At Home Full Body Compound Movement Workout

Stuck at home and can’t make it to the gym? Try this quick workout that combines compound movements to get your heart rate up while working several different muscle groups. I love creative workouts that combine variety and sweat, and compound movements accomplish both!

Equipment needed: light- or medium-weighted dumbbells, a 20-25 pound kettle bell, and a resistance band (as pictured).

Move 1: Lateral shoulder raise into a bicep curl with backward-stepping lunge

Start in a standing position with light to medium weighted dumbbells. Proceed into a lateral shoulder raise by extending the arms out. As you lower the arms after the raise, perform a bicep curl as you step back into a lunge (curling and lunging at the same time). Complete 10-12 repetitions (each leg) for three sets.

Move 2: Dead lift and squat with kettle bell

Grab your heaviest kettle bell, and get ready to sweat! Stand with feet hip-width apart with the kettle bell hanging in front of you. Proceed into a dead lift by allowing the kettle bell to slowly reach the ground. When you come back up, reset your posture at the top. Adjusting your feet as needed and as is comfortable for you, then perform a squat with the kettle bell still hanging in front of you. Complete 12-15 repetitions of this dead lift-squat combination for a total of three leg-burning sets.

Move 3: Lying skull crusher into a sit up with a shoulder press at the top

Start by lying on the floor with a set of light-weighted dumbbells in each hand. Perform a skull crusher / lying tricep extension. When the dumbbells are extended over your face, sit up with the weights and push them upward and overhead at the top into a shoulder press. Use the momentum from the sit up in this exercise to really get your heart rate up! Perform 12-15 repetitions of this compound movement exercise for a total of three sets.

Move 4: Regular sit up with hip bridge into a pulsing hip opener

To prepare for this move, place your resistance band around your legs at about your quadriceps. Lie down, and perform a regular sit up. When you drop your upper half back on the floor, reset and raise your hips performing a glute bridge. Before letting your glutes come back down, open up the hips by pulsing twice at the top while holding the glute bridge. The resistance from the band should really make this one burn! Complete 12-15 repetitions of this combination move for three sets.

We want to know — what’s your favorite compound exercise?

First image above: Shutterstock.

© 2020 Balanza and Beyond, LLC. All rights reserved.

Glutes, Shoulders, and Calves Workout

This workout focuses on the small muscle groups that may not always receive the attention they deserve when in the gym weight-lifting.  The various weight-training techniques employed will also help you to focus on contracting and extending the muscle with intentional force to practice the movements and become more comfortable with them and confident doing them.  This workout will keep both your mind and body concentrated on the task at hand by using various counting methods and a variety of exercises.

Glutes and Hamstrings

Instructions:  Perform three sets of 12 repetitions each exercise.  For exercises that involve alternating legs, perform two sets of 12 repetitions for each exercise.  Try to lift as much weight as you can on the machine exercises.  For the other exercises, use a kettle bell with adequate resistance to challenge you.

1.)  1-legged deadlift with kettlebell (two sets of 12 repetitions on each leg)

2.)  Hip bridge (place a kettlebell on top of your hips for added resistance if desired, and perform three sets of 12)

3.)  Glute kickbacks on the floor (or machine if available) (two sets of 12 each leg)

4.)  Leg curl machine (three sets of 12)

5.)  Get in static lunge position, and pass a kettlebell through your lunge while maintaining an upright chest and torso (two sets of 12)

Shoulders

Instructions:  Hold each contraction (squeezing the muscle) and extension (releasing the muscle) for five counts to maximize the intensity of the movement.  Perform three sets of 10 repetitions for each exercise:

1.)  Upright row with kettlebell

2.)  Slightly bent over front raise with kettlebell

3.)  Side raise with kettlebells (choose lighter weight as needed)

Calves

Instructions:  Perform three sets of 25 repetitions for each exercise.

1.)  Standing calf raises (hold kettlebell in hands at chest level).  For an added challenge, try to do these calf raises on one leg at a time, and alternate legs.

2.)  Standing calf raises in machine or seated calf machine (no kettlebell is necessary; adjust the machine for resistance).

Bonus tip:  To increase your heart rate and burn additional calories, mix in short bursts of cardio between working each of these muscle groups.  Recommendations:  high knees, glute kicks, run/jog in place for 30 seconds, 30-second wall sits, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, etc.

© 2016 Melanie Glover.  All rights reserved.

First image above:  Shutterstock