Full-body workouts target all of your major muscle groups along the front and back of your upper and lower body. Compound exercises are ideal for full-body workouts because they reduce the number of exercises that you must perform to work all major muscle groups. Unlike isolation exercises, which only involve one joint movement, compound exercises activate more total muscle groups with multiple joint articulations.
Anterior Torso
Exercises that work anterior torso muscle groups are essential components of full-body workouts. Anterior torso muscle groups include the pectorals, front deltoids and abdominal muscles. Compound exercises that target the pectorals and front deltoids include free-weight and machine-weight variations of the front, incline and decline bench press. Pec flys also work the pectoral and front deltoid muscles. Abdominal exercises involve trunk and hip flexion movements such as abdominal crunches and leg raises.
Posterior Torso
Exercises that work posterior torso muscle groups are also essential components of full-body workouts. Posterior torso muscle groups include the trapezius, latissimus dorsi and posterior deltoids. Shrugging exercises target the upper trapezius. Compound scapula adduction exercises, such as seated rows and chest-supported rows, work the lower and middle trapezius. Compound shoulder adduction exercises, which involve moving the upper arms down to the side of your body, are ideal for working the latissimus dorsi. Examples of compound shoulder adduction exercises include lat pulldowns and chinups.
Anterior Lower Body
Exercises that work anterior lower body muscle groups are critical elements of full-body workouts because they hit some of your largest skeletal muscles. The quadriceps --- the four muscles that form the front of your thighs --- make up the most prominent anterior lower-body muscle group. Variations of the squat with free-weights are top compound exercises that target the quadriceps that are ideal for full-body workouts. Lunges and leg presses are other compound exercises that target the quadriceps.
Posterior Lower Body
Full body workouts must include exercises that work major posterior lower-body muscle groups. The gluteal muscles and hamstrings are the most prominent posterior lower-body muscles. The guteus maximus is particularly active during compound hip hyperextension exercises that extend the hips against a horizontal front-to-back load, such as glute bridges, hip thrusts and sprints. The hamstrings are responsible for extending your hips and flexing your knees. Glute ham raises and kneeling hip extensions are examples of compound exercises that work the hamstrings by combining hip extension and knee flexion movements.
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