Compound exercises are movements that work multiple muscle groups during the rep, including the muscles in your core or torso, like the abdominal. Tailoring your compound exercise workout to incorporate a good ab workout is easy because they are needed for the successful implementation of many of the big lifts like the squat and standing military press.
Squat
The squat is an important exercise for a serious bodybuilder. It works the abdominal muscles through the balance that they help provide during the movement. Stand under the barbell of the squat rack and take the weight on the back of your shoulders. With feet shoulder-width apart, squat until your butt is parallel to your knees, feel the tension, then come back up.
Standing Military Press
For the standing military press, hold the barbell with overhand grip, wider than shoulder-width. Hold the bar at shoulder height and then exhale as you push above your head to full extension. Inhale on the way back down to shoulder height. Doing this exercise while standing works the abs effectively because the abdominal becomes the link between your hips and shoulders.
Lunges
Lunges are a particularly effective compound exercise for working the lower body, including the lower core muscles like the abdominal. Holding two dumbbell weights at your sides, kneel on one knee and place the other leg, bent, about two feet in front. Keeping your torso straight, rise up so the back kneeling leg straightens. Swap kneeling legs and repeat this lunging motion.
Bicycle Kick
The bicycle kick, although not a big lift exercise, is still a compound movement because it works the whole of the abdominal area simultaneously. The American Council on Exercise lists it as the number one abdominal exercise. Lying on your back with feet raised, knees bent and hands behind your head, twist and elevate your torso so the left elbow moves to the right knee as the left leg straightens. Repeat this motion on the right side.
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