Best isolation exercises for general routine
I follow a very basic routine of squat, deadlift, pull-up (weighted) and bench press, and have for many weeks.
What are some isolation, muscle-specific or machine exercises to 'fill-in the gaps'? One example that comes to mind is something for the rhomboids.
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When following a strength routine, like yours (the three big lifts), you should include some optional excersices in order to have balance. Especially when you train for bodybuilding. It's prefered to be included one from the following excersises for each group per day:
Back:
Dumbbell Row
Machine Row
Shoulders:
Seated or Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press
Military Press
Lateral Dumbbell Raises
Biceps:
Dumbbell curl
Barbell Curl
Dumbbell Hammer Curl
EZ Bar Curl
You can optionally include one of the following per week:
Lateral Dumbbell Raise (Strongly recommended)
Incline Chest Fly
One Armed Tricep Extension
Skullscrushers
For Leg Isolation, once or two per week, you can include:
Any form of calf raise.
Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Single Leg Press
Three sets of 8-10 reps will be great for those excersices.
Continuing the theme of free-weight work you could try the following (for 3-5 sets of 8-15 reps, tracking and increasing weight slowly over time), those in bold are strongly recommended.
Outside of isolation, if you aren't doing power cleans, you should!
Shoulders:
Barbell Overhead Press (strict)/Push Press
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Barbell Shrug
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Reverse Fly
Back:
Barbell Row (Pendlay/Kroc/Bent Over)
Dumbbell Row
Literally any movement where you pull weight towards yourself.
Chest:
Dips (weighted once you can comfortably do 10 unbroken)
Incline Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Fly: Dumbbell, Cable or Machine are all good
Biceps:
Barbell Curl
Hammer Curl
Chin Ups
Rowing (back) movements usually give you some level of bicep workout!
Triceps:
Close grip bench press
Dips
Skullcrushers
Tricep pushdown
Abs:
Rollout with an AB wheel
Hanging Leg Raise/Captains Chair
Plank
Legs:
Front Squat
SSB Squat (if you gym has one)
Hack Squat/Leg Press
Lying Leg Curl
Leg Extension (careful with this as it can damage the knee joint at high weights, progress gently)
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