What are compound exercises?
If you’re new to weight lifting, you might have come across the two terms ‘compound exercises’ and ‘isolation exercises’ in your research. These terms are important to understand when you’re trying to curate an effective training program.
In this article, we’re going to focus on the former of the two terms. The term compound exercise refers to movements that work multiple muscle groups and require more than one joint.
Examples of popular compound exercises include:
- Squats (front, back, and sumo)
- Deadlifts (conventional, sumo, and Romanian)
- Lunges (front, reverse, and lateral)
- Leg press
- Bench press
- Overhead press
- Bent over rows
- Pull-ups
- Push-ups
- Dips
Compound exercises are effective for building muscle strength, increasing your heart rate and burning calories. Aim to include two or three compound movements into your workouts to maximize your performance and progress.