Muscular-Fitness

You can use full body training routines to train all your muscle groups in just one workout to build muscle mass or you can use full body training routines if you have missed some scheduled workouts and simply want to flush all your muscles with some fresh blood and avoid losing muscle. Although I do not think full body training in a single workout is the best way to gain a significant amount of muscle over the long term, performing a full body workout once per month is a great way to shock your muscles and help to stimulate new muscle growth.

If you have limited time to workout, full body training routines are probably ideal for you and by training just twice per week performing a full body workout each time, you will still give yourself a chance to build new muscle or at least maintain the muscle you already have. Some people just like to train their entire body every time they workout so of course full body training routines will work for them.

Even if you follow the standard format of training by usually training just 2-3 muscle groups in each workout, you can still benefit from the occasional full body workout since any training routine that is different to your normal training schedule is great way to shock your muscles into a new phase of growth. When you go on holidays and want to take a break from your normal hardcore training, full body training routines are a great way to quickly and effectively flood all your muscle groups with fresh oxygenated blood to keep your muscles from losing size and flush harmful toxins that build up in your muscles if you have not had a chance to exercise regularly.

The following full body training routines should take about the same amount of time as a regular bodybuilding workout which is approximately one hour. If you train any longer than one hour you will simply run out of available testosterone in your system and this will quickly put you into a severe catabolic state. The world’s strongest and most muscular bodybuilders usually never train for any longer than one hour in any given workout.

These full body workouts rely heavily on compound exercises that work a number of muscles at the same time.

Beginner Full Body Workout

Bench Press 3 sets x 10 reps

Dips 3 sets x 10 reps

Deadlifts 3 sets x 10 reps

Wide Grip Chin Ups 3 sets x 10 reps

Squats 3 sets x 10 reps

Intermediate Full Body Workout

Flat Bench Press 3 sets x 10 reps

Incline Dumbbell Presses 3 sets x 10 reps

Shoulder Press 3 sets x 10 reps

Dips between two benches 3 sets x 10 reps

Wide Grip Chin Ups 3 sets x 10 reps

Deadlifts 3 sets x 10 reps

Squats 3 sets x 10 reps

Leg Press 3 sets x 10 reps

For an advanced full body workout follow the same schedule as the intermediate but incorporate some super sets or drop down sets and increase the intensity level. You could also include a couple of individual sets to target the triceps and the biceps muscles as well.

The beginner bodybuilder or weight trainer should perform the full body workout either once or twice per week. The intermediate bodybuilder could perform the full body workout twice per week or on every third day. I would not recommend performing the intermediate full body training routine 3 times in one 7 day period since it could lead to overtraining. I would stick to performing the intermediate full body workout, 3 times over 9 days for the best muscle gains and to give yourself the best chance to make a full recovery after each workout.