Isolation Movements?

[RazorCuts]

From recent studies it has been showing that One Compound movement followed by a Isolation movement is optimum for growth in large bodyparts.
Do you agree or do you think a Compound movement can get the job done on its own?

RC

 

[IronMike]

...

I haven't seen these studies, but they are, generally, flawed. "A compound exercise followed by an isolation exercise is optimum for growth" - optimal for who? For someone who has never exercised, for an advanced trainer? and how is "optimal" measured - against what? Being that everyone responds to different stimuli differently for many many different reasons (eg slow/fast twitch, body comp etc) this isn't taken into account either.

I think most of these studies show that, should a normal person apply challenging resistance to their muscles, they will illicit growth. I think that's about as far as they are useful.

Plenty have shown that pre-exhaust is a very useful technique (and I subscribe) and this would be the opposite of these studies.

On the whole, I try to base my workouts around compound movements and eliminate as many isolations as possible. Where done, they are done as one or two movements at the end of a workout.

IronMike

 

[STEVO 47]

These are my thoughts. There is no magic program. I feel that compound
movements are the only thing that will help bring max. growth to the
muscles and that's no secret. Muscles were meant to work in conjuction
with other muscles. The only benifit isolation brings is more blood to the
area. Now if you are one of the lucky one's with great genes, you could
posibly get something from em. I've seen guy's workout in the weirdest
ways though and make progress, so I'll say see what works for you.