When it comes to building strength, endurance, and overall fitness, few training styles are as practical, versatile, and cost-efficient as calisthenics. A great way to improve your calisthenics progress and to see standout results from your training program is by engaging in compound calisthenics exercises.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best compound calisthenics exercises that not only help with fat loss but also offer real and tangible progress towards your fitness goals.
Before we give you a compound calisthenics exercises list, we need you first to understand what precisely these workouts are.
Calisthenics is a form of resistance training that uses your own body weight as resistance to help build muscle mass and strength, as well as endurance, flexibility, and coordination (1). Unlike regular resistance training, calisthenics do not use free weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, or gym machinery to add resistance to the workout.
On the other hand, compound exercises, also known as multi-joint movements, are workouts/movements that involve multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
They are unlike isolation exercises, which are single-joint movements that only target a single muscle group (2).
So, powerful compound calisthenics exercises are bodyweight-only workouts that simultaneously target and train multiple muscle groups.
Read more: Intense Calisthenics Workout for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide
Additionally, what 5 compound calisthenics exercises build the most muscle?
In our opinion, the 5 best compound Calisthenics exercises for beginners are:
These 5 exercises make the list because they are:
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Step-By-Step Instructions For Each Workout
Here are some easy-to-follow instructions that can help you perform the above compound calisthenics exercises at home:
Bodyweight squats are a great compound calisthenic workout as they work your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core. Studies on this workout have shown that it is an excellent option for anyone who wishes to increase muscle mass and strength in their lower body (3, 4).
Other variations of bodyweight squats include jump squats, Bulgarian split squats, pistol squats, sumo squats, and more.
These are a great upper body calisthenic compound movement that works the trapezius, pectorals, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, teres major, biceps, forearms, and the core muscles. Not only can this exercise help improve muscle mass in the upper body, but it is also great for increased muscle strength, athletic performance, grip strength, and more (5, 6).
You can do pull-up variations by changing how and where you grip the bar, as each variation targets specific muscle groups or your skills differently. Also note that if the standard pull-up is hard for you, attempt a banded pull-up instead.
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Like pull-ups, push-ups are great compound exercises for weight loss and muscle growth. They work your major and minor pectorals, triceps, and anterior deltoids, as well as the core muscles.
Research shows that bodyweight pushups elicit the same results in muscle activity and strength gains as a bench press (7). Additionally, when performing bodyweight-only pushups, doing different variations of the workout can lead to increased muscular strength and endurance (8).
There are many variations of lunges, but this beginner-friendly variation effectively targets your quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips, and calves.
You can progress lunges by doing variations like jumping lunges, curtsy lunges, walking lunges, and side lunges, among others.
This exercise targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Research shows that this workout is effective in strengthening these three muscle groups, which can help with everyday activities such as pushing open a door or even improve overall sports performance (9).
Perform dips with the help of a dip bar, calisthenics rings (also known as gymnastic rings), or a simple bench, chair, or even a sturdy box/block.
With these 5 exercises, you can create a beginner-friendly 3-day compound workout routine that, over time, will help you lose any excess fat in your body and increase muscle mass and strength. For a well-rounded workout routine, be sure to include some cardio calisthenics exercises, such as dancing, running, cycling, jumping jacks, or mountain climbers.
Yes and no. As previously mentioned, compound exercises involve more than one joint and work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. While calisthenic workouts are predominantly compound exercises, there are a few isolation calisthenic exercises, e.g., bodyweight bicep curls.
Read more: The Complete Guide to Full-Body, No-Equipment Calisthenics Workouts
Yes, you can. A compound movement workout routine promotes increasing muscle growth, strength, and endurance. Many say it’s a more time-efficient workout program that works best for those with busy lives and less time to spend at the gym. Training your entire body at once is typically quicker than isolating individual muscles.
What Is An Example Of A Fully Compound Calisthenics Workout?
A workout routine that incorporates the 5 exercises listed above is a good example of a fully compound calisthenics program. All the exercises listed target multiple muscle groups, offering a comprehensive full-body workout routine.
Check out this article to learn more about the incredible benefits of full-body workout programs.
Compound calisthenics exercises speed up your progress by working multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which helps build muscle strength, coordination, and muscle mass, and even improves your functional strength.
You can accelerate this progress even further by doing progressive overload through:
Yes, they are. The exercise targets multiple muscles, namely the pectorals, triceps, and anterior deltoids, as well as the core muscles. Yes, many compound exercises train the abs, albeit indirectly. This ab portion happens because you need to keep the core engaged to stabilize the body and maintain posture during the movement. Yes, they do. When engaging multiple muscle groups during the workout, it increases the calorie burning during and after the exercise, which can help with fat burning as long as you are eating a healthy diet in a calorie deficit. Yes, you can absolutely get ripped with compound exercises. As long as you incorporate progressive overload into your workouts and maintain a healthy diet, you can lose fat and increase muscle mass, ultimately achieving the lean physique you desire.Frequently Asked Questions
Is pushups a compound exercise?
Do compound movements train abs?
Do compound movements burn fat?
Can you get ripped with compound exercises?
Compound calisthenics exercises are an ideal way for a beginner to begin their exercise journey. These movements will allow them to build their foundation in calisthenics and increase their daily calorie burn, which can lead to fat loss and gains in muscle mass, strength, endurance, and functional fitness.
These exercises are also a time-efficient and affordable option for anyone lacking time or finances to attend or build an at-home gym.
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