5 Compound Lifts Every Philly Athlete Should Master

Jorge Silva · 2026-05-31

Get good at these five and you'll cover almost everything your body does. Master one new variation a month and you've got a year of programming built in.

1. Back squat

The single most powerful lower-body lift on the planet. Quads, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, core, mental fortitude. A heavy set of five back squats teaches you more about your body in 90 seconds than any cardio session of any length.

Progression path: goblet squat → front squat → low-bar back squat → high-bar back squat with belt.

2. Deadlift

The other half of "every leg session." Hips, hamstrings, lats, traps, grip, core. The deadlift teaches you how to pick something heavy off the floor without hurting yourself — the most practically useful skill in the gym.

Progression path: dumbbell Romanian deadlift → trap bar deadlift → conventional barbell deadlift → sumo barbell deadlift.

3. Bench press

Yes, the meme lift. But trained correctly, the bench press is the most efficient way to build chest, shoulders, and triceps. Every other pressing variation traces back to the basic bar path of the bench press.

Progression path: dumbbell bench press → barbell bench press → paused bench press → close-grip bench press.

4. Pull-up

Bodyweight king. Builds lats, biceps, mid-back, rear delts, grip strength, core stability. Five clean pull-ups separates the population of "people who lift" from "people who pretend to lift."

Progression path: banded pull-up → bodyweight pull-up → weighted pull-up → strict slow-eccentric pull-up.

5. Overhead press

The hardest of the big five for most people, and the most rewarded. Builds shoulders, triceps, upper back, and a core that holds together under heavy load. Bonus: it's the lift most directly transferable to overhead work in jobs, sports, and daily life.

Progression path: seated dumbbell press → standing dumbbell press → standing barbell press → push press.

What the five have in common

• They scale infinitely. You can spend 30 years adding weight to a back squat. Pick a movement you'll still be doing in 2050.
• They reward good form. A clean set looks like a clean set. A messy set looks messy. The feedback loop is immediate.
• They build the connective tissue. Compound lifts strengthen tendons and ligaments in a way isolation work cannot.
• They make every other lift better. Strong squat = stronger lunge. Strong deadlift = stronger row. Strong bench = stronger push-up.

How to start

Pick one. Train it twice a week for eight weeks. Add weight. Then pick a second one and do the same. By the time you cycle through all five, you're a year in and you've built a body that does work, not just looks at itself.

If you want a coach watching the bar path while you build all five, apply for The Method — first assessment is on us.