Hi, I’m Haileigh

I’m a NASM-CPT, content creator, and mom of two. I’m passionate about helping busy women build strength and find balance.

Compound vs. Isolation

Compound vs. Isolation

Compound and isolation exercises both have an important place within your workout programming.

Compound exercises are lifts that recruit multiple muscle groups at the same time (think squats, deadlifts, bench presses, bent-over rows). On the other hand, isolation exercises focus on a single specific muscle group (think bicep curls, cable triceps push-down, dumbbell flys).

Compound exercises are generally more impressive than isolation exercises and tend to get the most attention in the gym. This attention makes sense, though. When’s the last time you cared what someone’s hamstrung curl PR was? But a 300lb/136kg deadlift will catch your eye.

Simply put, compound exercises are more complex, allow you to work with heavier loads, and require more practice to master.

Which one is better?

Although they’re both important for different reasons, compound exercises should be the backbone of your programming. Working multiple muscle systems at one time ensures you’re making the most of your time in the gym. If you’re like most of us and have limited time to work out, it makes sense to practice the lifts that hit multiple areas at once.

How should my programming be structured to include both compound and isolation exercises?

You should always do compound lifts before moving to isolation work. Compounds are far more taxing on the body, so get them out of the way while you’re still energized. Then move on to your isolation work.

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