What is Isolation exercise?

An isolation exercise moves only one joint, so one muscle does most of the work. Biceps curls, triceps pushdowns, lateral raises and leg curls are common examples. They let you target a specific muscle that may be hard to reach with bigger lifts.

They work well after your main compound lifts. For example, after bench presses you might add triceps pushdowns to finish off the arms. Isolation moves usually use lighter weights, so focus on control and a full range of motion rather than swinging the weight.