11 Best Compound Exercises for Weight Loss
Few workouts in the gym compare to compound motions when it comes to helping you lose weight fast. Powerhouse workouts like these increase your overall strength, help you tone lean muscle, and speed up your metabolism. You may lift greater weights and increase your workouts with compound exercises since they work many muscle groups at once. I’ve included the top 11 compound exercises for weight loss below to make it easier for you to incorporate this kind of exercise into your fitness regimen.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Compound exercises are usually performed at the start of your workouts because of their high energy expenditure. Not only do these exercises include popular movements like lunges, pushups, squats, deadlifts, and rows, but a plethora of other activities can enhance your training and increase your body’s ability to burn fat. Even though compound exercises are great for building muscle and increasing strength, they can also be easily modified to incorporate interval training and HIIT into workouts that are both adaptive and efficient. My top 11 complex exercises for weight loss tips are listed below. With every exercise comes advice on how to perform it correctly, an analysis of its efficacy, and suggested sets and repetitions to maximize your gains.
Barbell Deadlifts
Barbell deadlifts are an excellent complex exercise for weight loss because they work many muscle groups per repetition, which increases muscle growth and calorie burn. Because they work the major muscular groups in the upper and lower bodies, such as the arms, lats, hamstrings, quadriceps, and upper and mid back, deadlifts are a great exercise for improving body composition.
To warm up for deadlifts, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Subsequently, extend your knees and retract your hips to grasp the barbell (or other apparatus) with your hands. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels as you raise yourself up. As you go, maintain a straight back, a firm core, and the bar near your shins. Reverse the action and gently place the bar back on the floor. Spend 60 seconds resting in between each of the three sets of eight to twelve repetitions.
Dumbbell Bench Press
By adding stability demands and working numerous muscle groups at once, dumbbells can be used to boost the weight-loss potential of complex activities. For example, the dumbbell bench press works the delts, triceps, core, and chest, building important upper-body muscles and increasing general strength and stability.
With the dumbbells at shoulder height and your hands facing inward, begin by taking a seat on a flat bench. Dumbbells should be pressed until your arms are straight, then lowered gradually until your shoulders are tapped. Squeeze your triceps and chest muscles as you raise the dumbbells once more. Maintain an engaged core and keep your feet flat on the ground. Spend 60 seconds resting in between each of the three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.
Back Squats
Because they work a lot of large muscle groups, burn a lot of calories, and encourage the building of lean muscle, back squats are an excellent compound exercise for increasing metabolism. In addition to working the core and stabilizing muscles for increased strength and balance, they mainly target the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
To begin, place the barbell on your traps, stand underneath it, and clench your shoulder blades together. Place your hands on the bar at shoulder height and keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. Take a step or two backward, keeping your feet hip-width apart, and brace your core. Untrack the barbell. As you lower yourself into a squat, keep your chest up and make sure your knees meet your toes and your quads are parallel to the floor. Push through your feet to finish the movement and go back to the beginning. After 90 seconds of rest in between sets, do eight to twelve reps.
Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows
In addition to working the biceps and forearms for extra strength and definition, dumbbell row variations mainly target the muscles of the upper back, such as the lats, rhomboids, and rear delts. In addition, their reliance on core activation for torso stabilization results in increased labor and muscular engagement, which raises the caloric expenditure.
To perform the dumbbell row exercise, place your feet hip-width apart. Then, bend forward until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor while maintaining a flat back. Support yourself on a bench, box, or rack by reaching out with your non-rowing hand for stability. Lean your arm straight while holding a dumbbell in your hand. To activate the back muscles in a rowing motion, pull your elbow up along the sides. Return the dumbbell to its starting position gradually. Carry out the same action on the opposite side. Take a 60-second break in between sets and complete 15 to 20 repetitions.
Front Squats
Exercises that engage the upper back and shoulders to maintain appropriate posture and stability are known for their ability to target the quadriceps, glutes, and core. If you’ve completed a few repetitions of front squats, you are aware of how challenging they are as well as how amazing they are in activating and strengthening your abdominal muscles.
As you step beneath the bar, make sure your feet are firmly on the ground and your elbows are bent. Grip the bar tightly. Take a few steps back, keeping your feet hip-width apart, while bracing your core and unracking the barbell. Squat with your elbows up and your chest facing upward until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower, making sure your knees pass over your toes. Squat down to the beginning posture by driving through your feet. After 90 seconds of rest in between sets, do eight to twelve reps.
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Pull-ups
One of the best training routines to incorporate for toning and sculpting the upper and mid back is the pull-up. You’ll work your rhomboids, lats, traps, and other key back muscles while giving your forearms and biceps some love.
With your arms straight and your hands shoulder-width apart, grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Pull yourself up until your chest reaches the bar by contracting your lats, upper back, and arms. Control your descent by maintaining a taut upper back, lats, and arms until your arms are straight. Use controlled lowerings or get some help from bands if you lack the strength to complete a pull-up in its entirety. After taking a 90-second break in between sets, complete three sets of eight to ten reps. Increase the reps to ten or fifteen if you’re doing aided pull-ups.
Shoulder Presses
Because they work several upper body muscle groups and enhance muscle definition, shoulder presses are a well-known compound exercise for weight loss. In addition to working the triceps and upper chest muscles for strength and toning, this exercise primarily targets the deltoid muscles of the shoulders. Use slow-rep, alternating, or single-arm presses to increase their effectiveness even further!
Grasp a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing front, and begin by sitting on a bench with back support. Keeping your elbows slightly bent to prevent locking, press the dumbbells overhead until your arms straighten. Once the required number of repetitions is achieved, return the dumbbells to shoulder height. Spend 60 seconds resting in between each of the three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.
Split Squats
With more intensity, split squats target the same muscle regions as lunge variations and offer comparable benefits. For improved balance and strength, they activate stabilizer muscles in addition to engaging muscles like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Split squats increase muscular engagement during each repetition by utilizing “time under tension,” which leads to improved muscle development and endurance increases.
Step forward with one foot while standing with your hips wide apart. Place your rear foot on an elevated exercise bench. Then, drop your rear knee till it is just barely over the floor. Return to starting position by pushing through front foot, keeping torso upright, and engaging core. Maintain good posture the entire time. After taking a 90-second break in between sets, complete three sets of eight to twelve reps per side.
Lunges
Lunges are the one thing that can propel you toward weight loss on their own. With the ability to define and shape important muscular areas like the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, lunges are a flexible and efficient approach to intensify your calorie-burning workouts. Diverse lunge variations add a dynamic and captivating element to your exercise regimen, guaranteeing that your sessions stay fun and exciting.
Your feet should be hip-width apart to begin. Step forward with your right foot, making sure your knee is in line with your ankle, and bring your back knee down off the floor. To go into the next lunge, push through your right foot with your left. Every step should involve switching legs, keeping your posture straight, using your core for support, and moving smoothly and deliberately. Continue for the desired distance or number of reps. With a 45–60 second break in between each set, complete three sets of 12–20 repetitions each side.
RDLs
Lean muscle development, definition, and improving your capacity to burn fat are all made possible by RDLs. Use different RDls to target your glutes and hammies, including as staggered stances, lifted toes, and slow repetitions.
Keeping your shoulders tight and your back straight, start with a barbell or dumbbell in each hand and your feet hip-width apart. Achieve a stretch in your hamstrings by bending at the hips and lowering the dumbbells with your knees slightly bent. Engage your glutes and hamstrings the entire time as you drive your hips forward to start again. Work on each side for three sets of eight to twelve repetitions, resting for sixty seconds in between.
Thrusters
Combining an overhead press with a squat to create a dynamic activity that burns calories and speeds up your metabolism, thrusters are an excellent weight-loss workout. Comprising the quadriceps, glutes, shoulders, and triceps, this exercise targets numerous muscular groups at once, making it an excellent choice for increasing strength and burning fat. Thrusters can help you build muscle and improve your cardiovascular and muscular endurance in addition to helping you get a leaner body.
Placing your palms inside, hold a set of dumbbells at shoulder height while keeping your shoulders shoulder-width apart. After squatting, drive your legs to stand up and press the dumbbells overhead. As you descend into the next squat, bring them back up to shoulder height. For 45 seconds, complete three to four rounds of continuous reps, pausing for 30 seconds in between.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before implementing any home remedies or making significant changes to your lifestyle.
