Click Here for Free Bodybuilding and Fitness Magazine Subscription
How To Isolate Muscle Groups
Posted by Magnus
The bitter sweet truth is that muscle group cannot be fully isolated because the skeletal muscles work together to produce force. For you to flex your biceps, the triceps must relax for the biceps to contract. Also, when performing the bench press, the primary muscle here is the chest but you are also indirectly working your shoulders, triceps, arms and back. Inclining the bench will shift more stress to your upper pecs, closing your grip will emphasize more on your triceps.
The main exercise is still the bench press, just that you are giving more stress to a specific muscle group. Here are some tips on how to isolate muscle groups :
1. Know the muscle group you want to isolate - for you to isolate a muscle group, you must know the muscle and other muscles that can assist the muscle group. For instance, the biceps is made up of two heads, long head and short head ( biceps brachii). For you to perform a barbell curl, brachialis( which lies underneath the biceps brachii), brachioradialis( muscle in the fore arm) and the shoulders must contribute to movement.
2. You must know the exercises that can target the specific muscle group - for you to isolate a particular muscle group, you must know the exercises that can emphasize the specific muscle group. Exercises like concentration curl accentuates the peak, lying triceps extension stresses the long head of the triceps and barbell curl targets both the short head and the long heads of the biceps. Performing a barbell curl with your palm facing down will place less stress to your biceps brachii and more stress to your brachialis.
3. You must develop the mind muscle connection - don't just focus on the movement, make sure the specific muscle is working. Focus on the contraction of the muscle in every movement. For instance, when you are doing bench press make sure the chest muscles are working.
4. Perform your exercises with good form - you must learn to perform all your exercises with good form. Make sure you are not shifting the stress to other muscle groups. Good form also prevents injury.
Click Here for a Chance to Win Free Bodybuilding Supplements
[Powerlifting Forum] [Bodybuilding Discussion Forum] [Bodybuilder Forum] [Teen Bodybuilding Forum]
[Muscle Growth Forum] [Weight Loss Forum] [Workout Forum] [Health and Fitness Forum]
