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07 Oct 2007 10:08 AM

Compound Movements and an Efficient Workout

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

One way to build muscle and make your work out more efficient is to use compound movements. What's a compound movement? A compound movement is an exercise that utilizes two or more joints in performing the movement. Squats are a compound movement because they utilize your ankles, your knees and your hips. Bench presses utilize your wrists, your elbows and your shoulders. Chin ups are the same way, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

Muscles & Joints

Compound movements are efficient in your exercise routine because when they involved more than one joint, they often involve more than one set of muscles. When you are performing exercises involving multiple muscle groups you will burn more calories, burn more fat and build your muscle mass more efficiently.

You can lift more weight with compound muscle movements than you can when you isolate the muscles. Leg presses, for example, I can push 250 to 300 pounds with a leg press no problem. But to try and push that amount or pick up that amount with one isolated set of leg muscles is darn near impossible.

Build a More Efficient Workout

Add a bench press to your workout, you'll work your deltoids (shoulders), pectorals (chest) and triceps (arms). You will get more bangs for your buck and eliminate the need for isolated muscle workouts. In other words, you can spend five minutes on bench presses rather than 15 minutes on separate exercises isolating each of those muscle groups.

So as you build your workout, be sure to include:

• Bench presses
• Leg presses
• Squats
• Bicycle sit-ups

These types of exercises can help you to improve your overall exercise success and challenge. It can also make performing your work out a 30 minute activity that maximizes your work out, your time and your results. What other ways do you think a compound movement can benefit your routines?

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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