| I get guys in the gym asking me the same | | | | efficient machine functioning on all |
| question over and over. They always want to | | | | cylinders which will have no trouble in |
| know what is the best workout routine to | | | | performing complex movements- whether it be |
| isolate a particular muscle group. Now that | | | | in athletics or just fairly simple routine |
| could be their biceps, triceps or abs - you | | | | jobs. Look at Maurice Green or Terrell Owens |
| name it - these guys want to isolate it. Now | | | | and you will note they are totally ripped |
| that gives me the impression that they are | | | | just like the bodies of wide receivers and a |
| missing out on the big picture about strength | | | | lot of sprinters. I can tell you now that |
| training. Let me explain why this seems such | | | | these guys do NOT do training for muscle |
| an odd question to ask. | | | | isolation - they would be crazy to do so. |
| | | | Yet their results are amazing and don't tell |
| Now I have to explain to these guys that the | | | | me you wouldn't like a body like theirs. |
| body will not work at its maximum efficiency | | | | |
| if we are talking about muscle isolation. | | | | It should be fairly obvious that if you are |
| All the muscles work together and large parts | | | | doing isolation training and concentrating on |
| of the body will help the smaller parts to | | | | single- joint movements, the whole body is |
| complete a complex movement. Muscle groups | | | | not involved and therefore your metabolism is |
| do not just work on their own so really | | | | not at its full peak. Now think of the |
| muscle isolation does not exist. Whatever | | | | complex movement situation and here the |
| movement you do, there will always be another | | | | metabolism rate will be higher, more calories |
| group of muscles in the vicinity which are | | | | will be burned and also that means that you |
| working to help you perform that movement. | | | | are going to produce testosterone and growth |
| In this article I want to point out that | | | | hormone which is what you are aiming for |
| multi-joint complex movements are a far | | | | really. That in turn means you can lose body |
| better way than trying to single out certain | | | | fat more easily. |
| parts of the body through single-joint | | | | |
| exercises. | | | | Let's look at an example. The machine leg |
| | | | extension is a single joint exercise that |
| So, let us say you want to perform a | | | | works mainly the quadriceps, can potentially |
| single-joint exercise and you are trying to | | | | cause knee joint instability in the long run, |
| isolate some muscles. If you do that, you | | | | and doesn't even burn that many calories. On |
| are not allowing the body to perform | | | | the other hand, exercises like squats, |
| efficiently and it will be much more likely | | | | lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts are all |
| to suffer from injury. Basically you are | | | | multi-joint complex movements that work |
| building a collection of body parts and not | | | | hundreds of muscles in the body (including |
| thinking of the whole body as a powerful, | | | | the quadriceps) as a functional unit, create |
| wonderfully complex unit working together. | | | | more stable and strong joints in the long run |
| | | | (when done properly), and also burn massive |
| If you are really convinced that you want to | | | | quantities of calories compared to the |
| isolate your biceps or whatever, then you can | | | | single-joint exercises. |
| continue that type of training but be warned | | | | |
| that you are likely to end up with a few | | | | Robert Locke is a specialist in Health. |
| bandaged joints, tendonitis, not to mention | | | | |
| unwanted body fat. Now if you want a leaner | | | | Visit to receive your own personalized |
| fitter and muscular body all over, you should | | | | metabolic rate calculator as well as 4 secret |
| be trying to move away from this isolation | | | | hard-body workout routines - both FREE. Click |
| training and aim for a body as a wholly | | | | on the Truth About Abs. |