Compound vs. Isolation Exercises: Which Is Best?

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When comparing compound vs isolation exercises, it's helpful to know the true definition of each and the benefits they offer. Isolation exercises are mainly performed on weight machines while compound exercises focus on functional fitness to simulate real-life activities.

Both compound exercises that use a variety of movements and isolation exercises that focus on one area of the body can be part of a well-rounded training program. Fitness experts recommend performing both compound and isolation exercises in your strength-training workouts.

Compound vs. Isolation Exercises

While isolation exercises use just one muscle or muscle group at a time, compound exercises are multi-joint movements that work several muscles or muscle groups. A great example of a compound exercise is the squat, which engages many muscles in the lower body and core, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes, lower back, and core.

Isolation exercises work only one muscle group and one joint at a time. Examples of isolation exercises include the biceps curl or the quadriceps extension. These exercises are often performed with commercial weight machines found in health clubs.

The idea is to isolate one muscle group and move from one machine to the next until you work your whole body. Isolation exercises are frequently used in physical therapy clinics and rehab centers to correct a specific muscle weakness or imbalance that often occurs after injury, illness, surgery, or other conditions.

Most athletes will use compound exercises for most of a training program and isolation exercises to complement that program as needed.

Benefits of Compound Exercises

Compound exercises are generally recommended for healthy athletes trying to get the most out of a strength-training program. Many prefer compound exercises because they translate to common movement patterns and work more muscles simultaneously.

Compound exercise allows you to get a full-body workout in less time, keep your heart rate up for cardiovascular benefits, and generally burn more calories. Because they simulate real-world movements, compound exercises help build strength for everyday living.

Benefits of Isolation Exercises

Isolation exercises are often recommended to correct muscle imbalance or weakness after an injury. Isolating a specific muscle is sometimes necessary to get it to activate and increase its strength. After an injury, a muscle often becomes weak and other muscles compensate. Working out on a back extension machine, for example, can target your lower back muscles.

If you never retrain the injured muscles to fire properly, it may cause a biomechanical imbalance that is difficult to correct. Even if your weakness isn't noticeable because other muscles are compensating, imagine how much stronger you would be if all the muscles fired at maximum contraction. That alone is a good reason to do isolation exercises.

Another reason for isolation exercises is to increase a specific muscle group's size. If you want big biceps, you'll want to add biceps isolation work to your regular exercise routine.

Compound vs. Isolation Exercises Comparison

Both compound and isolation exercises have their place in a well-rounded workout regimen. If you want a complete, efficient, and functional workout, performing predominantly compound exercises during your training is ideal. But there are times when isolating a specific muscle, muscle group or joint is necessary and recommended.

Compound Exercises
  • Get a full-body workout faster while burning more calories

  • Lift heavier loads and build more strength

  • Decreases the risk of injury during sports

  • Keeps your heart rate up for cardiovascular benefits

  • Simulates real-world exercises and activities

Isolation Exercises
  • Isolate areas you’d like to bulk up, such as pecs or biceps

  • Can help in rehabilitation following an injury

  • Improves strength in specific muscles 

  • Isolates individual muscles

Creating a Workout Plan

If you aren't sure which is best for you, a personal trainer can help locate any muscle imbalance or weakness and design a weight-training program to fit your needs. One strategy is to focus on compound exercises three to four times a week and isolation exercises twice a week.

Alternately, you can combine both, using isolation exercises as accessory movements to compound exercises. For example:

  • Barbell squats (3 x 10)
  • Calf raises (2 x 20)
  • Deadlifts (4 x 8)
  • Hamstring curls (2 x 12)

You can also split up the days, like squats and lunges one day, bench presses and dips the next workout, and deadlifts and military presses on another day. If you can't get to the gym regularly, consider purchasing barbells for your home.

2 Sources
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Gentil P, Soares S, Bottaro M. Single vs. multi-joint resistance exercises: Effects on muscle strength and hypertrophyAsian J Sports Med. 2015;6(2):e24057. doi:10.5812/asjsm.24057

  2. American College of Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e3181915670

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS
Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics.