The traditional wisdom in weightlifting and strength training suggests that compound movements—such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses—should be performed before isolation exercises like bicep curls or tricep extensions. This advice is grounded in the idea that compound lifts recruit multiple muscle groups, demand more energy, and are more complex in terms of technique and coordination. However, there are situations where reversing the order, by performing isolation exercises before compound lifts, can be beneficial.
In this article, we’ll explore when it makes sense to prioritise isolation movements, the science behind this unconventional approach, and how it can be applied in different contexts to optimise performance and results.
Table of Contents
Understanding Compound and Isolation Movements
Compound Movements
Compound movements are exercises that engage multiple joints and muscle groups at once. Examples include the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press. These exercises are often seen as the cornerstone of any strength training programme due to their ability to build overall strength and muscle mass. They are energy-demanding and allow for greater loads to be lifted, making them effective for improving strength, power, and hypertrophy.
Isolation Movements
Isolation exercises, on the other hand, focus on a single joint and target a specific muscle group. Movements like bicep curls, tricep extensions, and leg curls fall into this category. While they don’t recruit as many muscles or allow for as much weight as compound exercises, they can be used to correct muscle imbalances, improve muscular endurance, and enhance muscle definition.
Traditionally, isolation exercises are performed after compound lifts because, after the large muscle groups have been worked in the compound exercises, the smaller muscles are then targeted in isolation.
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The Case for Isolation Before Compound Movements
Though traditional advice leans heavily towards performing compound exercises first, there are certain scenarios where leading with isolation movements can be beneficial. These scenarios usually involve strategic programming that aims to address specific goals or limitations.
Pre-Exhaustion Technique
One of the primary reasons to perform isolation movements before compound lifts is the pre-exhaustion technique. This strategy involves fatiguing a specific muscle group with isolation work before engaging in compound movements. For example, you might perform leg extensions (an isolation exercise for the quadriceps) before squats (a compound exercise).
Benefits of the Pre-Exhaustion Technique
- Increased Muscle Activation Pre-exhausting a muscle with an isolation exercise can enhance muscle recruitment during compound lifts. This approach targets the specific muscle you want to grow or strengthen by ensuring it’s the limiting factor in the subsequent compound movement. For instance, pre-exhausting the chest with pec flys before performing bench presses can force the chest muscles to work harder during the bench press, even though the triceps and shoulders are also involved.
- Enhanced Muscle Hypertrophy Research has shown that the pre-exhaustion method can stimulate muscle hypertrophy more effectively in certain cases. A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated that pre-exhaustion could lead to greater activation of the target muscle during subsequent compound lifts. By fatiguing a muscle early, you force it to work harder when performing a compound movement, potentially enhancing muscle growth.
- Improving Mind-Muscle Connection Many lifters struggle to feel a specific muscle working during compound lifts. For example, some people may find that their chest isn’t fully engaged during the bench press because their triceps or shoulders take over. By pre-exhausting the chest with isolation exercises, you can improve the mind-muscle connection, ensuring the target muscle is more engaged when performing compound movements.
- Mitigating Strength Imbalances Pre-exhaustion can help address muscular imbalances that can affect performance and aesthetics. If one muscle group is weaker or underdeveloped relative to others, pre-exhaustion forces that muscle to take on a greater load, potentially correcting imbalances over time.
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Correcting Weak Links in Lifts
Another reason to do isolation movements before compound lifts is to address weak points in a compound movement. If a specific muscle is limiting your ability to perform a lift properly, isolating and strengthening that muscle can improve overall performance.
Example: Weak Triceps in the Bench Press
If your triceps are the weak link in your bench press, performing tricep isolation exercises beforehand can help activate and strengthen them. This pre-activation strategy helps ensure that your triceps are sufficiently engaged when you move on to the bench press, potentially leading to better technique and improved strength gains.
Injury Prevention and Joint Health
For individuals dealing with joint pain or coming back from injury, performing isolation exercises before compound lifts can serve as a warm-up for the joints and muscles involved in the subsequent compound exercise. For example, someone with knee issues might benefit from performing light leg extensions before squats. This can help “prime” the knees and quadriceps, potentially reducing the risk of injury during heavier compound lifts.
A study published in Clinical Biomechanics found that targeted isolation exercises could help improve joint stability and reduce pain, making it easier and safer to perform compound movements. This is particularly important for older lifters or those with a history of injury.
Specialised Hypertrophy Goals
If your primary goal is muscle hypertrophy (growth), you might benefit from performing isolation exercises first to ensure that you adequately stimulate a specific muscle. This is especially useful when you have a stubborn muscle group that’s lagging behind others. For example, if your biceps are underdeveloped compared to the rest of your arms, starting your workout with bicep curls can ensure that they receive enough attention and stimulus before fatigue sets in from compound lifts like pull-ups or rows.
A study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology supports this approach, noting that starting with isolation exercises can help target smaller muscle groups that might otherwise be neglected during workouts focused on compound movements.
Situations Where Isolation Before Compound Is Effective
Bodybuilding and Aesthetics
Bodybuilders often use the pre-exhaustion method to bring up lagging muscles and improve overall symmetry. By prioritising isolation exercises, they can ensure that the target muscle receives maximum stimulation. This strategy is particularly useful when preparing for a competition or focusing on developing specific muscles for aesthetic purposes.
Rehabilitation and Injury Recovery
Isolation exercises can be crucial for rehabilitation from injury. Performing these exercises before compound lifts can help activate and strengthen specific muscles that may have weakened due to disuse. For example, a person recovering from a shoulder injury might perform lateral raises before pressing movements to ensure that the deltoids are properly engaged and stabilised during heavier lifts.
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Special Populations
Older adults, beginners, or those with joint issues may benefit from performing isolation exercises before compound movements. This approach allows them to strengthen specific muscles that may be weaker or underdeveloped, thus providing more stability during compound movements. Pre-exhaustion can also serve as a gentle warm-up for joints and ligaments, which is particularly beneficial for those with arthritis or other joint concerns.
Prioritising Lagging Muscles
If you have a particular muscle group that lags behind others in terms of size or strength, pre-exhaustion allows you to prioritise that muscle early in the workout. For example, if your hamstrings are weaker compared to your quadriceps, performing leg curls before deadlifts or squats ensures that your hamstrings are sufficiently worked.
Potential Downsides of Isolation Before Compound Movements
While there are clear benefits to performing isolation exercises first, there are also some potential downsides to consider.
Decreased Strength on Compound Lifts
One of the most significant drawbacks of performing isolation exercises first is that it can reduce your strength on compound lifts. By pre-fatiguing a muscle group, you may not be able to lift as much weight during compound exercises, which could limit overall strength gains.
A study in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that pre-fatiguing muscles with isolation work reduced performance in subsequent compound movements, particularly in terms of the total weight lifted and the number of repetitions completed. This could be a concern for athletes or lifters whose primary goal is to build maximal strength.
Risk of Overtraining
Starting with isolation exercises can sometimes lead to overtraining of specific muscle groups, especially if you’re not careful with your volume and intensity. This is particularly true for smaller muscles like the biceps and triceps, which may not need as much direct work as larger muscles like the chest or legs. Overtraining can lead to fatigue, injury, and burnout, negating the benefits of prioritising isolation exercises.
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Loss of Technique in Compound Movements
Pre-fatiguing a muscle group before performing compound lifts could lead to a breakdown in form. For example, pre-exhausting your quads before squatting could make it harder to maintain proper technique, increasing the risk of injury. This is especially concerning for complex lifts like deadlifts and squats, which require precise form to be performed safely and effectively.
Fatigue and Recovery Concerns
If you’re performing isolation exercises first, it’s important to manage fatigue levels carefully. Fatiguing specific muscles early in a workout can lead to overall exhaustion more quickly, potentially reducing the quality of your workout. Moreover, your muscles may require more time to recover between workouts if you’re taxing them heavily with isolation exercises before compound movements, which could affect your training frequency and progress.
How to Implement Isolation Before Compound Exercises
If you decide that isolation before compound exercises is the right strategy for your goals, it’s important to implement this method effectively. Here are some key tips for success:
1. Start With Low Volume
If you’re new to this approach, start with a low volume of isolation work to avoid excessive fatigue. For example, instead of doing multiple sets of isolation exercises, begin with one or two sets to see how your body responds before moving on to compound movements.
2. Monitor Your Technique
Pay close attention to your form when performing compound movements after isolation exercises. If you notice a breakdown in technique, reduce the weight or volume of isolation work to ensure that you can still perform compound lifts safely and effectively.
3. Periodise Your Training
Not every workout needs to prioritise isolation exercises. Consider using this approach as part of a periodised programme, where you alternate between different training phases that focus on strength, hypertrophy, or endurance. For example, you might pre-exhaust your muscles during a hypertrophy phase but switch back to prioritising compound lifts during a strength-focused phase.
4. Use Strategic Pairing
Choose isolation exercises that target muscles that are relevant to the compound movement you’re performing. For example, if you’re going to squat, consider doing leg extensions or leg curls beforehand. If you’re planning to bench press, pec flys or tricep extensions would be more appropriate.
5. Focus on Weak Points
Identify your weak points in specific compound lifts and target those with isolation exercises first. For example, if your lower back is limiting your deadlift, performing isolation exercises like back extensions beforehand might help.
Conclusion
While traditional strength training advice advocates for compound lifts before isolation exercises, there are certain situations where reversing this order can be beneficial. Whether you’re using the pre-exhaustion technique to improve muscle activation, correcting muscular imbalances, or prioritising a lagging muscle group, performing isolation exercises first can be a valuable tool in your training arsenal.
However, this approach isn’t without its downsides, including potential reductions in strength on compound lifts, increased risk of overtraining, and the possibility of technique breakdown. For these reasons, it’s important to carefully monitor your training and adjust the volume, intensity, and frequency of isolation work accordingly.
In the right context, isolation before compound exercises can be a powerful strategy to optimise muscle growth, correct imbalances, and improve overall performance.
Key Takeaways
Bibliography
- Fisher, J.P., Steele, J., and Smith, D. (2017) ‘Pre-exhaustion vs. Traditional Exercise Order: Effects on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Individuals’, The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(10), pp. 2697-2704.
- Steele, J., Bruce-Low, S., and Smith, D. (2014) ‘The Effects of Pre-Exhaustion on Muscle Activation During a Compound Movement: A Critique of the Evidence’, European Journal of Applied Physiology, 114(9), pp. 1935-1943.
- Welsch, E., Palmer, T., and Bush, C. (2017) ‘The Role of Pre-Exhaustion in Enhancing Mind-Muscle Connection and Muscle Hypertrophy’, Clinical Biomechanics, 32(1), pp. 45-52.
- Gentil, P., Fisher, J.P., and Steele, J. (2015) ‘Influence of Exercise Order on Muscle Damage During High-Intensity Resistance Training’, Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(14), pp. 1401-1407.
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