Whether you’re a lean person looking to gain muscle mass or an overweight person who wants to shed fat and look aesthetic, a full-body workout program can help you reach your goal faster.
A full-body exercise plan involves training every body part in each session. It allows you to target your major muscle groups (such as the back, legs, chest, and shoulder) twice to thrice weekly, which helps promote strength and hypertrophy.1 Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
In this article, I’ll share two full-body workout programs—the first for those who want to beef up mass and the second for weight-watchers. Depending on your fitness goal, you can save one of them.
Full-Body vs. Split Workout: Which One is Effective?
Full-body and split training are both effective for building muscle and increasing strength.2 Pedersen, H., Fimland, M.S., Schoenfeld, B.J. et al. A randomized trial on the efficacy of split-body versus full-body resistance training in non-resistance trained women. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 14, 87 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-022-00481-7, 3Bartolomei S, Nigro F, Malagoli Lanzoni I, Masina F, Di Michele R, Hoffman JR. A Comparison Between Total Body and Split Routine Resistance Training Programs in Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2021;35(6):1520-1526. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000003573
Total body training involves performing at least one exercise for every muscle group in each session, whereas a split routine involves dividing muscle groups into multiple sessions.
A total-body workout plan helps target muscles multiple times over three to four days, making it a time-efficient training program.
I highly suggest doing a total-body routine for a few months for those who are not seeing gains or want to follow a different training program.
4 Day Full Body Workout Routine to Gain Mass
This 4-day total body training program consists of two sessions each for hypertrophy and strength.
Hypertrophy training involves performing 10 to 20 reps per set with 30 to 90 seconds of rest between sets.
Strength training focuses on lifting heavy and performing 4-8 reps per set with 2-5 minutes of rest between sets.
The combination of heavy and moderate lifts stimulates mechanical and metabolic overload, developing strength and mass.
Here’s a weekly workout schedule:
- Monday – Hypertrophy Workout
- Tuesday – Strength Workout
- Wednesday – OFF
- Thursday – Hypertrophy Workout
- Friday – OFF
- Saturday – Strength Workout
- Sunday – OFF
I recommend following this full-body warm-up before you lift heavy:
- Front Leg Swings: 2 sets x 10 swings per leg
- Jumping Jacks: 2 sets x 15 seconds
- Mountain Climber: 2 sets x 15 seconds
- Banded Pull Apart: 2 sets x 10 reps
- Shoulder Pass-Through: 2 sets x 10 reps
- Banded Deadlift: 2 sets x 10 reps
Day 1 – Hypertrophy Workout
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Seated Pec Deck Fly | 3 x 12-15 | Chest |
Cable Triceps Pushdown | 3 x 10-12 | Triceps |
Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 3 x 10-12 | Shoulder |
Seated Cable Rowing | 3 x 12-15 | Back |
EZ Bar Biceps Curl | 3 x 10-12 | Biceps |
Machine Leg Press | 3 x 12-15 | Quads |
Lying Leg Curl | 3 x 12-15 | Hamstrings |
Day 2 – Strength Workout
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Back Squat | 5 x 5 | Legs |
Bench Press | 5 x 5 | Chest |
Overhead Press | 5 x 5 | Delts |
Bent-over Row | 5 x 5 | Back |
Hip Thrust | 5 x 5 | Glute |
Day 3 – Hypertrophy Workout
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Pull-ups | 3 x 6-12 | Back & Biceps |
Bar Dips | 3 x 10-20 | Chest & Tris |
Lat Pull Down | 3 x 12-15 | Back |
Bent-arm Lateral Raiaes | 3 x 10-12 | Rear Delt |
High-to-Low Cable Fly | 3 x 12-15 | Chest |
Leg Extension | 3 x 15-20 | Quads |
Calf Raises | 3 x 20-25 | Calves |
Day 4 – Strength Workout
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Standard Deadlift | 5 x 5 | Full Body |
Incline Bench Press | 5 x 5 | Chest |
Barbell Lunges | 5 x 5 | Legs |
Close Grip T-Bar Row | 5 x 5 | Back |
Shoulder Shrugs | 5 x 5 | Trapezius |
4-Day Total Body Workout Split for Weight Loss
This 4-day total body workout routine comprises two sessions for muscle-building and one each for strength and endurance.
Combining strength, endurance, and hypertrophy workouts will torch many calories, bolster muscles and joints, increase lean mass, and decrease fat percentage.
Pairing this workout with a calorie-restricted diet plan will accelerate your fat loss and help you improve your body composition over time.4 Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ. Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Jan 1;28(1):46-54, 5Swift, Damon L et al. “The role of exercise and physical activity in weight loss and maintenance.” Progress in cardiovascular diseases vol. 56,4 (2014): 441-7.
Weekly Schedule:
- Monday – Muscle-building Workout
- Tuesday – Endurance Training
- Wednesday – OFF
- Thursday – Strength Training
- Friday – Zone2 Cardio (Optional)
- Saturday – Muscle-building Workout
- Sunday – OFF
Keep interval time as short as possible between sets during the endurance workout.
Day 1 – Muscle-Building Workout
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Treadmill Run | 10-minute | Full Body |
Incline Machine Bench press | 3 x 10-15 | Chest |
Walking Dumbbell Lunges | 3 x 10/leg | Legs |
Seated Cable Rowing | 3 x 10-15 | Back |
Single-arm Lateral Raises | 3 x 10/arm | Shoulder |
Barbell Curl | 3 x 12-15 | Biceps |
Triceps Press Down | 3 x 12-15 | Triceps |
Day 2 – Endurance Training
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Russian KB Swing | 3 x 20 | Full body |
Burpees | 4 x 5 | Full body |
Dumbbell Thruster | 3 x 10 | Leg & Delts |
Half Kneeling DB Chop | 3 x 10/side | Obliques |
Plank Drag | 3 x 10/side | Abdominals |
Dumbbell Clean | 3 x 10 | Full body |
Squat Jacks | 3 x 10 | Legs |
Treadmill | 10-minute | Full body |
Day 3 – Strength Training
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Back Squat | 5 x 5 | Legs |
Bench Press | 5 x 5 | Chest |
Overhead Press | 5 x 5 | Delts |
Bent-over Row | 5 x 5 | Back |
Rack Pull | 5 x 5 | Legs |
Day 4 – Muscle-Building Workout
Workout | Sets x Reps | Muscle |
---|---|---|
Lat Pull Down | 3 x 12-15 | Back |
Machine Leg Press | 3 x 15-20 | Quads |
Machine Leg Curl | 3 x 15-20 | Hams |
Pec Deck Fly | 3 x 15-20 | Chest |
Seated FDL Raises | 3 x 6-8 | Shoulder |
Single-arm DB Row | 3 x 10/side | Back |
Step-up | 3 x 10/leg | Legs |
Download The Full Body Workout Plan PDF
This program is free to download without even submitting your email.
Eating nutritious meals and following this total body workout plan for a few months will surely help you take your fitness to the next level.
But make sure to constantly challenge your muscles to work hard during each week to utilize this routine effectively.
Next Level: The Ultimate 5 Day Full Body Workout Routine
References
- 1Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2016;46(11):1689-1697. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8
- 2Pedersen, H., Fimland, M.S., Schoenfeld, B.J. et al. A randomized trial on the efficacy of split-body versus full-body resistance training in non-resistance trained women. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 14, 87 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-022-00481-7
- 3Bartolomei S, Nigro F, Malagoli Lanzoni I, Masina F, Di Michele R, Hoffman JR. A Comparison Between Total Body and Split Routine Resistance Training Programs in Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2021;35(6):1520-1526. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000003573
- 4Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ. Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Jan 1;28(1):46-54
- 5Swift, Damon L et al. “The role of exercise and physical activity in weight loss and maintenance.” Progress in cardiovascular diseases vol. 56,4 (2014): 441-7.