What are the best exercises for building muscle ? Is it the bench press ? Biceps curl ? leg press ? The right answer to this question is: Compound exercises. Just look around in any gym and you’ll see that the ones that carry the most muscle mass on their frame, use compound exercises as a cornerstone in their workout.

What are compound exercises ?

To put it simply, compound exercises are movements that use more than one joint (squats, deadlifts, bench press, shoulder press, barbell row etc.), contrary to isolation exercises that use only one joint (think leg extensions, bicep curls and triceps extensions)

Here are some of the most important compound exercises, everyone should be doing for muscle growth and increasing strength.

Squat

The squat is called the king of exercises for a reason.It works almost every joint and muscle in the body and it forces the body to increase HGH and testosterone production. The squat can assist your whole body in the muscle building and growth process as it works more than 70 % of your body (legs and back).

Unfortunately there are a lot of weightlifters that are not squatting, and the main reason is that the squat is a very taxing and difficult exercise.Once you have mastered it it can be one of the most result-producing exercises.

Deadlift

It’s almost an equally effective exercise as the squat and it also works the body parts where the most muscle mass is stored – back and legs.Once you have mastered it, it allows pulling heavy weights, which will result in more testosterone and growth hormone production and eventually more strength and muscle mass.

Bench Press

it is maybe the most popular exercise today and everybody does it.If used properly, it can be one of the most productive muscle building exercises though it can sabotage your efforts if you abuse it.It works the primarily the muscles in your chest, shoulders and triceps.

Pull up

It’s one of the most demanding and effective exercises for growth of the back. Not everyone can do them, so you should be working up to them with assisted pull ups and lat pull downs. Pull ups are huge back builders, they help build that V shaped back that you are after.

Standing shoulder press

One of the most demanding pushing exercises, the standing shoulder press is a true test of strength. This exercises hits the front, side deltoids and triceps, while using rear deltoids, back, upper chest and legs as stabilizers. The military press is a big mass builder for the
shoulders.

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