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TheDismal_Scientist t1_j5j279i wrote

Reply to comment by flyingShaq in LPT: To get the most muscle/sculpting for your buck at the gym, focus on compound lifts—the exercises that recruit multiple muscle groups. You only really need overhead press, bench press, squat, deadlift, rows, dips, and maybe pull-ups. These will give you most workout for the energy you put forth. by [deleted]

I don't buy it. Training compounds if you want to look good is like training for a marathon by running 100m sprints

Isolating with intensity is vastly more efficient, might be a bit more to chew at the beginning but six weeks in and you're already seeing the benefit

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Afferbeck_ t1_j5jd4kb wrote

Why do you think you can't look good with compound lifts? An untrained person has a far greater chance of causing a significant change to their physique by focusing on say dips and pullups than they do trying to hyperspecialise on bodybuilding isolations. The guy that goes from zero to 15 pullups (or ideally added weight) has a much better change than the guy who adds a few notches on the cable curl.

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TheDismal_Scientist t1_j5je7wr wrote

As I say, it's like training for a marathon with sprints, it's easier to program doing the same three compounds 3x a week. But doing even a half decent isolation split with adequate intensity is always going to see more results.

E.g. doing one shoulder, one chest, and one tricep exercise is going to look a lot better than doing one bench press after a month or two

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flyingShaq t1_j5j2vj1 wrote

If you're recommending ppl, p sure it incorporates compounds and accessories. Bench press, squat, dl, pull ups, etc all component of ppl

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TheDismal_Scientist t1_j5j3fvd wrote

I mean you can program a ppl (or any split) with compounds or isolation exercises, I should have been clearer that I'd focus on smaller isolation exercises, especially ones with greater stability like machines or cables over free weights for hypertrophy.

Stimulus to fatigue ratio is much better on (for example) a machine Incline chest press compared to a Dumbell press.

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vinceftw t1_j5jgcty wrote

You gave solid advice at first and then you said isolation and machine exercises trump compounds. What?

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TheDismal_Scientist t1_j5jh7cq wrote

For hypertrophy? Of course isolation/machines are better. Stability + isolation means less fatigue, means muscular failure comes before cardiovascular failure (which tends to be the opposite with big compounds)

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vinceftw t1_j5jhge6 wrote

If you're reaching cardiovascular failure before muscle failure on compounds you're either fat af, 80 year old or extremely unfit which all mean you'd need the extra cardio.

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TheDismal_Scientist t1_j5jhndb wrote

Personally I think people think they're hitting muscular failure when they're really hitting cardio failure when doing most compounds, but all we can do is agree to disagree there

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Yeangster t1_j5jnbtd wrote

I was rowing for an hour a day for more than a year when I started squats and deadlifts. A heavy set of 3-5 would almost knock me out.

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flyingShaq t1_j5j5rfn wrote

Yea, I'd have to agree. In terms of just pure muscular development isolation is most optimal.

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