When people lift weights in the gym, they do so for many reasons. Some want to tone up a little, some want to burn fat, and some want to enter full beast-mode and pack on as much muscle mass as possible. Whatever your reasoning for going to the gym is, we can all agree that we want our workouts to be as efficient as they possibly can be. After all, if you’re not reaping the full benefits then what is the point? In this article we’ll be taking a look at the importance of compound exercises, as we look at what they are and why you should be doing more of them. So, let’s get started.
What are compound exercises? – Compound exercises are basically unique exercises that are multi-muscle, in that they work numerous muscle groups simultaneously. Compound exercises recruit several muscle groups at once, so think of the bench press as an example: When you perform the bench press, primarily it works your pectoral muscles. However, it also works your triceps, your core, and your deltoids. So, with that one exercise you are working several muscle groups in your body at once. Most free weight exercises are compounds, though there are some bodyweight exercises that are also great compound movements, including: pull-ups and push-ups.
What are the key benefits of compound exercises? – Now that we’ve looked at what compound exercises are, here are a few reasons why you should be doing more of them:
Burn more fat – Even if you are trying to build muscle, you’ll still probably feel pretty good about the fact that compound exercises are great for burning fat. Because you are working several muscle groups at once. This obviously requires more energy, meaning you will burn more calories in the process.
Build more muscle – If you want to build muscle, you need to be performing compound exercises, it really is that simple. Compound exercises recruit more muscle fibres and work more muscle groups as you perform them, which obviously means that you build more muscle. By doing one exercise you are working several muscle groups at once, making them great for anybody trying to increase their muscle mass.
Build more strength – If you’re looking to increase your strength, then again, compound exercises are ideal. It’s no coincidence that the three major lifts performed by powerlifters: the barbell bench press, the deadlift, and the barbell squat, are all compound movements. More muscle fibres are recruited during each repetition with a compound lift, which enables your muscles to work in synergy with one another, allowing you to generate more power. The more power you can generate, the heavier the weights you can lift, and as you know, when you’re looking to increase your strength, heavy weights must be lifted. You needn’t train like a strongman or powerlifter to benefit from compound lifts either, in fact, even the more primitive and basic compound exercises will yield marginal strength increases with minimal effort.
