Walk into many gyms or scroll through social media and you’ll often see workouts filled with complex exercise variations, unusual equipment and elaborate training methods. While these workouts can look impressive, they’re not always the most effective way to build strength, improve fitness or change your body composition.
In reality, some of the best results come from keeping training simple, consistent and focused on exercises that deliver the greatest return for your effort. If you want efficient, effective workouts that produce real results, focusing on compound exercises is often the smartest approach.
Here’s how you do it…
Many Exercises Are Simply Not That Efficient
There are thousands of exercises available, but not all of them deliver meaningful results. Many isolation or novelty exercises target small muscle groups, require complicated setups or offer minimal carryover into real-world strength and performance.
That doesn’t mean these exercises are useless, but they are often less efficient, especially for people with busy schedules who want maximum results in limited training time. Most people benefit far more from exercises that train multiple muscle groups at once and develop strength, coordination and overall fitness together.
For that, we need to use compound exercises.
What Are Compound Exercises?
Compound exercises are movements that involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together at the same time. Rather than isolating one muscle, compound exercises challenge the body to move in a coordinated and functional way.
Examples include squatting, pressing, pulling and lifting movements that mirror how the body naturally moves in everyday life.
Why Compound Exercises Are So Effective
Compound exercises:
Build strength across multiple muscle groups
Burn more calories due to higher overall muscle involvement
Improve coordination and functional movement
Allow you to train more efficiently in less time
Support long-term strength, mobility and injury prevention
For most people, focusing on a small number of compound exercises provides the foundation for strong, balanced and sustainable fitness progress.
A Simple Full-Body Workout That Works
Below is a highly effective full-body workout built around proven compound exercises. This type of session trains all major muscle groups, making it ideal for building strength, improving fitness and supporting body composition goals.
Squats
Squats are one of the most powerful lower-body exercises available. They primarily target the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, while also engaging the core and improving overall lower-body strength.
Squats also replicate everyday movements such as sitting and standing, making them highly functional and beneficial for long-term mobility and strength.
Bench Press
The bench press is a classic upper-body pushing exercise that develops the chest, shoulders and triceps. It is highly effective for building upper-body strength and improving pushing power.
When performed correctly, the bench press also promotes shoulder stability and helps develop balanced upper-body musculature.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are one of the most complete strength exercises you can perform. They target the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, lower back and core, while also strengthening grip and upper-body stability.
Deadlifts improve lifting mechanics and build real-world strength that carries over into daily activities and sports performance.
Pull Ups
Pull ups are one of the best upper-body pulling exercises. They primarily work the back, biceps and shoulders while also engaging the core.
They help improve posture, upper-body strength and muscular balance, particularly when paired with pushing exercises like the bench press.
Shoulder Press
The shoulder press develops strength in the shoulders, triceps and upper chest while requiring strong core stability. It improves overhead strength, which is important for many everyday movements and sporting activities.
Lunges
Lunges are an excellent single-leg exercise that improves balance, coordination and lower-body strength. They help address strength imbalances between legs and place significant emphasis on the glutes and quadriceps.
Lunges also enhance stability and joint control, reducing injury risk and improving overall athletic movement.
Example Workout Structure
A simple full-body session using these exercises could look like:
Squats – 3 sets of 6–10 repetitions
Bench Press – 3 sets of 6–10 repetitions
Deadlifts – 3 sets of 5–8 repetitions
Pull Ups – 3 sets of 6–10 repetitions (assisted if needed)
Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions
Lunges – 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions per leg
This type of workout can be performed two to three times per week, allowing sufficient recovery while still providing consistent strength and fitness improvements.
Consistency Always Beats Complexity
One of the biggest mistakes people make with training is constantly changing workouts or chasing complicated routines. Progress comes from repeating key movements, improving technique and gradually increasing strength over time.
Simple programmes are easier to follow, easier to measure progress with and far more likely to produce long-term results.
How AdMac Fitness Helps You Train Smarter
At AdMac Fitness, we design training programmes built around proven exercises that deliver real, measurable results. Our coaching focuses on technique, progression and structured programming tailored to each client’s goals and experience level.
Whether you’re new to training or looking to take your fitness to the next level, our personal training and small group coaching sessions provide expert guidance, accountability and support to help you succeed.
Keep It Simple, Get Better Results
You don’t need complicated workouts to get stronger, fitter or healthier. In many cases, focusing on a small number of well-chosen compound exercises is the most efficient and effective way to train.
If you’d like expert coaching, structured programming and a supportive training environment, AdMac Fitness is here to help you achieve lasting results.
Want to improve your health and fitness? Let the AdMac Fitness Personal Trainers help…
AdMac Fitness has been helping the people of East London transform their health and fitness for nearly a decade.
We help people using tried and tested fitness approaches. Our expert team of personal trainers, based in both Bow and South Woodford can help you get a grip of your health forever. With our guidance and experience, you can relax knowing that your fitness journey is going to be guided by some of the best personal trainers in East London.
For more information on who we are, what we do and how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, contact us on… 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Our locations are…
AdMac Fitness: Arch 457 Robeson St, London E3 4JA
AdMac Fitness South Woodford: Unit 4 Marlborough Business Centre, 96 George Lane, South Woodford, London, E18 1AD