The Claim

If you're new to lifting, doing big lifts like presses and squats is just as good for getting stronger as doing those plus extra isolated arm exercises.

Source: Influence of Adding Single-Joint Exercise to a Multijoint Resistance Training Program in Untrained Young Women.

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
38score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Description
1 study reviewed
In plain English

If you're new to lifting, doing big lifts like presses and squats is just as good for getting stronger as doing those plus extra isolated arm exercises.

See the scientific wording

In untrained young women, 8 weeks of multijoint resistance training alone or combined with single-joint exercises leads to similar significant improvements in muscle strength for elbow extension, elbow flexion, and knee extension, with no meaningful difference between the two approaches.

What the research says

1 study

  1. Study: Influence of Adding Single-Joint Exercise to a Multijoint Resistance Training Program in Untrained Young Women.

    Both groups of women got just as strong in their arms and legs after 8 weeks of lifting weights, whether they did only compound exercises or added isolated ones too — so adding extra exercises didn’t help them get stronger faster.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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