What are compound exercises? and why are they the most important in your routine?
Find out what compound exercises are, what they consist of and how they benefit us. We will also describe a small routine in order for you to get in shape and achieve those goals that you have set in your training.
What are compound exercises?
Compound exercises are nothing more than movements that combine two exercises in one or mobilize large muscle masses. That is, in the same movement we combine two different exercises and thus work two or more muscle groups at the same time. For this reason, we can shorten the training time.
In addition, not only can we group exercises to save time and finish the routine earlier, but by mobilizing more parts of the body or different parts simultaneously, we demand more from the body. In this way, we raise the heart rate and work each requested muscle more intensely while burning more calories.
It is important to note that in order to correctly execute the compound exercises , without compromising the technique of the movements to be performed, it is important to have good coordination.
Of course, this type of exercise is recommended after some time and a certain level of training. The reason is that they are demanding and allow you to achieve greater training intensity in less work time .
Body response to compound exercises
To know why compound exercises are so important, you need a basic understanding of how the body responds to exercise.
Weight training puts stress on the body , causing a series of events that lead to increased muscle strength and size, as well as damage to muscle fibers.
As part of the recovery process, an inflammation response is initiated and hormones are released that interact with muscle tissue and cause new protein synthesis (muscle growth).
Compound exercises and relationship with the endocrine system
The endocrine system, responsible for the release and regulation of hormones in the body, plays a crucial role in the adaptation process. In this it has been proven that there are differences in the ability of training programs to take advantage of these positive effects.
The main anabolic hormones (for building muscle) are testosterone, growth hormone, insulin, and insulin growth factor. These are released as a result of weight lifting. However, not all sessions will have the same effect: the type of resistance to training determines the hormonal response.
Body responses to compound exercises
The stress of exercise and hormonal responses combine with the reaction to the training of the muscles. The body's hormonal response occurs as a result of exertional stress that takes place during resistance to exercise.
To quickly gain gains, your training stress must be at an optimal level. If it is low there is no change, and if it is too low you run the risk of overtraining and injury.
The magnitude of the hormonal response depends on the amount of tissue stimulated and only muscle fibers activated during training will adapt.
Training volume and compound exercises
Studies have shown that the volume of training and the type of exercise are crucial for the hormonal response and the changes it produces.
Only muscle fibers activated during training will adapt. Thus, to obtain the maximum benefit it is necessary that the exercises include as many muscle fibers as possible .
The compound exercises work more muscle mass ; therefore, more muscle fibers than isolation exercises. For this reason, compound exercises are much more effective in eliciting a hormonal response and the associated gains in strength and size.
Benefits of compound exercises
The compound exercises allow you to lift heavier loads , creating a greater induced stress on the body. They also produce a stimulation of a large number of muscle fibers. This means more metabolic work and more calories burned during exercise.
On the other hand, they include a greater amount of muscles in one exercise and in less time. In addition, they improve coordination, balance, body defenses and the stability of muscle groups. We cannot forget that they create greater stress, so that greater benefits are obtained and more quickly.
Training cycles with compound exercises
Varying the loads and volumes in your compound exercise training can help you break out of linearity. To witness your strength increase you need to lay the foundation. This is achieved with a high volume of training .
If you go to the gym to get only one rep maxed out, you are unlikely to gain strength. It's like trying to build a house starting with the roof: it won't work until you lay the foundations.
Block training
Think of your training as three-week blocks . So you spend three weeks doing 8 reps, then 5, then 3, and finally 2, increasing the weight on each block.
Give yourself a recovery week every six, where you will reduce weight and training volume, giving your body a chance to regenerate to prevent overtraining. Repeat this for 12 weeks, taking into account the weight you lift and varying the exercises used in each cycle.
Drop the weight
The moment to lower the weight in each exercise should be done slowly, while the rise of it should be more explosive. Focus on getting him from start to finish.
Keep the same approach in mind regardless of what weight you are lifting, whether it is the 8RM or the 2RM. Your goal should be the same, the only difference is the speed at which you move the bar.
The best compound exercises
1. Clean and Press
One of the Olympic weight lifts, the clean and press , includes most of the large muscles in the body. The lift is very technical and must be developed explosively, so you have to spend some time until you acquire the correct technique.
2. Squats
It is the best exercise to stress the quads as well as the glutes.
The squat include most muscles in the lower half of the body. Good technique is crucial to avoiding injury and lifting more weight, so practice with the bar only until your technique is perfect.
3. Deadlift
It is a simple but effective exercise that stresses your back and legs. Remember to keep your back straight and the bar close to your body.