Compound and Simple Movements
Resistance training builds muscle strength, endurance and shape. As a competitive bodybuilder, my training always focuses on overall body aesthetics. Although my muscle size and strength naturally increased over the years, bodybuilding judges are looking for more. They are looking for balance. Each muscle group needs to be developed in balance to other muscle groups. A competitor doesn’t have much chance of winning with big arms and small legs. Knowing what exercises to perform is paramount for those wishing to achieve physical superiority.
Compound movements are those utilizing more than one joint. An example of that would be a leg press that uses the knees and hips to work the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups. A simple movement uses one joint as with a barbell curl for the biceps. To get the most out of these movements, make your compound exercises the heavy movements and the simple exercise the lighter, shaping movements. More on how to train each muscle to maximize strength and shape next week.
Iron Guru 