Full body workout
Two full body workouts — a barbell session and a dumbbell session — that each train every major muscle in about an hour.
A full body workout trains every major muscle in one session: a squat, a press, a row, a hinge and a little core. Done three times a week with a day off between, it’s the most efficient way for beginners to get stronger.
Full body workout (barbell)
Five lifts, every major muscle.
Barbell Back Squat- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 5–8
- Rest
- 3 min
Barbell Bench Press- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 5–8
- Rest
- 2–3 min
Barbell Bent Over Row- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 8
- Rest
- 2 min
Romanian Deadlift- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 8
- Rest
- 2 min
Overhead Press- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 8
- Rest
- 2 min
Hanging Leg Raise- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 10
- Rest
- 60 s
Full body workout (dumbbells)
For home or a crowded gym: one pair of dumbbells and a bench.
Dumbbell Goblet Squat- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–12
- Rest
- 2 min
Dumbbell Bench Press- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 8–10
- Rest
- 2 min
Dumbbell One Arm Bent-over Row- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10 each side
- Rest
- 90 s
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10
- Rest
- 90 s
Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 10
- Rest
- 90 s
Dead Bug- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 8 each side
- Rest
- 45 s
Can’t do one of these?
Machine taken or training somewhere else? Each of these has substitutes that work the same muscles.
- Barbell Back Squat alternatives
- Barbell Bench Press alternatives
- Barbell Bent Over Row alternatives
- Romanian Deadlift alternatives
- Overhead Press alternatives
- Hanging Leg Raise alternatives
- Dumbbell Goblet Squat alternatives
- Dumbbell Bench Press alternatives
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift alternatives
- Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press alternatives
Tips
- Run it three times a week, with a rest day between sessions.
- Add weight whenever you hit the top of a rep range on every set.
- Rotate the first lift between sessions (squat, then bench, then row) so each gets your freshest effort once a week.
Run this workout in SPLYT
Every exercise here is in SPLYT’s library. Save the workout as a template, log your sets on iPhone or Apple Watch, and next time your weights are already filled in from what you lifted.
Exercises to swap in
Every one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration. Swap any of them into the workouts above.
Quads
Chest
Lats
Upper back
Questions
Is a full body workout good for building muscle?
Yes. Training each muscle three times a week with a few hard sets each time builds muscle as well as a split, and it’s easier to fit into a busy week.
How many days a week should I do full body workouts?
Two or three, with at least a day of rest between them.