The Holy Grail of Gains: Why Compound Movements Are Your Best Bet
The Holy Grail of Gains: Why Compound Movements Are Your Best Bet
Moses had Aaron and Hur hold up his arms when he got tired.
Maybe Moses wouldn't have needed the help if he knew about the strength building power of compound exercises.
(But then, you and I would have one less passage to preach from about helpers, sharing the load of leadership. Not good!)
But theoretically, I'm correct.
Moses could have said, "Nah, fellas, I got this" had he read this article in Hebrew six months prior.
Here's the truth...
If you want to torch fat, pack on muscle, and get ridiculously strong in record time, you need to start lifting like you mean it.
That means compound movements—squats, deadlifts, presses.
The lifts that don’t just make you sweat but rebuild your entire frame, turning you into a lean, powerful, and resilient machine.
Let’s break down why these are the only lifts that matter (and when it’s okay to let the machines do the work).
More Muscle in Less Time (Because You’re Busy)
Most pastors don’t have time for two-hour gym sessions.
You’ve got meetings, counseling, sermon prep, and at least one last-minute funeral every month.
That’s why compound lifts are perfect—they hit multiple muscle groups at once.
Instead of wasting time on a dozen different isolation exercises, you get more done with just a few. Examples would be:
- Bench press works your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
- Deadlifts hit your back, legs, core, and grip strength.
- Squats strengthen your entire lower body and force your abs to engage.
Less time.
More results.
More energy for ministry.
Win-win-win.
They Build Strength That Actually Matters
You don’t need beach muscles. You need ministry muscles—the kind that let you carry all the grocery bags in one trip, hoist that baptismal candidate (yeah, that one) out of the water, and survive back-to-back services without collapsing.
Strength training isn’t just about looking good (though nobody’s complaining if your suit fits better).
It’s about functionality:
- Strong legs? You can stand, walk, and preach without fatigue.
- A strong back? No more slouching or “pastor posture” from sitting too much.
- Stronger arms? You can finally lift your toddler without throwing out your back (or shoulder, or knee, or...).
It’s not about looking like a bodybuilder.
It’s about building a body that serves you well for the long haul.
They Melt Fat and Keep You Lean
More muscle = higher metabolism.
That means you burn more calories even when you’re just sitting in a staff meeting.
Compound lifts trigger a hormonal response that burns fat for hours after your workout—way more than those endless treadmill sessions that leave you tired and starving.
If you’d like to:
✅ Get stronger
✅ Stay lean
✅ Be less afraid of Sister Agnes when she gets riled up...
... Then squats, deadlifts and presses are your best friends.
The Exception: When Machines Make Sense
Now, if you’re dealing with:
🚨 A blown-out knee from a youth camp basketball game (You shouldn't have even tried, bro.)
🚨 A shoulder that sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies
🚨 A back injury from that time you thought “I can totally move this couch myself”
Then, yes, machines are your friend. They can often let you train safely without aggravating the injuries.
I'm personally dealing with this right now.
My shoulder. (Ouch.)
Machines are my workaround.
For some reason, there's less "pinch" at my injury on a machine press than standard bench press.
Until it heals, I'm stickin' to the machine like young Kyle Reese in Terminator 2.
Moral of the story? Pain is not a growth strategy.
If something hurts, adjust.
Use machines when necessary, but don’t use them as an excuse to avoid compound movements.
Final Word: Be a Strong Shepherd
You can’t lead well if you’re not optimized.
And you can't optimize without resistance training.
And you can't optimize resistance training if you're ignoring compound movement exercises.
Your spiritual endurance matters most, but your physical endurance helps you keep up with ministry demands.
This week, focus on those compound lifts.
Start light, focus on form, and thank me later when you're moving more like a nimble shepherd than a stiff deacon.
More Resources To Help You Optimize
🥤Momentum Shake: The Complete Longevity Shake for Optimal Health
🎥 Sermon Shots: Repurpose Sermons Into Clips & Other Engaging Content in Minutes
💊 My (Scott's) full supplement regimen
