Sometimes when we train we try to get too fancy. We forget the simple exercises that can hit multiple body parts at once. Compound exercises, for example, allow you to “use the heaviest load possible, involve multiple joint articulations, and stimulate a large amount of muscle mass,” explains Eric Cressey, president of Cressey Sports Performance. “As an added bonus, the majority of these movements are performed [from a] standing position, meaning that you will need to display proper control of your body. Compound exercises are also more likely to increase your anabolic response to training, which is paramount when you’re trying to increase lean muscle tissue.”