Many people who work out with weights use a split routine. Split routines require you to perform exercises for different muscle groups on different days e.g. Monday is chest day, Tuesday is leg day and so on. The alternative to split routines is full body workouts. To train your whole body in a single workout and not spend hours in the gym, you will need to utilize compound exercises which work multiple muscle groups at the same time. These are some of the best compound exercises suitable for use in a full body workout.
Squats
Considered by athletes, strength coaches and bodybuilders as the king of all exercises, squats will strengthen your legs, butt and lower back. With your feet hip-width apart and a weight across the back of your shoulders or held in your hands, push your butt back and bend your knees until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor. Extend your knees and hips to stand back up ,and repeat. Make sure you don't round your back when performing this exercise.
Bench Press
To strengthen and tone your chest, shoulders and triceps, lie on your back on an exercise bench with a barbell held in an overhand grip. Your hands should be wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your lower back fixed in a slight arch, and lower the bar to your chest by bending your elbows. Keep your wrists straight! Press the bar back out to arms-length and repeat. This exercise can also be performed using dumbbells or on an inclined exercise bench for variety.
Lat Pull Downs
Lat pull downs will work your upper back and your biceps. Grab the lat pull down bar with a shoulder--width overhand grip. Sit down on the seat and lean back slightly. Leading with your elbows and keeping your wrists straight, pull the bar down to your upper chest. Slowly extend your arms to the starting position and repeat. You can also perform this exercise with a narrower underhand grip for variation.
Shoulder Press
Shoulder presses will strengthen your shoulders and triceps muscles. Sit on an exercise bench with the back support fully upright. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise them to level with your ears with your hands facing forward and elbows bent. Keep your elbows beneath your hands and push your weights up overhead, stopping just short of locking your elbows. Lower the weights back to the starting position and repeat. You can also perform this exercise with a barbell or standing instead of seated.
Bent Over Rows
To strengthen your upper and lower back, take a shoulder-width stance and an overhand grip on a barbell. Your hands should be around the same distance apart as you use for the bench press exercise. Bend your knees slightly and lean forwards at your hips until your upper body is almost parallel to the floor. Make sure your lower back doesn't arch. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders. Pull your shoulder blades back, keep your wrists straight and pull the bar up to your chest. Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position and repeat. This exercise can also be performed with a narrower underhand grip and pulling the bar into your abdominals.
V-sits
V-sits work all aspects of your abdominals in one challenging exercise. Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms on the floor above your head. Lift your legs, upper body and arms simultaneously so you form a V shape when viewed from the side. At the top of the movement you should be balancing on your tail bone and touching your feet. Lower your legs and arms back down to the starting position and repeat.
References
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2008
- "Designing Resistance Training Programs"; Steven Fleck and William Kraemer; 2003
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