3 BIG WORKOUT MISTAKES

Isolation exercises include movements at only one joint in the

body. Bicep curls are an example of an isolation exercise. The

elbow is the only joint where there is movement during a bicep

curl, and the biceps muscle is the only muscle worked during

the movement. A dumbbell fl y, isolating the pectoralis major

muscle, is also a good example of a single-joint isolation exercise.

The reason isolation exercises are typically a mistake is that

they often take the place of compound, multi-joint movements.

An example of a compound movement would be a squat or

a pull-up. Compound movements involve multiple muscle

groups. The squat utilizes the quads, hamstrings, glutes and

low back. This is what I call a “big-bang” exercise because you

get a lot of “bang” for your buck training so many muscles with

just one movement. Training multiple muscle groups is just one

advantage of compound movements over isolation movements.

By training so many muscles, you will burn more calories with

compound movements. As a general rule, the bigger the muscle,

the more energy it requires to contract. It makes sense that

working so many muscle groups at one time would burn more

calories.

Studies have also shown compound movements to be superior

to isolation movements in mobilizing fat stores for energy.

This is because compound movements (especially lower body

exercises like squats and deadlifts) stimulate a stronger hormonal

response from the body. Yes, that’s right. Lifting weights causes

your body to release hormones both during and after exercise.

The function of one of these hormones, growth hormone, is to

increase the utilization of fatty acids as well as the breakdown

of body fat. This just means your body will use fat stores for

energy after your workout much more effi ciently with compound

movements (Baechle and Earle 56-57).

wor

kout

mis

take

s

BIG3

by Kurt Rawlins, CSCSKurtRawlinsFitness.com

2

1Isolation Exercises

Isolation exercises include movements at only one joint in the

body. Bicep curls are an example of an isolation exercise. The

elbow is the only joint where there is movement during a bicep

curl, and the biceps muscle is the only muscle worked during

the movement. A dumbbell fl y, isolating the pectoralis major

muscle, is also a good example of a single-joint isolation exercise.

The reason isolation exercises are typically a mistake is that

they often take the place of compound, multi-joint movements.

An example of a compound movement would be a squat or

a pull-up. Compound movements involve multiple muscle

groups. The squat utilizes the quads, hamstrings, glutes and

low back. This is what I call a “big-bang” exercise because you

get a lot of “bang” for your buck training so many muscles with

just one movement. Training multiple muscle groups is just one

advantage of compound movements over isolation movements.

By training so many muscles, you will burn more calories with

compound movements. As a general rule, the bigger the muscle,

the more energy it requires to contract. It makes sense that

working so many muscle groups at one time would burn more

calories.

Studies have also shown compound movements to be superior

to isolation movements in mobilizing fat stores for energy.

This is because compound movements (especially lower body

exercises like squats and deadlifts) stimulate a stronger hormonal

response from the body. Yes, that’s right. Lifting weights causes

your body to release hormones both during and after exercise.

The function of one of these hormones, growth hormone, is to

increase the utilization of fatty acids as well as the breakdown

of body fat. This just means your body will use fat stores for

energy after your workout much more effi ciently with compound

movements (Baechle and Earle 56-57).

wor

kout

mis

take

s

BIG3

by Kurt Rawlins, CSCSKurtRawlinsFitness.com

2

1Isolation Exercises

Over-Pushing 3No Program Change2

43

Over-pushing? Does that mean working out too hard? No, actually. I

mean literally pushing too much. Specifically, utilizing too many pressing

movements that train the front of the body while neglecting the backside of

the body. The fact that you can’t see your back in the mirror is probably one

of the main reasons it is often undertrained. Guys love to train the “beach

muscles”, i.e. the chest and arms. What a lot of guys don’t realize is that

they’re setting themselves up for some orthopedic issues in the future. If you

don’t train the back side of the body as much if not more than the front,

you create a muscle imbalance, which leads to all sorts of issues.

For starters, a weak upper and mid-back will not have adequate strength to

keep the shoulders back and down, the correct position in good posture.

Instead, the shoulders will round, and the chest cavity will cave in. If this

posture is maintained for a period of several years, the bones will actually

form to this position. Once the bones have set themselves in a rounded

shoulder position, it is virtually impossible to reverse the effects. On top

of that, rounded shoulders can lead to impaired breathing and shoulder

impingement. Poor posture in the shoulders can force the body to

compensate and lead to excessive arching in the low back, causing

the hamstrings to chronically tighten.

I bet you didn’t think doing too much bench press would tighten

your hamstrings, did you? This cause-and-effect relationship clearly

demonstrates how the human body is a “kinetic chain” and how what

happens at one part of the body can truly affect something much

farther down the chain. What now?

Make sure your pulling movements outnumber your pushing

movements 2:1, if not 3:1. For example, if you are doing a bench

press, you should do a rear deltoid movement as well another

rowing or pulling movement to compensate for the bench press.

Again, seek out a professional coach or trainer if you are unfamiliar

with postural exercises for the upper back and back of the

shoulder.

Visit KurtRawlinsFitness.com for more health & fitness tips.

Many people who weight train on a regular basis never really cycle their

workouts. By that I mean they do the same basic exercises for the same

number of sets and reps every single time they workout, for the entire month,

for the entire year, and in some cases the entire decade. Exercising in this

manner will achieve marginal results at best. This is because the body is

very intelligent, and adapts to any stimulus very quickly. Once the body

adapts to your workout, you will burn less calories to complete the

same movements. In essence, you have become efficient. You want to be

inefficient, so you can challenge your body, burn more calories, and activate

more muscle fibers. So…what may stimulate muscle strength and growth

initially will eventually yield diminishing returns. Oh no! What now?

Change your program! If you are not sure how to do this, then seek

professional guidance from a fitness coach or trainer (or just finish reading

this article). This can be done in several ways. You can alter your:

•Sets •Reps •Restperiodsbetweenexercises •Thepaceoftheexercise •Theexerciseitself

For example, if you have been doing flat barbell bench presses for the

chest and shoulders, switch it up and start doing push-ups for a month.

Or do barbell bench press on Monday, and push-ups on Wednesday.

Or instead of doing 4 sets of 5 reps on bench press, do 3 sets of 20.

Or do it on an incline. Or slow down the pace at which you do the

bench press. As you can see…there are several variables with which

to work. Choose one, two, or however many variables you want and

try changing it up for 6-8 weeks. Then change it again. Cycling your

workouts will keep your body off-guard, prevent overtraining, and

maximize results.

Note:Ifyouaretrainingforsomethingveryspecific,likemaximalstrengthorsportsperformance,thenyouneedaspecificprogramandworkoutcycle.Thesetipsareforthoseexerciserswhoareinterestedingeneralfitness.

Over-Pushing 3No Program Change2

43

Over-pushing? Does that mean working out too hard? No, actually. I

mean literally pushing too much. Specifically, utilizing too many pressing

movements that train the front of the body while neglecting the backside of

the body. The fact that you can’t see your back in the mirror is probably one

of the main reasons it is often undertrained. Guys love to train the “beach

muscles”, i.e. the chest and arms. What a lot of guys don’t realize is that

they’re setting themselves up for some orthopedic issues in the future. If you

don’t train the back side of the body as much if not more than the front,

you create a muscle imbalance, which leads to all sorts of issues.

For starters, a weak upper and mid-back will not have adequate strength to

keep the shoulders back and down, the correct position in good posture.

Instead, the shoulders will round, and the chest cavity will cave in. If this

posture is maintained for a period of several years, the bones will actually

form to this position. Once the bones have set themselves in a rounded

shoulder position, it is virtually impossible to reverse the effects. On top

of that, rounded shoulders can lead to impaired breathing and shoulder

impingement. Poor posture in the shoulders can force the body to

compensate and lead to excessive arching in the low back, causing

the hamstrings to chronically tighten.

I bet you didn’t think doing too much bench press would tighten

your hamstrings, did you? This cause-and-effect relationship clearly

demonstrates how the human body is a “kinetic chain” and how what

happens at one part of the body can truly affect something much

farther down the chain. What now?

Make sure your pulling movements outnumber your pushing

movements 2:1, if not 3:1. For example, if you are doing a bench

press, you should do a rear deltoid movement as well another

rowing or pulling movement to compensate for the bench press.

Again, seek out a professional coach or trainer if you are unfamiliar

with postural exercises for the upper back and back of the

shoulder.

Visit KurtRawlinsFitness.com for more health & fitness tips.

Many people who weight train on a regular basis never really cycle their

workouts. By that I mean they do the same basic exercises for the same

number of sets and reps every single time they workout, for the entire month,

for the entire year, and in some cases the entire decade. Exercising in this

manner will achieve marginal results at best. This is because the body is

very intelligent, and adapts to any stimulus very quickly. Once the body

adapts to your workout, you will burn less calories to complete the

same movements. In essence, you have become efficient. You want to be

inefficient, so you can challenge your body, burn more calories, and activate

more muscle fibers. So…what may stimulate muscle strength and growth

initially will eventually yield diminishing returns. Oh no! What now?

Change your program! If you are not sure how to do this, then seek

professional guidance from a fitness coach or trainer (or just finish reading

this article). This can be done in several ways. You can alter your:

•Sets •Reps •Restperiodsbetweenexercises •Thepaceoftheexercise •Theexerciseitself

For example, if you have been doing flat barbell bench presses for the

chest and shoulders, switch it up and start doing push-ups for a month.

Or do barbell bench press on Monday, and push-ups on Wednesday.

Or instead of doing 4 sets of 5 reps on bench press, do 3 sets of 20.

Or do it on an incline. Or slow down the pace at which you do the

bench press. As you can see…there are several variables with which

to work. Choose one, two, or however many variables you want and

try changing it up for 6-8 weeks. Then change it again. Cycling your

workouts will keep your body off-guard, prevent overtraining, and

maximize results.

Note:Ifyouaretrainingforsomethingveryspecific,likemaximalstrengthorsportsperformance,thenyouneedaspecificprogramandworkoutcycle.Thesetipsareforthoseexerciserswhoareinterestedingeneralfitness.