August 4, 2024

The Top 9 EXERCISES TO BUILD Muscle & Strength.

Looking for workout classes near you that actually make a difference in how you move, feel, and live? At Hyper Fight Fitness, our group fitness classes are built around smart, functional training — and that starts with compound exercises.

These are movements that work multiple muscle groups at once, helping you build strength, improve endurance, and torch calories faster than isolation exercises. Whether you’re stepping into one of our boxing classes, HIIT sessions, or strength-focused group workouts, we prioritize moves that translate into real-life strength — so every workout makes you better outside the gym, too. If you’re searching for fitness classes that build full-body power and challenge you in all the right ways, this list of the top compound exercises is your foundation.

the exercises

They involve multiple muscle groups — which makes them “compound” exercises to help you get stronger faster AND give you a more intense workout. These exercises mimic activities you do in everyday life, like lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying and burn more calories because they use your body’s biggest muscles. That means they can challenge your cardiorespiratory system and burn more fuel (calories) than exercises that isolate 1-2 muscles at a time. Each exercise can be modified so that it works for YOUR body and YOUR fitness level and that is something our coaches at Hyper pay special attention to.

1. SQUAT

This exercise deserves the top spot because it works all the muscles you need to get up out of a chair and MOVE!

2. THE PULL-UP

It might seem like pull-ups work only your upper body but they require a lot of core strength, too.

3. THE OVERHEAD PRESS

This is one movement many people struggle with as they get older, so getting (and staying) strong with it now may help you prevent issues in the future.

4. THE DEADLIFT (our favorite)

There are dozens of deadlift options, but they all have one thing in common: they use the muscles of the posterior chain (back of the body) to lift the weight. It can help to focus on the muscles you are using as you perform the movement (hamstrings, glutes, and back)

5. THE CHEST PRESS

The chest press is a powerful movement that can help you build your pushing and carrying muscles.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind with this exercise: getting the weights safely in place both before you start and after you finish your set, and making sure that you can safely lift the weights.

6. THE ROW

Rows target the strong muscles of your back, and they can also work your core, shoulders, and hamstrings.

7. THE WOOD CHOP

Most of our movement during our workouts is done in what’s known as the “sagittal” plane of movement – i.e., forward and backward movements. The woodchop takes you out of that plane of movement into the rotational “transverse” plane, which is how most of us move in our everyday lives. This makes the woodchop an incredibly functional exercise that will help strengthen your core muscles, boosting your ability to move in every direction.

8. THE SUITCASE CARRY

One movement that often gets overlooked during workouts is one of the most functional everyday actions: Carrying things! All of us have to pick up heavy items (or even grocery bags) and carry them from time to time. These exercises help with core strength, grip strength, and endurance.

9. THE PLANK

It’s true that the plank isn’t really a movement, but it definitely is a compound exercise due to the fact it requires all your muscles to work together. It is a great way to build core strength and endurance – both of which will help make your whole body stronger and more functional in your day-to-day life. It will also help your workout performance.

If you’re tired of generic workouts and want to join fitness classes that actually work, focusing on compound movements is the game-changer. At Hyper, our coaches use movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, and planks to create efficient, results-driven workouts. These aren’t just exercises — they’re tools that build real-world strength, boost your metabolism, and help prevent injuries.

Ready to experience the power of our strength classes? Join one of our small group training classes or boxing-inspired workouts and feel the Hyper difference.

Located in Schiller Park, we’re here to help you move better, get stronger, and train smarter — one rep at a time.