In today’s fast-paced world, finding enough time to take care of your whole body can be a challenge. And it is all the more reason you need to take care of yourself and keep your body in good shape. If you have been struggling to make time for your fitness regimen, you might want to try doing compound exercises to get more out of your workout.
With compound exercises, you get to work out a number of muscle groups in one go, as opposed to isolation exercises that target only a specific group of muscles. For example, doing squats would work your quadriceps, glutes, and calves all at the same time. To get the best results out of your workout, you could also combine multiple exercises to maximize your time. An example of this is adding a bicep curl to your lunges.
Compound exercises are an efficient way to lose weight while building your muscles. They help you burn more calories while toning your entire body and improving your balance and coordination. Your heart gets a good workout too, so you get the cardio you need at the same time. On top of all that, compound exercises challenge not only your body but also your brain.
So if you want to make the most of your time and workout regimen, compound exercises might be the best choice for you. Here are five ones to try to get faster results. You will need an exercise mat and a pair of light dumbbells for these exercises.
1. Plank Drags
This exercise targets the arms, upper back, and obliques.
Get on your knees with your legs apart, then lower your upper body forward into a plank position without lifting your knees off the ground. Position a dumbbell below you and above your right leg. Using your left hand, drag the weight across the mat to a point above your left leg. Plant your left hand back on the mat, then repeat with the steps using your right hand. Make sure to keep your hips on the same level throughout the exercise. Repeat 10 times on each side.
2. Squat to Overhead Press
This exercise targets shoulders, arms, glutes, and thighs.
Get started by standing with feet planted on the ground a shoulder-width apart. Then, take one dumbbell in each hand, holding them with your palms facing inward. Lift the weights as high as your shoulder with your elbows pointing down. Lower yourself into a squat with your knees outward. Go back into a standing position while lifting the weights directly upward. Do 15 reps of this routine.
3. Dumbbell Single Leg Lifts
This targets the back, abs, hip flexors, and quads.
Begin by lying flat on your back on the mat. Hold a dumbbell with a hand on each end and raise it above your chest with your arms straight up. Lift both of your legs so they are also pointing straight up. Push your abs down to keep your lower back pinned to the ground. Lower your left leg slowly as low as you could while making sure your back remains flat on the floor. Lift your leg back up, then repeat with your right leg. Do 10 reps for each side.
4. Low to High Dumbbell Chop
This exercise targets the shoulders, arms, obliques, upper abs, and glutes.
Start by standing with your feet planted wide apart and holding a dumbbell at chest height with one hand on each end. Make sure that your elbows are pointed straight down. Twist your body to your right while slightly bending down to bring the dumbbell down to your right knee. Using your right foot, push yourself back up to your original position, pulling the weight back to chest height. Next, twist your body to the left while doing a pivot with your right foot. Stretch your arms up at a slight angle as you push the dumbbell upward. Do 10 reps of this before switching to the other side.
5. Lateral Squat with Bicep Curl
This exercise targets the biceps, abs, glutes, quads, and inner thighs.
First, stand with your feet wide apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing in. Bend your right knee while shifting your weight on to your right side and pushing your hips back. Your right knee should be facing forward and your left leg straight. Bring the dumbbells down on either side of your right leg as you squat down. Go back to your starting position by pushing your body weight up with your right foot while pulling your arms back up to shoulder height. Repeat this sequence on your other side, and do 10 reps for each side.
If you are just beginning a workout regimen, you could start out by trying any of these exercises one at a time. As you progress, you could add more to your routine until you are able to do all of them in a single run. Even with just a little time on your hands, you can work your way towards a fit and well-toned body.
Recommended For You
