5 Compound Exercises
You Should Add to Your Workout
Provided
by American
Council on Exercise
Sometimes
when we train we try to get too fancy. We forget the simple exercises that can
hit multiple body parts at once. Compound exercises, for example, allow you to
“use the heaviest load possible, involve multiple joint articulations and
stimulate a large amount of muscle mass,” explains Eric Cressey,
president of Cressey Sports Performance. “As an added
bonus, the majority of these movements are performed [from a] standing
position, meaning that you will need to display proper control of your body.
Compound exercises are also more likely to increase your anabolic response to
training, which is paramount when you’re trying to increase lean muscle
tissue.”
Compound
exercises have also been found to:
Compound
exercises address many actions at once, making them both efficient and
effective. Here are some of the best compound exercises to add to your
workout.
1. Hip Hinge or
Deadlift
This
compound movement targets the forearms, lats, glutes,
hamstrings, core stabilizers and upper-, mid- and lower-back. It’s an amazing
exercise for the whole posterior chain.
Stand
with feet about hip-width apart. Make sure you are close enough to the bar.
Drive your hips back. Take tension out of the bar. Brace your core, keep tension in the lats and
the knees soft as you push your heels into the floor. As the bar approaches the
knees, think about shooting your hips into the bar. Finish in a tall stand
while clenching your glutes.
2. Squat
This
exercise enhances mobility in the hips and ankles, and challenges core
stabilizers, posterior chain, lower legs and quads.
Stand
with feet shoulder-width apart. Dial your feet into the floor, activating your
hips. Control the downward, or eccentric phase toward
the floor—don’t let gravity lower you down. Move the tailbone toward the floor,
while maintaining a tall, engaged torso. Push the floor away and rise to stand,
fully extending.
3. Loaded
Carries
This
exercise targets grip, shoulders, back, core stabilizers, arms and legs. You
can perform loaded carries with dumbbells, buckets of water, kettlebells, sandbags, trap bars, etc.
Brace
your core and bend down and grab two of the heavy implements you will be using
and walk as far as you can. Rest and then do it again…and again.
4. Pull-ups
The
primary movements of the lats are upper-arm
adduction, internal rotation and extension, but their secondary properties make
them adaptable to train for posture. Strengthening the lats
will provide better postural stabilization of the spine and lower pelvis
because of its attachment points. The pull-up also trains grip, arms,
shoulders, back, core and pelvic floor.
To
start, arms should be fully extended. True pull-ups work through a full range
of motion. Retract the scapula, stabilize the girdle and initiate the work or
muscular contractions by pulling your body up until your chin is over the bar.
Lower the body in a very controlled manner until arms are
fully extended.
5. Push-ups
Your
arms, shoulders, serratus, core stabilizers and pectoral muscles, along with
the legs, glutes and lats are all engaged to help you
maintain a zipped-up line.
Place
your hands on the floor directly under the shoulders with fingers spread wide.
Squeeze the glutes and press the heels away. Keep your head in line with your
body and bend the elbows to lower the chest with control toward the floor.
There should be no sagging anywhere in your body. Keep the legs, glutes and
shoulders engaged as you press back up to the starting position.
AUTHOR
Elizabeth
Andrews
Elizabeth Andrews has been a group fitness
instructor and coach for 35 years, teaching and developing exciting classes and
programming, from the southeast, where she was born and raised, to the Pacific NorthWest where she now resides.
Elizabeth is an educator for some of the best companies in the movement arena,
BOSU, TRX and DVRT Ultimate Sandbag, as well as using her gifts as a
motivational speaker for companies such as Amazon and the YMCA. Between
teaching and coaching, Elizabeth writes as a contributor for ACE.
A seasoned fitness presenter, Elizabeth has
presented at numerous industry events including, IDEA World, IDEA West, TRX
Summits, DCAC, Western States Chiropractic College, and for the YMCA Summits.
Her diverse experience working and teaching in the rehab field, general
fitness, strength and conditioning, as well as yoga, provide a broad
perspective and knowledge in movement. Her most recent accomplishment is being
a part of the Amazon Halo team that was recently announced.
Elizabeth holds many specialty
certifications, including ACSM, ACE, Animal Flow, FMS, FRC, DVFT, EBFA and has
200 hour Yoga Alliance. She is currently working towards her 300 hour with Noah
Maze. You can find Elizabeth on IG @elizabeth.s.andrews.