6 Best Compound Exercises for Back, Legs and Fat Loss

If you want to build big muscle, strength and burn fat as quickly as possible then you need only compound exercises.

Compound exercise are best for strengthening your bone and joints and works different muscle groups simultaneously for example dead-lift works your core, lats, glutes, hamstrings, Traps etc.

One advantage of compound lift are you can combine it with other moves such as squats with barbell bicep curl, for example.

Isolation exercises are great for targeting single muscle such as bicep curl, but if you don't have enough time to work out then compound exercises save your time as it burn more calories in short period of time and works more muscles at a time. 

Benefits Of Compound exercises

• It burns more calories than isolation exercise because when you do compound exercises it needs more energy to do the move.
• Improve your metabolism because it builds muscles and muscles need more energy than fat.
• Works Multiple muscles at a time. When you do compound exercises it saves your time as it uses more muscles than isolation exercises.
• It improves your strength and makes you stronger.
• Build more muscle mass.
• Improve your flexibility, posture and heart rate.
• Improve your weight lifting performance.

6 compound exercises for building muscle

1. Overhead Press

Muscles used: Arms, Shoulders, Chest, Upper Back.

How to do overhead press with good form

• Grab the bar and stand with it resting on your front shoulder
• stabilize your core and press the bar over your head
• When the bar reach over your head lock your elbow at the top, keep your abs and glutes engage.
• Lower the bar slowly and return to the initial position.

2. Squat

Squats are best compound exercise for lower body, you can do squats with body weight.

Muscles used: quadriceps, calves and glutes

How to do squats with proper form

• Stand up and spread your feet wider than hip width.
• Keep your core engaged, stand straight and keep your chest out.
• Lower slowly.
• Return to starting position, keep your core tight and engaged and chest out as initial position.
• You can do this 8-15 and 3 sets. 

3. Dips

Dips are another great body-weight exercise that builds bigger chest and triceps

Muscle used: Chest, Triceps, Shoulder, Core, Arms

How to do dips with proper form

• Place your hands in a bar and jump up and straight your hands.
• Lean forward.
• Get your feet off the ground.
• Lower your body until your shoulders are below to your elbow.
• Push up and lock your elbow at the top for maximum benefits.
• You can do this 8-10 reps and 3 sets.

4. Pull-up

Pull-up is a wonderful exercise for developing your back and upper body. You need a pull-up bar and it is one of the best body weight or calisthenics exercise for building wider back or v-shape back.

Muscle used: back muscles, biceps, forearm and core.


How to do pull up with proper form

• Grab the bar (overhand grip) with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width.
• Hold the bar tightly for better grip.
• Hang under the bar don't let your feet touches to the ground. you can also bend your legs of your back.
• Retract your shoulder keep your core engaged.
• Pull yourself up until your chin goes above the bar and return slowly to starting position.

5. Deadlift

Muscles used: lats, forearms, glutes, hamstrings, core, back.

How to do deadlift with proper form:

• Place the barbell on the floor, toes under bar and feet hip width apart.
• Grab the bar tight for better grip and Keep your core tight and engaged.
• Lift the bar up and keep your body close to bar during lifting.
• Lower slowly to the starting position.
• You can do this 10-15 reps and 3 sets.

6. Bench press

If you want to build big and rounded chest then bench press are the best exercise you can do.

Muscles used: Chest, Triceps and Shoulder.

How to do bench press with proper form:

• Lie on the bench and under bar.
• Grab the bar slightly shoulder width apart.
• Lift up the bar by straightening your arms.
• Lower the bar slowly to your chest.
• Press the bar up again.
• You can do this 8-10 reps and 3 sets.

Safety tips

Before starting any compound exercise always get your doctor advice or trainer advice.

Some compound exercise need proper technique to avoid injury so, make sure get your trainer advice before doing compound exercises like dead-lifts or overhead press etc.

If you are beginner then you should talk with your trainer they will help you to figure out how much weight you need to start your compound exercises according to your fitness level.

As you get stronger you can increase the weight. Make sure drink water before, during or after the workout.

Last-Line

Compound exercises are great for building your muscle it also saves your time. Always ask your trainer they will tell you proper technique to avoid injury.