Basic and isolation exercises in bodybuilding, list of exercises

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What you need

Barbell
Dumbbells
Exercise equipment

Isolation exercises have a place in an athlete’s training plan at any stage of training. In this article we will figure out why they are needed, what is the difference between basic exercises and isolation exercises, and how to perform them correctly.

Basic exercises

They are multi-joint exercises that are aimed at using more than one muscle group. They are the “backbone” of strength training and require great strength during execution. The main basic exercises include squats, which allow you to simultaneously work muscles such as the core, lower dorsal and posterior femoral regions, buttocks, calves, and quadriceps.

Basic exercises allow you to burn a large amount of calories. They imitate real actions. This allows not only to reduce the risk of injury, since it does not require the athlete to perform unusual body movements, but also helps to develop a higher reaction speed, honing the skill of a particular action.

They are aimed at muscle growth and increasing strength indicators, and are recommended for inclusion in the training process for those who are starting to engage in strength training. This approach to classes saves time. It is enough to include two to three basic exercises in your training to achieve uniform development of all muscles.

Base or insulation[edit | edit code]

BASIC exercises: how to do it CORRECTLY?

Source

: Iron World 2013 No. 12

Even the most notorious neophyte knows that basic exercises are the basis for building a bodybuilder’s training program. When asked why basic exercises are better than isolating exercises, you can usually hear the answer that several muscle groups are involved in the basic exercise, due to which you can lift more weight than in an isolating exercise, which means that the trained muscle receives more training stress; In addition, major changes occur in metabolism. More advanced people answer that when performing basic exercises, a greater release of anabolic hormones occurs. Both opinions equally accurately reflect the essence of the processes occurring in the body under the influence of complex multi-joint exercises.

Base and endogenous hormones[edit | edit code]

Read the main article:

Strength training and testosterone

It has been known for a long time that physical activity causes a hormonal response. Studies have found that one of the main factors contributing to this is the intensity and duration of exercise. That is, not every load causes a hormonal response. In addition, the influence of these factors is modulated by emotional stress. It is assumed that the connection between physical exercise and the activity of the endocrine system is due to the spread of nervous excitation from the motor centers of the brain to the motor neurons of the spinal cord - the so-called. central motor command.

A “stronger” central motor command is associated with greater changes in catecholamines, growth hormone, testosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone during exercise. The more weight we use in an exercise, the more intense the load and the stronger the central motor command that initiates the hormonal response. However, in parallel with the intensity, the second factor must be observed - the duration of the load. Thus, when using two different exercise programs with a load of 10 and 5 repetitions to failure, changes in testosterone levels in the blood were more significant after performing exercises with a load of 10 repetitions compared to a similar exercise with a load of 5 repetitions [1][2]. These results confirm the thesis that has emerged practically in bodybuilding that progress in working weights is important for muscle growth, and not in maximum ones. Powerlifting is not the best sport for gaining muscle mass. It is quite natural that when performing squats with a barbell, the nervous excitation going from the brain to the spinal cord is stronger than when performing, for example, extensions or flexions of the lower leg, since when squatting it is necessary to activate several large muscle groups at once and move a much larger weight. Therefore, the hormonal response is stronger. By the way, it’s not for nothing that squats are called the most testosterone-rich exercise, since it has also been confirmed that the hormonal response to weight training also depends on the volume of muscles involved in the work. Training a small muscle like the biceps does not cause any hormonal changes. In this matter, the advantage of basic exercises is obvious.

The benefits of isolation exercises[edit | edit code]

What else do basic exercises provide when the goal is hypertrophy of muscle mass? What is the difference between the load on the pectoral muscles when performing bench presses and dumbbell flyes? It's not particularly different. In the bench press, we can use much more weight than in flyes, but not because the pectoral muscles work more efficiently, but because in addition to them, the triceps and anterior deltoids also work intensively. Try doing an isolating triceps exercise before the bench press, 20 repetitions until failure, so that the acidification with lactic acid is stronger, and then immediately do the bench press. See how much weight you use drops noticeably (the main thing is that the bar does not fall on your chest). During the bench press, the pectoral muscles receive exactly as much as is left for them after subtracting the load on the triceps and shoulders, and this figure will be much less than the weight of the barbell. If you look at the factors that arise under the influence of training load, affecting accelerated protein synthesis in muscles, increased concentrations of free creatine and hydrogen ions in muscle fibers, as well as increased concentrations of anabolic hormones in the blood and muscle), it becomes clear that all of them can occur mainly when performing basic exercises (in the correct mode). Isolation exercises are performed using one muscle or muscle group, and therefore the weight used is small, which means that the central motor command that initiates the hormonal response is also small, if not zero. But the increased concentration of free creatine and hydrogen ions in working muscle fibers occurs equally intensely in both isolating and basic exercises. Moreover, in isolation exercises you can achieve even greater concentrations of these substances. When performing, for example, chest curls on a machine, we work only with the pectoral muscles, and when failure occurs, we can rest assured that it is caused by the depletion of creatine phosphate and the accumulation of hydrogen ions in these muscles. When bench pressing a barbell, refusal to perform the exercise can occur due to exhaustion and acidification of the triceps, and at this moment in the pectoral muscles, which we are actually trying to pump up with the bench press, the concentration of free creatine and hydrogen ions has not yet reached the optimally high level. This means that the stimulation of protein synthesis in these muscles will be weak, which can often be found in practice, especially among ordinary amateurs who bench press enormous weights and have underdeveloped chests.

I myself was one of those, squeezing 170 kg for 8 repetitions without difficulty. My pectoral muscles were flat, but my triceps were voluminous, and this was without special exercises for them.

Now imagine that we eliminate the main disadvantage of isolation exercises - weak stimulation of the production of anabolic hormones - by consuming the latter. In this case, with the correct exercise regimen and proper nutrition, we will ensure the occurrence of all the above factors that stimulate protein synthesis.

Then it will be possible to hypertrophy any muscle or muscle group with isolation exercises alone. A very indicative example is the promising St. Petersburg junior Alexei Malysh, who did not train his legs for almost two years due to an injury, and in preparation for the St. Petersburg Championship this fall began to intensively do flexion and extension of the lower leg (he could not fully do basic exercises). At the same time, despite the diet-induced weight loss of 8 kg, the volume of his hips increased by 3 cm in a month. What would happen if he ate the same way as on the “mass”? And remember how many basic, that is, multi-joint, exercises you know for the lower leg muscles? All types of lifts occur in one ankle joint, and other muscles do not work, but this does not prevent you from pumping up muscles of amazing size.

Conclusions[edit | edit code]

What follows from all of the above? In general, what you already know. Basic exercises were, are and will be the main tool for building the body. However, if for a “naturalist” this is the only tool, then for a “chemist” it is “one of.” An artificially created high level of anabolic hormones will allow you to benefit from isolation exercises with equal success, and sometimes even with advantage. Of course, we are unlikely to build a training program only on them. After all, we are athletes and we get a thrill from working with heavy weights in basic exercises. However, if temporary circumstances arise when it is impossible, for example, due to an injury or lack of equipment at a place of rest (business trip), to do a base, then we can replace it with isolating exercises, without fear of losing the acquired form and even progressing further. Unfortunately, “straight” people are in a less advantageous position in this case. Does it make sense for them to do isolation exercises at all, because although they do not stimulate the production of hormones, they also have certain benefits, which were mentioned above? Eat! But only after several basic working approaches have been completed. Then the level of anabolic hormones, which increases after this, will rush through the bloodstream into those muscles that we are working with emphasis.

Isolation exercises

They are aimed at working exclusively one muscle, that is, involving a specific joint. They are considered auxiliary and are also called grinding, since they allow you to clearly correct a specific area. An example of an isolation exercise is the biceps curl, which exclusively works the biceps.

Auxiliary exercises are recommended for advanced athletes who have fairly impressive muscle mass. They help solve problems of muscle imbalance when one area is more developed. For example, if the muscles of the right hand have a more pronounced relief than the left. Grinding exercises are often part of therapy for people who, due to certain circumstances, simply cannot work with certain muscle groups.

Isolation exercises are highly effective and allow you to achieve a significant increase in muscle volume. It is best to include them in training before performing the basic ones, in order to prepare the muscles for the upcoming loads, stimulate the so-called dormant muscle fibers, and use all the hidden potential.

To better understand the big picture, here is a list of compound and isolation exercises.

Buttocks: anatomical information

The gluteal muscles are three paired muscles, symmetrically located in the area of the same name:

The gluteus maximus is a large, rhomboid-shaped, somewhat flattened muscle. It straightens and fixes the body in the desired position, extends the hip and ensures its external rotation. Its significant size is a feature of the human body, due to the need to keep the body in an upright position.
The gluteus medius muscle, which is shaped like a triangle, is located under the gluteus maximus. It is formed by superficial and deep bundles. Its task in the body is to abduct the hip, as well as the pelvis if the hip is fixed. She straightens her body, tilted forward. The fibers in the back of this muscle rotate the thigh outward, while the fibers in the front rotate it inward.
The gluteus minimus, which is the deepest muscle compared to the gluteus maximus and medius. It resembles the gluteal medius in appearance, but has a smaller volume in diameter. This muscle is involved in hip abduction and trunk straightening.

Anthropological scientists have come to the conclusion that the buttocks are one of the main factors of attractiveness developed in the process of evolution for representatives of both sexes, since the degree of development of this zone indicates a person’s ability to move quickly over long distances - a significant factor of survival.

Anatomically, the gluteus maximus muscle has a direct influence on the appearance of the buttocks.

Developed gluteal muscles are not only a matter of aesthetics, but also the possibility of full motor activity. Overall strength and health depend on this.

Strong gluteal muscles improve performance in any type of physical activity

Basic basic exercises

9 Basic basic exercises. Technique, methodology, nuances, secrets of execution

Back

Pull-ups on the bar, with and without weights, with different grips;
Bent-over barbell row (required after instructions from the trainer, with a belt, start with an empty bar);
Bent-over dumbbell row with the other hand resting on the bench;
Thrust of the upper block to the chest;
Horizontal block pull.
Deadlift (a rather dangerous, but extremely effective exercise, under the supervision of a trainer and with an athletic belt).

Pectoral muscles

incline bench press;
Incline dumbbell press;
bench press on a horizontal bench;
upside down incline bench press;
dumbbell press on a horizontal bench;
dumbbell press on an incline bench, upside down;
push-ups on parallel bars (emphasis on chest, with or without weights).

Deltoids (shoulders)

bench press from the chest and behind the head;
seated dumbbell press;
standing barbell row to the chin (pull).

Biceps

standing biceps curl;
standing dumbbell curls with supination;
Hammer (hammer curls, hammers);

Triceps

Close grip barbell press;
Dips (triceps emphasis).

Legs

Squats with a barbell on the shoulders;
leg press in the simulator;
deadlift;
lunges with a barbell on the shoulders;
standing calf raises (the main load is on the calves).

What do beginners do wrong?

Thoughtlessly performing exercises on an unprepared body may not produce results or even cause harm. To ensure that your efforts are not in vain, you need to use the correct technique. To create an optimal training program with the right combination of exercises, it is advisable to consult a trainer.

Also, do not forget: to achieve maximum results, you should combine training with proper nutrition. With an integrated approach, the effect will not be long in coming.

Isolation exercises

Breast

fly-ups of all types (for example, hand-to-hand exercises with dumbbells while lying on an inclined/horizontal bench) and exercises performed on blocks.

Deltoids

flyes (swings) of all types, lifting dumbbells in front of you.

Biceps

concentrated curls with dumbbells or a barbell (on the elbow support);
bending one arm on a bic card.

Triceps

standing arm extensions on a block;
French bench press;
extension of one arm from behind the head:
Bent over arm extension with dumbbells.

Contraindications to training

The back is considered resilient and is recognized as the most undesirable part of the body to be injured, since it contains many nerve endings. Excessive training with obvious health problems can only harm the body. The following contraindications stand out:

Poor posture.
High blood pressure.
Diseases of the heart or blood vessels.
Severe pain in the spine during exercise.
Congenital pathologies in the acute stage.
If you have at least one such sign, it is better to neglect training with your back.

Common mistakes

When pumping your back, as in all other exercises, the most common mistake made is poor-quality repetitions or improper control of the apparatus, which negatively affects the appearance of the result. The exercise must be approached with the intention of performing it conscientiously.

This leads to the second mistake - incorrectly selected working weight. Ideally, you should perform no more than 12 times. If you can do more, then you should take a heavier apparatus with which you can perform 8-10 repetitions. This is quite difficult and only comes with experience. You also need to sleep well (at least 8 hours) and eat regularly.