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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper May 2018 Page 39
fitness matters

by Jason Blough, Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answers to Your Health and Wellness Questions

Question:

A friend of mine keeps telling me that I should be doing more
compound movements. What does this mean and what are the benefits?

Answer:
Your friend is right! Isolated movements are really more appropriate for
targeting weak areas or for rehabilitating after an injury. Today’s fitness trends
typically involve more functional movements that mimic real-life activities.
That’s why compound exercises are becoming so popular, and why we have
designed an entire group-training program around them. They’re essentially
just multi-joint exercises that work several muscles at a time. Examples include
pull-ups, push-ups, squats, lunges, deadlifts, kettlebell swings, dips, and
even jumping rope. And this is only scratching the surface when it comes
to compound exercises. There are numerous reasons to incorporate more
compound movements into your training. The following are just a few of the
benefits:

• Provides a full body workout in a shorter period of time;
• Improves coordination, reaction time, and balance;
• Provides cardiovascular benefits by keeping your heart rate elevated;
• Decreases risk of injury during sports;
• Burns more calories; and
• Allows for heavier lifts that will build strength faster.

I highly recommend adding compound movements to your workout
regimen, and if you give them a try, have fun with them and get creative. Think
of new ways to use stability balls, medicine balls, barbells, bands, kettlebells,
ropes, and, of course, your own body weight to work multiple muscle groups
at a time!

About the author: Jason Blough is the Club Manager/Certified Personal
Trainer at Anytime Fitness in Thurmont. To submit a question for future
articles, please contact the author at [email protected].