The Benefits and Drawbacks When Using Muscle Isolation Exercises

These are the benefits and drawbacks when using muscle isolation exercises! OK, so you want to get in shape, but you're a novice in the fitness arena where's the best place to start? Most people simply run out join their local gym and jump on the first machine they feel comfortable tackling and hope for the best. Most often a beginner envisions themselves with bulging biceps, tree trunk legs, washboard abs and a rippling chest, so of course the first exercises they try are the ones they are most familiar with like bicep curls or leg extensions. While their hearts are in the right place many of these exercises may actually do more harm than good, if they are not a part of a complete workout routine.

However, I know not everyone is familiar with fitness terminology, so before I go any further let me explain what isolation exercise means. An isolation exercise is simply a workout that involves a single joint or muscle group as opposed to multiple joints or muscle groups. It therefore, "isolates" that joint or muscle. Exercises that engage multiple groups are called "compound exercises". We will discuss them in future articles. Examples of several isolated exercises: Bicep curls, Leg extensions, Leg curls, Triceps extensions, Calf raises, Flats, inclined or declined fly's (for the chest). Part of the attraction of these exercises to new trainees is that not only are many isolated movements easy to execute and simple to learn, but they also generally require less weight, so they are often considered "safer" to perform. This does not mean that they should be the sole focus of a comprehensive workout routine, especially if you are seeking a "well balanced" physique. Isolated exercises are very often over used and can lead to injury or the weakening of opposing muscle groups, so the next logical question is, when are isolated exercises best utilized within a workout routine and who should use them?

Most often bodybuilders and those seeking to rehabilitate an injured muscle are the prime candidates for these exercises. For the injured, muscles can atrophy due to under use. Isolated movements work only the weakened muscle which may be required to rebuild strength. Also many body builders who have already bulked up to their desired size use isolated exercises to build additional mass or definition in specific muscle groups, such as the biceps or chest. Isolated exercises can also help even out imbalances in strength occurring when one muscle in a group lacks the ability to perform adequately in a specific compound movement. For example, isolated core exercises focusing on the lower back, such as back extension, can benefit those seeking to build strength in their legs using squats or dead lifts by ensuring that their lower back can take the additional strain.

Of course, there are plenty of health benefits to any exercise routine, including improvements in sleep, energy, mood and mental focus, as well as reductions in stress and obviously weight loss, but there are additional benefits exercise can produce, including decreases in the risk of heart attack, osteoporosis, diabetes and a significant reduction in the risk of breast cancer.
As mentioned before, there can be drawbacks to the overuse of isolated exercises, so it is imperative to always seek advice from a fitness consultant before wading into any new workout. This will not only guarantee your best results, but can also help prevent injury. For more Information go to: http://www.fitnesskeys4u.com There you will receive a free health chart.