In broad terms, we can categorize exercises into two groups: compound and isolation exercises. Compound exercises involve multiple joints and muscle groups. Examples are squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, pull-ups, and rows. Isolation exercises involve only one joint and target one primary muscle group. Examples are bicep curls, leg extensions, tricep pushdowns, and lateral raises. Now, if you want to optimize muscle growth, you should focus on compound exercises. That’s because Compound exercises stimulate a more substantial amount of muscle mass. During a squat, for example, you activate over 200 muscles. To train the same amount of mass with isolation exercises, you’d need to perform many different movements.

Here’s what to do:

When you work out, use primarily compound exercises. While there’s no optimal ratio to aim for, a good guideline is to use compound exercises for at least 70% of your sets.