COMPOUND EXERCISES VS ISOLATION EXERCISES

The majority of people in the fitness community prefer isolation exercises to compound movements like the squat, bench or deadlift. No matter what the goal may be, compound movements should be the primary focus of an exercise regime.

Most people choose to lean towards isolation type movements like curls or flyes. While isolation lifts can be helpful, they aren’t nearly as efficient as compound moves. This is simply due to our genetic makeup. When humanity was at a time where we walked for miles daily, climbed trees, etc. people were essentially doing compound exercises. Climbing a tree, for example is comparable to a pull-up in a modern time gym where it mimics the environment we used to traverse, but in a controlled environment. Picking up a heavy object is the equivalent to deadlifting. Cavemen never did “curls”, or “side lateral raises”. Just based on our physiological makeup, our training should comprise of compound movements (80% or so) followed by isolation type moves (20%).

See “COMPOUND VS ISOLATION EXERCISES” From Muscle & Strength [YOUTUBE VIDEO]