Building muscle is not only about looking good but also has several health benefits. From boosting metabolism and reducing the risk of injury to increasing bone density and improving posture, building muscle can greatly enhance your quality of life. However, with so many workout options, figuring out the most effective exercises to achieve your muscle-building goals can be challenging. That’s where compound exercises come in. Compound exercises save time by working for multiple muscle groups at once and provide a full-body workout that simultaneously targets several muscle groups.
In this blog post, we’ll cover the 8 best compound exercises for building muscle and explore some creative ways to make these exercises more challenging and enjoyable. So, let’s dive in and discover how to take your muscle-building game to the next level!
Squats
Squats are one of the best compound exercises for building muscle, as they work the entire lower body, including the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. To perform a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if sitting in a chair. Keep your chest up and your back straight, and lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Push back up through your heels to return to the starting position.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are another excellent compound exercise that works the entire body, emphasizing the back, glutes, and hamstrings. To perform a deadlift, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing straight ahead.
Bend down and grip the barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart, keeping your back straight and your chest up. Lift the barbell by standing up, pushing your hips forward, and squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower the barbell back down to the ground in a controlled motion.
Bench Press
The bench press is a classic compound exercise that primarily works the chest, shoulders, and triceps. To perform a bench press, lie down on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back flat against the bench.
Grip the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and lower it down to your chest by bending your elbows. Push the barbell back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are an excellent compound exercise for building upper body strength and muscle mass. They primarily work the back, shoulders, and arms. Grab a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart to perform a pull-up.
Pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above the bar, and then lower yourself back down in a controlled motion.
Overhead Press
The overhead press is a compound exercise that primarily works the shoulders and triceps. To perform an overhead press, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell or dumbbell at shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
Press the weight over your head by straightening your arms, then lower it back down to shoulder height in a controlled motion.
Lunges
Lunges are a compound exercise that primarily works the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. To perform a lunge, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and take a step forward with one foot.
Lower your body down by bending both knees until your front thigh is parallel to the ground, keeping your back straight and your chest up. Push back up through your front heel to return to the starting position, and repeat with the other leg.
Bent-Over Rows
Bent-over rows are a compound exercise that primarily works the back, biceps, and shoulders. To perform a bent-over row, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell or dumbbell with your palms facing your body.
Hinge forward at the hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle. Keep your back straight and your core engaged. Pull the weight up toward your chest by bending your elbows, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top, and then lowering the weight back down in a controlled motion.
Dips
Dips are a compound exercise that primarily works the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Place your hands on parallel bars or the edge of a sturdy bench to perform dips with your fingers pointing forward.
Lower your body down by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight and your chest up. Push back up through your palms to return to the starting position. For an added challenge, you can place a weight plate on your lap or use a dip machine to increase resistance.
Conclusion
Incorporating compound exercises into your workout routine is an effective way to build muscle and increase strength. Squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups, and overhead presses are some of the best compound exercises for building muscle, as they work for multiple muscle groups at once.
When performing these exercises, use proper form and gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. You can achieve your muscle-building goals with these compound exercises with consistency and dedication.