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Compound Vs Isolation Exercises
Author : Matthew R. Murdock
Submitted : 2011-01-25 12:26:07 Word Count : 870 Popularity: 35
Tags: isolation exercises, compound exercises
Your workout can only be as effective as the exercises that you perform. Choosing the correct exercises is as important as actually doing the workouts. In this article, we are going to learn the difference between the types of exercises and which is most beneficial for your particular fitness goals. Most exercises can be categorized into two different types of exercise, compound or isolation, and each serve a different purpose while working out.
What is a compound exercise?
A compound exercise is defined as a multi-joint movement which utilizes several different muscles at one time. An example of this is a squat working your hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, core muscles, and spinus erectus. Using more muscles allows you to use more energy therefore burning more calories.
Benefits of Compound Exercises:
o Using compound exercises gives you the opportunity to perform fewer exercises thereby spending less time in the gym.
o Compound exercises result in a greater release of growth hormone also, called HGH which enables the body to gain lean muscle tissue quicker.
o They also reduce the risk of overtraining because you are able to focus on greater muscle areas to encourage maximum growth and recovery.
Examples of Compound Exercises:
o Deadlifts
o Variations of squats
o Barbell Rows
o Chest Press, inclined.
What is an isolation exercise?
An isolation exercise is when you target only one muscle group for an exercise. They allow you to focus your energy allowing you to build strength, endurance, and definition in that one muscle alone.
Benefits of Isolation Exercises:
o Isolation exercises help target individual muscles for a well rounded physique
o It can also help with imbalances in your muscles due to atrophy or medical conditions.
Examples of Isolation Exercises:
o Concentration curl
o Triceps Pressdown
o Abdominal Crunch
o Leg Extension.
A good workout will incorporate a combination of both compound and isolation exercises to build strength and definition. Utilize compound exercises during the beginning of your workouts to help build overall development by engaging secondary muscles, tertiary muscles and stabilizer muscles or when time constraints are present. Utilize isolation exercises to concentrate on muscles requiring extra definition or when training around an injury.
Author's Resource Box
Matthew has written on lots of varied topics over the past few years. Have a look at one of his websites twin xl mattress which gives information about purchasing custom made mattresses.
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