Compound exercise

A compound exercise, also called a multijoint exercise, uses several muscle groups acting on more than one joint at once.^{1Ozemek et al., ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th ed., p. 359.} Squats, deadlifts, lunges, bench presses, push-ups, pull-ups and bent-over rows all qualify.^{1Ozemek et al., ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th ed., p. 359.} The NSCA calls these core exercises when they engage large muscles; one can work as many muscles as four to eight single-joint exercises, saving training time.^{2Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 414.}

Compound lifts place greater stress on the body than isolation exercises, because they involve more muscle groups and nervous-system coordination.^{1Ozemek et al., ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th ed., p. 359.} The NSCA’s program design guide regards them as the most effective choice for strength because they let the client handle more weight, though they’re also more technically complex.^{3Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 96.}

In practice

• Plan exercise order with the most fatiguing work first: large-muscle multijoint, technically demanding and high-intensity exercises before single-joint and trunk work.^{1Ozemek et al., ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th ed., p. 359.}
• A core exercise that loads the spine, such as the squat or shoulder press, is a structural exercise.^{2Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 414.} Fast versions such as the power clean build muscular power, but are hard to learn and carry more injury risk, so weigh costs and benefits for each client.^{2Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 414.}
• When counting sets for muscle growth, Schoenfeld suggests counting a compound set as a full set for the helping muscles too: a bench press set counts for the triceps.^{4Schoenfeld, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, 2nd ed., p. 192.},^{5Schoenfeld, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, 2nd ed., p. 193.} Those muscles may still get less stimulus than in a targeted exercise.^{4Schoenfeld, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, 2nd ed., p. 192.},^{5Schoenfeld, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy, 2nd ed., p. 193.}