Compound Lifts | 6 Reasons Why Women Should Squat, Deadlift & Bench Press

  Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that depend on the synchronised actions of multiple muscle groups to move two or more joints through a range of motion.

Some ladies fear including the squat, deadlift and bench press in their routines as they are not aware of the incredible physique-changing benefits that accompany these exercises!

#1 Improves balance and co-ordination

  These 3 main exercises are brilliant for improving your balance and coordination. Although difficult to perform at first, the mental and physical concentration needed to perform these multi-joint movements will no doubt force growth as you improve - as with anything!

Weight lifting is a skill and is something you can build upon to gain a sense of achievement when you master these lifts.

When you get your form right you can then build on your weight that you are training with. It gives you a great confidence boost as you get stronger and better at performing these exercises!

#2 Burn a ton of of calories

Compound lifts such as the bench press, deadlift and squat burn loads of calories. This is due to the fact that they work so many muscle groups and really get your heart rate high! By building lean muscle through these exercises, you will burn more calories even when you are sitting completely still.

This is because muscle is metabolically active, and the body needs to use energy just to maintain it which translates to extra calories burned. Muscle also takes up less space than fat in the body and so the more muscle you have, the leaner you will look so it is a win win situation ladies!

#3 Full-body, multi-joint exercises

  Compound lifts are very different to isolation exercises due to the fact they train numerous muscle groups at once instead of focusing on one particular muscle group alone. This is important as the body itself functions as a whole rather than in separate sections. If you are short on time, compound exercises are really useful for getting more value out of your training session.

#4 Helps to sculpt your physique

These exercises all are excellent for improving a woman’s physique, no matter what her goals are. They work the body hard, and you get more payout for your time than with isolation exercises. Exercises such as the squat and the deadlift really shape the glutes and legs and also strengthen the lower body as a whole.

The bench press is also fantastic as it not only works the chest but it also shapes the arms too and even involves the back and shoulders. Due to the fact you need to remain stable during these exercises, you even recruit your abs to perform them.

 #5 Helps to prevents injuries if performed well

  Injury prevention is one of the top benefits of training with compound lifts. Because they train the body as a whole, it strengthens it as a group of muscles together rather than individually and encourages balance between the muscle groups.

This is crucial to remaining injury free, as muscular imbalance is the cause of many injuries in athletes. The stronger you are the more you will be able to do, both inside and outside the gym.

#6 Improves gym performance

These exercises will all help you improve your performance in the gym and also with everyday tasks as they are functional exercises. Training that includes exercises such as the squat, bench and deadlift makes every day chores such as carrying your food shopping and picking up your toddler a whole lot easier to do.

With regards to the gym, exercises like the squat will improve both your vertical jump and how fast you can run as you are building strength and power in your lower body!

Take Home Message

  Compound lifts are a great addition to everybody’s workout regime. It is important to get your form right on these lifts to avoid injury. Perfect your form with online advice - most gyms are also happy to offer assistance if you need some extra help or just to make sure you are performing the exercise correctly!

It is usually better to put your compound lifts at the start of your exercise programme where possible, especially if you plan to use heavier weights. This is due to the fact you are working multiple body parts at once and they are reliant on each other to perform the movement safely and correctly!

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