Calling All Bodybuilders - Heres Why 95f Us Have No Business Doing Isolation Exercises
In truth, the figure might be nearer to 98% but I dont want to over dramatise here.
Go into most bodybuilding and weight training forums and discussion groups and check out the exercise routines listed there. Youll see a whole bunch of silly isolation exercises being performed a ridiculous number of times a week, for ridiculous numbers of sets.
This all adds up to a huge number of amateur bodybuilders wasting precious time in the gym doing exercises that they really have no business doing.
This may sound harsh, but sometimes the truth is brutal - and heres why this is true;
Isolation exercises are by definition usually shaping and toning movements. But if you dont have enough muscle to shape and tone in the first place, youre wasting time that would be far, far better spent doing the exercises that build the muscle you currently dont have.
Its my belief that 95% plus of amateur bodybuilders dont have enough muscle that is worth toning. This means that a lot of times being wasted in gyms all over the world, and its about time it was stopped.
So how to judge whether youre one of these time wasters?
The old yardstick was the 300-400-500 one - so let me ask you;
Can you bench press 300lb?
Can you squat 400lb?
Can you dead lift 500lb?
Most of us cant do those numbers - if you can, congratulations, youve truly earned the right to do aforementioned shaping and toning movements.
If you cant lift those weights, youd be better off building strength in those movements. Youll build far, far more quality muscle much faster.
So take a look at your weight training routine - is it chock-full of things like
Bicep curls
Tricep kick backs
Dumbbell flyes
Wrist curls
Reverse curls
Calf raises on the leg press machine
Lunges
And any other little exercises similar - hope this list gives you the idea.
I think this is why so many people spend so much time in the gym with so little to show for it. They will be in there four, five and even six times a week doing this type of exercise, which is complete madness.
If this is you, seriously think about making radical changes to your routine now. I dont mean to sound harsh, because if this is you, youre only following the huge amount of really bad advice about weight training thats out there, in the bodybuilding popular press, so its not your fault.
Some isolation exercise are essential, but not many. (And certainly none in the list above.)
Replace the isolation exercises with the core lifts, dead lift, squat, bench press, shrug, leg press and so on - you wont be able to do a like for like swap, because the big compound exercises will take much more out of you. But thats OK - you want to aim for quality not quantity here.
So here is your plan of attack;
Cut your number of gym days down to three or better still two
Cut those isolation exercises out of your routine.
Instead add in a few compound exercises.
Rest well
Keep your form tight and add weight to the bar when you can
Watch your body grow!
Go into most bodybuilding and weight training forums and discussion groups and check out the exercise routines listed there. Youll see a whole bunch of silly isolation exercises being performed a ridiculous number of times a week, for ridiculous numbers of sets.
This all adds up to a huge number of amateur bodybuilders wasting precious time in the gym doing exercises that they really have no business doing.
This may sound harsh, but sometimes the truth is brutal - and heres why this is true;
Isolation exercises are by definition usually shaping and toning movements. But if you dont have enough muscle to shape and tone in the first place, youre wasting time that would be far, far better spent doing the exercises that build the muscle you currently dont have.
Its my belief that 95% plus of amateur bodybuilders dont have enough muscle that is worth toning. This means that a lot of times being wasted in gyms all over the world, and its about time it was stopped.
So how to judge whether youre one of these time wasters?
The old yardstick was the 300-400-500 one - so let me ask you;
Can you bench press 300lb?
Can you squat 400lb?
Can you dead lift 500lb?
Most of us cant do those numbers - if you can, congratulations, youve truly earned the right to do aforementioned shaping and toning movements.
If you cant lift those weights, youd be better off building strength in those movements. Youll build far, far more quality muscle much faster.
So take a look at your weight training routine - is it chock-full of things like
Bicep curls
Tricep kick backs
Dumbbell flyes
Wrist curls
Reverse curls
Calf raises on the leg press machine
Lunges
And any other little exercises similar - hope this list gives you the idea.
I think this is why so many people spend so much time in the gym with so little to show for it. They will be in there four, five and even six times a week doing this type of exercise, which is complete madness.
If this is you, seriously think about making radical changes to your routine now. I dont mean to sound harsh, because if this is you, youre only following the huge amount of really bad advice about weight training thats out there, in the bodybuilding popular press, so its not your fault.
Some isolation exercise are essential, but not many. (And certainly none in the list above.)
Replace the isolation exercises with the core lifts, dead lift, squat, bench press, shrug, leg press and so on - you wont be able to do a like for like swap, because the big compound exercises will take much more out of you. But thats OK - you want to aim for quality not quantity here.
So here is your plan of attack;
Cut your number of gym days down to three or better still two
Cut those isolation exercises out of your routine.
Instead add in a few compound exercises.
Rest well
Keep your form tight and add weight to the bar when you can
Watch your body grow!