That tape around the wrists - I don't see her doing muscle-ups or anything else that would help with. And a clean is not supposed to involve you doing a bicep curl, people!

I agree with Ponceleon that the whole "getting ripped" business is insane, but for different reasons. I'm fine with getting fit, but looking good naked is not the same thing. Fit people probably "look good", but people who "look good" aren't necessarily very good at using their bodies for different physical tasks, which is what fitness is really about. The average gym rat's routine has very little to do with fitness and a whole lot to do with looks. How often does life, even if your lifestyle is highly physical, require you to bicep curl any significant weight? Those separation routines do shit all for full-body coordination and neural adaptation.

For the most part, yes, they're pretty stupid exercises. Isolation exercises in general are far, far overused. If you're just trying to maximize muscle size, then curls etc. are likely an easy route to that, but that's bodybuilding, and I'm frankly not likely to ever quite understand it. If you're a serious powerlifter, then isolation exercises can probably be of use as well, but most people you see in gyms at the smith machine or the leg curl machine or - sin of sins - doing their bicep curls with a barbell at the squat rack just do that stuff because they've seen others do it.

Heavy compound lifts and other exercises that force you to utilize and coordinate the whole body are where it's at for anyone interested in actual, broad fitness instead of just appearance. You don't get much neural adaptation from isolation exercises - having big muscles and having the ability to actually use them efficiently are two very different things. Basic powerlifting and olympic lifting exercises combined with basic gymnastics and what are usually referred to as "cardio" exercises - running, rowing etc. will not only make your muscles grow but strengthen the relevant neural pathways, leading to better coordination and increased power output, not to mention increase your endurance, stamina and speed.

Bicep curls... If someone's that interested in having bulging arms, I hear there's all kinds of oils and silicone implants they can put under their skin. Personally, I value performance.

In reply to this comment by rottenseed:
are bicep curls and barbell rows stupid exercises?

are bicep curls and barbell rows stupid exercises?

In reply to this comment by rebuilder:
Upvote for kettlebell sumo deadlift-high pull. I saw "personal trainer" in the title, was sure I'd see someone doing bicep curls or barbell rows or other mystifying exercises like that, but no! There was that last remark about "maybe doing a little bit of bodybuilding", though...

Upvote for kettlebell sumo deadlift-high pull. I saw "personal trainer" in the title, was sure I'd see someone doing bicep curls or barbell rows or other mystifying exercises like that, but no! There was that last remark about "maybe doing a little bit of bodybuilding", though...