8 Compound Exercises for Building Whole-Body Strength

A compound exercise activates multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Lifters and bodybuilders may use compound lifts as the base of their strength-training program. In contrast to isolation exercises, which employ isolation movements to build strength in one specific muscle group, compound exercises use compound movements to build muscle throughout the body. For example, a squat simultaneously engages the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

It’s best to perform compound exercises at the beginning of your workout before your muscles fatigue. Accessory exercises or isolation exercises for a single muscle—such as a lat pulldown or leg press—often follow compound lifts towards the end of the workout.

Consider some of the benefits of compound exercises.

1. 1. Increase muscle growth: By using multiple muscle groups, compound movements enable you to lift heavier weights. Practicing reps with heavier loads helps increase muscle mass.
2. 2. Burn more calories: Compound lifts can help you burn more calories. By raising your heart rate, compound exercises deliver a cardio hit, which enables caloric burn.
3. 3. Save time: Working out more muscles with compound lifts takes less time than doing multiple isolation exercises for specific muscles.
4. 4. Improve your functional fitness: From walking up and down stairs to bending and lifting, you use compound movements in your everyday life. Practicing compound exercises can help improve your ability to perform everyday movements.

Consider incorporating these compound exercises into your total-body workout routine.

1. 1. Lunge twist: A lunge twist, also referred to as a lunge with a twist, is a lunge exercise in which you twist your midsection to the left or right while in the lunge position, resume the standing position, and repeat, twisting in the opposite direction. Be sure to twist at the hip, not the knee. For an added challenge, perform lunge twists with a medicine ball, kettlebells, or dumbbells.
2. 2. Squat: The squat is a lower-body exercise that activates the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors. Squats also engage the back muscles and abdomen for stability. Standing with your legs shoulder-width apart, lower your hips until you're in a sitting position where your hips are below your knees, then stand back up. The squat is versatile. It can be a bodyweight exercise, or you can perform squats using a barbell with weights, dumbbells, or resistance bands. You can also do squats on a squat machine. Variations on the squat include the back squat and front squat.
3. 3. Push-ups: This upper-body exercise activates your pecs, triceps, and anterior deltoids. Put your body in a plank position with your arms spread a little more than shoulder-width apart. Using your arms, lower your body until you almost touch the ground, then lift your body back up.
4. 4. Deadlift: The deadlift is a full-body exercise that activates your upper back, lower back, erectors, hip flexors, glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. It can also help build your grip strength. This barbell exercise requires you to place a barbell on the ground with weights attached. Hinging from your hips, bend your knees slightly and lift the barbell off the ground until standing straight. Lower the weight back down.
5. 5. Dumbbell biceps curl: A dumbbell curl is an essential part of performing a biceps workout. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing out. Curl one barbell up using your bicep. Lower it back down to the starting position, then repeat on the other arm.
6. 6. Barbell bench press: The bench press is an upper-body exercise that can help build chest muscles (pecs) and shoulders (delts). The lower back, core, and glutes stabilize the lower body. Lying flat or at an incline with your back curved, move the barbell from your chest directly upward, extending your arms completely. You can also perform a bench press with dumbbells.
7. 7. Overhead press: Also known as the shoulder press, the overhead press is an upper-body exercise that works out your shoulders, upper chest, and triceps. This requires you to move weight from your chest directly upward, using your back and abdomen to stabilize your body. You can perform overhead presses using a barbell or dumbbells. There are different variations on the overhead press, including the military press or the push press.
8. 8. Pull-ups: Pull-ups are an upper-body bodyweight workout that activates your upper back and biceps, including your rhomboids, triceps, and delts. Pull-ups can also help build your grip strength. The pull-up requires you to hold onto a horizontal bar, known as a pull-up bar, hanging your body off of the bar. Using your arms and back, pull your body upwards until your chin is above the bar. Pull-ups are traditionally performed with the palms facing away from the body, which activates the back more. A variation, called the chin-up, has the palms facing the body to activate the biceps.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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