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Exercises

Compound exercises: the lifts that train the whole body

Published October 29, 2026

Compound exercises move two or more joints and train several muscles at once. The core list is the barbell back squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, pull-up and barbell row, plus the Romanian deadlift, Bulgarian split squat and dips. One from each pattern (squat, hinge, single leg, horizontal push, vertical push, horizontal pull, vertical pull) covers the whole body. Do them first in a session, for 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 10 reps, 2 or 3 days a week, and stop 1 to 3 reps short of failure.

  1. Barbell Back Squat Quads, Glutes, Adductors
  2. Barbell Deadlift Glutes, Lower Back
  3. Barbell Bench Press Chest
  4. Barbell Overhead Press Shoulders
  5. Pull-Up Lats
  6. Barbell Row Upper Back, Lats
  7. Romanian Deadlift Hamstrings, Glutes
  8. Bulgarian Split Squat Quads, Glutes

Squat and single-leg patterns

Knee-dominant lifts build the quads and glutes. The back squat carries the most weight, the goblet squat and leg press are easier entries, and the split squat trains each leg alone.

Quads and glutes, squat

Barbell Back Squat

Quads, Glutes, Adductors

The back squat loads the legs, hips and trunk more than any other squat. It is the first compound lift most programs are built around, and the one where progress is easiest to measure.

How to do it

  1. Set the bar across your upper back below the neck, hands just outside your shoulders, and unrack it.
  2. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out a little.
  3. Breathe in, tighten your stomach as if bracing for a punch, and sit down between your heels.
  4. Stand back up keeping your chest and hips rising together.

Cues

  • Breathe and brace
  • Chest and hips rise together
  • Whole-foot pressure

Common mistakes

  • Hips shooting up first out of the bottom: lighten the bar and keep your chest rising with them.
  • Letting the stomach go soft between reps: re-brace at the top of each one.

Swap for: Front Squat, Box Squat

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Quads and glutes, front-loaded squat

Goblet Squat

Quads, Glutes

Holding a dumbbell at the chest keeps you upright and teaches squat depth without a bar. It is the compound squat to learn before the barbell, or to use at home.

How to do it

  1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically against your chest.
  2. Sit down between your knees, elbows inside them at the bottom.
  3. Stand up tall.

Cues

  • Elbows nudge the knees out at the bottom.
  • Chest stays up behind the weight.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the weight pull you forward.

Swap for: Bodyweight Squat, Barbell Back Squat

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Quads and glutes, machine squat

Leg Press

Quads, Glutes

The leg press is a compound machine lift: hips and knees both work, but the back is supported. Use it to add leg volume after squats or when squatting is not an option.

How to do it

  1. Sit in the machine with your whole back against the pad and your feet hip-width on the platform.
  2. Release the safety handles and bend your knees, bringing the platform toward you under control.
  3. Lower until your knees are bent to about 90 degrees or a little deeper, without your lower back curling off the pad.
  4. Press the platform away until your legs are nearly straight, and repeat.

Cues

  • Lower back stays on the pad
  • Whole foot pushes
  • Stop just short of locking out

Common mistakes

  • Going so deep that your hips roll up off the seat: stop where your back stays flat.
  • Snapping the knees straight at the top: keep a soft bend.

Swap for: 45-Degree Leg Press, Hack Squat, Barbell Back Squat

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Quads and glutes, single-leg squat

Bulgarian Split Squat

Quads, Glutes

Splitting the stance trains each leg on its own, so it builds balance and fixes side-to-side gaps while loading the quads and glutes hard with only dumbbells.

How to do it

  1. Set the top of your back foot on a bench and place your front foot a long stride ahead.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, and keep your front foot flat.
  3. Drop your back knee straight toward the floor until the front thigh is close to level.
  4. Press through the front foot to rise, then finish all reps before switching legs.

Cues

  • Go deep for the inner thigh
  • Front foot flat
  • Rear foot is just a kickstand

Common mistakes

  • Pushing up with the back leg: let it relax and make the front leg do the work.
  • Front knee collapsing inward: keep it pointed the same way as your toes.

Swap for: Dumbbell Split Squat, Step-Up, Reverse Lunge

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Hinge pattern

Hip hinges train the back of the body: glutes, hamstrings and the muscles along the spine. The deadlift is the heaviest lift most people will do; the Romanian deadlift adds hamstring work with less fatigue.

Glutes, hamstrings and back, hinge

Barbell Deadlift

Glutes, Lower Back

The deadlift trains almost every muscle on the back of the body, plus grip and trunk, in one lift. A few heavy sets a week builds whole-body strength.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar over your mid-foot and grip it just outside your legs.
  2. Drop your hips until your shins touch the bar, flatten your back, and pull the slack out.
  3. Push the floor away and stand up tall, then lower the bar the same way.

Cues

  • Bar against the legs
  • Push the floor away

Common mistakes

  • Jerking the bar off the floor: take the slack out first on every set.

Swap for: Trap Bar Deadlift, Romanian Deadlift, Rack Pull

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Hamstrings and glutes, hinge

Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

The Romanian deadlift starts from the top and lowers to a deep hamstring stretch, so it builds the hamstrings more than the deadlift and is less tiring to recover from.

How to do it

  1. Stand with a barbell at your thighs, hands just outside your legs, feet under your hips.
  2. Soften your knees and push your hips back, sliding the bar down your thighs.
  3. Stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched, usually just below the knee, with your back flat.
  4. Push your hips forward to stand up, glutes tight at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back
  • Bar stays on your legs
  • Back flat

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat: keep them soft and still.
  • Reaching for the floor: stop where your back would round.

Swap for: Weighted Back Extension

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Pushing: horizontal and vertical

Presses train chest, shoulders and triceps together. Do one horizontal and one vertical press across the week so the shoulders develop in balance.

Chest, shoulders and triceps, horizontal press

Barbell Bench Press

Chest

The bench press moves the most weight of any upper-body lift and trains chest, front delts and triceps together. It is the main upper-body push in most programs.

How to do it

  1. Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar, feet planted, and squeeze your shoulder blades back and down into the pad.
  2. Grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width, unrack it, and hold it over your shoulders with locked elbows.
  3. Lower the bar to your lower chest, around nipple height, with your elbows angled roughly 45 to 70 degrees from your sides.
  4. Touch your chest without bouncing, then press the bar up and slightly back until it is over your shoulders again.

Cues

  • Shoulder blades stay pinned
  • Bar to the nipple line
  • Drive your feet into the floor

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides: let them sit a bit closer to your ribs so your shoulders stay comfortable.
  • Lifting your hips off the bench to finish a rep: keep your glutes down and count that rep as your last.

Swap for: Flat Dumbbell Press, Smith Machine Bench Press, Machine Chest Press

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Shoulders and triceps, vertical press

Barbell Overhead Press

Shoulders

Pressing standing overhead trains the shoulders and triceps while the legs and trunk hold you steady. It balances the bench press and builds strength straight overhead.

How to do it

  1. Set the bar in a rack at collarbone height and grip it just outside your shoulders, wrists stacked over your elbows.
  2. Unrack it onto your upper chest, take one step back and set your feet about hip width apart.
  3. Squeeze your glutes, brace your abs so your ribs stay down, and take a big breath.
  4. Press straight up, pulling your chin back so the bar clears your face.
  5. Once the bar passes your forehead, push your head through until the bar sits over the middle of your foot with your arms locked.
  6. Lower it along the same line to your upper chest and re-brace before the next rep.

Cues

  • Glutes tight, ribs down
  • Chin back, bar straight up
  • Head through at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back to finish reps, which turns the lift into an incline press: lower the weight until your torso stays vertical for the whole set.
  • Pressing the bar forward around your face: pull your chin back and keep the bar close enough to brush your nose.
  • Stopping short of lockout: finish every rep with the bar over your mid-foot and your arms straight, or the rep doesn't count in your log.

Swap for: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Landmine Press, Machine Shoulder Press

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Chest and triceps, bodyweight press

Chest Dip

Chest, Triceps

Dips are a compound press with your bodyweight and a long range of motion. Add a dip belt when you can do 12 or more clean reps.

How to do it

  1. Grip parallel bars and step or jump up until your arms are straight and you are holding yourself above the bars.
  2. Lean your chest slightly forward with your legs under you or a little behind.
  3. Bend your elbows to sink down until your upper arms are about level with the bars.
  4. Press back up to straight arms and lock out.

Cues

  • Shoulders down, chest proud
  • Slight forward lean
  • Lock out every rep

Common mistakes

  • Sinking so deep your shoulders ache: stop when your upper arms reach the level of the bars.
  • Swinging your legs to get up: keep them still and end the set when you need momentum.

Swap for: Machine Chest Dip, Close-Grip Bench Press, Push-Up

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Chest, shoulders and triceps, bodyweight press

Push-Up

Chest

The push-up is a compound press with the trunk held like a plank. It is the compound push to use at home, as a finisher, or before you can bench.

How to do it

  1. Set your hands slightly wider than your shoulders with your body straight from head to heels.
  2. Lower until your chest nearly touches the floor, elbows at about 45 degrees.
  3. Press back up to straight arms.

Cues

  • One straight line
  • Elbows angled back

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows straight out: tuck them toward your ribs.

Swap for: Kneeling Push-Up, Incline Push-Up, Push-Up Plus

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Pulling: horizontal and vertical

Rows and pull-ups train the lats, upper back, rear delts and biceps. Match your pressing with at least as many sets of pulling.

Lats and biceps, vertical pull

Pull-Up

Lats

The pull-up trains the lats, upper back, biceps and grip with your own bodyweight. It is the vertical pull that pairs with the overhead press.

How to do it

  1. Grab the bar overhand, hands a little wider than your shoulders, and hang from fully straight arms.
  2. Pull your shoulders down away from your ears before your elbows start to bend.
  3. Drive the elbows toward your ribs until your chin passes over the bar.
  4. Lower slowly to a dead hang and pull again.

Cues

  • Shoulders down, then pull
  • Legs still and together
  • Two seconds on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the legs to cheat reps: cross your ankles and brace the abs.
  • Half reps from a bent-arm start: finish each rep at a full hang.

Swap for: Chin-Up, Lat Pulldown, Assisted Pull-Up

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Upper back and lats, horizontal pull

Barbell Row

Upper Back, Lats

The bent-over row is the heaviest horizontal pull and trains the whole upper back while the hips and lower back hold the position. It balances the bench press.

How to do it

  1. Hold the bar at your thighs, hinge forward until your torso is near 45 degrees, back flat.
  2. Row the bar to your lower ribs with the elbows tucked near your sides.
  3. Lower to straight arms and keep the torso angle.

Cues

  • Brace before every rep
  • Bar to the belly button

Common mistakes

  • Standing taller each rep as it gets heavier: if the hinge goes, the set is over.

Swap for: Pendlay Row, Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, T-Bar Row

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Lats, cable vertical pull

Lat Pulldown

Lats

The pulldown trains the same pattern as the pull-up with any load you choose, so beginners can do it from day one and progress toward pull-ups.

How to do it

  1. Set the thigh pad so your legs are locked under it, then stand up and take the bar a little wider than your shoulders, palms forward.
  2. Sit down with your arms fully stretched overhead and lean back only slightly.
  3. Pull the bar to your upper chest by driving your elbows down toward your hips.
  4. Let the bar rise until your arms are straight and your shoulders lift toward your ears, then pull again.

Cues

  • Elbows to your back pockets
  • Bar to the top of the chest
  • Let the stack lift you at the top

Common mistakes

  • Leaning far back and rowing the bar to your stomach: stay nearly upright so it remains a vertical pull.
  • Stopping with the arms still bent at the top: the stretch overhead is half of what makes the pulldown work.

Swap for: Pull-Up, Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown, Single-Arm Lat Pulldown

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Three-day full-body compound routine

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets34 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Flat Bench, Pull-Up Bar, Dumbbells +3

You can train three days a week and want one program that covers every muscle with compound lifts, with a little isolation or none.

Each day hits a squat or hinge, a push and a pull, so every pattern gets trained two or three times a week. Each day is 11 or 12 working sets, around 60 minutes.

Day 1: Squat and bench
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Back Squat2 warm-up sets first 3 × 5–8 2 3 min
Barbell Bench Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 5–8 2 2:30 min
Barbell Row 3 × 6–10 2 2 min
Push-Up 2 × 8–15 2 90 s

Open Day 1: Squat and bench in the session builder

Day 2: Deadlift and overhead
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Deadlift3 warm-up sets first 3 × 3–5 2 3:30 min
Barbell Overhead Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 5–8 2 2:30 min
Pull-Up 3 × 5–10 2 2 min
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg. 2 × 8–10 2 90 s

Open Day 2: Deadlift and overhead in the session builder

Day 3: Volume
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Leg Press 3 × 8–12 1 2 min
Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–10 2 2 min
Chest Dip 3 × 6–12 2 2 min
Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 1 90 s

Open Day 3: Volume in the session builder

How to run it
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or any three days with a rest day between them. Run Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 in order.
How to progress
Double progression: when every set of a lift reaches the top of its rep range at the target reps in reserve, add 5 to 10 lb to lower-body lifts and 2.5 to 5 lb to upper-body lifts next time.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Beginner compound workout, two days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets23 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Lat Pulldown, Leg Press, Barbells +1

You are new to lifting and want to learn the main patterns with easier versions before loading a barbell heavily.

Two full-body days of about 11 sets each train every muscle twice a week, which is plenty while technique is still improving. Goblet squats, pulldowns and the leg press are easier to learn and to scale.

Day A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Goblet Squat1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 3 2 min
Push-Up 3 × 6–15 2 90 s
Lat Pulldown 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg. 2 × 8–10 3 90 s

Open Day A in the session builder

Day B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Leg Press 3 × 10–12 2 2 min
Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–10 3 2 min
Barbell Bench Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–10 3 2 min
Barbell Row 3 × 8–10 3 90 s

Open Day B in the session builder

How to run it
Two days a week with at least two days between them, such as Tuesday and Friday. Alternate Day A and Day B.
How to progress
Stay at 2 to 3 reps in reserve for the first four weeks and add weight whenever every set reaches the top of the range. RIRLift sets the next session's weight from the reps in reserve you log, so you are not guessing jumps.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Compound only, two days, 45 minutes

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets21 a week
  • Per workout~45 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Flat Bench, Pull-Up Bar

You are short on time, you already know the barbell lifts, and you want to stay strong on two short sessions a week.

Three lifts per day at 3 to 4 sets is about 11 sets and 45 minutes. Each of the six main lifts is trained heavy once a week, which keeps strength moving for busy trained lifters.

Day 1: Squat, bench, pull-up
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Back Squat3 warm-up sets first 4 × 4–6 2 3 min
Barbell Bench Press2 warm-up sets first 4 × 4–6 2 3 min
Pull-Up 3 × 5–8 2 2:30 min

Open Day 1: Squat, bench, pull-up in the session builder

Day 2: Deadlift, press, row
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Deadlift3 warm-up sets first 3 × 3–5 2 3:30 min
Barbell Overhead Press2 warm-up sets first 4 × 4–6 2 3 min
Barbell Row 3 × 6–8 2 2:30 min

Open Day 2: Deadlift, press, row in the session builder

How to run it
Any two days with two or three days between them, such as Monday and Thursday.
How to progress
Add weight to a lift when every set reaches 6 reps at 2 reps in reserve. When a lift stalls for three sessions, drop 10% and build back up.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is a compound exercise?

An exercise that moves two or more joints and trains several muscle groups at once, like a squat (hips, knees and ankles) or a bench press (shoulders and elbows).

Are compound exercises better than isolation?

For strength and time, yes: they train more muscle per set and let you lift more. For a muscle that lags, isolation adds focused work that compounds can't. Most good programs use both, with compounds first.

What are the big 5 compound exercises?

Usually the squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press and barbell row. Some lists use the pull-up in place of the row. Together they cover every major muscle.

Can you build muscle with only compound exercises?

Yes, especially early on. Compound-only programs build a lot of muscle. Side delts, biceps and calves grow faster with a little isolation added later.

What is the 3-3-3 rule in the gym?

Most often it means 3 exercises, 3 sets, 3 days a week. With compound exercises, that could be a squat or deadlift, a press and a pull each session, which is a solid minimum program.

How many compound exercises per workout?

Three to five. Past that, you are too tired for the later lifts to be heavy. Two or three heavy ones plus one or two lighter ones is the usual mix.