Compound exercises are probably the best way to get stronger quickly. This is because it is all about doing multi-joint moves that use several muscle groups at once. By doing this, you are not only saving time, you are also elevating your heart rate and burning more calories. Plus, you are also releasing growth hormones, which aid in muscle growth. Here are some of the top compound exercises that you can do to maximize your muscle and strength gains:
Lunge
This exercise is a great way to work on your quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves and core. To begin, stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your hips. Make sure your chest is up and shoulders are back to avoid slouching. Then take a long step forward with one leg, bending your front knee until the back knee touches the ground. Then, try to get back to starting position by explosively pushing through your front leg. Then proceed to repeat this same motion with the other leg. To increase the difficulty, you can add a pair of CanDo® Dumbbells to this exercise. Simply hold the dumbbells with both hands and have your arms positioned straight down while you do the lunge.
Shoulder press
This exercise works on a lot of the upper body muscles all at once. Helping to build strength in your shoulders, pecs, traps and triceps. Plus, it can be done either sitting down or standing up. To begin, hold the dumbbells by your shoulders with your palms facing forwards. Make sure your elbows are out to the sides and bent at a 90° angle. Without leaning back, extend through your elbows to press the weights above your head. Then slowly return to the starting position and repeat this for about 15 reps.
Bent-over row
The bent-over row is equally as important as the other exercises mentioned because it strengthens your lats, traps, rhomboids and rear delts. To begin, take a dumbbell in each hand and bend your back so that your chest is perpendicular to the ground. Then have your arms straight and bend them, pulling the dumbbells to your chest as if you were doing a bench press. Keep your core tight and your back straight as you row the weights up to your chest. Lower the dumbbells back down and then repeat until you feel the burn.
These are just a core group of exercises you can do. There are plenty of other compound exercises out there for you to discover. Mastering the technique of these compound exercises can help to increase your muscle size and strength.
For more information on compound exercises, click here.
To check out the CanDo® Dumbbells, click here.
Article written by William Graves.