Compound vs isolation exercises: which do you need?

A compound exercise moves several joints and trains several muscles at once, like a squat or a row. An isolation exercise moves one joint and targets one muscle, like a curl. Both have a place. The trick is knowing how much of each.

Compound lifts do the heavy lifting

Compound lifts let you move the most weight, train the most muscle per minute and build strength that carries over to everyday life. If you only had 30 minutes, you'd spend it on these:

• Back squatQuads, Glutes
• DeadliftHamstrings, Glutes, Lower back
• Barbell bench pressChest
• Standing overhead pressFront delts
• Barbell rowUpper back, Lats
• Pull-upLats

Isolation fills the gaps

Some muscles get less from compound lifts than you'd think. The side delts barely work in presses, the hamstrings work at only one end in squats, and the biceps are rarely the limit in rows. Isolation work targets them directly:

• Dumbbell lateral raiseSide delts
• Leg curlHamstrings
• Dumbbell curlBiceps
• Cable pushdownTriceps
• Standing calf raiseCalves
• Cable face pullRear delts

How to balance them

1. Start with one or two compound lifts while you're fresh. They need the most focus and the heaviest weights.
2. Follow with a compound variation or accessory, like a dumbbell incline press after bench.
3. Finish with one to three isolation exercises for muscles that need more work or that you want to bring up.

For most people, about two-thirds compound and one-third isolation by sets is a good balance. Beginners can lean further towards compounds; if you've been lifting a few years and want a lagging muscle to grow, add more isolation for it.

Tip: Isolation exercises are kinder to sore joints. If a press bothers your shoulder, lateral raises and pushdowns often don't.

How Liftsmith orders a workout

Liftsmith puts compound lifts first in every plan, then fills the remaining sets each muscle needs with the exercises your gym can do. It counts a compound lift as half a set for its helper muscles, so an arm doesn't get double-counted, and adds isolation work where a muscle is behind on its weekly sets.