Quad Isolation Exercises
1. Sissy Squat
The sissy squat is distinctive because it trains all parts of the quadriceps, including the rectus femoris, a section of the quads that most compound exercises don’t optimally stimulate.
2. Leg Extension
The leg extension is a proven leg isolation exercise that trains your entire quads. The only downside is it can aggravate your knees, especially if you have a history of knee injuries.
3. Reverse Nordic Curl
Similarly to the sissy squat, the reverse Nordic curl trains all parts of the quads, including the rectus femoris. The only downside is that the reverse nordic curl requires a degree of flexibility many people lack, which means it isn’t suitable for less supple weightlifters.
Hamstring Isolation Exercises
1. Seated Leg Curl
Unlike most hamstring exercises, the seated leg curl trains your hamstrings through a full range of motion and in a stretched position, which is why research shows it’s one of the most effective hamstring exercises there is.
2. Lying Leg Curl
The lying leg curl trains the hamstrings similarly to the seated leg curl. The only downside is it doesn’t train your hamstrings in a fully stretched position, so it probably isn’t quite as effective for gaining muscle and strength. Nevertheless, it’s still a viable option if you prefer how it feels or it’s the only machine you have access to.
3. Nordic Hamstring Curl
Research shows that the Nordic leg curl is a fantastic bodyweight hamstring exercise, which may also reduce your risk of suffering a hamstring injury.
Calf Isolation Exercises
1. Seated Calf Raise
The seated calf raise machine trains your entire calf but emphasizes your soleus, which contributes more than the gastrocnemius to the overall size of your calves. This makes the seated calf raise machine one of the best calf exercises for mass.
2. Standing Barbell Calf Raise
The standing barbell calf raise is a good calf exercise for training the gastrocnemius. However, it requires a lot of balance and coordination, so it’s best to use lighter weights and higher reps.
3. Leg Press Calf Raise
The leg press calf raise is easy to set up and load with heavy weights, which makes it ideal for building size and strength in your calves.
Biceps Isolation Exercises
1. Dumbbell Biceps Curl
Alternating dumbbell curls allow you to train each arm independently, which helps prevent one arm from getting bigger or stronger than the other.
2. Dumbbell Incline Curl
Unlike most other biceps exercises, the dumbbell incline curl keeps tension on the biceps throughout the entire range of motion, which is important for developing balanced size and strength.
3. Hammer Curl
The hammer curl emphasizes the brachialis, a small muscle that lies beneath the biceps that significantly adds to the biceps’ size and circumference.
Triceps Isolation Exercises
1. Overhead Triceps Extension
The dumbbell overhead triceps extension is a top triceps exercise because it places the arms overhead which fully stretches the triceps, which is important for maximizing muscle growth.
2. Triceps Pushdown
While the triceps extension trains all three heads of your triceps, research shows it emphasizes the long head, making it particularly good for adding size to your upper arms.
3. Skullcrusher
The skullcrusher trains the slightly smaller medial and lateral heads of the triceps, ensuring you have defined, proportional upper arms.
Forearm Isolation Exercises
1. Forearm Curl
The forearm curl directly trains the forearms without fatiguing your other upper-body muscles, which means it doesn’t interfere with your progress on other exercises. It also requires minimal equipment and is comfortable for most people.
2. Dead Hang
This is an excellent forearm builder that doesn’t put too much wear and tear on your joints. It’s also a good test of forearm strength. If you can maintain your grip for 60 seconds, you’re above average. And if you can do it for 2 minutes, you’ve got Orangutan-level grip strength.
3. Plate Hold
Like dead hangs and forearm curls, the plate hold effectively isolates your forearm muscles. It also strengthens your forearms in a similar position to what you’d use when deadlift, which may boost your deadlift performance.
