Stop disrespecting your isolation exercises
Community Score: 50% | 12.7K views | 1w
0 community ratings: null thumbs up, null thumbs down
Is your lateral raise stronger than it was two months ago? If you really have to think about it, that's a problem. See, most lifters track their compound lifts, then throw isolations in at the end just chasing the pump. But isolation lifts can sometimes give you a clearer read on whether or not you're really building muscle. That's because on compound movements, technique, coordination and body weight can all affect your performance alongside muscle growth, whereas isolations strip a lot of that away. Lateral raises, leg curls and pushdowns are less skill-dependent, so if your strength on them keeps climbing over time, that's a very strong sign the target muscle is growing. This can be especially useful during a cut, because as your body weight and calories come down, some compound lifts can dip even if you haven't lost any actual muscle. I see this with TrainWise members pretty often. For example, someone might lose 10 pounds and have their hack squat drop slightly but still keep impr
Tags: bodybuilding, fitness, build muscle, gym, workout, hypertrophy, muscle building, muscle growth, fat loss, burn fat, weight loss, fat burning, diet, nutrition
More from Sean Nalewanyj
- 15 Idiotic Muscle Building Mistakes (AVOID THESE!) — Score: 50%
- Stop working out only 3 days a week 👎 — Score: 50%
- The "Pre-Workout Itch" — Score: 50%
- Real Lifters Weigh 200+ — Score: 50%
- The dumbest way to lift — Score: 50%
- Autism = Optimal For Gains? — Score: 50%