So what do i do if not isolate work ?

[Saint Of The K]

Hi

I was just reading a thread where once again someone flamed another one for doing isolation exercises.

So what do you "replace" them with ?
Apart from biceps curls, i don't really see an exercise that would work only one muscle, but hey, i'm no specialist...

Like many people here, i'm mainly focused on getting stronger, not bigger, so what would you advise for MMA training ?

ps: by the way, do you guys consider bp an isolation exercise also ? since (if i'm no wrong), you pretty much only work triceps/chest, depending on how you hold the bar.

 

[CrazyAZNRedneck]

No, dude. Bench presses are not isolation, they are compound work.

Flyes, Dumbbell Raises, Leg Extensions, etc. are isolation moves.

I don't think it's silly to do isolation exercises. Just do them later, they're not that great for funtional strength. Bottom line, you're going to get both bigger and stronger (I tried to just get strong with out gaining weight, didn't work). Stay in the 3-8 rep range while looking to get stronger than switch to the 15-20 rep range for endurance. 8-15 is the best place to stimulate growth, so stay out of there if you don't want to move up in weight.

Emphasize compound exercises and plyometrics, then save isolation stuff for last.

 

[KingSnake]

Agree, I was doing a workout for a while that would use isolation at the end of a compound superset/tri-set. Good for endurance and I got some power gains too. For me, If i don't switch up routines every 2 months or so = minimal gains.

 

[CarnalSalvation]

Yeah, it's not that isolation exercises are so terrible, it's that routines built ENTIRELY of them are terrible.

All that really matters is that you work hard and heavy on a handful of basic exercises. What you do after that is almost entirely an issue of personal preference and what yeilds optimal gains.

 

[hughes]

When you consider the fact that you have a very finite amount of time to exercise, what with personal commitments and all, doesn't it make sense to work as many muscles as possible in the allotted time?

So yeah, isolation is a waste of time. I mean that in the more literal sense.

 

[wenispinkle]

you think curls are the only isolationist movment?

how bout tricep kickbacks.....or calf raises.....or a bajillion other bs exercises like those?


and bench press is a big compound movement....you work chest tris and delts

 

[kelt_22]

for mma compound moves are best.rarely are you just goining to use just one muscle group.
isolation moves are for rehab and hypertrophy.

 

[mrhappie45]

ok gus i feel i can answer these questions.. i have used frank shamrocks workouts, and trained with mma fighters,,, i am currently a mma fighter my self... first off i will list some great workouts// comcine and use what you like..

DB dench.
Bench press( bench medium weight, and high reps)
Non-weighted squats( do these fast, and jump if you want to)
Split jump squats
Squat curls get a barbell with the amount of weight you would normally curl.do a dead lift- then curl it from there.
medicine ball pushups(place both hands on two seperate medicine balls, works stability muscles)
medicine ball chest press.( push the medicine ball up into the air, and repeat as fast as you can(laying or standing)
Standing chest press( get a barbell and press it up like a press. up until it is over your head, and repeat.)
squat jumps(sideways) standing, laterally jump from a squat position from left you right..)
Arnold press.

 

[cockysprinter]

the position of this forum on isolation exercises:

pimp workout = bench, tate press

gay workout = flies, lateral raises, skull crushers, tate press

 

[joe broadway]

carnal really hit it on the head. place the greatest emphasis on your large compound movements and then use isolation movements to assist the compound movements. and if you are building a program for mma specifically make sure you have a lot of variety in your training because you are not so much after a big bench as you are functional strength and conditioning. depending on how much you train and how hard, you may be only able to lift one or 2 days a week like me; that is plenty if you are training hard. i make sure to do a couple compound movements and some isolation movements with varying sets/reps/weight and i do not do the same exercises from week to week (they change at least slightly). besically listen to what your body is telling you you need to do if you are to that point, thats what i do and it works well