When starting in the gym the knowledge of different exercise types and their purpose is vital for muscle growth and gaining strength, this article will supply the fundamental knowledge of compound and isolation exercises which will then make your sessions more effective for maximum growth. The key difference between compound and isolated is the number of joints involved in the movement of the exercise and the volume of muscle groups included. 

A compound exercise requires more than one joint for the exercise to be completed efficiently, meaning these exercises work more than one muscle group at the same time. Doing this will build maximum strength through functional movements like a back squat and deadlift which both engages multiple muscle groups across more than one joint. This form of exercise is critical during sessions as they benefit the body more than just gaining muscle mass and strength due to form being a crucial factor of these exercises they improve the quality of coordination, flexibility, mobility, and stability which can then reduce the risk of injuries in the future. As compound exercises engage multiple muscle groups at once it promotes time efficient training by working a handful of muscle groups during one exercise which will further encourage burning more excess calories meaning they require more energy to be completed. On the other hand, compound exercises may not be as effective depending on your goals. As this target more than one muscle group the secondary muscles can help take the load, which removes the tension from the muscle you’re wanting to target. When the main muscle group begins to fatigue the secondary muscles will try to compensate to avoid failure therefore losing the ability to train the primary muscle. This is when isolated exercises should be put in place as this is how they benefit. 

Isolated exercises aim to only target one muscle which is commonly seen when improving muscular imbalances or hypertrophy specific training. Isolated exercises are effective when training with an injury, as compound exercises may require movement from an injured joint or body part this becomes ineffective and increases the risk of further injuries. However, as an isolated movement expects less joint movement this efficaciously allows the exercise to be done safely and efficiently by only focusing on one muscle. As there is only one working muscle it ensures total training volume and places more emphasis on the targeted muscle, for example the seated leg extension guarantees the tension is only prominent in the quadriceps. However, building overall strength will lack during isolated exercises, this is because of the lower weights used during the exercise. As only one muscle is being targeted its less likely a higher weight can be supported due to the constant tension throughout the exercise. The functional movement aspect of this is not used in the mundane life causing the transferability of strength developed will transfer less efficiently because of the lack of one joint movements in day-to-day life. 

Overall, the preferred exercise differs from person-to-person dependant on their goals. Both have pros and cons in their effectiveness, but the choice relies on the session goals and skills wanted to improve. Using both compound and isolated exercises in a session will improve strength and muscle growth for a particular muscle.