Goal = No Isolation exercises for a month

[robert]

Hey, what do you think about this?

 

Should I make it a goal to not do any isolation exercises for a certain muscle for the whole month?

 

Meaning, I'd just do compound exercises involving multiple joints, therefore multiple muscle groups?

 

So no little biceps curls or triceps extensions but rather hit these from back and chest exercises.

 

No leg extensions or curls, but more hack squats, leg press, squats and other multi-joint exercises.

 

Does it sound like a good experiment?

 

I think Daywalker did this for months. I'd have to ask him to be sure, but I think he pushed aside isolation movements and went big or went home. And he ended up big, not home.

 

Anyway, thoughts on this experiment for a month?

 

Should I start with a week, a month, maybe 2 months? Not at all?

 

What are some benefits or problems I could face?

[Zack]

Base it on compounds, supplement with isolation.

[robert]

Yeah, that is a good call and what I thought about doing, but I thought I'd try to just remove isolation altogether to see what happens, and how I respond to it and come up with a creative program.

 

I'll see. I'll get some more input and then decide next week. I want to change things up for sure.

 

The intensity is there, not doubt about that. I just want to make sure I'm lifting some heavy....ass.....weight!

[Guest]

I don't see why you shouldn't give it a try. I know a few elite level track athletes that do this with success. I say try it and if it doesn't work go back to the old stuff. I think one thing you need to keep in mind is that your really need to increase the volume when doing this.

[Odidnetne]

I do the compounds until I'm too tired to do them, then I do isolation exercises if I have any energy left for that particular part, so I'd do pull ups, but if my back got tired, I'd move to curls afterwards.

[sydneyvegan]

Yeah I agreed with Zack, use the isolation exercises to compliment the compound stuff...

Bicep curls or Tricep pushdowns for example.

[cubby2112]

Doing all compound or isolation only to supplement it both sound like good ideas. I vote whichever seems like the most fun or the best change for your body.

[VeganEssentials]

Everyone knows my opinions on compound movements

 

Good stuff - I don't think it's a problem if you stil want to do SOME isolation exercises as finishers, but keeping it at a minimum (maybe 1-2 exercises tops for 2-3 sets each) and you'll keep the attention where it is best put.

 

What lifts are you planning on focusing on during this time? Just curious!

[VeJoe]

I'm training for (at least I think I am) functional strength - therefore I do almost exclusively compound movements...

 

Squats

Lunges

Dead lifts

Pull-ups

Dips

Bench press

Military press

Hanging leg raises

etc...

 

Lately I've been starting every lifting session with deep squats (M, W, F). I've read that this is supposed to help with making mass gains. So far so good, I've gained 7 lbs in two weeks. Of course I'm sure some of that is fat, but if I have to gain a little fat to get some muscles - I'm all for it.

[bronco]

Good stuff - I don't think it's a problem if you stil want to do SOME isolation exercises as finishers, but keeping it at a minimum (maybe 1-2 exercises tops for 2-3 sets each) and you'll keep the attention where it is best put.

I would agree with that.

[Daywalker]

That's not really a goal, Rob, it's a plan

 

I did it for a long time, helped develop strength and i gained a bit mass in some areas. Now i add some isolation exercises sparingly, like a few curls and calve exercises, but nearly nothing still (no shoulder isos, no triceps, no quads, hams, adductors, abductors, etc - all in the compound moves). I find doing 3 sets of curls per week is superior to doing none at all, but doing none wasn't as bad as you'd think for the 'ceps

[robert]

Everyone knows my opinions on compound movements

 

Good stuff - I don't think it's a problem if you stil want to do SOME isolation exercises as finishers, but keeping it at a minimum (maybe 1-2 exercises tops for 2-3 sets each) and you'll keep the attention where it is best put.

 

What lifts are you planning on focusing on during this time? Just curious!

 

What do I plan on doing?

 

Well, good question.

 

Legs:

 

Legpress

Hack squats

Squats (eventually)

 

Back:

 

Pull-ups

Bent-over rows

T-bar rows

 

Chest:

 

Bench press

Dumbbell presses

 

Shoulders:

 

Overhead presses

 

Arms should get trained from chest and back

 

 

Any other suggestions?

 

 

I want to cut down on isolation and focus on compound movements and as I get treatments for my injuries, I should be able to do more of them soon

[VeJoe]

dips are great for the chest / triceps...

[Daywalker]

Any other suggestions?

Dips, power cleans, front squats, overhead squats, deadlift, straight legged deadlift.

 

Don'tknow which of those you can or can't do, but they are great exercises.

[Warlock]

For the last two months I've done nothing other than benchpress, squat, deadlift and chins and it worked for me. But I have to say that I cant wait to go back to 'normal' training...