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List of Compound Exercises

We Asked Experts What the Best Exercises For Fat-Burning Are — Here's What They Said

Jan 16 2019

We'd be lying if we said there was one ultimate exercise that would help you burn fat and build muscle. But after speaking to two experts for tips on burning fat and building muscle, two words kept coming up: compound exercises. Compound exercises are multijoint movements like squats and deadlifts that work groups of large muscle. Because they elicit a greater energy expenditure compared to smaller, isolated movements like the bicep curl, your body will burn more calories and fat.

Nutrition is also important in order to change your body composition, but when it comes to exercise specifically, Pratik Patel, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS, director of performance nutrition and assistant strength and conditioning coach for the New York Giants, told POPSUGAR to do "movements that recruit more groups of large muscle mass," aka compound exercises, to get a greater burn.

Rondel King, MS, CSCS, an exercise physiologist at NYU Langone's Sports Performance Centre, told POPSUGAR that in order to build more muscle, you must first make sure your workouts focus on muscle hypertrophy (maximal muscle growth). Here is the hypertrophy format checklist: your rep and set scheme should be between three and five sets of 12 and 15 reps for every exercise in your program. According to Rondel, "You can also do heavy lifting . . . like compound lifts, [such as] squats and deadlifts, where you can do a little more weight" to burn fat and build muscle.

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 do them all at once — you'll be extremely sore and in the gym all day. If you aren't sure how to create your own workout, here's a strength-training workout to get you started.

Image Source: Getty / pixdeluxe

1. Barbell Squat

  • Start with a loaded barbell; 75 pounds is a great starting point. Beginners should start with just the barbell and gradually add weight as they become familiar with the movement.
  • Position your hands about shoulder-width apart on the barbell, and lightly grip the bar with an overhand grip.
  • Step in front of the rack, and rest the bar on your trapezius muscles (the muscle closest to your neck/upper back).
  • With your feet about hip-distance apart, lift the barbell off the rack. Take one to two steps backwards.
  • Shift your weight back into your heels. Brace your abs as you begin to lower into a squat, keeping your head and spine in a neutral position. Your knees should be as close to 90 degrees as possible. Hold for one second.
  • With your core still braced, drive through your heels to stand back up. Be sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of your squat. That's one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

2. Squat, Curl, and Press

Moving from a squat to an overhead press gets the heart rate going (read: more calories burned) while building shapely glutes and gams.

  • Stand with your feet directly under your hips holding a dumbbell in each hand. Sit back into your squat, keeping the weight in your heels, bringing your thighs parallel to the floor without letting your knees go beyond your toes.
  • Push through your heels to return to standing while bringing the weights to your shoulders, performing a bicep curl.
  • Stabilize your torso and keep your arms moving upward performing an overhead press with the palms facing out.
  • Lower your arms back to your side to complete one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

3. Dumbbell Walking Lunge

  • Stand upright, feet together, with 10-pound dumbbells at your side. Take a controlled step forward with your left leg, lowering your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to 90-degree angles. Your back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over your ankle.
  • Press your left heel into the ground, and push off with your right foot to bring your right leg forward, stepping with control into a lunge on the other side. This completes one repetition.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

4. Dumbbell Squat Press

  • Stand with your legs just slightly wider than hip-distance apart, arms raised to shoulder height with elbows bent, holding weights by your ears.
  • Bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair, keeping weight on your heels.
  • Press the dumbbells overhead as you straighten your knees to return to standing.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyle Hartman

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5. Barbell Hip Thrust

  • Sitting on the floor with your legs extended, rest your back against a stable bench.
  • Place a towel or shoulder cushion on the bar for comfort (optional). Roll the barbell over your thighs until the bar is directly above your hip joints.
  • Brace your core. As you drive your heels into the ground, squeeze your glutes, lifting your hips up to full extension, meaning your hips are even with your knees.
  • With control, lower back down to the ground.
  • This is one repetition.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

6. Banded Assisted Pull-Up

  • Place a large resistance band securely around a pull-up bar. A band with more resistance will provide you with more assistance/momentum to pull yourself up.
  • Stand on a stable object (a bench will work), and grip the pull-up bar. With one hand, place the band around the arch of your shoe. Fully extend the banded leg.
  • With a neutral spine and your abs engaged, pull yourself up. The band will provide you with momentum to lift your body up. Lower back down to the starting position.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

7. Romanian Deadlift

  • Stand holding a pair of medium-weight dumbbells in each hand, arms at your sides, with your knees slightly bent.
  • Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly bend at your hip joint (not your waist) and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight.
  • Now squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up (don't use your back). This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

8. Deadlift With Knee Drive

  • If you're a beginner, you can do this exercise without weight. For more advanced levels, grab a set of dumbbells. Ten pounds is a good starting point.
  • Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and stand tall.
  • Engage your core and keep your spine neutral as you begin to hinge at your hips, pushing your hips backward. At the same time, lift your left leg off the ground. Be sure to keep your left foot dorsiflexed (don't point your toes). Continue to hinge at your hips until your back is parallel to the ground; your leg should be in line with your back. Your back should be flat, and your head/neck should be in a neutral position.
  • Return to your standing position without placing your left foot on the ground. Once you're upright, drive your left knee up, creating a 90-degree angle at your knee joint. Your left foot should still be dorsiflexed. Be sure to stay tall and keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement. This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

9. Dumbbell Bench Press

  • Grab a set of dumbbells, and sit on a flat workout bench.
  • With one dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs, lie back onto the bench.
  • Hold the dumbbells above your chest, shoulder-width apart, creating a 90-degree angle between your upper arm and forearm. Palms should be facing forward.
  • Exhale as you push the dumbbells up, fully extending your arms. Hold for one second.
  • Inhale and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with control.
  • This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

10. Push-Up

  • Start in a plank position, with palms spread out evenly and your shoulders over your wrists and legs out behind you. Pull your belly button in, and keep your back straight.
  • As you lower and exhale, bend your elbows outward to the sides. Hold at the bottom before you raise back up to complete one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

11. Hex Bar Deadlift

  • Load the hex bar with the weight of your choice. If you're new to the move, start by just using the bar without any additional weight.
  • Stand in the centre of the hex bar with your feet hip-width apart.
  • Bend at your hips and knees as you grab the handles of the hex bar. Raise your hips up slightly, keeping your back flat, to create tension in the back of your legs (your hamstrings will feel tight).
  • Keeping your back flat and shoulders relaxed, drive your heels through the ground as you stand straight up.
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top of the lift to ensure you get full hip extension.
  • Continue to grasp the handles as you lower the weight to the ground with control. Be sure to keep your chest open and your back flat. This counts as one repetition.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

12. Bent-Over Row

  • Lean forward and bend both knees, remembering to keep a flat back.
  • Extend your arms so they are straight. Lift the dumbbells straight up to chest level, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do. Be sure to keep your elbows in and pointed upward. Don't arch your back.
  • Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position to complete one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

13. Bulgarian Split Squat

  • Grab a pair of 10-pound dumbbells. Begin by placing the toes of your left foot on a bench, box, stair, or chair, with your right leg straight.
  • Make sure your right foot is out far enough so that when you lower your hips, your knee stays directly over your ankle.
  • Bend your right knee, squeeze your left glute, and lower your pelvis toward the ground.
  • Press your right heel into the ground to straighten your right knee. This completes one repetition.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

14. Glider Knee Tuck With Push-Up

  • Start in a plank position with a glider underneath each foot. If you don't have gliders, you can use a towel on a hard surface to perform this exercise.
  • Engage your core and bring both knees in, toward your elbows. With control, return to the starting position. Then, do a push-up. Your core should be engaged and your back should be in a neutral position throughout the entire movement.
  • This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

15. Burpee Squat Press

  • Begin standing with a 10-pound dumbbell on each side of your body. If this is too heavy and you find that your form is incorrect, use lighter weights.
  • Holding onto the dumbbells, lower down and perform a burpee. If this is too much pressure on your hands or wrists, you can set the dumbbells down in front of you for this part. If you're a beginner, you can perform a modified burpee.
  • With control, push your body off of the ground as you simultaneously pick up the dumbbells. Be sure to keep your core engaged and your spine in a neutral position when pushing yourself off the ground.
  • Standing tall with your core engaged, bend your arms and hold the dumbbells on or slightly above your shoulders and lower down into a squat. As you stand up, push both dumbbells overhead.
  • This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

16. Step-Up

  • Find a step or a bench that, when you place your foot squarely on it, your knee is at a 90-degree angle or larger.
  • Step up with the right foot, then the left, bringing both feet completely onto the bench.
  • To return to the starting position, lead with the right foot to step down to the floor, then the left, until ending with both feet on the ground.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

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