How do isolation exercises overload muscles?

Isolation exercises are designed to target a specific muscle or muscle group, which allows for greater emphasis on that particular area. The correct answer highlights that isolation exercises can create overload despite the seeming contradiction that muscles do not truly work in isolation. This overload is achieved primarily through the focused and repeated tension placed on the targeted muscle, leading to muscle hypertrophy and improved strength.

When a specific muscle is isolated, the resistance can be applied in such a manner that allows it to work against its maximum capability. This, in turn, can lead to muscle fatigue and micro-tears in muscle fibers, prompting the body to adapt and grow stronger. Therefore, the nature of isolation exercises—being singularly focused on one muscle group—does not preclude the ability to overload those muscles effectively.

The other choices do not align with the primary mechanism of overload in this context. While working multiple muscle groups simultaneously does contribute to overall strength and coordination, it is not the method by which isolation exercises achieve muscle overload. Maximizing range of motion is important for joint health and muscle activation but does not specifically relate to the concept of overload in isolation exercises. Lastly, utilizing lighter weights typically does not create significant overload, as adequate resistance is necessary to stimulate muscle adaptation.