There is an extensive variety of exercise types and ways to get your body in shape, but finding exercises that work for your body and lifestyle can be tricky. For many, their workout goal is to be in better overall shape and to increase their physical quality of life. The ideal way to do this is by choosing exercises that incorporate multiple muscle groups to do one activity.
Compound and Isolation Exercises
Most kinds of exercise can be classified as either a compound or isolation exercise.
Compound exercises specifically engage multiple muscle groups at once. This describes almost all recreational sports, certain exercises in the gym, and overall, just living your life. Living day-to-day, everyone always uses multiple muscle groups at once even to do activities like carrying groceries up the stairs, taking a bath, or even just getting out of bed. So, specifically training your body to use multiple muscle groups at once will directly increase many aspects and movements of your daily routine. Compound exercises require more coordination, effort, balance, and energy to complete than isolation exercises. Multi-muscle group exercises tend to increase your heart rate and burn more calories because they require more dynamic movements.
In comparison, isolation exercises pointedly target certain muscle groups and only use that muscle group. These exercises are handy when trying to strengthen a specific muscle, like in a post-injury physical therapy setting. However, there are not countless other instances where isolation exercises are healthier for the body than compound exercises. Isolation movements are usually easier to learn and do not require as much physical ability. Their best functions serve as correcting muscular imbalances, isolating specific muscles, and fine-tuning form. Otherwise, isolation work functions as a basis with the eventual goal to perform compound exercises. If someone is trying to get back in shape or is inexperienced with exercise, then isolation exercises are a solid place to start but not to stay. They serve the purpose of activating certain muscles and building strength in particular areas, but once those muscles can tolerate compound exercises, those should be the priority.
How to Tell the Difference
Compound exercises usually involve the activation of several joints and work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, whereas isolation exercises usually require singular joint movement and only target one muscle group. Listed below is a collection comparing certain compound and isolation exercises.
Sit ups vs Planks
Sit-ups and planks are two of the most common core exercises, but one is significantly better for your body than the other in terms of compound and isolation movements. Sit-ups are an isolation movement that are only supposed to work the rectus abdominis muscle. They can be hard on your back and unnecessarily work your hip flexors. If your hip flexors become tight, they can then pull on the lower spine, causing lower back pain. Planks are a compound exercise as they incorporate the rectus abdominis muscle, oblique muscles, and back muscles. They also promote a stronger balance and overall muscle strength. So, when deciding which core exercises to train, opt for planks over sit-ups whenever possible.
Squats vs. Leg Extensions
Barbell Squats are a frequently performed leg workout. This is in part due to the number of muscle groups it activates. Doing barbell squats exercises the hamstrings, quads, glutes, adductors, and lower back. Comparatively, leg extensions only exercise your quadriceps. Again, leg extensions can be helpful if quadriceps need to be specifically strengthened but otherwise barbell squats are a far superior movement.
Triceps Extensions vs Dips
Triceps extensions are a popular isolation exercise that target the triceps brachii on the back of the upper arm. It is a movement that provides more arm range of motion and puts less pressure on the rest of the upper arms and shoulders. However, per its name and classification, it isolates the triceps and only strengthens that muscle. Triceps dips are a compound movement that are generally harder on the shoulder and elbow joints but provide a more comprehensive workout to the entire upper body, not just the triceps.
Pull ups vs Bicep Curl
Pull-ups are a difficult compound movement that usually require rigorous training to do successfully. When doing pull-ups, you are working your lats, rotator cuffs, biceps, rhomboids, deltoids, and core. It is an incredible exercise to master as pull-ups use plenty of muscles but are hard for the average person to complete. In comparison, bicep curls are another arm exercise, but these fall under the isolation category as they only work the biceps brachii on the front of the upper arm. They are significantly easier to complete than pull-ups, and they do require less overall upper body prowess for those aspiring to take a crack at pull-ups.
Be sure to choose the exercises that work best for you and your body, whether that be mostly compound or mostly isolation or a combination of both. The ultimate goal is to get what you want out of your workout.
References
Compound vs Isolation Exercises (Full Guide)
Compound vs. Isolation Exercises: Which Is Best?
Compound Vs Isolation Exercises: What’s The Difference? | Gymshark Central
