Isolation training along with stardard lifts

[treadlite]

I used to have a workout schedule that would usually work on 3 - 4 major lifts for the muscle group. In addition to these lifts, I would also add 3-4 isolation lifts in order to try to work out every part of the muscle group I could. This process usually took 1 1/2 hours, and depending on the day, up to 2 hours. Each muscle group was worked twice a week except legs only once a week.

What are the pros-cons for adding in isolation excerises withing a standard lifting routine. My goal was a combination of both strength and bulk, but strength BEFORE bulk.

I am heading up a new routine and looking for some input.

 

[SouthernLord]

My opinion is most isolation work is a giant waste of time.

If you want strength train lifts. If you want bulk hit the buffet. It's a pretty simple.

Three to four days per week is plenty. Train the body as a whole or focus on upper one day and lower the next.

I know you'll probably write this off and do a body part split with an arm day. That's cool though. It obviously worked for Ronnie and Arnold. Good luck.

 

[treadlite]

I just never felt like I could hit it hard enough with just main lifts, and I did the isolations for the extra BURN sensation.

I didn't separate out arms more that just a few times as an experiment, it was mainly Back/Bicep, Bench/Triceps twice a week with some smaller muscle groups thrown in between, and one day of legs. Leg days were only an hour.

The results I had from this were just outstanding, in fact nobody actually believes my results except for the few friends that were around during this time in my life.

The problem I have now, is it has been many years since then and I am hitting it up again, and it is going to be rather difficult to move away from this mentality since it worked so well for me at the time.

 

[Peterlumberjack]

i think a FEW auxiliary exercises can be good finishers for the pump and muscle mind control. But this will only improve aesthetics. For bulking and strength, just focus on the major heavy compound exercises.

 

[treadlite]

aesthetics, as in looking ripped? That is something I was known for, not necessarily big. I had good balance in overall muscle growth, and definition was a quality I strived for. I had incredibly low body fat, and had kind of the bruce lee look going on, but not quite that extreme.


Thanks guys, this is increadibly helpful.

 

[moya]

My opinion is most isolation work is a giant waste of time.

If you want strength train lifts. If you want bulk hit the buffet. It's a pretty simple.

Three to four days per week is plenty. Train the body as a whole or focus on upper one day and lower the next.

I know you'll probably write this off and do a body part split with an arm day. That's cool though. It obviously worked for Ronnie and Arnold. Good luck.

despite the success i have had so far, im wishing i would have not done ANY iso work for the contest im in... i had a good chance to prove a point and i may have blown my chance, i feel like a sell out...

with that said, legs for one hour a week will only take them that far...
a ton of iso work is not how i built my base...