Maximum Muscle Gain with Compound Exercises
First a quick explanation…compound exercises move the body through two or more joint movements as opposed to isolation exercises that only move the body through a single-joint movement.
A barbell squat is compound exercise and leg extension an isolation exercise. In doing squats you bend your ankles, knees and hips and in leg extensions you only bend your knee.
Compound exercises are superior to isolation movements for at least three reasons.
1) Maximum muscle fiber stimulation at one time which means that you can work a wide range of muscles by performing few exercises. For example, the bench press is a fantastic compound movement that works your chest, shoulder and triceps.
2) Compound exercises allow you to lift the heavy weights. You will always lift more weight with bench press than triceps. This will result in a total body “spill over” effect for overall growth in size and increase in overall strength.
3) These exercises increase anabolic hormone production. Muscles grow in response to stress of lifting and in response to anabolic muscle-building hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone that naturally occur in the body. The most effective way to increase the production of these hormones is through the use of intense, compound exercises.
So, before you reach for another set of biceps, ask yourself this question, “Have I done the compound exercise that effects my biceps?” In case you are wondering that would be an exercise like chin-up.