Single-Joint vs Multi-Joint Exercises: Which Builds More Muscle?
Single vs. Multi-Joint Resistance Exercises: Effects on Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Researchers split 29 untrained men into two groups - one did only lat pull-downs (multi-joint), the other did only bicep curls (single-joint). After 10 weeks, both groups gained similar amounts of muscle strength and size.
Surprising Findings
Single-joint exercises matched multi-joint exercises for BOTH strength AND size
Conventional gym wisdom holds that multi-joint exercises (like lat pull-downs) build more overall strength because they allow lifting heavier weights, while single-joint exercises (like bicep curls) are supposedly better for isolation and hypertrophy. This study found neither assumption holds true for beginners.
Practical Takeaways
Choose exercises based on what you enjoy and have access to, not based on expected muscle-building superiority
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Researchers split 29 untrained men into two groups - one did only lat pull-downs (multi-joint), the other did only bicep curls (single-joint). After 10 weeks, both groups gained similar amounts of muscle strength and size.
Surprising Findings
Single-joint exercises matched multi-joint exercises for BOTH strength AND size
Conventional gym wisdom holds that multi-joint exercises (like lat pull-downs) build more overall strength because they allow lifting heavier weights, while single-joint exercises (like bicep curls) are supposedly better for isolation and hypertrophy. This study found neither assumption holds true for beginners.
Practical Takeaways
Choose exercises based on what you enjoy and have access to, not based on expected muscle-building superiority
Publication
Journal
Asian Journal of Sports Medicine
Year
2015
Authors
P. Gentil, S. Soares, M. Bottaro
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Claims (9)
If young men who have never weight trained before do bicep curls twice a week for 10 weeks, their arm strength increases by about 12% on average.
When young men who haven't trained before do either multi-joint exercises (like curls) or single-joint exercises (like bicep curls) for 10 weeks, their arm muscles grow by about the same amount - there's no meaningful difference between the two types of workouts.
When young men who haven't trained before do arm exercises twice a week for about 2 months, their biceps and related muscles grow by about 6% on average.
For beginners, it doesn't really matter whether you do exercises that work one joint (like bicep curls) or multiple joints (like squats) - what matters is what equipment you have, what movements feel natural, what you enjoy, and how much time you have. The muscles will grow about the same either way.
If young men who haven't exercised before do either multi-joint exercises (like pull-ups) or single-joint exercises (like bicep curls) for 10 weeks, their arm strength increases by about the same amount - neither type of exercise is clearly better than the other.