7 Best Compound Exercises for Muscle and Strength + Workout

Best Compound Exercises – Introduction

What are the best compound exercises for body transformation?

Broadly speaking, strength training exercises fall into one of two categories – isolation and compound.

Knowing the difference between these two classes of exercise will make it easier to choose the right one for your fitness goals.

For most exercisers, compound exercises are best for building muscle, getting stronger, and even getting leaner.

Isolation vs. compound exercises – what’s the difference?

Several characteristics make identifying isolation and compound exercises fairly straightforward.

Isolation exercises involve movement patterns around a single joint.

They typically target a small number of muscles, and sometimes just one or two.

Examples of isolation movements include:

Leg extensions
Calf raises
Dumbbell flyes
Crunches
Triceps pushdowns

Contrary to what their name suggests, isolation exercises do not isolate individual muscles.

Even the most straightforward isolation exercise involves several muscles.

That said, this idea makes it easier to remember the difference between isolation and compound exercises, so it’s okay to think of them that way.

Compound exercises, on the other hand, involve two or more joints and multiple muscles working together. This multi-joint movement engages several specific muscle groups, making these exercises ideal for overall muscle growth and strength training. Examples of the best compound movements include:

Push-ups
Lunges
Lat pulldowns
Power cleans
Shoulder presses

Both isolation and compound exercises can either be machine, free weights, bodyweight, kettlebell, medicine ball, or suspension trainer (TRX) exercises.

The style of training modality is not relevant.

Instead, the difference is the type of movement, that is, single joint vs. multi-joint.

7 Best Compound Exercises to Get Lean and Strong

The advantages and benefits of compound exercises

There is nothing inherently wrong with isolation exercises.

In fact, they can be useful for targeting specific body parts.

But, for more exercisers, compound exercises are a better choice.

The advantages and benefits of compound exercises include:

A more natural movement

The best compound exercises often replicate everyday movements and tend to be more natural.

For example, there are very few instances in life where you’ll need to straighten your knee joint to lift heavy weights while you are sitting down – a leg extension.

In contrast, most people do lots of squats over the course of a day.

Squats involve your hips, knees, and ankles at the same time, making them a perfect example of a compound exercise.

More time-efficient

One of the biggest advantages of compound exercises is that they can be more time-efficient compared to isolation exercises. You can train your entire body using just a few compound exercises, which is crucial when you have limited time.

This efficiency makes them a great way to fit a full workout into a busy schedule. You’d need more time to do the same with isolation exercises, where each exercise might only target a single muscle group.

Better for strength

Compound exercises are not only good for building muscle but also for enhancing functional fitness. These exercises mimic real-life movements, improving your ability to perform everyday tasks.

For example, lifting a heavy box off the ground is similar to performing a deadlift. This practical application shows how compound exercises contribute to overall strength in daily life.

Better for building muscle

Compound exercises allow you to lift heavier weights, putting more stress on the muscles you want to develop.

Compound exercises also increase the production of anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone, leading to even better results.

Isolation moves can be useful for “finishing off” a muscle group, but the best compound exercises usually produce the best results and should make up the bulk of your muscle-building workouts.

Better for increasing bone density

Because they involve heavier weights, compound exercises are better for increasing bone density than isolation exercises.

Bone density tends to decline with age, and compound exercises can help prevent or even reverse this problem, which, if left unchecked, could become osteoporosis.

This is a medical condition characterized by porous, weak bones that are prone to fracture.

Why Compound Exercises Are a Great Way to Get Stronger

The 7 Best Compound Exercises

There are so many compound exercises to choose from that it’s hard to narrow it down to just a handful. However, the following seven are among the best compound exercises, offering significant benefits for muscle strength, growth, and achieving your fitness goals.

#1. Back squats

Back squats work all of the major muscles in your lower body, plus several in your upper body too. As a multi-joint exercise, squats engage your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously, making them a foundational movement.

You can do squats to build muscle, get stronger, or tone up.

It all depends on how much weight you lift!

How to do it:

To do back squats, rest and hold a barbell across your upper back.
It should not rest on your neck.
Step out and into a shoulder-width stance, toes turned slightly outward.
Push your butt back, bend your knees, and squat down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
Do not round your lower back.
Stand back up and repeat.

Squats are an incredibly foundational and beneficial exercise, and it is worth your time to learn how to do the barbell squat correctly with or without weight.

For safety, only do heavy back squats in a squat rack while using the best shoes for squats and the right weightlifting gear when appropriate.

#2. Bench presses

The barbell bench press is probably the most widely performed barbell exercise in the world. It is one of the most effective compound exercises for developing upper body strength.

No wonder it’s a cornerstone exercise you can use to build muscle size and strength.

How to do it:

To do it, lie on a sturdy exercise bench with your eyes directly beneath the bar.
Hold it using a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest.
Bend your arms and lower the bar down to gently touch your sternum.
No bouncing!
Press the weight back up and repeat.

Avoid injury by always doing bench presses with a spotter nearby.

A failed rep could result in serious injury.

#3. Deadlifts

Part leg exercise, part back exercise, the deadlift is arguably the best compound exercise around.

Deadlifts are arguably the best compound exercise around. They work your entire body, particularly the legs and back, and are excellent for both muscle activation and strength.

In addition to being useful for building muscle and strength and conditioning your entire body, deadlifts also teach you the safest way to lift a heavy object off the floor.

How to do it:

With your barbell on the floor, stand in the middle with your feet about hip-width apart, toes pointing forward.
Hinge your hips back to lower yourself towards the bar, and then grab the barbell with an overhand or mixed grip.
Straighten your arms, lift your chest, drop your hips, brace your abs, and arch your lower back slightly.
Drive your feet into the floor and, without rounding your lower back, stand up straight.
Lower the weight back to the floor, let it settle (no bouncing!), and repeat.

Best Compound Exercises for Total Body Mass

#4. Shoulder press

Before the bench press became the most popular compound exercise, the overhead press ruled the roost!

This old-school feat of strength might not be as famous as it once was, but it’s still one of the best ways to build your upper body, and especially your shoulders.

How to do it:

Using an overhand grip, hold your barbell in front of your shoulders.
Your forearms should be vertical.
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent for balance.
Brace your abs.
Push the bar straight up and overhead.
Straighten, but don’t lock your elbows.
Lower the bar back to your shoulders and then repeat.

However, do not jerk with your legs because this is called a push-press.

It’s not a bad exercise; it’s just not the one we want you to do!

#5. Bent over rows

This is a slightly controversial exercise because, done incorrectly, it can put a lot of stress on your lower back.

But, if you do it right, the bent-over barbell row is an excellent lat builder that also works your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to do it:

To do it, hold a barbell with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
Lean forward until your body is inclined to about 75-90 degrees.
Let your arms hang down from your shoulders, and do not round your lower back.
Bend your arms and pull the bar up and into your chest.
Extend your arms and repeat.

Do not try and jerk the weight up with your legs or back.

#6. Lunges

Squats are undeniably one of the best exercises you can do for your leg muscles, but lunges come a close second.

They work one leg at a time, which means they’re useful for identifying and fixing left-to-right strength imbalances.

Because lunges involve more balance than squats, make sure you practice this exercise before adding weight.

Losing your balance with a barbell on your back could lead to injury!

How to do it:

In the starting position, just as you do for squats, hold a barbell across your upper back.

Stand with your feet together.
Take a large step forward, bend your legs, and lower your back knee down to just above the floor.
Make sure your front shin remains vertical.
Push off your front leg to return to your starting position.
Do another rep on the other leg and continue alternating sides for the duration of your set.

#7. Pull-ups

This bodyweight exercise mainly works your lats, the muscles on the side of your back, but it’s also an excellent arm builder too.

If you want a bigger, more muscular back with biceps to match, pull-ups are the exercise for you.

How to do it:

To do it, hang from a bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
Bend your legs and cross your feet behind you.
Without kicking or jerking, bend your arms and pull your chin up and over the bar.
Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

There are also different pull-up variations, such as chin-ups and neutral-grip pull-ups, that could be more beneficial for some exercisers.

A two-part workout plan based on compound lifts

To demonstrate the power and efficiency of compound exercises, here is a two-part workout plan that uses the seven movements described above.

You can do each workout once per week, for example, Monday and Thursday, or alternate the workouts and train three times a week:

Monday – workout A

Wednesday – workout B

Friday – workout A

Reverse this sequence the following week as:

Monday – workout B

Wednesday – workout A

Friday – workout B

Workout A

Workout A
	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Squats	5	4-6	2 minutes
2	Bench press	4	8-10	90 seconds
3	Bent over rows	4	8-10	90 seconds
4	Core*	3	12-15	60 seconds

*Choose any anterior (front) core exercise, e.g., rollouts, crunches, cable crunches, etc.

Workout B

Workout B
	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Recovery
1	Deadlifts	5	4-6	2 minutes
2	Lunges	3	10-12 per leg	90 seconds
3	Shoulder press	4	8-10	90 seconds
4	Pull-ups	4	AMRAP**	60 seconds

AMRAP means as many reps as possible.

Just do as many as you can!

Recommended gear

Here’s the equipment you’ll need to do these short-but-sweet compound exercise workouts at home.

#1. Fitness Reality 810XLT Power Cage

This power rack provides you with somewhere to squat and bench press in safety, and also do pull-ups.

Add a top-quality adjustable weight bench, and you’ve got the ideal place for all your compound free-weight exercises.

#2. Marcy Flat Utility Bench

This sturdy bench will support even the heaviest workout.

Use it for bench presses or any other supine exercise.

You can also use this Marcy Flat Utility Bench for box squats.

#3. Yalasga Olympic Barbell Bar

This full-length 7-foot Olympic barbell is strong enough for most home workouts but won’t break the bank!

Supplied with lightweight spring collars, all you need to do is add some weight plates.

#4. Adidas Men’s Powerlift 4 weightlifting shoes

Available in three colors, these shoes will provide you with a stable base for squats and any other standing compound exercise.

Firm, supportive, and flexible, these Powerlift 4 weightlifting shoes are so much better than a pair of regular sneakers!

The ONLY 7 Exercises Men Need for Building Strength + Muscle Mass

Best Compound Exercises – Wrapping Up

While compound and isolation exercises can both be valuable, compound exercises arguably provide more bang for your buck.

You don’t have to use compound exercises exclusively, but it certainly won’t hurt if you do!

Use isolation exercises to finish off your workouts and provide a little variety from time to time.

But, for the best results, you should put most of your energy into the compound lifts.

What’s Next

If you had to choose just one full-body compound exercise to do for the rest of your life, the conventional barbell deadlift would be your best choice.

Not only is it one of the most productive exercises you can do, but it’s also one of the most accessible.

After all, to do this fantastic move, all you really need is a barbell and some weight plates.

You don’t even need spotters; if you can’t complete a rep, just put the bar down.

Easy!

But, the deadlift also deserves your respect.

Done with incorrect form, it could result in severe injury.

That said, done correctly and with an appropriate weight, the mighty deadlift can help you reach almost any fitness goal faster, from getting strong to losing fat to building muscle.

Deadlifts genuinely deserve to be part of your strength training program.

To that end, start or continue your deadlift education with these free guides:

7 Best Compound Exercises for Muscle and Strength + Workout

Best Compound Exercises – Introduction

Isolation vs. compound exercises – what’s the difference?