Manassas Park Community Matters Blog Post - Its 2014……So Whatever happened to the Isolation Exercise Movement? – By Jay Swisher

I remember when I first started to become interested in working out and spending time in the gym.  I was a sophomore in high school and a member of the baseball team.  In an effort to prepare for the upcoming season, our coaching staff had scheduled pre-season workouts for the entire team.  We all wanted to become quicker, faster, and stronger, so most of us were pretty excited to officially begin “working out”.  While our regimen certainly contained a steady stream of compound movement exercises, one coach in particular (who had a weightlifting background) was constantly preaching the significance and necessity of isolation movements and frequently incorporating them into our weekly routines. Looking back, it’s hard to believe how much things have changed.

When it comes to strength training, which is better, compound or isolation exercises?  This is an interesting question and one where the answer can certainly vary.  15-20 years ago, many fitness experts would have erred on the side of isolation exercises as the optimal method.  The thought process has certainly changed since then and while isolation exercises still have a place in a structured fitness routine; almost any fitness guru will recommend compound exercises as the foundation for a successful exercise regimen. 

Compound exercises allow an individual to work multiple muscle groups simultaneously as opposed to a single muscle.  As a result, the overall physical demand (or calorie expenditure) is greater because you are calling on numerous muscle groups to congruently spring into action in order to complete a movement.  Another huge plus is that these movements typically are considered functional in nature.  Essentially this means they more closely resemble “real life” movements as opposed to certain isolation exercises that are not considered functional.  Think of a leg curl for example.  How many activities in life (other than the act of performing a leg curl) mimic a leg curl?  While it may be great to increase your strength on the leg curl machine, the overall benefit as it relates to real life functionality or sports performance is minimal at best. 

By increasing your functional fitness, you are making everyday activities such as putting away the groceries, painting the garage or playing with your children, safer and easier to accomplish.  Leg squats are a great example of a compound exercise.  The standard leg squat is one of the best and most practical multi-joint exercises out there.  When we perform a squat; we are forced to activate our hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, glutes, and a myriad of core muscles in order to complete the movement.  Now imagine when you kneel down to pick up your child or when you sit down at the dinner table.  Each of these movements is functional and can be enhanced by training and exercising in a way that resembles these “real life” actions.

Not sure how to get started with a functional fitness focused exercise regimen?  Stop by the facility and make an appointment with one of our Certified Personal Trainers.  Our experienced training staff can create a customized plan that caters to your specific goals and is centered around you.  We hope to see you soon.

Jay

Jay Swisher is the Operations Manager of the Department of Parks and Recreation. He can be reached at 703.335.8872 or via email at j.swisher@manassasparkva.gov

Community Matters is a blog created by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation. The blog features program updates, announcements of new services, special event notices, or information of general interest.