basic principles. A carpenter must complete some basic structural tasks before
doing the finish work. Day in and day out I witness people in the gym doing
isolation exercises without first building a foundation of strength and muscle.
It would be like laying the carpet and tile without first finishing the walls and roof!
Here's what you need to know...
• Whether you're a power lifter, athlete, bodybuilder or looking to shed
bodyfat, you'll build more muscle if you focus on the multi joint basic compound
exercises. Build strength and muscle and you'll shed bodyfat and shape your
body.
• Spending too much energy training smaller isolation movements is an easy way
to overtax your body's recuperative abilities.
• Nobody trains as hard as they think they do. You need to train hard to cause your body to change, and the more advanced you are, the harder you need to work.
I've been a personal trainer for over twenty years. I've done every kind of workouts from bodybuilding, powerlifting, martial arts training and crossfit. Over the years I've been able to gather a large variety of exercises. However, despite my large collection of exercises and workout styles there are a few basics that will remain a constant. Stray too far away from them and progress
stalls, or never really starts at all. Here are some mistakes to avoid if your goal is to build a high level of muscle and strength while shedding bodyfat.
Most athletes, bodybuilders and general fitness advocates will stick with the basics. To build a strong foundation, and get more effective returns on your "workout investment", it is best, in my opinion, to keep the basic compound exercises as the primary workout. These exercises require more energy and coordination which in turn will burn more calories and body fat while also increasing strength and muscle.
When, building your body, stick with the basic foundation exercises such as squats, leg presses, lunges, bench presses, rows, chin ups or pull downs, military shoulder presses, barbell and dumbbell curls, narrow bench presses for triceps, clean and presses, upright rows etc. These will give you the foundation you need. The isolation exercises such as lateral raises and
preacher curls are best done at the end of the workout after you've built the
foundation.