The 7 Best Compound Exercises for Total Body Strength

If you only had time for a handful of exercises, compound movements would give you the most return on your investment. These multi-joint exercises recruit the most muscle mass, burn the most calories, and build the most strength — period.

What Is a Compound Exercise?

A compound exercise works multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously. As opposed to isolation exercises (like a bicep curl), compound moves let you lift heavier weights and stimulate more overall muscle growth.

The 7 Best Compound Exercises

1. Barbell Back Squat

Muscles worked: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, upper back

The squat is the king of all exercises. It builds powerful legs and glutes, improves posture, and releases more anabolic hormones than almost any other movement.

How to do it:

• Bar rests on upper traps, feet shoulder-width apart
• Sit back and down, keeping chest tall
• Break parallel if mobility allows
• Drive through heels to stand

Beginner target: 3 × 8 reps

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2. Conventional Deadlift

Muscles worked: Entire posterior chain — hamstrings, glutes, lower back, traps, lats

The deadlift is the ultimate full-body strength test. No other exercise loads the body with as much weight across so many muscle groups.

How to do it:

• Bar over mid-foot, hip-width stance
• Hinge at hips, grip just outside legs
• Drive floor away, keep bar close to body
• Lock hips out at the top

Beginner target: 3 × 5 reps

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3. Barbell Bench Press

Muscles worked: Chest, front delts, triceps

The bench press is the most popular upper body exercise for a reason — it loads the chest heavily through a full range of motion and allows for progressive overload over time.

How to do it:

• Grip slightly wider than shoulder-width
• Lower bar to lower chest with elbows at 45°
• Press to full extension without locking out elbows

Beginner target: 3 × 8-10 reps

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4. Overhead Press (OHP)

Muscles worked: Shoulders, triceps, upper chest, core

The OHP builds boulder shoulders and serious upper body pressing strength. It's also a great core stabilizer.

How to do it:

• Bar rests on front delts, grip just outside shoulders
• Press straight up, lean head back to clear chin
• Fully lock out overhead
• Lower under control

Beginner target: 3 × 8 reps

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5. Barbell Row

Muscles worked: Lats, rhomboids, traps, rear delts, biceps

For every pushing movement, you need a pulling movement. The barbell row builds a thick, strong back and improves posture by counteracting all the pressing work.

How to do it:

• Hinge forward 45°, bar hanging at arms' length
• Pull bar to lower chest/upper abdomen
• Squeeze shoulder blades together at top
• Lower with control

Beginner target: 3 × 8-10 reps

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6. Pull-Up / Chin-Up

Muscles worked: Lats, biceps, rear delts, core

The pull-up is the ultimate bodyweight back builder. Chin-up (palms facing you) hits biceps more; pull-up (palms away) hits lats more.

How to do it:

• Dead hang from bar
• Pull elbows toward hips
• Get chin over bar
• Lower fully

💡 Can't do a full pull-up yet? Use an assisted machine or resistance band.

Beginner target: 3 × max reps

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7. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back

The RDL targets the posterior chain with a deep hamstring stretch that the conventional deadlift doesn't provide. It's essential for balanced leg development.

How to do it:

• Hold bar at hip level, soft bend in knees
• Hinge at hips, push them back
• Lower bar along legs until you feel a deep hamstring stretch
• Drive hips forward to return

Beginner target: 3 × 10-12 reps

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Build Your Program Around These 7

A simple 3-day full-body program:

Day A	Day B	Day C
Squat	Deadlift	Squat
Bench Press	OHP	Bench Press
Barbell Row	Pull-Up	RDL

Add 2.5–5 lbs per week to each lift and you will be amazed how quickly your body transforms.