We all have exercises we love to hate (mountain climbers 🤢), but there are some we should never skip, and compound exercises are top of the list. Compound exercises are those that work more than one muscle group at the same time. Working multiple muscles at the same time not only helps to keep your heart rate up, leading to a higher calorie burn, but it also allows you to work your whole body in less time than if you were doing isolation exercises where only one muscle group is worked at a time. So the next time you head to the gym, make sure to add these five exercises into your workout:-
1. Squats
The humble squat. Everyone has heard of it, lots of us dread it, but it is the King of compounds. A regular (feet hip-width apart) squat works the quads (thighs), hamstrings, glutes (butt), core, and calves 😮. Throw a barbell on your back, and it will work that too. Good technique is a must, so ensure your feet are hip-width apart, your chest is upright, you’re keeping your knees directed over your 4th and 5th toes, you’re pushing through your heels, and get squatting!
2. Deadlift
The deadlift can be tricky to master, and can easily result in injury, so it’s a good idea to start with no weight until you master the movement. It works the hamstrings, glutes, core, back, and traps (upper back). It is a hip extension exercise that requires glute power to bring hips that have been extended under resistance back to neutral.
3. Shoulder Press
Hooray, a break for your legs! A shoulder press, where arms are extended above the head and brought back down to just above shoulder height, works the front and side of your shoulder (anterior and lateral deltoids), triceps, traps, and pecs (chest). It is one of the best exercises for strengthening the shoulders and upper back. So if you want to start working on getting those Barbie shoulders, this is your guy!
4. Pull-Up
Yes, I know 🙈. It is by far the WORST exercise ever invented. It is especially difficult for women to do due to our lower levels of testosterone and higher % of body fat. Both make it difficult for us to build muscle which in turn makes trying to lift our whole body weight tough. The muscles worked depend on whether you have a wide or regular grip but include the biceps and brachialis (upper arm), lats (middle back), traps, and rhomboids (upper back). To get started and to make them easier, you can do reverse pull-ups which involves letting a box or band take your weight, and instead of pulling yourself up from a low position, you lower yourself down from an elevated position. Alternatively, just use an assistance band that will take some of your weight and pull-up to your heart's content.
5. Chest Press
This one is a favourite of mine as, being a very small-chested individual, it gives me an extra little something in that area by building the chest muscles. It also works the triceps and anterior delts (old mate from shoulder press fame). It’s a pretty simple exercise and quite versatile as it can be done on a bench lying flat, on a bench with an incline, or lying on the floor. You will not get the same depth of movement doing them on the floor, but you’ll still get a decent workout. If you want to boost your bust, this fella will be your best friend!
With all of the above, it is important to ensure you are using the correct technique, not only to avoid injury but also because poor technique will not get you the results that you want. That’s why it is better to start with a lower weight (or no weight in some cases) and then progress once you are comfortable with the movement.
Ensuring you are progressively overloading by adding/increasing weight, or how many reps you do each set, will lead to strength and hypertrophy (muscle building) gains in no time!
No pain, no gain, right?
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