Isolated Exercises

I'm not talking about doing exercises in complete isolation, far from anyone in the dark recesses of your home.  What I'm referring to is doing exercises that isolate specific muscles such as a bicep preacher curl or a cable tricep press.  The big trend in the fitness world is to do exercises using multiple muscle groups thus mimicking traditional or "caveman" movements.  Woodchopping, sledgehammering, jumping-jacks.  Or this might include the dreaded burpee (ugh.)  Case in point, while at the gym the other day I heard a trainer say: "We will usually do these combined exercises because when do you ever just use your bicep?"

My answer: all the time.

As a mother, I do movements using isolated muscle groups.  I rarely squat then press.  And when was the last time I chopped wood?  I'm not saying that I don't think there's a place for these exercises in a good workout but I am saying that I'm not ready to throw the good ol' bicep curl out of my routine.

For example, as a new mother, I would lift my baby out of the crib or curl her towards my body to nurse or I would lie on my back, elevating her over me like an airplane.  Then I might reach to get something that I had placed very high (hopefully) out of her reach.

I spoke to my new boss about this and asked him for clarification of the term functional exercises.  His response was that the term "functional exercises"  really refers to anything that helps a client complete her activities of daily living (ADLs.)  So is a bicep curl functional?  For some clients yes.  And that woodchop?  For some it may be functional while for others it might just add some variation to a routine and work on core stability.  Or if my client also plays tennis, then woodchopping and sledgehammering would be a great addition to their exercise rotation.

So, with that said, here's a routine I've been working on.  I did this with Mitch today and he liked it but Mitch likes everything I do or at least that's what he tells me.

The following exercises are one compete set.  Repeat 3 times.
Side to side lunges with Bosu Ball
'Round the clock lunges at 12,3,6,9 *
Standing on one foot, dumbbell overhead press then
     bicep curl then
     two handed overhead tricep extension
Dumbbell push-up, then plank row then mountain climber (bring R leg forward back, then the same with L) - do as many of these as you can

Then
Assisted Pull-ups then
Calf raises
Repeat 3 times

On a mat:
Toe taps
Quadruped
Core breathing **

Stretch

* 'Round the clock lunges: Forward lunge with R leg, then side lunge then back lunge. With L back lunge, side lunge, forward lunge. Reverse. 12 lunges total

**Core breathing: Inhale through nose, allowing abdomen to rise. Exhale and quickly do a kegel, then tighten abs.  Hold 3 seconds.  Repeat 10 times.

Be well and isolate.