People often understand that burning fat and building muscles are contrary to each other. They believe that at one point in time, they can either lose their fat or focus on improving their muscles.

But, the reality is poles apart. Both objectives can go hand-in-hand and one can achieve both targets simultaneously.

Lifting weights is found highly effective in burning fat and building muscles without having any side effects. To achieve these targets altogether, people should focus on their complete body, and for this, they can go with compound exercises. If you too want to achieve this goal, then go through this informative read to learn what general exercises you can follow for achieving this pre-determined objective.

Give a quick check on this explanatory read.

What’s the need of burning fat and building muscles?

Excess fat is not considered good for the human body as it brings a lot of complications, and can even result in adverse health conditions. On the other hand, having well-shaped muscles is a dream of everyone and it also makes the overall physique attractive.

What do you say, is it so?

Well, it is true, but achieving this target involves a lot of effort, determination, and concentration. So, just get yourself ready to sweat it out.

To better understand all the exercises aimed at achieving this objective you can even categorize them under the following heads:

To be noted, we are here going to cover all the compound exercises, so take a quick tour of all of them.

Compound exercises you should give a try on!!

In this section of the read, we are going to cover the full-body exercises that you must try once to achieve both objectives simultaneously.

You might be thinking of what compound exercises are or what this term means. Right?

Well, compound exercises are the common name given to all the exercises that involve the complete movement of your body, and are practiced conveniently, and quickly at any time, especially when time is running short.

The exercises to be performed for achieving this goal are explained underneath:

Shape your complete body with squats!!

Squats with an overhead press are considered the best complete body workout that helps people to shape their upper and lower body at the same time. It majorly falls under the category of legs workout. This is a simple exercise that you can even perform at your home, what’s important here is the way how you perform a particular exercise:

  1. Stand by keeping the hip distance apart, and your legs a bit wider than that
  2. Bend your elbows holding a weight (dumbbell) by your ears and arms raised to the shoulder height
  3. Now, keeping the complete weight on your heels, bend your knees in a manner as you are sitting on a chair
  4. As you return to the standing position, press the dumbbell overhead

Repeat: 1-3 sets
woman squats warm-up exercises

Single arm hinge and swing

If you are looking for a single exercise that works on hips, thighs, glutes, core, and arms then this could be the best answer. This is further classified as a dynamic exercise in which momentum plays a significant role. It is considered a good shoulder workout. Some people opt to perform this exercise using heavy weights, but it is recommended to make moves using a lighter weight to avoid the chances of back injury.

  1. Hold the weight in your right hand and stand with the feet at hip-distance apart
  2. Keeping the back straight and abs-in, bend your knees and swing the weight between your knees
  3. Keep the arm straight, swing the weight (dumbbell) overhead, and stand up
  4. Lower the weight and repeat the process

Repeats: 1-3 sets
Single arm hinge and swing

Deadlift Row

Found effective for different muscle groups, this exercise helps to strengthen the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Here’s the way to do it:

  1. Stand by keeping the hip distance apart by holding weights in each of your hands. The weight should be medium
  2. Perform squat in a manner that the weight touches the floor
  3. Keeping your flat back, perform a deadlift and then stand up by holding the weight in your arms
  4. Now tip at your knees and slightly bend your knees to move the arms in a row
  5. Repeat the exercise

Repeat: 1-3 sets
Fitclub Deadlifts Beginner Leg Workout

Squat, curl, and press

Counted among the physical exercises that require physical strength, this exercise is found effective on different muscles including arms, legs, shoulders, and core. Before jumping to lift heavier weights it is recommended to start this exercise using light weights.

  1. Stand by keeping your feet quite wider than your hips
  2. Hold a light weight in each of your hands in a position palms facing each other
  3. Squat in a manner so that the weights touch the floor, keeping your abs in and back straight. Move your arms to face forward
  4. Curl up the weights and hold them
  5. Press the weights overhead by getting back to the standing position, and allowing your arms to extend
  6. Lower the weights and repeat the process

Repeat: 1-3 sets

Rear lunge with a double-arm row

This is also a complete body workout that is found effective in shaping different muscles, including the back muscles. If you are having lower back problems, then you should not practice this exercise.

Here’s a way to do it:

  1. Hold a weight in each of your hands, and take the right leg back into the reverse lunge. The leg should be kept in a position the knee should be behind the toes
  2. While pulling your elbows up to the torso level into a double arm row, stay focused to maintain a flat back
  3. Get back to the normal/starting position by lowering the weights

Repeats: 1-3 sets

Side lunge with triceps extension

This exercise is found really effective in shaping the lower body and the triceps. Check the actions to be performed:

  1. Position yourself with feet together and a dumbbell in each of your hand
  2. Make a step out of the right and bend your knee into a side lunge
  3. Hold on for a moment and ensure that your left leg is straight along with the toes pointing forward, back straight, and hip back
  4. Move the feet back together by pushing into the back heel
  5. By positioning the elbows to shoulder height and weights at the chest level, perform an upright row
  6. Perform a side lunge on the left by lowering the weights and then return to the standing position and then do an upright row

Repeats: 8-16 reps
Side lunge with triceps extension

There are other lunges also that you can perform to burn fat and gain muscles. To achieve this objective, you can do walking knee lunge, side lunge with an upright row, etc. Apart from this, you can even practice deadlift with an overhead press, side squat to overhead press, burpee with a renegade row, and push-push arm with a single arm row.

Single arm clean and press

Majorly effective for the lower body, core, and shoulders, this is a full-body exercise. It also helps in making the body balanced and stable along with maintaining the heart rate and your body warm.

  1. Holding a weight in your right hand, place your feet at hip-distance apart
  2. Perform squats in a manner that the weight touches the floor. Whilst doing it keep your back straight, abs in
  3. Placing the weight in a single arm row, push your back upwards
  4. Rotate your arm while you lift it and press the weight overhead
  5. Lower the weight and repeat it

Repeat: 1-3 sets
Single arm clean and press

Final Thoughts

While walking down the complete carved read, you might have gotten an idea of the compound exercises/full-body exercises with weights to burn fat and build muscles. Performing the above-mentioned exercises in the manner suggested you can easily achieve this target. What’s important apart from these exercises is that you should be focused on your goal and stay motivated while carrying out these exercises. You can even join one of the best gym in Gurgaon to perform exercises under the guidance of the gym trainers.