In weight training, it is recommended that beginners or untrained participants only perform one exercise per muscle group during a workout session. Overtraining deconditioned muscles can lead to extreme soreness or injury. Those individuals who are advanced in weight training can incorporate more intensive training methods such as compound sets, which involve performing two back-to-back exercises for the same muscle group, with no rest in between the exercises. Typically, exercises that engage multiple joints are done first, followed by the single-joint exercises in a compound set. The targeted muscles in the multi-joint exercises are assisted by stabilizer muscles in execution, whereas the muscles in single-joint moves are isolated with little assistance from other muscle groups.
Chest
The formula for proper execution of compound sets is to perform the exercise that involves multiple-joint movement first and the single-joint exercise second. For example, regarding the chest muscles, doing a bench press or pushups incorporates the shoulder and elbow joints to execute. After finishing a set of one of these exercises, you could immediately grab a set of dumbbells, lie down on an exercise bench and do a set of dumbbell flies, which only involve movement at the shoulder joint and offer a greater range of motion than presses or pushups.
Back
Chinups and lat pulldowns are examples of the multi-joint exercises that should be completed first in your compound back routine. These exercises target the latissimus dorsi, rhomboid and teres major muscles of the back. These muscles are involved in movement of the shoulder. The multi-joint exercises can be followed up with back extensions, or hyperextensions. This single-joint move is typically done using a Roman chair, but it can be executed using a stability ball. The only joint involvement is at the hips. Back extensions focus on the erector spinae muscles, which are near the spine. These are the muscles that lift your body from a bent-over position.
Quadriceps
The dumbbell squat and leg extensions are two exercises you can do as a compound set. To perform the dumbbell squat, you stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, with your feet approximately hip width apart. Bend at the knees and lower your body, attempting to keep your weight in your heels. When your thighs are parallel with the floor, return to standing position. Notice that the move incorporates flexion and extension at the hip and knee joints. The leg extension is an isolation exercise utilizing the leg extension machine. As you sit in the machine with your legs at roughly a 90-degree angle, extend the lower legs to where they are parallel to the ground.
Shoulders
An example of a compound set for the shoulders would combine the overhead dumbbell press with front raises. The overhead press can be done from a standing or seated position. Dumbbells are held at the sides of the head, with palms facing forward. Pressing the weight overhead by extending the arms upward engages the shoulder and elbow joints. The middle, anterior and posterior joints are all solicited in the execution of this move. Front raises, on the other hand, only target the anterior deltoids on the front of the shoulders. Execute this exercise by standing with a dumbbell in each hand, with the palms facing the front of your thighs. Raise the arms up until parallel to the ground. Slowly control back to the starting position.
References
- "NSCA's Essentials for Personal Training"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2004
- "Strength Training Anatomy (third edition)"; Frederic Delavier; 2010
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