Compound workouts use multiple joints and work more than one muscle group or several muscles at a time. People often mention lack of time as the reason for not starting on a fitness programme. It is possible to get a great workout and juggle your busy schedule by going compound on your workouts.
Since you burn more calories in each exercise, your workouts become shorter, more effective and more interesting. Compound workouts simulate real life activities and use a wide variety of movements through a wide range of motion. Since everyday activities and sports involve using multiple joints, compound workouts are good for regular exercisers and athletes too.
Added benefits include improving balance and coordination. It also dismisses the fact that there is nothing like spot reduction when you want to lose fat in a certain part of your body. All in all, whether your goals are to reduce your body fat or to gain more strength, go compound for compounded results.
— The writer is a personal trainer, virtual fitness consultant and group fitness Instructor.
Single arm lung and row: Grasp a dumbbell in one arm and place one foot in front of the other. Now, keep the front foot planted firmly on the floor and lower the rear leg's knee close to the ground until the thigh of the front leg is almost parallel to the floor.
The knee of the front leg must remain behind the toe. This is a lunge. Bend slightly from the hip and extend the arm with the dumbbell till the front toe. Now, lift the dumbbell till it reaches the side of your chest while keeping the elbow closer to the body. Come out of the lunge when doing this. This is the row with the single arm. Muscle groups worked are upper back, quads, glutes and hamstrings.
Core row/Plank row: Balance the body on dumbells and toes while keeping the dumbells firmly grasped right under each shoulder. This is the full plank position with dumbells. Now lift 1 dumbell till the DB reaches the side of your chest while keeping the elbow closer to the body, while maintaining the plank position throughout. Muscle groups worked here are the core and upper back.
Core row
Inch worm: Stand up tall to start with and tip from the hip and bring the tips of the fingers to touch the ground while bending the knees as less as possible. Now crawl forward with the hands till you reach a full plank position i.e. till you are balancing on your toes and palms, where palms are directly under each shoulder. Crawl back up with the hands to the standing position again bending the knees as less as possible. Muscle groups worked here are overall body ones. This exercise works out your arms, core and shoulders and lengthens the hamstrings. It also strengthens the lower back.
Inch worm
Vipr thread the needle: Grasp the VIPR with both hands and go into the squat position i.e. push the hips back till thighs are parallel to the floor, knees are behind the toes and back is neutral. Keep the arms extended and drive the VIPR in between the legs. Now stand up tall and rotate the VIPR in the opposite direction while keeping the arms extended and repeat the motion on the opposite side of the body.
Vipr thread the needle
Muscle groups worked are overall body with a focus on lower body (glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings). Core needs to be kept engaged while extending the arms thus the arms and core are worked out as well.
