Compund Excercises

Waestrel

I my recent reading on the internet, one thing that keeps cropping up over and over again is the importance placed on the 3 compound exercises, the bench press, the dead lift and the squat.

My understanding is that the compound exercise does far more than would appear at first glance - i.e. the squat does not just work you legs, but also the back, shoulders and numerous other supporting muscles. In addition to this, it helps flood you body with testosterone and generally aids you in looking like a bad ass mother'ucker.

The advice seems to be that any day of exercise should include one compound exercise (the legs and shoulders day should have squats, the biceps and back day, deadlifts etc)

So, correct me if im wrong, but are the the three compounds the holy trinity of weightlifting? is what i read correct, or is it nonsense peddeld by meat headed power lifters? Like all things in fitness, there is always a lot of ego i find. Can you advise me?

squod

There's a whole range of strength athletes who do the basic compound lifts. Not just powerlifters. Squats and deads carry over very well to oly lifting, strongman and body building.

A three day split (for example) would include these exercises typically working large groups of muscles first (compounds), then moving on to do the isolation exercises.

colman1212

Just do starting strength
www.startingstrength.net

Buy the book and read it, it will teach you proper form which is the most important thing when learning to lift weights.

d'Oracle

squod wrote: »

There's a whole range of strength athletes who do the basic compound lifts. Not just powerlifters. Squats and deads carry over very well to oly lifting, strongman and body building.

Or sports of any sort.

rubadub

There are others besides the "big 3", like pullups, chinups, dips.

Brian?

Compound excercises make small weak people into big strong people. The majority of your time spent in a gym should be doing compounds.

Armedocr

Don't forget the Military Press

jaggiebunnet

the compounds all rock...wish i had learned about them 20 years ago!

squod

jaggiebunnet wrote: »

the compounds all rock...wish i had learned about them 20 years ago!

Can i ask what you were doing twenty years ago. I'm old like, just curious.

Scuba Ste

OP theres way more than 3 compound exercises.

As well as squat, bench and deadlift there's dips, pull ups, rows, OH press, different bench variations (flat, incline, close grip), deadlift variations (stiff leg, romanian), good mornings, glute ham raise etc. Pretty much anything that involves more than one joint. And yeah they should form the bulk of your training.

jaggiebunnet

squod wrote: »

Can i ask what you were doing twenty years ago. I'm old like, just curious.

20 Years ago...ah the 2nd summer of love....drinking red stripe or shlitz, eating kebabs till they were coming out my ears and listening to too much crappy music and some good stuff too...oh wait you mean exercise wise?

sure there was some benching in there but I would have imagined there would have been too many curls to be doing anything constructive...certainly no deadlifting or squats (although I do think I started out doing them with my first weight set when I was 15..kinda got lost along the way) - the numbers would have been too small for anything to have made a difference mind you to the red stripe and kebabs.. anway back OT...

Magic Eight Ball

Benching is overrated IMO. Weighted dips and weighted press-ups FTW! (preferably on rings)

Transform

Magic Eight Ball wrote: »

Benching is overrated IMO. Weighted dips and weighted press-ups FTW! (preferably on rings)

agreed

dartstothesea

Can someone recommend me the next best compound lifts/excercises outside of the 'big 3'? Where's the best place to find out good instructions on form for these other compounds?

Once I've done my squats, BP and DLs in the gym I feel like my time isn't being as well spent as it could be. I don't know many different lifts and just end up going through the motions (I don't mean to say I'm not pushing myself 'til failure - I am) with comparatively tame stuff like pec flys and bicep curls...

squod

Can I go on about close grip T-bar rows now? Aren't they great..........
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/LVCloseGripTBarRow.html

dartstothesea wrote: »

Once I've done my squats, BP and DLs in the gym I feel like my time isn't being as well spent as it could be.

You should probably be doing core work........ youtube Transform1234 and search on his channel for a core routine.

Transform

dartstothesea wrote: »

Can someone recommend me the next best compound lifts/excercises outside of the 'big 3'? Where's the best place to find out good instructions on form for these other compounds?

Once I've done my squats, BP and DLs in the gym I feel like my time isn't being as well spent as it could be. I don't know many different lifts and just end up going through the motions (I don't mean to say I'm not pushing myself 'til failure - I am) with comparatively tame stuff like pec flys and bicep curls...

all this will help - maximum muscle (videos included) -

http://thetransformationcatalyst.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/maximum-muscle-%e2%80%93-the-new-rules-for-gaining-lean-rock-hard-muscle/

K09

Hi,
I am looking to increase my strength and muscle size.
I am 5'11" and 11.5stone and look lean. However, I want to increase my muscle mass.
Are compound exercises the best for this? At the moment I am doing dumbell squats (55kg total).
Any recommendations or program to follow?

Thanks.

squod

K09 wrote: »

Hi,
I am looking to increase my strength and muscle size.
I am 5'11" and 11.5stone and look lean. However, I want to increase my muscle mass.
Are compound exercises the best for this? At the moment I am doing dumbell squats (55kg total).
Any recommendations or program to follow?

Thanks.

Earlier in the same thread.............

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=66966211&postcount=3