Targeting specific areas not only strengthens individual parts of your body, but also helps you increase lean muscle mass and can improve the health of your heart. This, in turn, increases your metabolism and helps your body burn more calories, even at rest. Keep in mind that spot reduction is not possible. You can strengthen one part of your body in isolation, but weight loss affects your body as a whole.
Basics
Exercises that target specific areas of your body are typically performed using weight equipment -- free weights, dumbbells or barbells, specialized machines or weights you lift using cables and various handles. They also are typically identified by naming the muscle engaged -- biceps curls, triceps kickbacks, shoulder presses, for example.
Equipment
Weighted equipment works most muscles of the body, and typically works that muscle in isolation. You can work on upper and lower body to target your arms and legs, for example. You can also target the front of your body, biceps, abs, chest and quadriceps, or the back of your body, triceps, latissimus dorsi, gluteal muscles and hamstring, for example.
Alternating Your Target
Because weightlifting breaks the muscle down and requires that it be rebuilt, you should not work the same muscle every day. You can alternate your workouts -- upper body one day, lower body the next, or front one day, back the next -- to avoid overstressing the muscle and supporting ligaments and tendons.
The only exception to this is the abdominal muscle, which is a muscle you can work every day. However, because the supporting musculature for many abdominal exercises shouldn't be worked every day, vary your abdominal workout if you work your abs every day. For example, work your abdominal muscles using a classic crunch technique -- with or without weights -- that focus primarily on the rectus abdominis muscle. The next day, focus your abdominal exercise on side planks, which primarily work the oblique muscles that run on either side of your waist.
Technique
Besides muscle soreness, you also can cause damage to supporting ligaments and joints when working a targeted muscle. MayoClinic.com reports that poor technique can cause tendinitis, strains, sprains as well as more serious injuries, such as fractures. It recommends working with a trainer to start, or checking in with a trainer to ensure technique if you're returning to lifting weights. In addition, even though you are targeting one muscle, your entire body provides support. For example, a seated biceps curl using dumbbells engages your abdomen and back muscles as secondary supports during the exercise.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity: Strength Training
- Medical News Today: Weight Lifting For Health And Heart
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Training: Do's and Don'ts of Proper Technique
- American Council on Exercise: Seated Dumbbell Bicep Curl
- ExRx.net: Fat Loss and Weight Training Myths
- ExRx.net: Weighted Crunch
Member Comments