If you want to grow strength and mass, lift big and do compound exercises. Most probably, you may have heard this advice. Well, this isn’t entirely true, but yes, compound liftings are super effective. I personally love doing them, and they help me develop a firm and muscular physique.
Compound movements, also known as multi-joint exercises, work on multiple muscles simultaneously and help promote strength and hypertrophy.1 Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength – Frontiers in Physiology Squats, bench presses, and deadlifts are popular examples of compound lifting.
There are various compound exercises you can do to target every muscle from the upper to the lower body. However, if you do not have a workout plan, you won’t be able to utilize them properly.
A well-crafted workout routine allows you to train in an organized manner and help you reach your fitness goal.
In this article, I’ve shared an ultimate 3 day compound workout routine that is easy to follow, effective, and can help you level up your fitness.
It will be a 4-week program which you can extend till the desired time.
Program Summary
| Routine Type | Full Body and Hybrid Split |
| Workout Duration | 4 Weeks (Recommended 12 weeks) |
| Main Goal | Strength and Muscle Building |
| Training Level | Intermediate |
| Sessions Per Week | Three |
| Time Per Session | 60-90 Minutes |
| Target Gender | Male and Female |
| Suitable Age Group | 20-40 years |
| Plan to Follow Next | 4-Day Compound Workout Routine |
If you’re a beginner and train twice a week, you can download this 2-day split compound workout program.
Helpful resources for this plan:
The Best 3 Day Compound Workout Routine to Build Muscle
Schedule:
- Week 1 & 3 – Full Body Workout
- Monday – Workout
- Tuesday – OFF
- Wednesday -Workout
- Thursday – OFF
- Friday – Workout
- Saturday – OFF
- Sunday – OFF
- Week 2 & 4 – Hyrbrid Split
- Day 1 (Mon) – Chest, Triceps, and Abs
- Day 2 (Wed) – Back and Shoulder
- Day 3 (Fri) – Legs and Biceps
Instructions
- Warm-up: 5-10 minutes (you use the treadmill, stationary bike, or bodyweight cardio exercises).
- Rest between sets: 1-3 minutes
- Method of Training: Standard Rep-Set Pattern
Week 1 – Full Body Compound Workout
- Monday – Total Body Compound Workout
- Tuesday – OFF
- Wednesday – Total Body Compound Workout Training
- Thursday – OFF
- Friday – Full Body Compound Workout
- Saturday – OFF
- Sunday – OFF
Day 1
| Exercise | Muscle Worked | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squat | Quad, Ham, & Glutes | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Pull-ups | Back, Biceps, & Core | 3 | 6-12 |
| Barbell Bench Press | Chest, Triceps, & Shoulder | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Standing Overhead Press | Shoulders, Ab, and Chest | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Seated Cable Row | Back and Biceps | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
Day 2
| Exercise | Muscle Worked | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | Integrated Full Body | 4 | 8, 6, 4, 2 |
| Incline DB Bench Press | Chest, Triceps, & Shoulders | 3 | 12,10, 8 |
| Parallel Dips | Triceps, Shoulders, Abs, Chest | 3 | 12,10, 8 |
| Chin-ups | Biceps and Back | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
| Weighted Plank | Core, Arms, Shoulder | 2 | 60-sec |
Day 3
| Exercise | Muscle Worked | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Push-ups | Chest, Core, & Triceps | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Smith Machine Lunges | Quad, Ham, & Glutes | 3 | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | Back and Biceps | 3 | 16, 12, 10, 8 |
| Incline IYT Raises | Biceps, Triceps, & Shoulders | 3 | 16, 12, 10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | Chest, Back, & Core | 3 | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
Week 2 – Hybrid Split Compound Workout Routine
- Day 1 – Chest, Triceps, and Abs
- Day 2 – Back and Shoulder
- Day 3 – Legs and Biceps
- Alternate day off
Day 1 – Chest, Triceps, and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Bar Dips | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Diamond Pushups | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Hanging Knee Raises | 2 | 10-20 | 1-min |
| Weighted Plank | 2 | 60-sec | 1-min |
Day 2 – Back and Shoulder
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Front Lat Pulldown | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Leaning Lateral Raises | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Cable Facepull | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
Day 3 – Legs and Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Squats | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 | 2-3 min |
| Step-up | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Lunges | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Chinups | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
Week 3 – Total Body Compound Workout Plan
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – Workout
- Tue, Thur, Sat, and Sun – OFF or Cardio
Day 1
| Exercise | Muscle Worked | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Lunges | Quad, Ham, & Glutes | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Lat Pulldown | Back and Biceps | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Barbell Bench Press | Chest, Triceps, & Shoulder | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Standing Overhead Press | Shoulders, Ab, and Chest | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Weighted Plank | Core, Arms, and Shoulder | 2 | 60-sec |
Day 2
| Exercise | Muscle Worked | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Deadlift | Integrated Full Body | 4 | 8, 6, 4, 2 |
| Chin-ups | Biceps and Back | 3 | 12,10, 8 |
| Incline IYT Raises | Back and Shoulder | 3 | 12,10, 8 |
| Dumbbell Pullover | Chest and Back | 3 | 10, 8, 8 |
| Hanging Knee Raises | Core and Arms | 2 | 10-20 |
Day 3
| Exercise | Muscle Worked | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Push-ups | Chest, Core, & Triceps | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Seated Cable Rowing | Back and Biceps | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | Back and Biceps | 3 | 10, 12, 10 |
| Bent-over Reverse Fly | Shoulder and Back | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Dumbbell RDL | Posterior Chain Muscle | 3 | 10, 8, 6 |
Week 4 – Combined Upper/Lower Split Workout
- Monday – Chest, Triceps, and Abs
- Wednesday – Back and Shoulder
- Friday – Legs and Biceps
Monday – Chest, Triceps, and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Bench Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Incline Bench Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Bar Dips | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Diamond Pushups | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Hanging Knee Raises | 2 | 10-20 | 1-min |
| Weighetd Plank | 2 | 60-sec | 1-min |
Wednesday – Back and Shoulder
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Front Lat Pulldown | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Arnold Press | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 2-3 min |
| Leaning Lateral Raises | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Cable Facepull | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
Friday – Legs and Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back Squats | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 | 2-3 min |
| Step-up | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Lunges | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Hip Thrust | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
| Chinups | 3 | 12, 10, 8 | 1-2 min |
5 Pro Tips for Maximizing Workout Plan & Achieving Optimal Results
1. Pre-Workout Meal
Consuming pre-workout meals helps you perform better during the workout and supports muscle-building.
Here are some examples of meals you can consume prior to the workout.
- Protein Shake
- Chicken Salad
- Almonds, Cashews, Pistachios
- Oatmeal
- Energy Bars
- Peanut Butter with Brown Bread
- Yogurt with Fruit/Granola
- Fruit Smoothies
- Eggs
You should have your meal 30 minutes to 2 hours before the training, depending on the kind of food you consume.
2. Workout When You Feel Active
You can give your maximum during the workout when you feel energetic. You can work out at any time of the day, but make sure you’re fresh and ready to lift.
3. Keep yourself hydrated during the workout
Several studies have shown keeping yourself hydrated during the workout is essential to prevent injuries and uneasiness and enhance performance. So, it is best to drink water when you feel hypohydration.2, 3
4. Post-workout Meal
Post-workout meal is crucial for rebuilding and growth of trained muscle. You can have a great workout session, but if you don’t consume the protein and carbs after the workout, your muscles might not grow.
I suggest consuming at least 40-50 grams of protein and one gram of carbs per kg of your body weight for optimal results (it is only an example, a nutritionist can help you better in this case).
Examples of Post-Workout Meals:
- Protein shake and banana.
- Oatmeal with yogurt, almonds, and berries.
- Chicken with salad and cheese.
- Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and rice.
- Egg omelet with avocado on whole grain toast.
- Salmon with sweet potato.
5. Make Progress
It is important to gradually increase the load, the number of reps and sets, and the session duration as you progress further. Pushing your limit to a certain extent may help you build muscle faster.
Download The Program PDF
You can follow this combined isolation and compound exercise routine to develop your fitness.
Alternate program options:
- 3-Day Upper Lower Split for Strength & Mass
- The Ultimate 3 Day Gym Workout Mix Split
- Push Pull Legs 3-Day Split Routine
References
- 1Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength – Frontiers in Physiology
