In the world of exercise, there are two terms that often get used in in reference to lifting weights: isolation and compound. As the name implies, isolation exercises isolate a single muscle and they involve only one joint movement. A dumbbell tricep kickback would be an example of this. Compound exercises, on the other hand, involve a focus muscle with multiple other muscles at the same time. They include more than one joint range of motion, and they recruit a maximal amount of muscle fibers. If you want to get big by lifting weights, you should go with compound exercises.
Step 1
Load a barbell to do bench presses. Lie on the bench and grab the bar with a wide grip. Lift it off the supports and hold it above you. Slowly lower till it lightly touches your chest. Push it straight back up and repeat.
Step 2
Press a set of dumbbells over your head. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold the dumbbells by your shoulders with your palms facing forward. Push the dumbbells above your head and toward each other until they are an inch apart. Slowly lower them back to the starting point and repeat.
Step 3
Lift a barbell off the ground to do deadlifts. Stand in front of the bar in a shoulder-width stance. Bend down and grab the bar with a wide grip and stand up until your back is straight and the bar is resting on the fronts of your thighs. Lower the bar back to the ground and repeat.
Step 4
Arrange two benches parallel to each other and slightly wider apart than the length of your legs. Place your hands on the edge of one bench and prop your heels up on the other bench. Lower your body down toward the ground by bending your elbows. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the ground and push yourself back up.
Step 5
Grasp a pull-up bar to do close-grip chin-ups. Jump up and grab the bar with an underhand grip and place your palms about 8 to 10 inches from each other. Pull your body up until your chin is higher than the bar and slowly lower yourself back down. Fully extend your arms when you lower your body; repeat.
Step 6
Set up a loaded barbell in a squat rack. Place the bar behind your neck and over the tops of your shoulders. Grab it with a wide grip and lift it up off the supports.Take three steps backward to give yourself clearance and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your butt down toward the floor by bending your knees. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor and stand back up.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets of each exercise with the heaviest weights you can lift. Take two days off in between workouts and make sure to get adequate sleep to promote full recoveries. Aim for 7 to 9 hours every night. When you are doing chin-ups, bend your knees and cross your lower legs behind your body. When you are doing squats, make sure you do not let your knees go past your ankles. Also, keep your back straight and look forward.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- 2 benches
- Weight plates
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