Maybe I Was Wrong About Isolation Work
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My usual hard-headed nature usually doesn’t allow me to do this but I’ll admit it, I was wrong. Now I still believe that movement-based strength training is the most efficient way to get stronger and gain lean muscle mass but I have changed my tune on isolation work.
Before I move forward, let me give a brief overview of movement-based training vs. isolation work. Movement-based training makes compound lifts the priority in your workouts; using exercises like the squat, bench press, and lunge. Isolation work is single-joint exercises like the curl or tricep kickback.
As I said earlier, I am still a firm believer in the compound lifts as the most efficient way to get stronger and look better but I may have been leaving some potential on the table by totally excluding isolation exercises. I have begun to add isolation work in as my “assistance” work during my lower and upper body training days. I find “arm day” to be a waste of time. Spending an hour on 1 or 2 muscles or muscle groups(elbow flexors/extensors in this case) is terribly inefficient. Doing set after set of exercise after exercise on 2 relatively small muscle groups can leave you spinning your wheels. I like to add my “arm day” to the end of my upper body days. I use my assistance work for the “show muscles” or for weak point training.
Now the question is who should use isolation exercises and who shouldn’t?? I think you must look at your specific fitness goals. If you are someone who wants to look better, fill out your sleeves, or have better biceps than the other guys on the beach; then isolation work may be important to your training. If you are an athlete, where movement quality and efficiency is important, you may want to exclude these types of exercises. As an athlete you have so many other qualities that you need to work on (ex. conditioning, power, speed, etc.).
If I am adding in isolation exercises to my training, this is how I add it into my schedule. Below is an example of a Lower Body Day and an Upper Body Day.
Squat-Rep scheme depends on goals for that phase RDL’s 4×10 Lunges 3×8(assistance) TRX Ham Curls 3×10-12(secondary assistance) SL Calf Raises 3×12-15(secondary assistance)
Bench Press-Rep scheme depends on goals for that phase OH Press-4×10 Pull-ups 3 X M (assistance) Rows 3×10-12 (assistance) Pulldowns 3×10-12 (assistance) Curls 3×10-12 (secondary assistance) Tricep Pressdown 3×10-12 (secondary assistance)
I differentiate between assistance and secondary assistance work because if I am short on time, I will cut the secondary assistance work out. It isn’t vital to my goals but they are like the cherry on top.
Need help structuring your workouts? Contact me below and let’s get started!
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