Luckysf

1. List Of Compound Exercises For Arms
2. List Of Compound Movement Exercises
3. List Of Isolation Exercises
4. The Ultimate List Of Compound Exercises

Compound exercises make you stronger. Since compound exercises engage more muscle than isolation exercises, they can be used to move heavier loads. “That leads to greater ‘mechanical tension,’ which is a key growth stimulus,” says Thieme. So, friends, this was the list of most effective compound exercises. I hope you enjoy reading these most effective compound exercises list. If you know about some more compound exercises then please share with us by using the comment section below. Jun 14, 2019  Compound exercises such as squats, chest presses and lat pulldowns get more than one joint moving at a time. While that might not sound like a big deal, doing compound movements lets you do more work in less time — and that translates to more benefits for the same time investment. Many compound.

This is where the awesomeness of compound exercises come in. Compound the Burn With Compound Exercises. Compound exercises are classified as exercises that stimulate all of your major muscle groups, which leads to an increased metabolic output (i.e., increased fat burning) for several hours after your workout. Now that you know why compound exercises are integral to lowering your body fat percentage and increasing your muscle mass, here's a list of exercises you can create a workout from. Be sure not to.

TOPIC: What Is The Best All Compound Workout?

The Question:

Compound movements build the most muscle. Not only that, but they increase strength the fastest. And of course, they are brutal!

What is the best compound workout? Be specific.

How often should an all compound workout be performed?

What are the benefits of a compound workout?

What are the negative aspects of a compound workout?

How does a compound workout compare to an isolation workout?

Show off your knowledge to the world!

The Winners:

1. RC26 View Profile
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3. TUnit View Profile

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2nd place - $50 in store credit.

1st Place - RC26
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Compound movements build the most muscle. Not only that, but they increase strength the fastest. And of course, they are brutal!

Introduction

Summer is almost over, and mass gaining season is right around the corner. Many of you might know by now that compounds are the real mass builders, and many bodybuilders swear by them. However, the exercises need to be performed correctly to obtain maximal gains.

I've put this article together to help you, the readers, understand the importance of compound workouts, and get you ready for the best mass gaining season of your life. So get the pen and paper out, and prepare to learn about the compound exercises, how to perform them, how to prevent injuries, the best all compound workout, and much more.

Workout:
What Is The Best Compound Workout? Be Specific.

Too many people train with a big ego, and decide to lift heavy with bad form. There are no positives to this, but many negatives, one being injuries. To help prevent this, I included descriptions on how to perform the compound exercises, which muscle they work, and variations.

Exercises:

Flat Bench Press:

Execution:

• Lie face up on a flat bench, with back slightly arched, buttocks on the bench, and feet flat on the floor.
• Grab the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
• Inhale and lower the bar to chest level, until elbows are parallel to the ground.
• Maintain control of the bar, and extend the arms back up while exhaling to end to movement.

Muscles Worked:

• Pectoralis Major
• Pectoralis Minor
• Anterior Deltoid
• Triceps Brachii
• Serratus Anterior
• Coracobrachialis

Variations:

• Performing the exercise with elbows close to the body works the anterior deltoid to a greater degree.
• Using a hands closer together width shifts the work to the inner pecs, along with more triceps involvement.
• Using a hands wider apart width shifts the work to the outer pecs, with less triceps involvement.
• Perform the bench press on an inclined bench angled at 45-60 degrees, to work the upper pectorals more intensely. This variation is called the Incline Bench Press.
• Perform the bench press on a declined bench angled at 20-40 degrees, to work the lower pectorals more intensely. This variation is called the Decline Bench Press.
• To stretch the pectoralis muscles, use dumbbells on either a flat, incline, or decline bench.

Squat:

Execution:

• Slide under the barbell and place it on the trapezius, slightly above the posterior deltoid. Grab the bar tightly with the hands, and look straight ahead.
• Inhale and contract the abdominal muscles to prevent the torso from collapsing forward, arch the back slightly, and remove the bar fro the stand.
• Step back a few inches, place both feet slightly wider than shoulder width and point toes slightly outward.
• Bend forward from the hips, and continue the movement until the thighs are slightly below parallel to the ground.
• Straighten the legs and lift the torso to the starting position, then exhale.

Muscles Worked:

• Quadriceps
• Glutes
• Adductors
• Hamstrings
• Erector Spinae
• Rectus Abdominis

Variations:

• Place feet close together to shift the work on the outer quads (Vastus Lateralis).
• Place feet wide apart to shift the work to the inner quads (Vastus Medialis), and adductors.
• Place the bar on the upper pectorals, and perform the squat to work the quadriceps more intensely. This variation is called the Front Squat.
• Dumbbells can be used when performing the squat to warm-up the quadriceps muscles.

List Of Compound Exercises For Arms

Deadlift:

Execution:

• Stand facing the barbell, legs shoulder width apart, abdominals contracted and back slightly arched.
• Bend the knees until the thighs are parallel to the ground, and grab the bar using one overhand grip, and underhand grip.
• Inhale, lift the bar by straightening the legs and then contract the back at the top portion of the movement.
• Exhale at the end of the movement.

Muscles Worked:

• Erector Spinae
• Trapezius
• Glutes
• Quadriceps
• Rectus Abdominis

Variations:

• Place feet close together, and keep the back straight to stretch the hamstrings. This variation is called the Stiff-Legged Deadlift.
• Place feet wide apart to work the quadriceps more intensely. This variation is called the Sumo Deadlift.

Clean & Press:

Execution:

• Stand facing the barbell, legs shoulder width apart, knees inside arms and feet flat on the floor.
• Squat down, and fully extend the arms, then grab the bar with a pronated grip shoulder width apart distance.
• Begin the pull by extending the knees, moving the hips forward, raising the shoulders, and lifting the bar straight up, all in one movement.
• Thrust hips forward, and continue pulling until knees are under the bar.
• Move bar explosively by extending the knee, hip, and joint in a jumping movement, and pull the bar and high as possible while keeping it close to the body.
• Shrug the shoulders, and then exhale.
• Rotate elbows under the bar, and hold the bar across the front of the shoulders.
• Press the bar overhead, and then lower it slowly to the top of the thighs.
• Squat down toward the ground, and keep bar close to shins.
• Place bar on the ground.

Muscles Worked:

• Deltoids
• Triceps Brachii
• Biceps Brachii
• Erector Spinae
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Calves
• Rectus Abdominis

Military Press:

Execution:

• Sit with the back straight, and hold the barbell with an overhand grip.
• Inhale, and extend the bar upward.
• Lower the bar back down, and exhale at the end of the movement.

Muscles Worked:

• Anterior Deltoid
• Medial Deltoid
• Trapezius
• Upper Pectorals
• Triceps Brachii
• Serratus Anterior
• Supraspinatus

Variations:

• Perform the military press standing, and push up with the thighs on each repetition to make the exercise easier. This allows the use of heavier weights for mass purposes. This variation is called the Push Press.
• Dumbbells can be used for a longer range of motion, and symmetry between the deltoids.

Bent Over Row:

Execution:

• Stand with legs slightly bent, and grab the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Then bend at the back at about 45 degrees, and slightly arch the back.
• Inhale, and lift the bar up to the upper abdominals, or lower pectorals.
• Lower the bar back down, and exhale at the end of the movement.

Muscles Worked:

• Latissimus Dorsi
• Teres Major
• Posterior Deltoid
• Biceps Brachii
• Brachialis
• Brachioradialis
• Trapezius
• Rhomboids
• Erector Spinae
• Rectus Abdominis

Variations:

• Dumbbells can be used for a longer range of motion, and symmetry between the lats.

Upright Row:

Execution:

• Stand with the legs shoulder width apart, and grab the barbell with an overhand grip.
• Inhale, and pull the bar upward in front of the body by raising the elbows as high as possible, up to chin level.
• Exhale, and lower the bar back down.

Muscles Worked:

• Trapezius
• Deltoids
• Levator Scapula
• Biceps Brachii
• Brachialis
• Glutes
• Rectus Abdominis
• Erector Spinae

Variations:

• Using a hands close together grip works the trapezius to a greater degree.
• Using a hands wide apart grip works the deltoids to a greater degree.
• Dumbbells can be used for a longer range of motion, and symmetry between the traps, delts.

Pullover:

Execution:

• Grab the barbell with an overhand grip at a shoulder width apart distance, then lie on a flat bench and extend the arms.
• Inhale, and expand the chest as much as possible, then lower the barbell behind the head while slightly bending the elbows.
• Bring the bar back up, and exhale once you've returned to the starting position.

Muscles Worked:

• Pectoralis Major
• Pectoralis Minor
• Triceps Brachii
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Teres Major
• Rhomboids
• Serratus Anterior

Variations:

• Dumbbells can be used for a longer range of motion, and expansion in the rib cage.

Dip:

Execution:

• Hang from parallel bars with arms fully extended.
• Inhale, and bend the elbows until chest reaches bar level.
• Extend elbows back up, and exhale.

Muscles Worked:

• Pectoralis Major
• Triceps Brachii
• Anterior Deltoid
• Serratus Anterior
• Anconeus
• Brachialis

Variations:

• Lean chest forward to work the pectorals more intensely.
• Keep chest vertical to work the triceps more intensely.

Pull-Up:

Execution:

• Hang from a bar with an overhand grip wider than shoulder width apart.
• Inhale, and pull chest up until it reaches the level of the bar.
• Lower body back down, and exhale at the end of the movement.

Muscles Worked:

• Latissimus Dorsi
• Teres Major
• Trapezius
• Rhomboid Major
• Rhomboid Minor
• Biceps Brachii
• Brachialis
• Brachioradialis

Variations:

• Use an underhand grip to work the biceps to a greater degree.
• Place hands close together or wide apart, to involve upper, lower, inner and outer fibers of the lats.
• Beginners can use the pull-down machine to gain sufficient strength before trying the pullups.

Cardio Exercises:

Running:

The best, and most popular type of cardio is running, which provides a full body cardiovascular workout.

Jumping Rope:

This type of cardio is often used by MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighters, and also trains your entire body.

Tips:

Get A Training Partner:

I recommend you get a training partner, for spotting purposes, and motivation. Although it's difficult to find a good one, below is a list of some traits you ought to look for.

• Dependable
• Similar Goals
• Similar Size
• Similar Strength
• Similar Training Experience
• Positive Attitude

Surely you won't find all these qualities in a training partner, but look for several of them to ensure you aren't making a mistake.

Warm-Up:

Before starting each of your workout sessions, warm-up up for 5-to-10 minutes by running on a treadmill. Don't neglect this part of your routine, as it helps decrease the risk of injury.

Stretch:

Always stretch 5-to-10 minutes before, and after working out to decrease the risk of injury, and increase range of motion during training. Below is a list of stretches:

• Chest - Chest And Front Of Shoulder Stretch
• Shoulders - One Handed Hang
• Back - Seated Or Standing Twist
• Quadriceps - Seated Butterfly Stretch
• Hamstrings - Seated Hamstring Stretch
• Biceps - Doorway Stretch
• Triceps - One-Arm Triceps Stretch
• Wrist Flexors - Wrist Flexors Stretch
• Wrist Extensors - Wrist Extensors Stretch
• Calves - The Stair Stretch

Sets:

You will be using four sets per exercise, where the first set serves as a warm-up, and the following three are the muscle building sets.

Reps:

Rep ranges are the same for all exercises, but vary with each set. The first set, which is the warm-up, consists of 15 reps. The second, and third sets consist of eight reps for muscle building, and the fourth set consists of six reps, which are also for muscular gains.

Rest:

Rest 60-90 seconds in between sets, to allow your muscles to fully recover, and slightly more in between exercises.

The Split:

• Monday - Workout A (Main Muscles Worked - Pecs, Triceps)
• Tuesday - Workout B (Main Muscles Worked - Quads, Hamstrings)
• Wednesday - Cardio
• Thursday - Workout C (Main Muscles Worked - Delts, Traps)
• Friday - Workout D (Main Muscle Worked - Lats, Lower Back)
• Saturday - Rest
• Sunday - Rest

Monday - Workout A (Main Muscles Worked - Pecs, Triceps):

Tuesday - Workout B (Main Muscles Worked - Quads, Hamstrings):

Wednesday - Cardio:

Run or jump rope for 30 to 60 minutes.

Thursday - Workout C (Main Muscles Worked - Delts, Traps):

Friday - Workout D (Main Muscles Worked - Lats, Lower Back):

Notes:

For maximal mass, and strength gains, I recommend you lift as heavy possible, as long as you use good form. Also, make sure you follow the rep ranges, because they will give you the most gains in muscle.

As Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman says, 'Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but don't nobody wanna lift no heavy ass weight!'

Diet/Nutrition

When it comes to building mass, we all know that training is only 50% of the equation, with nutrition being the other half. Follow the guidelines below for maximal gains.

• Eat every 3 to 4 hours.
• Drink 1 to 2 gallons of water per day.
• Consume 1 to 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight each day.
• Consume 2 to 4 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight each day.
• Consume a minimal amount of fat, no more than 75 to 100 grams per day.

Supplementation

Supplements have become so popular, that almost everyone in the bodybuilding community uses them. Out of all the supplements, there are a few that stand out above the rest, and are guaranteed to be both safe, and effective. These blockbuster supplements are listed below:

• Whey Protein - Top Sellers
• Creatine - Top Sellers
• Multivitamin - Top Sellers

I recommend you buy these supplements and use them on a daily basis.

How Often?
How Often Should An All Compound Workout Be Performed?

Training Split:

Although we all have different goals, the 4-day training split above is effective for overall muscle development, and balance. However, depending on your goals, whether you're looking for muscle or strength building, you can tweak the training split.

When To Train:

I recommend you train in the morning upon waking up, because your body is full of energy. Later on in the day, you eventually get tired, and that can affect your performance in the gym. Try training different times in the day, select your preference, and go with it.

Rest/Recuperation:

In the suggested workout above, there are three rest days in which you need to avoid performing high intensity activities, to ensure full recovery. Also, every 8-to-12 weeks of training should be followed by a full week of rest, for further recovery.

Benefits:
What Are The Benefits Of A Compound Workout?

Increase Strength:

Exercises such as heavy bench presses and squats, increase strength tremendously. These exercises also mimic real life movements, which can assist you in real life situations.

Increase Muscle Mass:

Believe it or not, deadlifts work virtually every muscle in the body, and fifteen percent of upper growth comes from squats. Don't forget that squats are also the best lower body mass developer, and compound exercises build more mass than isolation. So if you're a beginner looking to get huge, rest assured that compound movements are your best bet.

Develop Stabilizer Muscles:

Ever wonder why so many people use machines? Well, the reason is they haven't developed stabilizer muscles needed to balance free weights, especially in heavy lifts. Separate yourself from the crowd, and in the long run, you'll stand out, and have the ability to lift massive poundages safely.

Increase Core Strength:

Strengthening your body's core will not only assist in bodybuilding movements, but also in any physical activity.

Increase Testosterone Production:

Testosterone is responsible for muscle growth, and many other vital components. Compound movements cause the body to increase testosterone production, which in turn boosts muscle mass, strength, and confidence.

Strengthen Tendons:

An avulsion fracture, or the separation of the tendon from the bone, is a severe injury. Heavy training strengthens the attachment of the tendon to the bone, and reduces the risk of injury.

Train More Than One Muscle Group At A Time:

Compound exercises allow you to train multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This cuts workout time in half, and makes training simpler.

Reduce The Risk Of Overtraining:

Training with isolation exercises can quickly lead you into overtraining, especially when training each muscle three times a week. Training with compound reduces the risk of overtraining, all the while increasing muscle gains.

Reduce The Risk Of Muscle Atrophy:

Training with heavy weights makes the muscle cell walls grow thicker, and stronger, which reduces muscle atrophy.

Train Your Cardiovascular System:

Compound exercises such as squats actually train your cardiovascular system, as well as packing on mass to your physique.

Negatives:
What Are The Negative Aspects Of A Compound Workout?

Injuries:

Pectoralis Major Tear:

When performing the bench press, there is a risk of tearing the tendon of the clavicular head of the pectoralis major. To prevent this, warm-up the pec muscles before attempting heavy bench presses, and perform the exercise slow and controlled. However if you tear a pec tendon, then it will need to be surgically reinserted onto the humerus, and following recovery, it's recommended you avoid heavy training.

Elbow Pain:

When performing bench presses, avoid locking the arms at the top of the movement, as it subjects the elbow to rubbing and microtrauma, which can lead to inflammation. All this leads to is elbow pain, and has become a common injury among trainees. If you begin experiencing elbow pain, rest for several days, and avoid performing exercises that involve arm extension.

Hamstrings Tear:

When performing the squat, the hamstrings group is stretched, and is at risk of tearing. To prevent this, warm-up the hamstrings, and perform specific stretching exercises that strengthen them. If you tear the hamstrings, after you recover, perform gentle stretches that target the muscle group to prevent future tears.

Biceps Brachii Tear:

This injury has become extremely common among both athletes, and bodybuilders who perform the deadlift. During the exercise, tension is placed on the long head of the biceps, which can cause a biceps tendon tear where the muscle inserts onto the humerus. To prevent this, use moderate weights, proper form. If you tear the biceps tendon, treat it immediately with surgery to prevent it from retracting.

Disc Herniation:

Incorrect back positioning during the squat, deadlift or bent over row, can cause disc herniation from the rounding of the back. That's because the back of the disc expands and pinches the front of it. The intervertebral disc can crack, and compress on the spinal cord, or the roots of the spinal nerves. To prevent this, always use proper form, and follow the guidelines below.

Preventing Injuries:

Whenever heavy weights are used, it's imperative you create a 'block.'

1. Expand the chest, and hold a deep breath to prevent the torso from collapsing forward.
2. Contract the abdominals to support the core.
3. Arch the lower back by contracting the lumbar muscles.

Doing this prevents the rounding of the back, which can lead to serious injuries.

Injury Reduction Equipment:

• Lifting Gloves - using these allows you to get a better grip when lifting heavy weights.
• Lifting Straps - using these also provides better grip, especially with back exercises such as pull-ups, barbell rows and deadlifts.
• Lifting Belt - using a belt is recommended when performing heavy squats and/or heavy deadlifts, as it decreases the risk of lower back injuries.

Compound Vs. Isolation:
How Does A Compound Workout Compare To An Isolation Workout?

Compound workouts are superior to isolation workouts in terms of muscle mass, and strength gains, but bodybuilding isn't just about building big muscles, as symmetry is just as important.

The advantage of isolation workouts is weak point training, which is essential when trying to build a balanced physique. For example, if your calves are lagging, there isn't much you can do with compound exercises to develop them, but with isolation, you can perform many types of calf raises. Then to further isolate the calves, you can point the toes inward to work the outer calves.

So as you can see, both compound, and isolation training is important, and depending on your goals, you can incorporate whichever you need to reach your goals. For maximum gains, I recommend you include more compound exercises than isolation, but don't neglect either.

Conclusion

Now that you know the importance of compound training, you can build more mass than ever before. I hope you took notes, because it's time to put down the pen, and paper, and begin your training.

Good luck!
Richard C.

References:

1. Strength Training Anatomy Second Edition, By Frederic Delavier, Human Kinetics

2nd Place - BurningHeart
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Compound movements build the most muscle. Not only that, but they increase strength the fastest. And of course, they are brutal!

A mistake often made by inexperienced weightlifters is trying to find the easiest way possible to gain mass and strength. A person walks into a gym and then pumps out a set of hard barbell squats. It doesn't feel comfortable to him, his legs start to ache, and he is out of breath and a bit dizzy.

So he decides to skip the hard squats and move over to the leg extension machine instead. That same person sees someone else doing pull-ups, so he decides to try it. After only 3 pull-ups he concludes it is also too difficult of an exercise, and instead moves to the pull-down machine.

This becomes his new routine for years, leg extensions, pull-downs, dumbbell curls, butterflies, tricep push-downs, and many other low intensity isolation exercises.

Needless to say this person will not make much progress in his routine. Muscle building is not easy; it is not something that can be achieved by taking the simple route. While isolations have their place in a routine, compounds should be the core of the workout and take up the majority of time spent weightlifting.

Compound exercises use multiple muscles in unison with each other to perform a certain task, which is ideal for greater strength increases. Also since more muscles are using oxygen and working all at once, it tires a person faster than isolation exercises, which only work a single muscle at a time. Thus compounds build muscular endurance much faster than isolations do.

So read on and learn how to correctly incorporate compounds in a routine. They are something that should not be overlooked, by any type of weightlifter. Make the most of your routines!

Part 1:
What Is The Best Compound Workout? Be Specific.

The best all compound workout would be one that works every body part in an equal and efficient fashion. Also the best compound workout would include exercises that work certain muscles often overlooked in a routine. I will split the routine into two sections since it is important to switch your routine up every so often in order to prevent adaptation.

The first part of the routine consists of compound exercises done for 12 reps per set with 4 sets. This focuses the exercises more to 'mass building' than 'strength building,' even though you will still gain strength. The second section of the routine will switch to more of a strength building method.

So the first part of the routine, weeks 1-6, would look like this:

Best Compound Workout Week 1-6:

A minute and a half is optimal rest between sets, and for warm-up sets, half of the weight going to be used in the normal set is best. For exercises that require attaching weight to yourself (dips, pullups, chin-ups) a warm-up set may be done by doing a set with no weight added.

Broken down, the workout would look like this ...

Monday:

• Warm-up for weighted pullups
• Weighted pullups
• Warm-up for weighted dips
• Weighted dips
• Warm-up for barbell squats
• Barbell squats

Wednesday:

• Warm-up for bench press
• Bench press
• Warm-up for rear barbell rows
• Rear barbell rows

Friday:

• Warm-up for bent over barbell rows
• Bent-over barbell rows
• Warm-up for barbell lunges
• Barbell lunges

After 6 consecutive weeks of the first part of the routine, we slightly change the weight, set, rep and exercise scheme to prevent muscle adaptation. The amount of repetitions per set are slightly lowered in order to achieve more of a strength building workout than a size building, as the first workout was. Once changed, the routine would look like this ...

Best Compound Workout Week 7-12:

Broken down, the workout will look like this ...

Monday:

• Warm-up for incline bench press
• Incline bench press
• Warm-up for deadlifts
• Deadlifts
• Warm-up for rear barbell rows
• Rear barbell rows

Wednesday:

• Warm-up for weighted chin-ups
• Weighted chin-ups
• Warm-up for Cuban press
• Cuban press

Friday:

• Warm-up for barbell squats
• Barbell squats
• Warm-up for weighted pull-ups
• Weighted pull-ups
• Warm-up for military press
• Military press

Nutrition Section Of The Workout

As with any workout routine, the proper nutrition is required to feed your body the nutrients it needs to properly repair itself and build muscle after a workout. Creatine is a widely popular and recommended supplement to take, along with a post workout protein shake. Multivitamins are also strongly recommended to replenish your body with needed vitamins and minerals that you may not get enough or any at all during the day.

Fat:

Healthy fats are required in a bodybuilding diet because they aid in maintaining healthy hair and skin, promoting healthy cell function, function in energy storage and vitamins A, D, E, and K can only be digested and used by the body in the combination with fats. Healthy fats include such foods as olive oil, flax seeds and nuts. Fats should equal 20-25% of your total caloric intake.

Protein:

At least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is recommended for a weightlifting routine, protein aids in the building and repairing of your muscles. Healthy forms of protein include fish, lean red meat, poultry, protein shakes, eggs and skim milk. Protein should equal 35-40% of your total caloric intake.

Carbohydrates:

Carbs aid in the immediate usage of energy. Carbs require less water to digest than fat and proteins; therefore they are the most commonly used energy source in the body. Healthy forms of carbohydrates would be foods such as wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal and nuts. Carbohydrates should equal 40-45% of your total caloric intake.

Calories:

Total calories can be roughly calculated by multiplying your body weight times 15. Then consider these factors:

If Bulking:
Consume 6-8 balanced meals with a total of 500-1000 excess calories.

If Cutting:
Consume 6-8 small balanced meals with a total deficit of 500-1000 calories.

Sleep:

The right amount of sleep is also needed, 7-8 straight hours is required to repair your muscles adequately and for your CNS (Central Nervous System) to recover.

If you have problems sleeping try taking ZMA or Melatonin before bed. Also avoid drinking anything 2 hours before you go to sleep, use the bathroom right before bedtime, cut out all lights in the room, loosen and relieve any pressure you may have on your bladder before bed, do not take a nap in the day and relax yourself, as to not worry about any days' events.

Part 2:
How Often Should An All Compound Workout Be Performed?

An all compound workout, as listed above, should be performed once a week. This routine works almost every body part twice a week with only compound exercises, which is all you will need in an all compound workout.

Because of the few amount of exercises each day, the workout should not last much longer than 30 minutes. This allows you to use 100% intensity for each set, which means using max weight for 10 reps. This is the most efficient form of weightlifting, in other words, getting the most bang for your buck.

In terms of how long the routine should last before taking a week off, the answer is approximately 12-15 weeks compared to 9-12 weeks for an isolation routine. It is possible to perform a compound routine longer than an isolation routine because a compound routine with such few exercises does not do as much damage to muscles as isolations.

This does not mean gains will be slower, as discussed later in the article. It is important to note that this is just an estimation; the best amount of time to perform a routine is dependant on how your body feels.

Part 3:
What Are The Benefits Of A Compound Workout?

Like I stated above, compounds have the most benefits compared to isolation. Such benefits include: faster strength gains, less time working out, greater muscular endurance and some muscle mass benefits.

Faster Strength Gains:

• Because of compound exercises using two or more muscles at once combined with the movement along two or more joints, the body adapts itself to this type of stress, which results in greater strength gains than isolations.

• These strength gains are useful for everyday tasks. Often people overestimate bodybuilders' strength because their muscles are well defined. This is attributed to bodybuilders mainly using isolation exercises to build muscle. So compounds are handy for real life situations where you do not want to be weak in, such as lifting heavy objects or having fun strength tests with friends.

• Faster strength gains means more weight is able to be used for all exercises. As more weight is used, the body can build mass faster, another advantage of compounds.

Less Time Working Out:

• Because doing compounds is like combining two or more isolation exercises in one, a compound routine makes for a much faster workout. As shown in the routine above, it is possible to hit almost every body part on Monday with only 3 exercises.

• Less time working out equals less catabolic hormones being released during the workout, ensuring your body will not use its own muscle to fuel your exercises. In the long run it also means less of a chance of overtraining.

Greater Muscular Endurance:

• Because compound exercises make your body use multiple muscles at once, including stabilizers, your body uses oxygen a lot quicker than with isolations. As you deprive your body of oxygen during compounds, it becomes more efficient in supplying your muscles with oxygen, thus building up endurance much like aerobic exercise does.

• Multiple muscles being used at the same time also has another side advantage, increased metabolism. While every kind of intense exercise will increase your metabolism, the act of muscles working in conjunction with each other will increase your metabolism faster than working them one by one, as in isolation workouts.

Some Muscle Mass Benefits:

• In addition to the greater strength gains achievable by compound exercises, some muscle mass can be gained with compounds that cannot with isolations. However this would be only the case if one did not train their body completely with isolations.

  For example, the posterior delts (rear shoulder muscles) are one of the most neglected muscles in the body. In an isolation workout, one may not think to do bent-over dumbbell rows or bent-over rear-delt raises. However in a compound workout, that same person may unknowingly work their posterior delts by doing a bent over barbell row.

• Another muscle mass benefit of compound exercises is the fact that higher levels of growth hormone are released than when isolation work is done. It is plausible that this happens because compound exercises put more stress on your body, causing it to take better measures to adapt to the stimulus.

Part 4:
What Are The Negative Aspects Of A Compound Workout?

While there are not many negative aspects of an all compound workout, there are some reasons why it is best to also incorporate isolation exercises in your routine. Some negative aspects of failing to incorporate isolation work are failing to fully work a muscle and less overall muscle size gain.

Failing To Fully Work A Muscle:

There are some compound exercises that actually are the only way to fully work a muscle, an example would be squats. Leg extensions, no matter how many reps are done, will not fully work the quadriceps because your legs are not constantly loaded with weight, resisting your body falling and rising for the whole repetition.

Squats are just an exception though; for the most part isolations are required to fully exhaust a muscle. An example of this would be hitting triceps by bench pressing. While bench pressing does work the triceps, it will not fully exhaust them, as bench press is mainly a chest exercise and if done properly, will exhaust your chest first. The only way to fully work your triceps would be to switch to close grip bench presses or another form of tricep work.

Some Loss Of Potential Muscle Mass:

Compounds do build muscle in the way that they make the body secrete more growth hormone than isolations, however contrary to some people's beliefs; compounds alone will not build as much muscle as isolations included in the routine. It is also true that compounds are great for endurance and functional strength gains, due to using many muscle fibers in unison with each other all at the same time.

However because compounds do not fully work and break down your muscles as do isolations, they will not grow as fast as isolation work will make them. This is why bodybuilders incorporate many isolation exercises with their compounds, and while powerlifters mainly do compounds and leave out isolations.

Part 5:
How Does A Compound Workout Compare To An Isolation Workout?

In reference to the facts listed above, an all compound workout generally will always be superior to an all isolation workout. It all depends on the individual's goals. If their goal is to increase size, with little regard to training time then an all isolation workout would be their choice. If their goal is to increase functional strength and train as efficiently as possible, then an all compound workout will be their choice.

Like I stated above there are some exceptions to this. Squats are the top choice of exercise in terms of size and strength gains in the quadriceps. So while someone may want to only increase muscle size, a compound exercise such as squats will always excel over an isolation exercise such as leg extensions.

The goal of a bodybuilder should be to include both compound and isolation work in their routine; compounds to work the main muscles, increase strength and endurance, and secrete growth hormone, while using isolations to fully exhaust the muscle, thus increasing its size over time.

In combination with each other, both isolations and compounds are required to achieve the maximum muscle strength and size gains. You cannot have maximum progress by limiting yourself to only isolations or only compounds.

So check over your routine. Does it include enough compound exercises as to where each body part is worked with a compound exercise? Does it include enough isolation exercises to fill in the gaps that exist in compound exercises? By cleaning up your routine, you will start to see better strength and size gains, and possibly save time by substituting some compound exercises in place of some isolation work.

References:

3rd Place - TUnit
Compound Exercises
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Compound movements build the most muscle. Not only that, but they increase strength the fastest. And of course, they are brutal! Compound movements work more than one muscle group; by contrast, isolation movements only work a specific muscle. In this respect, compound movements are far superior, however isolation movements have their place.

In a well-designed training program, compound movements should comprise about 70-80% of the total work and isolation movements the remaining 20-30%. The compound movements will stimulate the most growth and the isolation movements will help 'finish off' the muscles for a maximum training effect.

The best compound movements include:

• Squat
• Deadlift
• Bench Press
• Bent-Over Row
• Military Press
• Pullups
• Dips

A compound workout program should focus around those seven lifts with the inclusion of variations of each. For example, a quadriceps dominant leg day could alternate between Full Squats and Front and Squats with Snatch Grip Deadlifts as an assistance exercise. A chest dominant upper body day could alternate between Bench Presses and Dips with Rows as an assistance exercise. Rep ranges would be varied to prevent adaptations.

Workout:
What Is The Best Compound Workout? Be Specific.

Beginners:

Beginners benefit from low to moderate volume with higher reps. When first starting out, a trainee will benefit the most from compound movements exclusively. (Less than one full year of training experience.)

Weeks 1-8 (Week 8 - Deload by cutting volume in half):

Monday - Full-Body (2 Min Rest between sets)

• Full Squats - 3 Sets x 12-15 Reps
• Deadlifts - 3 Sets x 12-15 Reps
• Bench Press - 3 Sets x 12-15 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 3 Sets x 12-15 Reps
• Military Press - 3 Sets x 12-15 Reps
• Pullups/Chin-Ups - 3 Sets x As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP)

Thursday - Full-Body (2 Min Rest between sets)

• Full Squats - 3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
• Deadlifts - 3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
• Bench Press - 3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
• Military Press - 3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
• Pullups/Chin-Ups - 3 Sets x As Many Reps As Possible (AMRAP)

Weeks 9-16 (Week 16 - Deload by cutting volume in half):

Monday - Full-Body (90 Sec Rest between sets)

• Full Squats - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Deadlifts - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Bench Press - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Military Press - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Chin-Ups - 3 Sets x 8 Reps

Thursday - Full-Body (90 Sec Rest between sets)

• Front Squats - 3 Sets x 6 Reps
• Snatch Grip Deadlifts - 3 Sets x 6 Reps
• Bench Press - 3 Sets x 6 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 3 Sets x 6 Reps
• Military Press - 3 Sets x 6 Reps
• Pullups - 3 Sets x 6 Reps

Intermediates:

Intermediates benefit from moderate to fairly high volume and more frequency than beginners with some isolation movements included. (1-2 years training experience)

Note: Add in 1-2 isolation exercises for lagging body parts after each training session for 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps.

Weeks 1-5 (Week 5 - Deload by doing 3 Sets x 3 Reps for all exercises):

Monday - Full-Body (2 Min Rest between sets):

• Full Squats - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Bench Press - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 5 Sets x 5 Reps

Wednesday - Full Body (2 Min Rest between sets):

• Deadlifts - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Front Squats - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Military Press - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Weighted Pullups - 5 Sets x 5 Reps

Friday - Full-Body (2 Min Rest between sets):

• Full Squats - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Bench Press - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 5 Sets x 5 Reps

Weeks 6-10 (Week 10 - Deload by doing 4 Sets x 5 Reps for all exercises):

Monday - Full-Body (1 Min Rest between sets):

• Superset: Full Squats/Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 8 Sets x 5 Reps
• Superset: Bench Press/Bent-Over Rows - 8 Sets x 5 Reps
• Weighted Dips - 4 Sets x 5 Reps

Wednesday - Full Body (1 Min Rest between sets):

• Superset: Deadlifts/Front Squats - 8 Sets x 5 Reps
• Superset: Military Press/Weighted Pullups - 8 Sets x 5 Reps
• Split Squats - 4 Sets x 5 Reps

Friday - Full-Body (1 Min Rest between sets):

• Superset: Full Squats/Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 8 Sets x 5 Reps
• Superset: Bench Press/Bent-Over Rows - 8 Sets x 5 Reps
• Incline Bench Press - 4 Sets x 5 Reps

Weeks 11-15 (Week 15 - Deload by doing 3 Sets x 3 Reps for all exercises):

Monday - Full-Body (2 Min Rest between sets)

• Full Squats - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Incline Bench Press - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 5 Sets x 5 Reps

Wednesday - Full Body (2 Min Rest between sets)

• Deadlifts - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Front Squats - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Military Press - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Weighted Pullups - 5 Sets x 5 Reps

Friday - Full-Body (2 Min Rest between sets)

• Full Squats - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Stiff-Legged Deadlifts - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Weighted Dips - 5 Sets x 5 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 5 Sets x 5 Reps

Advanced:

Advanced benefit from higher volume and frequency than intermediates with more frequent deloading weeks. (At least 3 years training experience)

Note: Add in 1-2 isolation exercises for lagging body parts after each training session for 2-3 sets x 8-12 reps.

Weeks 1-4 (Week 4 - Deload by cutting volume in half):

Monday - Lower Body

• Full Squats - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Snatch Grip Deadlifts - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Leg Press/Front Squats - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Leg Curls/Glute-Ham Raises - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

Tuesday - Upper Body

• Bench Press - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Flyes/Incline Bench Press - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Barbell Curls/Weighted Pull-ups - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

Thursday - Lower Body

• Deadlifts - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Front Squats - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Leg Extensions/Split Squats - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Leg Curls/Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

Friday - Upper Body

• Military Press - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Weighted Chin-Ups - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Incline Flyes/Dips - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Hammer Curls/Bent-Over Rows - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

Weeks 5-8 (Week 8 - Deload by cutting volume in half):

Monday - Lower Body

• Full Squats - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Snatch Grip Deadlifts - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Leg Press/Front Squats - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Superset: Leg Curls/Glute-Ham Raises - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Split Squats - 3 Sets x 15 Reps

Tuesday - Upper Body

• Bench Press - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Flyes/Incline Bench Press - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Superset: Barbell Curls/Weighted Pull-ups - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Military Press - 3 Sets x 15 Reps

Thursday - Lower Body

• Deadlifts - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Front Squats - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Leg Extensions/Split Squats - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Superset: Leg Curls/Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Full Squats - 3 Sets x 15 Reps

Friday - Upper Body

• Push Press - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Weighted Chin-Ups - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Incline Flyes/Dips - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Superset: Hammer Curls/Bent-Over Rows - 3 Sets x 8 Reps
• Bench Press - 3 Sets x 15 Reps

Weeks 9-12 (Week 12 - Deload by cutting volume in half):

Monday - Lower Body

• Full Squats - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Snatch Grip Deadlifts - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Leg Press/Front Squats - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Leg Curls/Glute-Ham Raises - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

Tuesday - Upper Body

• Bench Press - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Bent-Over Rows - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Flyes/Incline Bench Press - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Barbell Curls/Weighted Pull-ups - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

Thursday - Lower Body

List Of Compound Movement Exercises

• Deadlifts - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Front Squats - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Leg Extensions/Split Squats - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Leg Curls/Snatch-Grip Deadlifts - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

Friday - Upper Body

• Military Press - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Weighted Chin-Ups - 6 Sets x 6 Reps
• Superset: Incline Flyes/Dips - 4 Sets x 12 Reps
• Superset: Hammer Curls/Bent-Over Rows - 4 Sets x 12 Reps

How Often?
How Often Should An All Compound Workout Be Ferformed?

An all compound workout should be performed for at least 8-12 weeks during a training year. While an all-compound workout has so many benefits over other types of workouts, there are some downsides such as easier burnout. Also, some trainees may become more susceptible to injury if they try to set personal records in lifts such as the squat, deadlift and bench press every single week, which may stress connective tissue and joints.

While all compound workouts are fantastic for building muscle, adding various isolation movements can further aid in muscle growth. The best workout programs utilize both compound and isolation movements in approximately a 3:1 ratio. However, all compound workouts have their place, especially when strength and functional hypertrophy are in demand, during a training cycle.

One important fact to note is that all compound workouts should not be performed for a very long period of time unless the trainee is a beginner. Beginners have a low chance of burnout so all compound workouts should be emphasized until base levels of strength increase to an appreciable level.

Benefits:
What Are The Benefits Of A Compound Workout?

A compound workout will provide many benefits that other types of workouts cannot match:

More Functional Size & Strength:

Compound movements, when done in a rep range of 1-5 will build strength very quickly. Make sure that you try to increase your lifts by about 5-10 pounds each week unless you are an advanced trainee, in which case gains of 2.5-5 pounds on your lifts is considered to be great.

When done in a rep range of 6-15, compound movements will build considerable size. This is not the type of temporary size achieved by performing high-rep sets of barbell curls but a more permanent size known as sarcomeric hypertrophy.

Higher Levels Of Anabolic Hormones:

Hormones such as testosterone, IGF-1, IGF-2 and growth hormone have various muscle building properties. Compound movements require the largest amount of weight to be lifted of all exercises. The body responds to lifting heavy weight by releasing testosterone.

Compound movements that are performed in the 8-12 rep range tend to produce a moderate amount of lactic acid. Growth hormone is released any time lactic acid builds up in a muscle group. Squats and deadlifts will increase testosterone and growth hormone to the greatest extent because the most weight is lifted in the two exercises.

Fewer Imbalances:

By performing compound movements you work many more muscle groups than you would with isolation movements. If you rely solely on isolation exercises or even have a 50:50 compound to isolation ratio, you run the risk of developing imbalances. Common imbalances occur in the shoulders and knees.

In the shoulders, this is usually due to disproportional chest to back strength and size. By performing bench presses in conjunction with bent-over rows, the trainee does not have to worry as much about shoulder imbalances. In the knees, injuries occur primarily due to disproportional quadriceps to hamstrings and glutes strength and size. Performing deadlifts along with squats will greatly reduce the risk of knee imbalances and injuries.

List Of Isolation Exercises

Decreased Workout Time With Improved Effectiveness:

With a compound workout, you can easily work your entire body effectively by performing a few compound exercises. Each compound exercise will directly or indirectly work a few different muscle groups as opposed to isolation exercises which only work one muscle group.

Negatives:
What Are The Negative Aspects Of A Compound Workout?

Some negative aspects of a compound workout may be considered positives, depending on the trainee. For example, a compound workout is very difficult and grueling, making the intensity levels very high.

For some, the level of intensity in a compound workout may be so high that they are not even able to complete the workout. Other trainees may thrive under high intensity and get their best results. However, one possible negative aspect of a compound workouts for all trainees is the risk of injury from lifting heavy weights.

Compound Vs. Isolation:
How Does A Compound Workout Compare To An Isolation Workout?

In terms of total muscular stimulation, an isolation workout does not even compare to a compound workout. A compound workout builds more muscle, improves strength better, and signals anabolic hormones such as testosterone, IGF-1 and growth hormone for an incredible training effect.

A compound workout also allows the trainee to do more work in less time than an isolation workout does. This is important because more work in less time means more muscle growth. While isolation exercises have their place in any well-designed training program, compound movements such as the squat, deadlift and bench press are king when it comes to muscular strength and hypertrophy.

The Ultimate List Of Compound Exercises