But I Want Huge Biceps

 How often do we hear that comment. Or " I need to develop my triceps " or calves, etc. You get the idea.

  What these people are looking to do is isolate a specific muscle. It may be for cosmetic reasons. It may be for athletic reasons. I understand. I used to believe that, but now I know better.

  In reality it's almost impossible to isolate a specific muscle. Muscles work together, whether in training and certainly impossible in competition. While it is true that certain muscles may play a major role in an activity ( main mover ) there are supporting muscles that help ( synergists ). An example , which I can attest to, is beach running. Especially in soft sand. Your calves will be screaming. This drives many people to do tons of  calf raises. But think about it. Your calves aren't running alone. Your hamstrings and glutes are moving, pushing those knees forward. Your quads are also involved. Your abs are supporting you, keeping that spine straight. Meanwhile your arms are pumping back and forth, kind of like upper cuts in boxing. This is also helping you to stay stable as well propelling you forward. Your biceps are the main movers in the arms. Don't forget how your shoulders are stabilizing your head and neck. You got the idea. No one muscle is going to move you through this alone. If you only did calf raises you'd end up creating some serious muscular imbalances. By the way an even worse way to train calves, or any body part for that matter, is doing that exercise seated. That really takes out all supporting muscles and causes even more muscular imbalances.

 These imbalances are one of the main reasons for injuries. People focus so much on one part that when their body needs to work as one unit ( which we've just seen ) it doesn't happen, often causing injury. It also causes poor performance, for the same reasons.

  The only time you ever want to do isolation would be for rehabbing an injury or possibly as a prehab for a muscular imbalance in your body. In my case I do some specific shoulder exercises due to previous shoulder injuries. And when I got back in to running I did do some calf raises with dumb bells, focusing on my whole calf/ankle complex. However this was very specific injury rehab/prehab given to me. And 95+% of my training is total body work.

  Also, you'd be wasting valuable time on these small areas like lower pecs,etc which you can use to further your skill/sport. Another plus for whole body exercises like push ups, kettle bell swings,etc. More bang for your buck.

  It is true you can emphasize a specific area in some exercises but even then other areas will be involved. Leg raises are used to emphasize lower abs, and they do but your upper abs will definitely be involved to a point. And don't forget those glutes tensing, the inner thighs holding your legs together, etc. You couldn't do it without the other muscles at least partly involved.

  So where did the idea for isolation come from? Here we go again, the usual suspects. First, modern body building. Those guys emphasize looks over function. I've explained before how it's all for show and not for go. Tell me one champion in any sport or real life athlete ( soldier, fireman, etc. ) who trained like them and succeeded. When I say train like them I mean the whole deal ; lots of isolation exercises like pec dec flyes, triceps extension ,etc. Don't forget 6 meals a day , 75% protein,tanning, more supplements than a vitamin store, shaving hair, as well as that little "extra something ".  And much of their muscle is made up of sarco plasm and capillaries, 2 small cells in muscle that give that puffy look. Maximal strength training on the other hand produces dense, myofibril tissue. That rock, hard look.

  And of course much of the fitness industry has embraced  these ideas. Especially most commercial gyms which make extra money with all the supplements they sell as well as the not too knowledgeable trainers who make their monthly commission with all that extra time they charge you for.

  So please, save your time and money, and focus on the big picture. Train like a champ, not a chump.