10 Best Isolation Exercises To Get Shredded

We gave you the ins and outs in the last article on the best compound lifts for building mass but that’s only half the battle. You also have to mix in isolated movements to offset the power exercises if you want to get that ripped look.

Just what the fuck are isolated exercises, you might ask? They are ones in which you are working only one muscle and differ from the compound variety, which engage a secondary muscle to complete the rep.

A good rule of thumb when doing isolated movements is to keep the form strict and complete each rep slow with a full range of motion. That way, you work the muscle hard while getting a good stretch.

Here’s a ten-spot of exercises (in reverse order) that will help get you peeled:

10 – FRONT DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISES (Shoulders)

The frontal deltoids are worked with the various pressing movements, but these put all the emphasis squarely on them with no help from anywhere else. Some people like to emulate Arnold Schwarzenegger and take the dumbbell all the way up overhead but doing it this way tends to invite swinging the weight. So just go up to a 90-degree angle.

9 – CABLE CRUNCHES (Abdominals)

You can use a variety of grips/handles with these, such as the rope or single-arm D handle. Doing weighted ab exercises at least once a week is a smart choice and these will really give you what you need to help get that six-pack.

8 – REVERSE BARBELL CURLS (Forearms)

These will work the front of your forearms and this is an area that unfortunately gets ignored a lot. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides and curl your wrists towards your head at the top of the rep to engage the back of the forearms, as well.

7 – BEHIND-THE-BACK SHRUGS (Traps)

This version isolates the traps better than the conventional style up front and really hits those hard-to-reach areas of the muscle that runs down the spine. The motion may seem awkward to you at first but stick with these and you will know when you are doing them right.

6 – STRAIGHT ARM PULL DOWNS (Back)

The key to this back movement is that for once, the biceps are not engaged. By having your arms straight with the elbows locked out on the bar, you will be using all lats to pull that bar from over your head to your thighs just above the knees.

5 – PEC DEC (Chest)

It’s a pain in the ass to actually find a chest exercise that isn’t a compound movement so take advantage of one like the pec dec. These really hit the middle of your chest good and will help form that deep look.

4 – LEG EXTENSIONS (Quadriceps)

Extensions really carve out your thighs and are the perfect follow-up exercise after squats. Hold it for a moment at the top and locking out your knee will not take the tension off the muscle here.

3 – ONE-ARM FRENCH DUMBBELL PRESSES (Triceps)

These really tax the triceps from top to bottom and hit the muscle from an angle that no other exercise does. Keep the weight light enough to make that negative motion count instead of lowering the weight in a rush and bouncing it back up. Pause for a second and return to the top.

2 – DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISES (Shoulders)

So many deltoid exercises invite the triceps and/or upper chest into the mix to complete the movement so it is always good to include these into your routine. All cannonball delts with these and do not allow the dumbbells to touch your body at the bottom of the rep. Keep them about an inch away and feel the burn.

1 – CONCENTRATION CURLS (Biceps)

Nothing will give your bis a better pump than this exercise – when done right, that is. A lot of people make the mistake of resting their elbow on the inner part of their knee and doing so will take a good amount of the tension away from your bicep. Keep your elbow just slightly off your knee and control that dumbbell up and down all the way.