A common mistake many people make in the gym is not including enough compound exercises in their regime. They opt instead for more isolation work to improve their physique. While biceps curls and leg extensions might be a good way to improve your muscular definition, they don’t create the anabolic environment you really need to pack on muscle.
Testosterone is a major anabolic hormone in the body, triggering the growth of lean muscle mass when paired with strength training and caloric surplus. Major lifts like squats, deadlifts, Olympic lifts and their variations trigger much greater increases in testosterone compared to isolation exercises. (3)
Studies show the lifts performed in higher volume (10 sets of 10) or at higher intensity (1RM x 6-10 sets better than 1RM for 3 sets) can both trigger tremendous increases in testosterone, which means both novice and advanced trainees have effective options. (4)
Perform at least two compound lifts at the start of every training session, training 3-5 times weekly, to stimulate the testosterone and anabolic response needed to add lean muscle.
