Often, full-body workouts will be your best bet when you're looking for intense results because they'll allow you to workout with high frequency, while having plenty of time left over to recover.

Also, full-body workouts save time and stimulate the most muscle fibers per workout. 

Designing a full-body workout can be tricky for some people, especially if they are involved in any other types of exercise such as cardio or an outside sport. As each full-body workout will be working every muscle group in the body, you need to watch what form of exercise you will be doing the day after to make sure you're not shorting yourself of the 48-hour recovery period.

Here are 10 different full-body workouts for various objectives that you can make use of.

 

1. Low Volume Compound Workout

 

This one is essentially a reduced volume workout that targets muscle maintenance, without much glycogen depletion.

 

Low Volume Workout 1

  1. Barbell Squat – 3 sets, 5-6 reps
  2. Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip – 3 sets, 6-8 reps
  3. Bent Over Barbell Row – 3 sets, 6-8 reps
  4. Upright Barbell Row – 3 sets, 6-8 reps
  5. Crunches – 3 sets, 8-10 reps

Low Volume Workout 2

  1. Barbell Deadlift – 3 sets, 5-6 reps
  2. Barbell Incline Bench Press Medium-Grip – 3 sets, 6-8 reps
  3. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown- 3 sets, 6-8 reps
  4. Lateral Raise – With Bands- 2 sets, 6-8 reps
  5. Standing Calf Raises- 2 sets, 8-10 reps
  6. Superman- 2 sets, 8-10 reps

Switch between these workouts by either doing 2-3 workouts per week (using an ABA, BAB, ABA set-up). As long as you work each muscle group once every 5 days it’ll be enough to still get good results and keep your lean body mass intact during the cut.

 

2. Depletion full-body Workout

 

This full-body workout aimed for cutting, is designed to deplete all the muscle glycogen stores. This is effective when performed once in a while to really boost fat burning enzymes in the body and increase progress.

When moving through this full-body workout, decrease the total weight you are lifting due to the higher rep range called for. Aim to keep your rest periods on the shorter side to reap the most metabolic benefits.

 

Depletion full-body Workout

  1. Leg Press – 2 sets, 10-15 reps
  2. Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip – 2 sets, 10-15 reps
  3. Seated Cable Rows – 2 sets, 10-15 reps
  4. Barbell Shoulder Press – 2 sets, 10-15 reps
  5. Barbell Lunge – 2 sets, 10-15 reps
  6. Butterfly – 2 sets, 10-15 reps
  7. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown – 2 sets, 10-15 reps
  8. Side Lateral Raise – 2 sets, 15-20 reps
  9. Standing Calf Raises – 2 sets, 15-20 reps
  10. Dumbbell Bicep Curl – 2 sets, 15-20 reps
  11. Pushups – 2 sets, 15-20 reps
  12. Hanging Leg Raise – 2 sets, 15-20 reps

 

Also depending on the particular diet you're using and how low in calories and carbohydrates it is, you might need to add a third set of most exercises. Usually the best way to perform these workouts is by doing a circuit style type of set-up where you do one set of each and then proceed onto the next. Once you've completed one entire round of the circuit, then you go back and do a second and third if necessary.

 

3. Time-Pressed full-body Workout

 

This full-body workout for cutting is for someone who's under greater time constraints and looking to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible.
If you performed the following workout a minimum of twice a week, that will still allow you plenty of time to get to the gym for cardio sessions as well.

 

Time-Pressed full-body Workout

  1. Barbell Full Squat – 2 sets, 6-8 reps
  2. Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip – 2 sets, 6-8 reps
  3. Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 1 set, 8 reps
  4. Dumbbell Bicep Curl – 1 set, 10 reps
  5. Triceps Pushdown – Rope Attachment – 1 set, 10 reps
  6. Sit-Up – 1 set, 15 reps

 

4. The Standard 3, 4 And 5 Day Split

Day 1 – 4×8

  1. Barbell Squat – 4 sets, 8 reps
  2. Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip – 4 sets, 8 reps
  3. Pullups – 4 sets, 8 reps
  4. Standing Military Press – 4 sets, 8 reps
  5. Barbell Curl – 4 sets, 8 reps
  6. Ab Roller – 4 sets, 8 reps

Day 3 – 5×5

  1. Barbell Deadlift – 5 sets, 5 reps
  2. Bent Over Barbell Row – 5 sets, 5 reps
  3. Incline Dumbbell Press – 5 sets, 5 reps
  4. Side Lateral Raise – 5 sets, 5 reps
  5. Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension – 5 sets, 5 reps
  6. Hammer Curls – 5 sets, 5 reps

Day 5: 3×12

  1. Barbell Lunge – 3 sets, 12 reps
  2. Dips – Chest Version – 3 sets, 12 reps
  3. Chin-Up – 3 sets, 12 reps
  4. Push Press – 3 sets, 12 reps
  5. Seated Calf Raise – 3 sets, 12 reps
  6. Plate Twist – 3 sets, 12 reps

 

5. The 3-day Full-body Workout

Day One: Push Workout

Primer

  • Banded Pull Apart
  • Gorilla Stretch
  • Cat-camel Stretch

First Moves

  1. Goblet Squat 4×5
  2. Floor Press 4×5

Second Moves

  1. Leg Press 3×8 to 12
  2. Landmine Press 3×8 to 12

Third Moves

  1. Leg extension 3×12
  2. Pallof press 3×12

 

Day Two: Pull Workout

Primer

  • Standing banded hip thrusts
  • Banded glute bridge
  • Banded pull downs

First Moves

  1. Pull-ups (assisted if necessary) 3×5
  2. Rack pulls 3×5

Second Moves

  1. Hip thrusts 3×8 to 12
  2. Close-grip lat pulldown 3×8 to 12

Third Moves

  1. Lying hamstring curl 3×12
  2. Cable rotations 3×12

 

Day Three: Supersets

These supersets should be completed back to back, without a rest in between.

 

First Superset

  1. Hack squats 3×8 to 12
  2. Kettlebell deadlift 3×8 to 12

Second Superset

  1. Dumbbell incline press 3×8 to 12
  2. Bent-over row 3×8 to 12

Third Superset

  1. Single-arm kneeling dumbbell press 3×12
  2. Single-arm row 3×8 to 12

 

6. 4-day Full-body Workout

The 4-day workout works in much the same way as the 3-day version, except this time each day will be devoted to either lower body or upper body exercises.

 

Day One: Lower Body

Push Moves

  1. Kettlebell rack squats 4×5
  2. Leg press 3×6

Pull Moves

  1. Deadlift 4×5
  2. Rack RDL 3×6

Accessory Superset

  1. Lying hamstring curl 3×8 to 12 
  2. Seated leg extension 3×8 to 12

 

Day Two: Upper Body

Push Moves

  1. Bench press 4×5
  2. Dumbbell press 3×6

Pull Moves

  1. Pull-ups 4×5
  2. Seated row 3×6

Accessory Superset

  1. Incline bicep curl 3×8 to 12 
  2. Triceps push down 3×8 to 12

 

Day Three: Lower Body

Push Moves

  1. Barbell glute bridge 3×8 to 12
  2. Hack squat 3×8 to 12

Pull Moves 

  1. Split squat 3×8 to 12
  2. SL RDL 3×8 to 12

Accessory Superset

  1. Leg curl 3×8 to 12 
  2. Abs roll out 3×5 to 9
  3. Day Four: Upper Body

 

Day Four: Upper Body

Push Moves

  1. Landmine press 3×8 to 12
  2. Pendlay row 3×8 to 12

Pull Moves

  1. Close-grip lat pulldown 3×8 to 12
  2. Incline dumbbell press 3×8 to 12

Accessory Superset

  1. Cable curl 3×8 to 12 
  2. Skull crusher 3×8 to 12
  3. Pallof press 3×8 to 12

 

7. Simple full-body workout 

The Workout (2-3 x Week)

  1. Seated Cable Rows or Bent Row or T-Bar Row – 2-3 sets, 5-10 reps
  2. Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip or Incline Bench Press or Decline Bench Press – 2-3 sets, 5-10 reps
  3. Barbell Deadlift or Romanian Deadlift or Stiff-Leg Deadlift – 2-3 sets, 5-20 reps
  4. Clean and Press or Seated Military Press or Shrugs – 2-3 sets, 5-10 reps
  5. Barbell Squat or Front Squat or Lunges – 2-3 sets, 5-10 reps
  6. Chin-Up or Pull ups – 1-3 sets, 5-10 reps
  7. Dips – Triceps Version or Close-Grip Bench Press – 1-3 sets, 5-10 reps
  8. Seated Calf Raise or Standing Calf Raises – 2-3 sets, 5-40 reps

 

8. Bodyweights full-body workout.

This full-body circuit has been formulated to build strength, while the short rest times mean you're also burning extra calories. Do all the moves in order, three times a week, with a day off between each go. You'll be leaner, stronger and richer man for it.

  1. Pistol Squat – Sets: 3 Reps: 14
  2. Burpee – Sets: 3 Reps: 20
  3. Handstand Wall Walk – Sets: 3 Reps: 10m high
  4. Spaceman Jump – Sets: 3 Reps: 30 secs
  5. Standing Long Jump – Sets: 3 Reps: 8 
  6. Side Planks – Sets: 3 Reps: 4
  7. Bench Dips – Sets: 3 Reps: 12

 

9. Beginners full-body workout by Jeremy Ethier

This version is designed for beginner lifters (those relatively new to the gym). The main difference
between this workout and the intermediate workout is total sets, an adjustment in the rep ranges, and less accessory movements.

  1. Barbell Bench Press – Sets 3 Reps 8-10
  2. Barbell Back Squat – Sets 3 Reps 8-10
  3. Pull-Ups – Sets 3 Reps 6-10
  4. Lying Hamstring DB Curls – Sets 3 Reps 10-15
  5. Standing Overhead Press – Sets 3 Reps 6-10
  6. Facepulls – Sets 2 Reps 10-15

 

10. Advanced full-body workout by Jeremy Ethier

This version is designed for more experienced lifters who already have a solid foundation of muscle and strength, and are proficient in performing the movements prescribed. The main difference between this workout and the beginner workout is an increase in the number of sets, an adjustment
in the rep ranges, and more accessory movements.

 

  1. Barbell Bench Press – Sets 4 Reps 6-8 
  2. Barbell Back Squat – Sets 4 Reps 6-8 
  3. Pull-Ups – Sets 3 Reps 6-10 
  4. Lying Hamstring DB Curls – Sets 4 Reps 8-12 
  5. Standing Overhead Press – Sets 3 Reps 6-10 
  6. Face Pulls – Sets 4 Reps 10-15 
  7. Drag Curls – Sets 3 Reps 8-10 

So consider using these different variations of full-body workouts, according to your needs. When combined with a good diet program, they all can help you achieve top-level results.

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