You've learned what compound lifts are in WHAT ARE COMPOUND LIFTS? | The Most Effective Exercises to Build Strength. If you're still not convinced if compound lifts are for you, let's take a deeper dive into the on-going list of benefits.
Recruits multiple muscle groups: train more muscle groups at the same time, getting the most bang for your buck.
Improves your strength: because you're recruiting multiple muscle groups, you're able to increase your force output and because you can typically move larger loads in these lifts, sending stronger muscle building signals to all muscle involved.
Translates into life: there is a larger carry-over of skill and strength from these movement patterns into real life. Think of everyday, functional movements like squatting down to pick up your phone that you dropped, or pushing your luggage into the overhead compartment.
Improves single-joint exercises: a supinated pull-up will immensely help strengthen your bicep curl, but a bicep curl won't improve your pull-ups quite as much. A more technical technical exercise has a lot of carryover into other lifts.
Has cardiovascular training benefits: lifting heavier loads and recruiting several muscle groups will increase your heart rate.
Improves movement efficiency and coordination: these are technical lifts; there is a lot of skill that goes into them. Training several muscle groups to work together, teach them to coordinate their contractions and firing rates.
They're rewarding: because there is a lot of skill that goes into them and a ton of potential for form gains and strength gains, improvement is likely to occur often and seems infinite. This success motivates you week after week.
They're time efficient: get the most bang for your buck by recruiting several muscles at once, increasing your heart rate, and burning more calories for your time in the gym.
Burns more calories. See above.
For me, a huge factor is that compound lifts keep me coming back for more. Because they're so technical and require so much skill, it seems like there is infinite opportunity to improve. My desire to constantly improve at the skill and move more weight, lights a fire in me like nothing else. Compound lifts have not only transformed my body, but they have transformed my life. I've gained so much confidence inside and outside of the gym.
What would you add to this list?
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