Unless you’re training to be a bodybuilder, limit the number of isolation exercises you perform in favor of compound movements.

An isolation exercise is one in which you primarily use a single muscle group to lift a weight. For example, a strict barbell curl will employ your biceps muscles first and foremost, with a little assistance from your forearms. In contrast, an exercise like the squat incorporates muscle groups ranging from the front to the back of the thighs, the lower back, glutes and the abdominals.

While bodybuilders rely on isolation movements to bring out certain muscles in relation to others, the goal of the fitness enthusiast should be to get the body fit and strong with all of its parts working in harmony. Compound movements best achieve this. Deadlifts, bench presses, bent-over rows, chins, dips, walking lunges and hanging leg raises are all good examples of compound movements.