From HIIT workouts to no-equipment exercises to one-minute workout challenges, choosing a workout can feel as tough as a workout.

For a quick workout that gives excellent results, full-body workouts are a popular choice. They get your heart rate up, help you go after the lean muscle you want, and you can do them at any fitness level. 

Unlike other workout routines that divide different muscle groups per session, a full-body workout works out your entire body in every session. This makes it more straightforward compared to workout routines that divide your muscle groups.

But before we get into these exercises, let's chat about why full-body workouts are beneficial. So grab your protein shake, and let's chat! 

What Are Full-Body Workouts?

A full-body workout is a workout routine that works all your major muscle groups — chest, shoulders, arms, back, core, and legs — in each session. Talk about major gains for your pains!

Full-body workouts save you time and still deliver results. 

4 Benefits of Full-Body Workouts

Not only do these workouts benefit things like muscle growth and fat loss. They’re also easy to follow and can increase recovery time. So even if you do a full-body workout on Saturday, you don’t have to feel sore at brunch on Sunday! Enjoy your huevos. 

1. Easy to Follow

This workout program is much simpler and easier to follow compared to workout programs that isolate your muscle groups.

There’s no need to juggle your schedule and which muscle group to train today. Instead, just hit the gym (or your living room floor) and get ready for full-body movement. 

2. Easier Recovery 

Some criticize full-body workouts for giving little space for recovery, as you can do them back-to-back.

If you work out 4-5 times a week with isolation exercises, the muscle group you worked out the day before is still sore when you go back to the gym. For instance, your legs could still be sore after yesterday’s leg day, and while today is, say, chest and shoulder’s day, your sore legs can still take a hit on your today’s workout.

When you work your entire body at once, you don’t put as much of a strain on each muscle group. That means it’s easier for your muscles to recover. 

3. Helps Burn Fat

One study from 2015 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared one group that did full-body routines and another that practiced split workouts. 

While both gained muscle, results found that the men in the full-body workout group had more muscle thickness, specially in their arms. The study says this could have been because their muscle protein synthesis was active the entire week as opposed to those that did the split workouts. 

4. Works for Both a Home or Gym Workout

While some people may need dumbbells, some rely on your body weight – which means this can be an at-home workout! Push that tufted chaise lounge aside and uncurl that exercise mat.

Whether you prefer to work out at the gym or if you work with a personal trainer, these muscle-building workouts can help you achieve your fitness goals.

7 Exercises for Total Body Workouts

If you're looking to get in a killer workout that pushes your whole body, incorporating a variety of strength training exercises is key for success. While there are dozens of full-body exercises to choose from, here are eight exercises that can truly make you sweat. 

You can add these exercises to your workouts and complete them as you like. Most full-body workout exercises are most effective in sets of 2-3 and reps of 10-15, but you should listen to your body. A set is a group of reps, and resting in between each helps you regain energy before going back through. 

1. Push-up to Plank Jack

1. Start from the top of a push-up (also called plank position).
2. Do one push-up: Bend your elbows to lower your chest, then push it up again, bringing you back to your starting position.
3. Jump your feet out and bring each of them to their sides. Then, jump your feet again and bring them back to their original position.
4. That’s one rep. Repeat until the set is complete.

2. Squat to Shoulder Press

1. To start, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms curled, your hand at shoulder-level. Your palms should face each other.
2. Perform a squat: Bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, then bring yourself back to your original position.
3. Raise your arms straight up, then lower them down again to the starting position.
4. That’s one rep. Repeat until the set is complete.

3. Deadlift to Bicep Curl

1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing towards each other.
2. For the deadlift, turn your wrists inward, palms facing your thighs. Then, bend your waist to make a 90-degree angle (or any angle you’re comfortable with). Then bring yourself up again to your starting position. As you return to your starting position, make sure your palms face each other.
3. From there, simply do one bicep curl – curl your arms up and down again.
4. That’s one rep. Repeat until the set is complete.

4. Burpees

1. Stand up straight, feet just slightly away from each other.
2. Raise your arms towards the ceiling and do a quick jump.
3. After jumping, go into a squat. Then, place your hand on the floor and kick your feet back until you are in a push-up plank position (starting position of a pushup).
4. Once in the plank position, do one push-up.
5. Get back to your original position, and that’s one rep. Repeat until the set is complete.

If you have a hard time with the push-ups, move straight from a plank back to standing.. 

5. Curtsy Lunge to Upright Row

If you want to add tension, add a resistance band.

1. To start, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
2. Cross your left leg behind your right leg and a kneel in a side lunge.
3. Come back to your starting position and curl the dumbbells up.
4. Then, do the same step (step 2), with your right leg. Then, bring yourself back to your starting position and repeat step #3.
5. That’s one rep. Repeat until the set is complete.

6. Bridge to Headbanger

1. To start, lie on a mat or floor with your knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Plant your feet firmly on the ground. Then, with dumbbells on each hand, fully extend your arms to the ceiling.
2. Raise your butt to create a glute bridge, making your body diagonal from shoulders to knees.
3. With your butt raised, perform a single rep of headbanger – lower your upper arms until the dumbbells are above the ground, then lift them again.
4. Lower your butt back to the ground. That’s one rep. Repeat until the set is complete.

7. Squats

1. To start, stand with your feet hip-width apart. There are various positions for the arms for this, but for this one, curl both of your arms, placing your hands around or near your face.
2. Lower yourself by bending your knees to around a 90-degree angle. Then, simply lift yourself again.
3. That’s one rep. Repeat until the set is complete.

8. Dumbbell Goblet Squat

This dumbbell workout is perfect for any full-body workout for women. This squat specifically targets lower body strength by working your lower back muscles, engaging your core, and lightly working your hamstrings.

1. Hold a dumbbell in both hands in a vertical position. Stand just wider than shoulder-width apart and place your hands (with the dumbbells) in front of your body.
2. Slowly lower into a squat position, bending your knees and sinking your hips.
3. Push through your heels and come back to standing. 
4. Bring your arms above your head until your elbows are straight. 
5. Pull your arms back down.
6. Repeat 10-15 times, for 2-3 reps.

3 Full-Body Workout Plans to Support Weight Loss and Build Strength 

If you want to increase your body strength, working out your entire body can help you both build muscle and lose weight. 

We know it’s complicated to put together full-body workouts, so we made three to choose from!

Option 1

• Bench press (3 sets of 8-10 reps)
• Lat pull-down (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Squats (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Leg curl (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Dumbbell shoulder press (2 sets of 8-10 reps) 
• Incline curl (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Overhead triceps extension (2 sets of 10-15 reps) 

Option 2 

• Cable crossover (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Cable row (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Leg extension (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Leg curl (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Lateral raise (2 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Dumbbell hammer curl (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Lying triceps extension (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 

Option 3 

• Incline dumbbell press (3 sets of 10-15 reps)
• Dumbbell row (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Romanian deadlift (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Leg press (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Bent over lateral raise (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Preacher curl (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 
• Triceps press down (3 sets of 10-15 reps) 

Take Your Full-Body Workout to the Gym

You can do many full-body workouts without weights, but if you feel like using weight training, you can add dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, or resistance bands in too. 

If you’re into strength training workouts, give any of these 12 full-body resistance band workouts a try. 

Lastly, take our quiz to find out which supplements can help you reach your fitness goals. Whether you need a pre-game to take your workout by storm or collagen support to keep your hair luscious, we have your back.