what, you can look great doing compound movements. In fact, it's CRITICAL for those who are strength training as a means to lose weight. Wanna know why? Building lean muscle is sadly overlooked by those who want to lose excess fat stores. Lean muscle burns fat even when you are not working out. Trainees supplement their cardio minutes with isolation movements that work a single muscle, or very few muscles at a time. An example would be the tricep extension. The only muscle that gets worked is the tricep. It's not a very big muscle and it doesn't have huge potential for growth. It won't make a significant impact on fat loss throughout your day. Instead, do an over head press with a barbell or dumbbells. Many muscles are involved in an over head press including; tricep, fore arm, shoulders (anterior, lateral, posterior), traps (the muscles that support your shoulder blades), lats and teres major (the large muscles of the back that form the arm pit) and the core muscles of your abs and obliques, even the pecs (chest).
So why waste time with isolation movements? If you are a body builder, then by all means. If you already have good muscle mass and definition then enjoy the sculpting that isolation can produce. If you are the average person looking to make realistic gains in the gym, then stick to compound movements. They produce the most adaptation.
Squat - Dead Lift - Bench Press (push ups) - Over head press - pull up (assisted is a great place to start) - Cleans (Power Cleans)
Stop wasting precious time.
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