10 Essential Compound Exercises with a Targeted Workout Routine!

Author: Savinay Fitness

In strength training, integrating the best compound exercises is key to enhancing your workout efficiency. Compound movements engage multiple muscle groups, joints, and nerves in a single action, making them particularly effective for beginners aiming to build strength quickly. These exercises add variety to your fitness regimen and help address muscle imbalances, weaknesses, and specific aesthetic goals.

Compound exercises not only build muscle mass but also improve overall athleticism by enhancing coordination, stability, and balance. They stimulate the release of growth hormones and testosterone, which aids in muscle growth and fat loss. Thus, including them in your routine is crucial for a well-rounded fitness plan.

In this guide, we’ll explore ten top compound exercises and provide a sample workout routine to help you incorporate these movements into your fitness journey for targeted results.

10 Best Compound Exercises for Strength

1. Bulgarian Split Squats

Bulgarian split squats primarily target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, making them excellent for leg strength and muscle building. This unilateral exercise enhances balance, stability, and reduces muscle imbalances between sides.

How to Perform

  1. Stand with one foot elevated on a bench or platform behind you.
  2. Lower your body by bending the front knee to a 90-degree angle, then push back up to the starting position.
  3. Complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions per leg, dedicating 10-15 minutes to this exercise in your leg routine.

2. Bench Press

The bench press focuses on the chest muscles, including the pectoralis major and minor, triceps, and anterior deltoids. It builds upper body strength, power, and muscle mass. Variations like incline or decline bench press can target different areas of the chest.

How to Perform

  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet on the floor.
  2. Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width and lower it to your chest.
  3. Press the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  4. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions, spending around 15-20 minutes on this exercise in your upper body routine.

3. Ab Wheel Rollouts

Ab wheel rollouts strengthen the core, targeting the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis, while also engaging the shoulders and chest for stability. Variations like kneeling or standing rollouts adjust the difficulty.

How to Perform

  1. Kneel with your hands gripping the ab wheel handles.
  2. Roll the wheel forward, keeping your core engaged and back straight until fully extended.
  3. Pause, then roll the wheel back to the starting position.
  4. Do 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, dedicating 10-15 minutes to this exercise in your core workout.

4. Barbell Hip Raises

Barbell hip raises target the glutes and hamstrings while also engaging the lower back and core for stability. They enhance hip extension strength, crucial for various functional movements.

How to Perform

  1. Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and a barbell across your hips.
  2. Lift your hips toward the ceiling by pressing through your heels and squeezing your glutes at the top.
  3. Lower your hips back down to the starting position.
  4. Complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions, allocating 10-15 minutes to this exercise in your lower body routine.

5. Bodyweight Dips

Bodyweight dips target the triceps, chest, and shoulders, also engaging the core for stability. Variations such as adding weight or adjusting grip width can increase the challenge.

How to Perform

  1. Grip parallel bars with palms facing inward and arms fully extended.
  2. Lower yourself by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
  3. Push back up to the starting position, keeping your chest up and shoulders back.
  4. Perform 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, dedicating 10-15 minutes to this exercise in your upper body routine.

6. Lat Pulldowns

Lat pulldowns effectively target the latissimus dorsi muscles of the back, with secondary engagement of the biceps and shoulders. This exercise improves upper body strength, muscle definition, and posture.

How to Perform

  1. Sit at a lat pulldown machine with your knees secured under the pads.
  2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with palms facing forward.
  3. Pull the bar towards your chest, keeping your back straight and elbows down.
  4. Slowly return the bar to the starting position.
  5. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions, dedicating about 15-20 minutes to this exercise in your back routine.

7. Dumbbell Walking Lunges

Dumbbell walking lunges target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, improving lower body strength, stability, and coordination, while engaging the core for balance.

How to Perform

  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
  2. Step forward with one leg and lower your body until your knees form a 90-degree angle.
  3. Push through the front heel to return to the starting position and continue alternating legs.
  4. Do 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions per leg, spending 10-15 minutes on this exercise in your lower body routine.

8. Romanian Deadlifts

Romanian deadlifts primarily target the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. This exercise improves hip hinge mechanics and muscle hypertrophy.

How to Perform

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell or dumbbell in front of your thighs.
  2. Keep your back straight and hinge at the hips, lowering the weight until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  3. Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
  4. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 repetitions, focusing on form and spending 15-20 minutes on this exercise in your lower body routine.

9. Barbell Rows

Barbell rows target the upper back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and traps, improving posture, strength, and muscle definition.

How to Perform

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  2. Hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight, and lower the barbell until your arms are fully extended.
  3. Pull the bar towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then lower it back down.
  4. Complete 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, dedicating 10-15 minutes to this exercise in your back routine.

10. Overhead Grip Pull-Ups

Overhead grip pull-ups target the back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi, with secondary engagement of the biceps and shoulders. This exercise enhances upper body strength and muscle definition.

How to Perform

  1. Grip a pull-up bar with palms facing away, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  2. Hang from the bar, engaging your core muscles.
  3. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  4. Lower yourself back down with control.
  5. Perform 3 sets of as many repetitions as possible, spending 10-15 minutes on this exercise in your upper body routine.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating compound movement exercises into your routine ensures efficiency and effectiveness by engaging multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously. These exercises are adaptable to various fitness levels, allowing you to customize your regimen to meet your needs and goals. Consistently integrating these targeted compound exercises will lead to a stronger, leaner, and more functional physique.

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