Compound exerciseMulti-joint exercise
An exercise that moves multiple joints and trains several muscles at once.
A compound exercise involves movement at more than one joint and recruits several muscle groups together — squats, deadlifts, presses, rows and pull-ups are the classic examples.
It matters because compounds let you load heavy, train a lot of muscle efficiently, and carry over well to real-world strength, which is why they usually form the backbone of a programme. They are the most time-effective way to build strength and muscle.
In practice, most sessions lead with one or two compound lifts trained fairly heavy, with isolation work added around them to target specific muscles.
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Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale — MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
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