There are hundreds of exercises and certainly many variations of the same. For someone who is learning it can get confusing, unmotivating, and even dangerous.
Then there is the issue of what exercise to pair with another. Do you pair bench presses with bicep curls? Or planks with triceps extensions?
The five exercises I am about to break down here are known as “compound movements” because they require the use of multiple muscles to complete. The opposite type of exercise is known as “isolation movements” because they only require the use of one muscle to complete.
Some examples of isolation movements are bicep curls, triceps extensions, and calf raises. These exercises strictly use the bicep, triceps, and calf muscles.
The compound exercises that I offer you today are barbell squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.
When done correctly, these exercises use most of your muscles and reduce the number of movements and time you must spend at the gym. I am not suggesting that you do not need any other exercise. Instead, teach these exercises often because they are fun, relatively easy to learn, and effective, and they are the movements done in powerlifting competitions.
- The bench press
The bench press uses your chest muscles, triceps, core, and shoulders. You need a barbell, barbell weights, a bench, and clamps for safety to perform this movement. You may also need another person as a spotter for extra safety. To begin, secure the weight, lay down on your back, arch your back, and lower the barbell until it touches your sternum. Once the weight is fully lowered, you must brace and push up until your elbows are back up in a locked position.
2. The deadlift
The deadlift uses your back muscles, hamstrings, biceps, and core. You need a barbell, weights, a deadlift platform (the floor is acceptable in some gyms), and clamps for safety. To begin, secure the weight, reach for the weight, straighten your back, and pull until your hands reach your hips. Control the weight for the lowering movement to avoid injuries and getting yelled at by other gym goers.
3. The squat
The squat uses your leg muscles, glutes, and core. You need a barbell, weights, a squat platform, and clamps for safety. Begin by securing the weight, place the barbell in your shoulders, walk back to clear the pins, and begin to lower your body until you make 90 degrees from your feet to your glutes. Brace your core and begin to raise your body until your knees lock back up.
They might seem intimidating, but I highly recommend you take the time to learn these exercises. A sample week of only using these exercises may look like this (note that you should avoid scheduling squats and deadlift consecutively since they are mostly targeting your legs):
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| Squat | Bench Press | Deadlift | Break | Squat | Bench Press | Squat |
| 4×12 315lbs (hypertrophy) | 4×8 225lbs (hypertrophy) | 3×3 405lbs (strength) | Sleep! | 3X5 405lbs (strength) | 3×3 315lbs (strength) | 2×2 425lbs (strength) |
The number on the left represents the number of sets while the number on the right represents the number of repetitions. Remember these are my numbers and you should adjust accordingly. As you can see, this weekly schedule is extremely simple and only includes one exercise. If you maintain the intensity (the difficulty), then this should be all you need.
Smiling pounds away 
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