Day 42 - Week 7 Begins

Compound or Isolated

It was recently brought to my attention that I might gain additional traction with my weights and strength training routine if I were to train using compound exercises. As it happens, I've been doing this already, incorporating a healthy mix of compound and isolation exercises - so it feels like I'm going good.

Functional fitness is that which simulates real-life activities and uses a wide range of movements through a wide range of motion. At the heart of these routines are a variety of compound exercises. Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that work several muscles or muscle groups at one time. The type of exercise has more benefits that just being a little bit harder on your workout. Here' what I've learnt:

1. You burn more calories during compound exercise training
2. You simulate real world exercises and activities
3. You get a full body workout faster
4. This improves coordination, reaction time and balance
5. This improves joint stability and improves muscle balance across a joint
6. It reduces the risk of injuries during sport
7. It keeps your heart rate up and this benefits your cardiovascular system
8. It allows you to exercise for longer with less muscle fatigue
9. It allows you to lift heavier loads and build more strength 

Isolations exercises work only one muscle or muscle group and only one joint at a time. These exercises are often performed with the commercial weight machines we see in the gym. These machines isolate one muscle group, so gym users can move from one machine to another to obtain a 'full body workout'.

Isolation exercise is a really good way to focus on specific muscle groups. I used this method of training to recover from my torn hamstring last year, and I hear its a great way to increase size or bulk of specific muscles (if you're into that).

From what I've read the balance is definitely in favour of training with lots of compound, using isolation exercises to improve the performance of specific muscles, groups or joints.

Get To It, Learn New Variations....

I often use the isolation machines to warm up (since I do a major muscle every day), then move to compound exercises for the bulk of my workout. I've always tried (where possible) to complete as many exercises standing to improve my core strength (hoping that one day the hard work will pay off and my belly will shrink)... You get out what you put in....

Everyday, Learn Something New...

When I reached the gym, in the early pre-dawn cool air I had already decided to give a full compound workout a go. In exchange for the seat row machines, I used free weights. Mr P gave me a few tips on some of the new versions using a barbell, which was very useful.

I trained hard today. I started with barbell bent over rows, working a couple lightweight sets to practice then chucking on the weight (quite low) so I could focus on technique - going back to basics helps to reinforce what you think you've learnt! After completion of another 3 sets of rows, I then moved to dead lifts. I could feel the difference to my normal machine use almost immediately, and more so in my core! I still used the lat pulldown and the isolated forward inclined row machine - I like the challenge of both, plus its was a good variation and to feel the isolated muscles after working the core also made me more aware of my technique!

I love working my back one side of the spine at a time, using the cable crossover. I modified the normal seat row variants into standing, well, semi-squating routines and felt my legs stabilising whilst holding firm in my abs - whilst focusing on working my back. So good.

After 60 minutes of gym time, all spent on my back (which will love me for it later) I moved to some quick abdominal work. Farmer walks with weight discs, leg and knee raises, not to mention the hanging leg raises - which I found I was swinging more than normal? So, weird!

Another good workout, which was lucky since work commitments meant no evening cardio tonight....which led to a little over eating / indulgence...but I'll push harder in my workouts tomorrow! I'm comfortable with that!