Work out different muscle groups with compound lifts
Compound lifts will allow us to gain muscle all over our body rather than just in one area. This type of workout can be really effective in the gym and we will go through some good examples to use in our everyday practice.
Any force-producing exercise, and usually raising, that uses more than one muscle group is referred to as a compound lift. A basic lift, for example, may only work the biceps whereas a compound lift may work both the biceps and the quads. These lifts and exercises turn out to be more efficient and beneficial because it saves time while working out multiple muscle groups.
As a result of training a number of different muscle groups, the benefits of compound lifts will allow us to lift higher weights and become stronger. Since these types of lifts are considered more advanced and demanding, doing these more complex workouts can also burn more calories in our body.
It is recommended for both beginners and intermediate weight lifters to start training at lower weights since injuries can occur if you jump the gun. With that said, we will now go over a few compound lift exercises to help guide you to better health.
Squats
For squat lifting, we need to load the bar on our backs with the shoulders acting as a base of support. We squat with both hands and hoist the bar with a slightly wider grasp that allows us to lift it without bending our backs. Make sure the back is straight. Keep in mind that if you completely straighten out, the rest of the repetitions will be more difficult to accomplish.
Deadlifts
The deadlift is a difficult exercise because it engages a large number of muscles across the body, from the bottom to the top. We start with the bar on the floor and lean down to grab it with a wider grip. We lift it with our core and legs until we have a straight back, then slowly lower it to the floor.
Incline Bench Press
On a bench inclined at around 45 degrees, we lean with the bar on our backs while bringing it close to the chest without touching it. Then, lift with the arms and center as the foundation of the motion. We return to the top and repeat.
There are plenty more compound lifts exercises but we believe these three are a great introduction to help us get going. Remember to always start lower and slower. If there is any uncertainty about a specific weight to weight train, it is always the smarter choice to choose a lower weight so that you can build the necessary muscles to go higher.