The best compound exercises to maximize your weight training regimen

Some people take a compartmentalized approach to working out — arm day on Monday and Wednesday, legs on Tuesday and Thursday, and an appropriate mid-week core workout on Wednesdays. If that works for you, excellent. Strength training is crucial to warding off injury and assisting you in your daily life, from reaching for items to walking to work. However, others may prefer a full-body workout a few times per week versus near-daily resistance training.

Even full-body workouts can feel like a condensed version of these daily sessions, though, as you go from lower body to core to upper body circuits. However, some moves target multiple body parts at once: Compound exercises. What are these exercises? Let’s define compound exercises plus multiple ones to try at home or the gym. These are the best compound exercises for a full-body workout.

What are compound exercises?

Essentially, the best compound exercises are like happy hour for the muscles and joints, targeting multiple groups and giving you a bang-for-your-buck training session. These exercises differ from isolation exercises, which only work one muscle group at once — think calf raises and bicep curls. Some compound exercises target multiple muscles, specifically in the upper or lower body. For instance, squats are a compound exercise because they target the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Others leapfrog boundaries and work muscles in the upper body and lower body. Often, the move even engages and tones the core, too. There are several benefits to compound exercises, including:

• Building functional strength in multiple muscle groups in one move
• They’re challenging
• A varied (read: exciting and fun) workout

Ultimately, the most significant benefit of compound exercises is that people—perhaps you—enjoy them, and you’re more likely to stick with a workout you like.

Full-body compound exercises

These workouts combine two exercises per move to target numerous muscle groups. You’ll build functional strength and muscle definition (genetics willing) to help you feel your best.

Squats to bicep curls

On their own, bicep curls are an isolated movement. Pair them in a single move squats, and you’ll work the upper and lower bodies.

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand in a “suitcase position” by your sides.
2. Tuck the belly button toward the spine as you hinge at the hips.
3. Drive the hips back and bend the knees.
4. Keep your chest up, back straight, head in a neutral position, and feet and heels on the floor as you lower down until your thighs are about parallel to the floor.
5. Return to start, squeezing the glutes.
6. Maintain a relaxed, straight posture as you curl the dumbbells in and up toward the shoulders.
7. Lower the weights back to your sides.
8. Repeat.

Lunge with twist

Add some oblique work to a lunge, a move that can be particularly beneficial for runners and cyclists who need lower body strength and good posture to ward off injuries.

1. Stand in an athletic stance with feet hip-width distance apart.
2. Take a large step in front of you.
3. Keep the front foot planted on the floor as you bend both knees to a 90-degree angle.
4. Hold, twisting to the right. Hold for three breaths.
5. Twist to the left. Hold for three breaths.
6. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Sit-up with punches

Combine a quintessential core move with a boxing one for a compound exercise that works the abs and arms.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your temples or crossed over your chest in an “X” position.
2. With feet on the ground and knees bent, engage the abs and use them—not the momentum of your arms or body—to lift you off the floor.
3. Throw four strong cross punches, alternating arms.
4. Slowly lower down.

Push-up with plank rows

This move works the abs, arms, chest, back, shoulders, and glutes (which you’ll squeeze during the plank). You’ll need a set of dumbbells.

1. Get into a plank position with your feet extended behind you, arms straight, and hands gripping a dumbbell. Slowly bend the arms to lower toward the floor.
2. Push back up before your chest hits the floor.
3. Squeeze the glutes and engage the abs again by pulling the naval into the spine.
4. Bend your right arm and lift your hand off the floor with the dumbbell in tow. Stop when the dumbbell reaches the side of your chest.
5. Lower the weight. Switch sides, and repeat.

Dumbbell clean and jerk

This full-body compound exercise mixes in a bit of cardio — consider the dumbbell clean and jerk a true power move.

1. Stand with the feet hip-width apart and a heavy dumbbell in each hand.
2. Bend your knees and hinge slightly at the hips as you lower the weights to the shins.
3. In a fluid motion, quickly thrust the hips forward and raise the chest as you bring the weights to your shoulders.
4. Press the dumbbells toward the ceiling as you stand straight, squeezing the glutes.
5. Bring the dumbbells back to the shoulders.
6. Repeat.

Summary

Compound exercises target multiple muscle groups. While some do so in one region of the body, such as squats for the lower body, others build full-body strength. The result? A full-body workout within a full-body workout. Examples of these moves include sit-ups with twisting punches, lunges with twists, squats to bicep curls, and push-ups with rows. Keep good form in mind, and work with a personal trainer if you’re concerned about yours. Choose weights that make completing the last few reps challenging but possible. If you’re returning from injury, ensure you get a doctor’s clearance. Also? Be sure to get enough weekly cardio. The general recommendation is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity workouts, like jogging, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity workouts (you can’t talk during these) per week.