Compound Training

For Fat loss?

Let’s start at the beginning. Firstly, what on earth is compound training?

Compound training is basically weight training exercises that allow you to work more than one muscle group at any given time. For example – a shoulder press (machine number 13) will work your anterior and medial deltoids (front and middle portion of your shoulders) while also brining into play your triceps (back of arm).

Muscles worked for:
Shoulder Press - Agonist (prime mover) = anterior/medial deltoid
Synergist (assisting) = Triceps
  Fixator (supporting muscles) = Rotator cuff (Teres minor, infraspinatus, supraspinatus and subscapularis).

If you compare this to a lateral raise (isolation – just one muscle group) you are working a lot more muscles in one exercise during a shoulder press. This is true for many other exercises for example – chest press (compound) or pec fly (isolation), leg press (compound) or leg extension (isolation) and the list goes on…..

Still, what does all this mean?

Well here we go…. Fat on your body is excess energy….compound exercises work over two or more joints of the body….therefore using more than one muscle group….the more muscles you use the more muscle mass you create (without becoming bulky)….the more energy you will burn up in the gym whilst working out…. and here’s the really good part…wait for it….the higher your muscle mass the more energy your muscles will use up in every day life….meaning? Even after you have been to the gym you continue to burn excess energy….meaning? YOU BECOME SLIMMER AND HEALTHIER!!!

All this said it is still essential to use plenty of different training principles in the gym so that you have plenty of variety to your training – keeping your body and mind fresh and ready for exercise and a healthier you.