If you’re just beginning your muscle-building journey, you’ve probably made it through the trimester. compound exercises, usually in the context of something you should be doing, like eating broccoli or watching PBS documentaries.
Exercise experts disagree on a lot of things, but almost everyone agrees that compound exercises are a strength and fitness seeker’s best friend.
“The bulk of the exercise in most people’s workouts should be dialed in,” says Trevor Thieme, senior director of fitness and nutrition content for Beachbody, CSCS.
The sooner you get to know these classic gym moves, the sooner you’ll start making serious progress toward your goals.
What are compound exercises?
“Compound exercises are movements that involve multiple joints and work multiple muscles or muscle groups simultaneously,” says Thieme.
Consider the overhead press – in which you stand and push a weight directly above you from shoulder level.
As you raise and lower the weight, your elbow and shoulder joints noticeably articulate, making this a classic example of a multi-joint, or compound, exercise.
In contrast, consider a side raise, in which you hold two dumbbells in front of your legs and lift them to your sides.
A scientist guy might tell you that other joints move too – the whole ‘foot bone is connected to the ankle bone’ concept – but, primarily, the movement happens at the shoulder joints .
This makes it a simple articulation, or insulation exercise.
So the bench press, pushups, squats, rows, and lunges are all compound movements, while the bicep curl, dumbbell volley, and tricep extension are all isolation exercises.
Why are compound exercises important?
Why should you focus primarily on compound exercises in your workouts?
Isolation movements, after all, are more focused, require less coordination, and can usually involve lifting less weight.
So why not just create a whole fitness routine around them?
A few reasons…
1. They work more muscles
Back to our comparison between the lateral raise and the overhead press: the lateral raise focuses on a single muscle, specifically the medial (middle) head of your deltoid, or shoulder muscle.
The overhead press, on the other hand, not only works the three heads of the deltoid, but also the triceps and (to a lesser extent) the upper pecs as well.
If you’re short on time, you can get a lot more work done using compound movements.
2. They are more useful
“Muscles rarely work in isolation in the real world,” says Thieme. “So training them to work together is a more effective way to build functional strength.”
Functional strength exercises, he explains, build real-world strength and often feel like everyday movements.
Performing the squat is similar to standing up from a seated position, while doing an isolation movement like the leg extension is similar to, well, anything you wouldn’t typically do anywhere but in the gym.
Both exercises build muscle, but compound exercises are more transferable to real-world activities.
3. They burn more calories
Because compound movements engage more muscles (aka “metabolically active tissues”) than isolation exercises, they also increase calorie expenditure to a greater extent.
As a result, a routine that includes push-ups, pull-ups, deadlifts, and lunges will ultimately burn more fat than a routine that includes the chest fly, straight arm row, hamstring curl, and extending the legs.
4. They make you stronger
Since compound exercises use more muscles than isolation exercises, they can be used to move heavier loads.
“This leads to greater ‘mechanical tension’, which is a key growth stimulant,” says Thieme. “And the reason is that it creates more micro-damage in the muscle, which the body repairs and strengthens, making you stronger.”
10 of the best compound exercises
Assuming you don’t have any serious injuries or movement restrictions, compound exercises should form the basis of your bodybuilding exercises. Here are 10 that can help you maximize head-to-toe muscle growth.
1. Dumbbell bench press
- Lie on a flat bench holding a pair of dumbbells directly above your chest, palms facing forward.
- Keeping your feet flat on the floor, your core engaged, and your lower back pressed against the bench, slowly lower the weights to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 45 degree angle to your body (not flared).
- Pause, then push the weights back up to the starting position.
Variants
Incline Bench Press: Performing this exercise on a bench set at a 30-degree angle emphasizes the upper pecs.
Dumbbell Bench Press: Swapping dumbbells for a barbell increases stability, allowing you to press more weight, but slightly reduces overall muscle recruitment.
2. Pull-up
- Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip slightly beyond shoulder-width. Hang at arm’s length with your arms straight (a position known as a dead hang) and your ankles crossed behind you.
- Without swinging or kipping (using momentum to propel yourself upward), squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull your chest toward the bar (or at least your chin above it).
- Pause, then lower yourself to a deadlock.
Variants
Chin-up: Perform the movement with an underhand grip.
Mixed Grip Pull-Up: Use an overhand grip with one hand and an overhand grip with the other. Mixing up your grip forces your back, shoulders, and core to work harder to keep you from spinning.
Negative pull-up: Position a chair, box, or bench so that when you stand on it and grasp the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, your arms are slightly bent. Simultaneously jump up and pull your upper chest towards the bar with your legs pointing slightly in front of you. Pause, then slowly lower yourself until he’s suspended (try taking five seconds to do this). Step back onto the chair, box or step and repeat.
3. Dumbbell Deadlift
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at arm’s length in front of your thighs, palms facing back. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your back flat, chest up and core strengthened, push your hips back and lower the weights to mid-shin level, keeping them close to your body (your hips should remain higher than your knees ).
- Pause, then return to the starting position.
Variation
Romanian Deadlift: Perform the same movement keeping your legs mostly straight with just a slight bend in the knees.
4. dip
- Grasp the handles of a dip station and jump or rise to the starting position: arms straight, chest up, back flat, feet off the ground, and ankles crossed behind you. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your head neutral and your arms close to your sides, bend your elbows until your arms are parallel to the floor.
- Pause, then return to the starting position.
Variation
Incline Dip: Instead of crossing your ankles behind you, raise your thighs in front of you, so your knees and hips are at 90-degree angles. Hold your legs in this position for the duration of the exercise.
5. Overhead press with dumbbells
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart (step one foot forward slightly behind you for stability if needed), holding two dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing each other.
- Keeping your back straight and core engaged, press the dumbbells directly onto your shoulders until your arms are straight and your biceps are close to your ears.
- Pause, then return to the starting position.
6. Transport loaded
- Stand with two heavy dumbbells by your side, palms facing inward. Brace your core (like someone is about to punch you in the gut) and pull your shoulder blades back and down.
- Walk for 20-30 seconds to complete a “streak.”
Variants
Carrying a Suitcase: Perform the exercise while carrying a single dumbbell in one hand. Alternate sides of each set.
Overhead lift: Press two dumbbells directly above your shoulders so that your arms are straight and your biceps are close to your ears (make sure to keep your back flat and your core engaged). Hold this position as you walk.
7. Slot
- Stand with a pair of dumbbells by your side, palms facing in, feet hip-width apart.
- Keeping your chest up, gaze forward, back flat and core engaged, take a big step forward with your right foot and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left knee is bent at 90 degrees.
- Pause, then return to the starting position.
- Repeat, this time stepping forward with the left foot. Continue to alternate sides with each rep.
Variants
Reverse lunge: Instead of moving forward, step back into a lunge position, alternating sides with each rep.
Side lunge: Instead of stepping forward or backward, step sideways with your right foot, keeping your left leg straight and lowering your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Alternate sides with each rep.
8. Push-ups
- Get on all fours with your feet together, your body straight from head to heels, and your hands in line with (but slightly wider than) your shoulders. Squeeze your glutes and prepare your core to lock your body into position.
- Keeping your elbows bent toward your body and your head in line with your spine, lower your body until your chest is a few inches off the floor.
- Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.
Variants
Incline push-ups: Instead of placing your hands on the floor, place them on a stable, elevated surface (such as a bench or low wall). The higher the surface, the easier the exercise becomes.
Refuse push-ups: Instead of placing your feet on the floor, place them on a stable, elevated surface. The higher the surface, the more difficult the exercise becomes.
9. Dumbbell row
- Stand with your feet hip-width and shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Brace your core, flex your waist to push your hips back, bend your knees slightly, and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Keep your glutes engaged to protect your lower back.
- Let the dumbbells hang at arm’s length, palms facing each other. Engage your shoulder blades to keep your shoulders pulled back (i.e., don’t arch). This is the starting position.
- Without moving your torso and keeping your elbows bent and your back flat, tuck the weights to your sides while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause, then lower the weights back to the starting position.
10. Dumbbell squat
- Stand with a pair of dumbbells by your side, palms facing inward, feet shoulder-width apart, and toes pointing forward. This is the starting position.
- Keeping your back flat, chest up, and core engaged, push your hips back and bend your knees, lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.
