More Compound Lifts?

[nsuthe09]

Before anything I am...

19years old
about 5'11"
150-155pounds (yes I know, pretty damn thin)

I am a freshman in college and have been lifting fairly seriously since Junior year of high school when I really put effort into trying to learn more about lifting and to try to get buff, which has always been a tough task seeing as I am a so-called hardgainer. Although, I can tell I have clearly made gains over the several past years.

My question is, how important are compound lifts in relation to isolated lifts and what sort of ratio should I have in my workout to achieve maximum gains?

I have tried several different routines over the years but recently I have been very focussed on arms, shoulders, and calves, as I feel those are my weakest points. The problem is I have found myself straying from big compound lifts because I feel that lifts like bench and pull ups etc. cause more growth in my torso area than my arms and I end up looking unproportional.

However, I am beginning to wonder whether those compound lifts are vital for achieving gains in smaller muscles as well as big muslces?

Let me know, Thanks.

[BenSL8]

they are very vital.
compound > isolation always bro.
bench press, back squat, pullup/chinup/combat up, clean/snatch, military [shoulder press], dips and rows should be the base of everything you do.

as for calves, try standing calf raises, using a smith machine. just google for vids of it good luck, keep us updated bro!

[Subwoofaz]

they are very vital.
compound > isolation always bro.
bench press, back squat, pullup/chinup/combat up, clean/snatch, military [shoulder press], dips and rows should be the base of everything you do.

as for calves, try standing calf raises, using a smith machine. just google for vids of it good luck, keep us updated bro!

agree with everything except the smith machine part. just do seated calf raises if your gym has a machine for them and standing calf raises with free weights. obviously use a block to stand on so you get a larger range of motion but im sure you know this already.

On topic again, Compound lifts are incredibly important and will build strength better tan isolation lifts will. Do them.

[nsuthe09]

My beef with compound lifts is that my chest and back seem to respond much better to growth than my shoulders and arms do. I have a fairly large chest for my size, people are always saying how big my chest is. I'm pretty sure my genes just included a big chest.

So, I want to get back into working those compound lifts hard but I don't want my chest or back to take off and leave my shoulders and arms behind. Is there anyway while doing compound lifts that I can focus on using my smaller muscles as well so they don't fall behind? Would adding Iso's into my workout AFTER compound lifts accomplish this?

[msuwo]

Compounds come first, then supplement your weaker points with isolation.

[nsuthe09]

Compounds then Iso's, with that said, I need to re-do my routine.

I still want to put some focus on my weaker areas (shoulders, arms, calves) so do you think a 3, 4, or 5 day split would be best?

[DarkBoss123]

they are very vital.
compound > isolation always bro.
bench press, back squat, pullup/chinup/combat up, clean/snatch, military [shoulder press], dips and rows should be the base of everything you do.

as for calves, try standing calf raises, using a smith machine. just google for vids of it good luck, keep us updated bro!

OH MY GOD did you foget about
THE DEADLIFT?

[paulmorris_1]

Before anything I am...

19years old
about 5'11"
150-155pounds (yes I know, pretty damn thin)

I am a freshman in college and have been lifting fairly seriously since Junior year of high school when I really put effort into trying to learn more about lifting and to try to get buff, which has always been a tough task seeing as I am a so-called hardgainer. Although, I can tell I have clearly made gains over the several past years.

My question is, how important are compound lifts in relation to isolated lifts and what sort of ratio should I have in my workout to achieve maximum gains?

I have tried several different routines over the years but recently I have been very focussed on arms, shoulders, and calves, as I feel those are my weakest points. The problem is I have found myself straying from big compound lifts because I feel that lifts like bench and pull ups etc. cause more growth in my torso area than my arms and I end up looking unproportional.

However, I am beginning to wonder whether those compound lifts are vital for achieving gains in smaller muscles as well as big muslces?

Let me know, Thanks.

In my opinion mate i would do all compound movements, but you really need to look at your diet and be getting a lot of clean calories. stick with your basics as the guy said before but as for your questions about what ratio? i would be hitting all compounds then as a finishing movement hit a deep stretching isolation to really stretch out the fascia when the bloods pumping through, for example; back- finish with dumbell pull overs/chest- cable crossovers/legs- sissy squats/shoulders-deep rang of motion on barbell shrugs and also do lateral raises for medial delts (very effective)- and rope pullbacks for tris and incline curls for bi's.
Hope that helped .
Good luck bro.

[nsuthe09]

Alright, let me know what you think of this 5- day split.

I want to hit my arms and shoulders hard still so I put them at the beginning of the week.

Mon- bi's/tri's/forearms
Tues- shoulders/abs
Wed- legs/calves
Thurs- back
Fri- chest/calves

So, only problem I see is lots of Iso's in the first two days of the week, although I feel by the last two days of the week (back and chest) my shoulders and arms should be ready to take on some compound lifts.


I could be wrong though, so let me know.

[dirtyjerz]

i've gone back to all compounds almost. curls got boring, snatches and cleans are way more fun and i actually feel athletic doing them.

[nsuthe09]

i've gone back to all compounds almost. curls got boring, snatches and cleans are way more fun and i actually feel athletic doing them.

Haha I know what you mean man, hitting several muscles at a time has that effect. It's much harder to break a sweat doing just Iso's.... which makes me wonder if a 4-day split might be better than a 5-day, that way I wouldn't spend two full days doing Iso's.

I could do like...
Mon- Back/bi's/forearms
Tues- Chest/tri's/abs
Wed- Legs/calves/shoulders
Thurs- off
Fri- shoulders/arms/calves (Iso day/ hit a few things again)

....thoughts anyone?

[paulmorris_1]

Alright, let me know what you think of this 5- day split.

I want to hit my arms and shoulders hard still so I put them at the beginning of the week.

Mon- bi's/tri's/forearms
Tues- shoulders/abs
Wed- legs/calves
Thurs- back
Fri- chest/calves

So, only problem I see is lots of Iso's in the first two days of the week, although I feel by the last two days of the week (back and chest) my shoulders and arms should be ready to take on some compound lifts.


I could be wrong though, so let me know.

dude i would hit back then chest then legs then shoulders then arms. thats what i do and my reason for is , back makes up 70% of ur upper mass so i hit that first(plus iv been told thats where i need to focus for competing) when the muscle is fresh from the two day rest , then legs seperates ur front delts from getting hit two days in a row by putting them in between chest and shoulder, and by putting arms at the end of the week u allow sufficient rest time for ur arms to repair , rather than puttin them before chest for example and ur triceps fatuguing before ur chest does.