Download Body Part Isolation vs. Complex Movements in

Body Part Isolation vs.
Complex Movements in
Strength Training
By Nicholas Wong (Fitness and Lifestyle Advisor / Personal Trainer)
Within the fitness industry, a common question that is asked daily is:
“What exercise can I do to isolate/target my _______ (insert your
muscle of choice – abs, quads, calves, biceps, triceps, etc.)?”
Most people want to isolate a certain muscle to the exclusion of
other muscles. This is a very popular style of weight training;
however it shows that people are missing the big picture regarding
the benefits of strength training.
The human body does not work well in muscle isolation. Day-to-day
movements require muscles to work along a kinetic chain; that is,
large portions of the body assisting other portions of the body in
completing a complex movement. In most cases there will always be
a dominating muscle (agonist) and a supporting muscle (antagonist)
to every motion.
Single-joint exercises (leg extension,
bicep curl, front raise etc) would be
the closest thing to an isolation
movement. These types of exercises,
in effect is creating a very ineffective
and non-flexible, non-functional
body. Essentially, you are creating a
body that is a compilation of body
parts, instead of a powerful,
functional unit that works together. Ideally you would want to train
your muscles and body parts to work together as a symphony
supporting each other in a complementary way. Trying to isolate a
muscle does exactly the opposite of this. In fact it can even create a
body that is more susceptible to injury and pain.
Now let's look at the other side
of it.
Whether you are training for a
lean, injury-free, functional
and/or sport trained body, you
will need to shift your emphasis
away from muscle isolation to a
more complex/compound focus.
Your movements (exercise
pattern) should involve more
than one muscle group. It should comprise of multi joint movements.
Not only does this reflect day-to-day movements and sports/work
specific movements, it will also burn more calories within the gym
setting. And with the increase of lean muscle mass in your body you will increase your metabolic rate and stimulate the production of
more fat burning and muscle building hormones. Your body will
become a fat burning machine in short order.
“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.”
Michael Geary, NCSF-CPT, AFAA-CPT, and author of "The Truth about Six Pack Abs" ©2004-2005
There are many further reasons to use compound exercises during
your workout, including the following:
Using more muscle groups. . .
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means more calories burned during exercise.
simulates real-world exercises and activities.
allows you to get a full body workout faster.
improves coordination, reaction time and balance.
improves joint stability and improves muscle balance across a
joint.
decreases the risk of injury during sports.
keeps your heart rate up and provides cardiovascular benefits.
allows you to exercise longer with less muscle fatigue.
allows you to lift heavier loads and build more strength.
In Conclusion / Bottom Line
For a more complete, efficient and functional workout, do
predominantly compound exercises during your training.
But in saying so, there are times when isolating a specific muscle,
muscle group or joint is necessary and recommended. E.g. when
correcting muscle imbalances/weaknesses that often occurs after an
injury or long periods of inactivity. Another reason for isolated
exercises is to increase size or bulk of a muscle / muscle group.
Rather than avoid isolated exercises completely, ask a personal
trainer for advice to complement your compound exercises with
some beneficial isolated exercises.
The most beneficial exercise: The Squat
1. Stand upright, with your knees and hips straight, slightly wider
than shoulder width apart. Toes should be pointed out about 1015 degrees. Chest should be up.
2. If you squat with a barbell, pull your shoulder blades back, to
create a "shelf" of muscle (the upper back muscles) where you
can rest the barbell. Make sure it is NOT on your neck. If you
have a dumbbell or kettle bell, hold it with both hands in front
of you.
3. Begin lowering your body by breaking at the hips first. Don't
worry about your knees they’ll bend naturally.
Focus more on lowering your backside down (imaging sitting on
an imaginary chair). Continue lowering your body until the
natural curves in your spine starts to compromise. Make sure
your knees don't bend too far forward past your shoes. Keep
your chest up and look straight ahead.
4. Rise up by pushing your hips forward. Finish the exercise by
standing up straight.