If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to hit every muscle group each week — chest day, leg day, arm day, back day — take a deep breath. What if you could hit all your major muscles at once? Good news: you can.
You don’t have to spend hours hopping from machine to machine. You just need smart, compound moves that work multiple muscles in a single shot. That means more strength, more calorie burn, and way more time saved.
Below, you’ll find six powerhouse exercises that work your upper body, lower body, and core all at once. Whether you’re training at the gym or at home, these moves keep your workouts simple but insanely effective. Let’s jump in.
1. Deadlifts — The King Of Full-Body Strength
Ask any trainer to name the one exercise they’d keep if they could only pick one — most will say the deadlift. It’s not fancy, but it’s powerful.
Why Deadlifts Work Everything
Your legs lift the weight, your glutes fire to stand you up, your back and shoulders stabilize, and your grip and core hold it all together. That’s a head-to-toe workout in one single pull.
How To Do It Right
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, barbell over mid-foot.
- Bend your hips and knees to grip the bar just outside your legs.
- Keep your chest up, back flat, and core tight.
- Drive through your heels, stand tall, squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Lower back down with control.
Pro Tip: Start light to master your form — a good deadlift feels smooth and controlled, never jerky.
How Many: 3-4 sets of 5-8 reps.
2. Squat To Press — Legs, Shoulders, Core
The squat to press, sometimes called a thruster, is your go-to if you want to burn fat and build muscle at the same time. You squat down, drive back up, and press weights overhead in one fluid move.
Why It Works
Your quads, glutes, and hamstrings power the squat. Your shoulders and arms handle the press. Your core keeps everything stable so you don’t wobble. It’s basically a whole workout in one rep.
How To Do It
- Hold dumbbells at shoulder height, stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower into a deep squat — keep your chest up.
- Drive through your heels to stand up.
- As you stand, press the dumbbells overhead.
- Bring them back to shoulders and repeat.
How Many: 3 sets of 8-12 reps.
3. Pull-Ups — Bodyweight Back And Biceps
No move screams functional strength like a pull-up. It’s simple but humbling — and it hits more than just your back.
Why Pull-Ups Are So Effective
You’ll work your back, shoulders, biceps, forearms, and core. Stabilizing your body as you pull yourself up fires up your abs too.
How To Do It
- Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Hang with arms fully extended.
- Pull your chest up toward the bar, driving elbows down and back.
- Lower with control.
Can’t do one yet? Use a resistance band for assistance or try negatives — jump up and lower yourself slowly.
How Many: 3 sets of as many reps as you can.
4. Push-Ups — Classic But Complete
Push-ups get taken for granted, but they’re still one of the best bodyweight exercises out there.
Why Push-Ups Work Everything
Your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core all work together. Keep your body stiff like a plank and your abs get a sneaky workout too.
How To Do It
- Start in a high plank, hands under shoulders.
- Lower your chest to the floor, elbows at 45 degrees.
- Push back up, keeping your core tight.
Too tough? Drop to your knees or do them on an incline (hands on a bench).
How Many: 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
5. Kettlebell Swings — Cardio Meets Strength
This one’s a sneaky fat burner. The kettlebell swing combines strength and cardio in one explosive move.
Why Swings Are So Powerful
Your hips and glutes power the swing, your shoulders and grip stabilize the bell, and your core locks everything in place. Plus, the heart rate spike burns serious calories.
How To Do It
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, kettlebell about a foot in front.
- Hinge at your hips, grab the bell with both hands.
- Swing it back between your legs, then snap your hips forward to swing it to chest height.
- Let it swing back down and repeat.
How Many: 4 sets of 15-20 swings.
6. Renegade Rows — Core, Back, Arms
This one might look fancy, but it’s pure gold for building total-body strength and rock-solid abs.
Why Renegade Rows Work So Well
They’re a plank and a row combined — your core, shoulders, back, and arms work double-time.
How To Do It
- Start in a high plank, each hand gripping a dumbbell.
- Feet a bit wider than hips for balance.
- Row one dumbbell up toward your hip while balancing on the other arm.
- Lower with control, switch sides.
Keep your hips steady — no rocking side to side.
How Many: 3 sets of 8-10 rows per side.
Putting It All Together
You don’t need to do all six every day — you’d be sore for weeks! Pick three or four for each session and cycle through them 2-3 times a week.
Here’s a simple sample plan:
Day 1
- Deadlift
- Pull-Ups
- Push-Ups
Day 2
- Squat To Press
- Kettlebell Swings
- Renegade Rows
Alternate between the two workouts. Keep your rest short (45-90 seconds) to keep your heart rate up and torch extra calories.
How To Maximize Results
1 Lift with good form: Bad form equals injuries and stalled progress. Watch your posture.
2 Progress slowly: Add more weight, reps, or sets over time. Small changes equal big results.
3 Eat for your goals: Fuel your body with enough protein and healthy carbs to build muscle and recover strong.
4 Sleep: Your muscles grow when you rest. Shoot for 7-9 hours a night.
5 Stay consistent: The magic is in showing up week after week — not in any single “perfect” workout.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need 20 different machines or a 7-day split to get strong, lean, and fit. Just these six compound moves will hit every major muscle group in your body, build strength, burn fat, and make you feel like a superhero — without wasting your time.
So grab your dumbbells, find a pull-up bar, swing that kettlebell, and get to it. Your whole body will thank you — and so will your busy schedule.
