Here is one of the most trusted secrets that will truly help you reach your health and fitness goals in a short and powerful way: Compound exercises.
Compound exercises and compound movements are those that involve multiple muscle groups at the same time. By definition, compound movements are movements of the body where two or more muscle groups are working simultaneously. These can include the chest and back, biceps and shoulders, and quads and glutes, all for example.
Compound exercises have a wide array of benefits, benefits that are almost endless.
The Best Compound Exercises
Bench press
As already mentioned bench presses are great as they will work all of your chest, shoulders and triceps.
There are three kinds of bench press.
Inclined bench presses get the upper part of your chest and shoulders more,
Flat bench presses hit all of your chest and
Decline Bench presses (when you are using a decline bench) are best for the lower part of your chest and triceps although doing too many decline bench presses will really give you a saggy looking chest.
Military press
This is the classic exercise where you sit upright and push a barbell up from behind your neck straight up above your head.
Military presses push your anterior deltoid (front of shoulder) and again your triceps and are a great mass gainer for both.
I find that when I am doing this exercise it is really important to feel where and how you are pushing the bar up. You have to remember that there are some secondary muscles at work, mostly the triceps which are a very strong and leveraged muscle for this exercise.
When you are pushing concentrate on those shoulder muscles doing the pushing up. If you have to get the weight a bit lighter to do this then that is better as you get lots of opportunity to work your triceps in other exercises
Squats
Probably the greatest compound exercises ever are squats. Doing squats are great for all of your core muscles as well as the muscles in your legs. This is perhaps the toughest and best workout for gaining mass ever devised.
As you likely know the biggest muscles in your body are your quadriceps on the front of your legs. To do squats properly you need to take care that you lower back is not bowed in or out and to do this a belt or lower helps most.
Also when doing squats I have found that my calves do not extend far enough so I have always rested my heels on a block of wood. I have also written about a 30 day squat challenge that I did which is without weights and has you doing squats everyday. In doing the 30 day squat challenge you will definitely feel the lower back and abs getting a lot of work as well as your glutes. The legs do definitely burn
Rowing
Using a machine row is a great way to work your whole back and is hard to emulate doing free weights. This exercise works all of your back muscles, upper and lower and also work your biceps.
After doing a few sets of rows your whole back will be sore. Doing rows it is again important to protect your lower back by making sure that you do not twist it in any direction.
Pullups
Pullups are done by holding a barbell with both hands fairly close together and then pulling up towards your chin. Pullups work your biceps, rear deltoids and your traps.
Traps are the muscles on either side of the top of your back beside you neck.
This a great exercise I find for opening up and strengthening the very top of my body.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a phenomenal full-body exercise. Nearly every muscle in your body is stimulated in the one singular movement of the deadlift: Your back, shoulders, arms, legs, forearms, quads, glutes, and hamstrings are all involved in the movement.
With such intensity as the deadlift and similar compound exercises, maximum levels of natural growth hormone and testosterone will be able to released, promoting and stimulating increased muscle growth.
Additionally, maximum stimulation of the metabolic and cardiovascular systems will be promoted as well.
Each compound exercise and compound movement has different primary muscle movers. Primary muscle movers refer to the main muscle group that is being worked in a compound exercise, even though the exercise is working and benefiting other muscle groups as well.
If you are rushed for time or if you want to try something new with your workout routine, give compound exercises a try. These will be able to provide you with maximum results, maximum benefits, and maximum excitement in your routine.
SUMMARY
Compound exercises are a secret key to fitness success and goal achievement.
With compound exercises and movements in your workouts, you will be able to achieve the greatest results you are looking for in an efficient, effective, and encouraging way. Your body will be thanking you with the powerful, innumerable, immeasurable health benefits you will uncover.
As you begin or continue your health, fitness, and wellness journey, incorporate compound exercises and movements into your workouts. Add new variations to your workouts by regularly changing up your compound movements and by adding new ones into your routine.
Be ready for powerful transformations and have the time of your life doing so!