One of the big factors that many talk about when searching for the correct ways to gain weight and build muscle is the type of exercises selected for each muscle group.
Exercises such as the bench press (for the pecs), squats (for the quads), deadlifts (for the back), military presses (for the shoulders), and bent-over barbell rows (for the lats) have for the longest time been praised as the main "mass builders".
Everyone says that if you want to build the largest amount of muscle in the shortest amount of time, focus on these compound exercises in your workout routine.
To make it clear, a compound exercise is any exercise that forces more than one muscle group to work.
For example, in the bench press, which everone thinks is hands down the best movement for building a thick chest, is considered a compound exercise because not only does the chest have to work, but the shoulders and triceps come into play a great deal as well.
A compound exercise would be considered different from an isolation exercise, which only uses 1 muscle group for the movement.
An example of an isolation movement would be the flyes, which works the chest almost exclusively.
Now, here's where the whole "compound exercises are the best muscle mass builders to gain weight and muscle" myth starts...
When you compare the amount of weight that you can lift with a compound exercise and an isolation exercise, there is almost no comparison.
You can lift far more weight with a compound exercise than an isolation exercise.
So, everyone seems to reason "Hey, if I can lift 250 pounds when I bench press, as opposed to 90 pounds with flyes, then because I'm lifting a lot more weight in the bench press then I must be building more muscle!!!".
Sorry to be the bearer of the truth, but that isn't how it works.
Sure you can lift way more weight with a compound exercise. But why is that?
Because with a compound exercise you have 2-3 different muscle groups, sometimes more, all helping to lift weight.
**edited by moderator**
Exercises such as the bench press (for the pecs), squats (for the quads), deadlifts (for the back), military presses (for the shoulders), and bent-over barbell rows (for the lats) have for the longest time been praised as the main "mass builders".
Everyone says that if you want to build the largest amount of muscle in the shortest amount of time, focus on these compound exercises in your workout routine.
To make it clear, a compound exercise is any exercise that forces more than one muscle group to work.
For example, in the bench press, which everone thinks is hands down the best movement for building a thick chest, is considered a compound exercise because not only does the chest have to work, but the shoulders and triceps come into play a great deal as well.
A compound exercise would be considered different from an isolation exercise, which only uses 1 muscle group for the movement.
An example of an isolation movement would be the flyes, which works the chest almost exclusively.
Now, here's where the whole "compound exercises are the best muscle mass builders to gain weight and muscle" myth starts...
When you compare the amount of weight that you can lift with a compound exercise and an isolation exercise, there is almost no comparison.
You can lift far more weight with a compound exercise than an isolation exercise.
So, everyone seems to reason "Hey, if I can lift 250 pounds when I bench press, as opposed to 90 pounds with flyes, then because I'm lifting a lot more weight in the bench press then I must be building more muscle!!!".
Sorry to be the bearer of the truth, but that isn't how it works.
Sure you can lift way more weight with a compound exercise. But why is that?
Because with a compound exercise you have 2-3 different muscle groups, sometimes more, all helping to lift weight.
**edited by moderator**