The Ultimate List Of Compound Exercises
If you want to put on muscle and build serious functional strength, the exercises on this list are all you will ever need. These compound exercises should be the foundation of any fitness routine. Get to work!
You want to build muscle—and you want to build it fast!
There are hundreds of different workouts for each muscle group you could spend your valuable time doing, but not all of these exercises are going to maximize your muscle growth.
This handy-dandy list of compound exercises contains the 50 best muscle-building exercises to efficiently work for each muscle group.
If you spend your time doing these workouts, you’ll see results much quicker than if you waste your time doing fad exercises.
Let’s dive in.
The Complete List of Compound Exercises
Compound Chest Exercises
Barbell Bench Press
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Weighted Dips for Chest
Decline Bench Press
Compound Back Exercises
Barbell Deadlift
Bent-Over Barbell Row
Weighted Pull-ups
Wide-Grip Pull-up
Standing T-Bar Row
Wide-Grip Pulldown
Close-Grip Pulldown
Seated Cable Row
Compound Ab Exercises
Cable Crunch
Hanging Dumbbell Knee Raise
Landmine
Captain’s Chair Leg Raise
Ab-Wheel Rollout
Plank
Weighted Decline Sit-up
Bicycle
Flag
Compound Shoulder Exercises
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
Arnold Shoulder Press
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
Lateral Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Handstand Push-ups
Compound Leg Exercises
Barbell Squat
Standing Calf Raise
Calf Press
Romanian Deadlift
Leg Press
Hack Squat
Dumbbell Lunge
Compound Bicep Exercises
Seated Hammer Curl
Standing Barbell Curl
Inverted Rows
Zottman Curl
Weighted Chin-ups
Incline-Bench Curl
Preacher EZ-Bar Curl
Standing Cable Curl
Compound Tricep Exercises
Close-Grip Bench Press
Skullcrusher
Weighted Dips
Cable Push-Down
Dumbbell Kickback
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension
Compound vs. Isolation Exercises
Exercises are categorized as either compound (involving more than one muscle group) or isolation (involving a single muscle group).
The difference is clear when you compare two exercises—take the squat and the calf raise, for example. When you do a squat, you’re engaging your core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and even other small muscles. When you do a calf raise, you’re only engaging your calves.
This is why compound weight-lifting exercises are more efficient. Just 5-7 compound weight lifting exercises can stimulate all the major muscles in a single workout! With isolation exercises, you’d have to do 15-20 isolation exercises to stimulate the same muscles. So, if you have 3-4 hours to workout each day, by all means, do isolation exercises.
But isolation exercises aren’t all bad! They’re great for recovery, target toning, and correcting muscle imbalances. They have a rightful place in every workout!
Compound Exercises Definition
There are hundreds of different workouts for each muscle group you could spend your valuable time doing, but not all of these exercises are going to maximize your muscle growth.
This handy-dandy list of compound exercises contains the 50 best muscle-building exercises to efficiently work for each muscle group.
If you spend your time doing these workouts, you’ll see results much quicker than if you waste your time doing fad exercises.
Let’s dive in.
The Complete List of Compound Exercises
Compound Chest Exercises
Barbell Bench Press
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Weighted Dips for Chest
Decline Bench Press
Compound Back Exercises
Barbell Deadlift
Bent-Over Barbell Row
Weighted Pull-ups
Wide-Grip Pull-up
Standing T-Bar Row
Wide-Grip Pulldown
Close-Grip Pulldown
Seated Cable Row
Compound Ab Exercises
Cable Crunch
Hanging Dumbbell Knee Raise
Landmine
Captain’s Chair Leg Raise
Ab-Wheel Rollout
Plank
Weighted Decline Sit-up
Bicycle
Flag
Compound Shoulder Exercises
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
Arnold Shoulder Press
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
Lateral Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Handstand Push-ups
Compound Leg Exercises
Barbell Squat
Standing Calf Raise
Calf Press
Romanian Deadlift
Leg Press
Hack Squat
Dumbbell Lunge
Compound Bicep Exercises
Seated Hammer Curl
Standing Barbell Curl
Inverted Rows
Zottman Curl
Weighted Chin-ups
Incline-Bench Curl
Preacher EZ-Bar Curl
Standing Cable Curl
Compound Tricep Exercises
Close-Grip Bench Press
Skullcrusher
Weighted Dips
Cable Push-Down
Dumbbell Kickback
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension
Compound vs. Isolation Exercises
Exercises are categorized as either compound (involving more than one muscle group) or isolation (involving a single muscle group).
The difference is clear when you compare two exercises—take the squat and the calf raise, for example. When you do a squat, you’re engaging your core, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and even other small muscles. When you do a calf raise, you’re only engaging your calves.
This is why compound weight-lifting exercises are more efficient. Just 5-7 compound weight lifting exercises can stimulate all the major muscles in a single workout! With isolation exercises, you’d have to do 15-20 isolation exercises to stimulate the same muscles. So, if you have 3-4 hours to workout each day, by all means, do isolation exercises.
But isolation exercises aren’t all bad! They’re great for recovery, target toning, and correcting muscle imbalances. They have a rightful place in every workout!
Compound Exercises Definition
What Are Compound Exercises?
There’s a little more to “compound exercises” than involving multiple muscle groups. So what are compound exercises?
Compound Exercises Definition: An exercise engaging 2+ different joints to stimulate entire muscle groups and multiple muscles.
Besides giving you a more effective workout in less time, there are a ton of other benefits to compound exercises. Here are a few based on scientific research:
Produce greater increases in both testosterone and growth hormones
Improve muscle strength and maximal oxygen consumption
Increase fat burn
Make more fat-free mass gains
Allow you to lift more volume per muscle
In addition, there are several more benefits you could assume based on reasonable logic:
Decrease in injury due to greater strength
Increase ability to perform functional movements
Improve coordination and balance
Why These Muscle Building Exercises?
If you only have 45-60 minutes in the gym, don’t you want to spend that time doing the best exercises?
Forget the machines and most isolation exercises—they focus too much on a narrow range of motion and impractical strength.
The best compound exercises incorporate free weights. Dumbbell and barbells workouts allow your body the full range of motion it needs to naturally grow.
This produces practical strength.
What is Practical Strength?
The strength to lift yourself up, strength to lift boxes and furniture, strength to sit up, strength to perform everyday activities with ease.
Practical strength comes from free movement exercises.
Take the squat, for example.
During the barbell squat, you have to practice balance by using your leg muscles, your core, and even your back.
Switch to a smith machine or leg extension machine and now you’re going straight up and down—denying your body the chance to strengthen balancing muscles, core muscles, and other subsidiary muscles.
Don’t waste your time doing ineffective workouts!
This list of compound exercises gives you plenty of variety if you like to frequently change things up.
The Best Overall Compound Weight-Lifting Exercises:
The Deadlift
The Squat
The Push-Up
The Overhead Press
Remember: it’s not all about sweat and pain. Train smarter, not harder.
Compound Exercises with Dumbbells
Here’s a separate list for those who only have access to dumbbells.
Even if you do have a gym with a variety of equipment, there are still plenty of reasons to focus on compound exercises with dumbbells:
Dumbbell exercises help to improve your balance and coordination. You have to activate more muscles (in different ways) to balance the separate weights.
Dumbbells can help correct any muscle imbalances you have. Take your barbell bench press for example—if you’re feeling weak on your left side, just add an additional 1-2 reps to your left arm during your dumbbell press. After a few weeks, your left side should catch up.
Safety first. You can go to failure on any set with dumbbells and just drop them when you’re finished—no getting stuck!
Dumbbells are way more affordable when building a home gym.
Even when the gym is crowded, you’ll likely still have access to dumbbells. The benches get taken pretty quickly, so you may have to do dumbbell floor press, but it’s better than nothing.
Compound Exercises with Dumbbells:
Dumbbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Weighted Pull-ups
Hanging Dumbbell Knee Raise
Weighted Decline Sit-up
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
Arnold Shoulder Press
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
Lateral Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Seated Hammer Curl
Zottman Curl
Dumbbell Lunge
Skullcrusher
Weighted Dips
Dumbbell Kickback
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension
A Little Assistance
Going heavy on these compound exercises sometimes requires a little assistance.
A spotter, wrist wraps, belt – you name it!
New PBs require new levels of effort, so don’t be afraid to invest.
There’s a little more to “compound exercises” than involving multiple muscle groups. So what are compound exercises?
Compound Exercises Definition: An exercise engaging 2+ different joints to stimulate entire muscle groups and multiple muscles.
Besides giving you a more effective workout in less time, there are a ton of other benefits to compound exercises. Here are a few based on scientific research:
Produce greater increases in both testosterone and growth hormones
Improve muscle strength and maximal oxygen consumption
Increase fat burn
Make more fat-free mass gains
Allow you to lift more volume per muscle
In addition, there are several more benefits you could assume based on reasonable logic:
Decrease in injury due to greater strength
Increase ability to perform functional movements
Improve coordination and balance
Why These Muscle Building Exercises?
If you only have 45-60 minutes in the gym, don’t you want to spend that time doing the best exercises?
Forget the machines and most isolation exercises—they focus too much on a narrow range of motion and impractical strength.
The best compound exercises incorporate free weights. Dumbbell and barbells workouts allow your body the full range of motion it needs to naturally grow.
This produces practical strength.
What is Practical Strength?
The strength to lift yourself up, strength to lift boxes and furniture, strength to sit up, strength to perform everyday activities with ease.
Practical strength comes from free movement exercises.
Take the squat, for example.
During the barbell squat, you have to practice balance by using your leg muscles, your core, and even your back.
Switch to a smith machine or leg extension machine and now you’re going straight up and down—denying your body the chance to strengthen balancing muscles, core muscles, and other subsidiary muscles.
Don’t waste your time doing ineffective workouts!
This list of compound exercises gives you plenty of variety if you like to frequently change things up.
The Best Overall Compound Weight-Lifting Exercises:
The Deadlift
The Squat
The Push-Up
The Overhead Press
Remember: it’s not all about sweat and pain. Train smarter, not harder.
Compound Exercises with Dumbbells
Here’s a separate list for those who only have access to dumbbells.
Even if you do have a gym with a variety of equipment, there are still plenty of reasons to focus on compound exercises with dumbbells:
Dumbbell exercises help to improve your balance and coordination. You have to activate more muscles (in different ways) to balance the separate weights.
Dumbbells can help correct any muscle imbalances you have. Take your barbell bench press for example—if you’re feeling weak on your left side, just add an additional 1-2 reps to your left arm during your dumbbell press. After a few weeks, your left side should catch up.
Safety first. You can go to failure on any set with dumbbells and just drop them when you’re finished—no getting stuck!
Dumbbells are way more affordable when building a home gym.
Even when the gym is crowded, you’ll likely still have access to dumbbells. The benches get taken pretty quickly, so you may have to do dumbbell floor press, but it’s better than nothing.
Compound Exercises with Dumbbells:
Dumbbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Weighted Pull-ups
Hanging Dumbbell Knee Raise
Weighted Decline Sit-up
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
Arnold Shoulder Press
Bent-Over Reverse Fly
Lateral Raise
Front Dumbbell Raise
Seated Hammer Curl
Zottman Curl
Dumbbell Lunge
Skullcrusher
Weighted Dips
Dumbbell Kickback
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Extension
A Little Assistance
Going heavy on these compound exercises sometimes requires a little assistance.
A spotter, wrist wraps, belt – you name it!
New PBs require new levels of effort, so don’t be afraid to invest.
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