Written by Kirsten Yovino | CPT, Brookbush Institute
Fact checked by Tyler DiGiovanni, BSBM
FACT CHECKED
Ladies, regardless of whether you're juggling a career, school, kids, social life, or some combination of all of the above, life can get hectic. And when it does, the first thing that can be easy to toss aside is your workout routine.
But, sacrificing your time in the gym can take a toll on your mental and physical health. So instead of giving it up entirely, why not just consolidate your workouts so you can get the same results without needing to be in the gym 6 days a week?
And if you're wondering how to go about it, that's where I come in to help! You can get the most out of your gym time with a full-body workout routine. In this article, I’ll go over the best full-body workouts and benefits, along with essential programming tips.
Table of Contents:
- What Is A Full Body Workout?
- The Best Full Body Workouts For Women
- Programming Tips For Full Body Workouts For Women
- 3 Benefits of Full Body Workouts For Women
- Training Variables For Women's Workouts
What Is A Full Body Workout?
A full-body workout routine involves training every muscle group in one session. To compare, other workout routines tend to focus on specific muscle groups or movement patterns, such as a lower body and upper body split, a push-pull split, or pairing body groups, like in a chest and shoulders workout.
In a full-body workout program, you only do 1 or 2 exercises per body part every session. While that may not be as many reps and sets per muscle as you're used to, over the entire week, your reps per muscle group add up.
Full body workouts tend to focus more on compound lifts while using supersets to maximize time with accessory work.
The Best Full Body Gym Workout Plan For Women
Here's your 3-day full-body workout for women. The program is designed to be run on non-consecutive days. Stay tuned after the workouts for programming tips that will help you get the most out of your routine.
Note: The exercises labeled as "superset" indicate those exercises are a superset, where two exercises are performed back-to-back without rest.
Session 1:
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Back Squat |
4 |
6 |
|
Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press |
4 |
8 |
|
Walking Lunges |
1 |
50 |
|
Single Arm Row |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Chest Fly/Rear Fly (Superset) |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Cable Leg Adduction/Cable Kickback (Superset) |
3 |
10-12 |
Session 2:
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Incline Bench Press |
4 |
6 |
|
Barbell Hip Thrust |
4 |
8 |
|
Seated Row |
3 |
8-10 |
|
Leg Press |
3 |
8-12 |
|
Rope Face Pull/Rope Hammer Curl (Superset) |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Tricep Pushdown/Straight Arm Lat Pushdown (Superset) |
3 |
10-12 |
Session 3:
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Romanian Deadlift |
4 |
6-8 |
|
Push Ups |
4 |
10-15 |
|
Split Squat OR Bulgarian Split Squat |
3 |
8-12 |
|
Lateral Raise/Rope High Row (Superset) |
3 |
8-12 |
|
Cable Leg Adduction/Cable Kickback (Superset) |
3 |
8-12 |
|
Leg Curls |
3 |
8-12 |
Note: You have the option to choose either the Split Squat or Bulgarian Split Squat for that particular exercise.
Bonus Core Workout:
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Barbell Rollout |
5 |
5 |
|
Rope Crunch |
3 |
8-15 |
|
Leg Raises |
3 |
8-15 |
|
Wood Chops |
3 |
8-15 |
Programming Tips For A Full Body Workout For Women
In my professional experience, when using a full-body workout, the best training frequency is 3 days a week. This applies to both men and women, so there's not much difference between a man's full-body workout and a full-body workout for women.
If you had 4 days to train, a full body workout would be too much, so you'd be better off using a 4-day workout split instead.
On the other hand, while you could see progress training two days a week, that third day makes a massive difference. If you can, train for three days instead of two for maximum gains.
What Is The Best Rep Scheme For Women?
Just like men, women need to use the entire rep scheme. This means your program should use low rep, heavy weight strength training workouts as well as a rep scheme for building muscle. The main difference is how heavy you should go.
Women can definitely lift heavy triples and even singles. However, some women hesitate to lift this heavy, so if that's the case for you, 85% for a 6RM is an adequate load to elicit strength gains. This rep scheme will apply to your 1 or 2 big exercises per session.
After those, you'll use more reps and moderate loads to stimulate muscle growth and a balanced physique.
How To Progress On This Full Body Workout Plan
You will use the concept of progressive overload with this program, just like any other program. For your heavier exercises, your main goal will be to add a small amount of weight weekly.
For all your other exercises, you will use RPE to increase the number of reps and weight. RPE stands for "rate of perceived exertion" and simply lets you judge how hard an exercise is, with 1 being very easy and 10 being your absolute max.
These exercises will have a rep range, so you will use a weight that allows you to perform reps within that range at the prescribed RPE. Once you're able to comfortably use a weight at the upper end of the rep scheme, you will add a small amount of weight, which will cause you to do a lower amount of reps. You then continue until you get to the upper end and repeat.
Don't stress these exercises too much as long as you add weight and do more reps.
Continue doing this for as long as you can. Once your lifts begin to stall, you can then start substituting exercises. By this, I mean changing your exercises to one that uses a similar movement pattern. For instance:
- Instead of the seated dumbbell shoulder press, perform the standing military shoulder press.
- Rather than the incline bench press, perform the incline dumbbell press.
- In place of the seated row, perform the bent-over row.
Use the workout plan I've provided as a template and then alter exercises when needed. Further, you can also alter the rep scheme. You may even reach a point where you want to try a different split, like an upper-lower or push-pull-legs. Check out this upper body workout for women to get an idea of what your upper days could look like following an upper-lower program!
3 Benefits Of Full Body Workouts
Using a full body workout plan provides a ton of benefits for literally anyone, but especially for women. Here are some of the top reasons I love full-body workout plans.
1) It Provides Plenty Of Training For Muscle Growth And Strength.
One of the most damaging ideas that persist in the fitness industry is needing to work out 5-6 days a week to see progress. Basically, the more, the better. This can deter some from trying a 3-day workout split, but trust me when I say, it’s enough volume to build lean muscle.
While a minimal amount of training is needed, there's also a maximum. The problem is that most people are unaware they’re pushing the maximum limit and not giving themselves enough time for recovery.
The truth is that most people's training would be optimized by less training. And to be clear, training less isn't about doing the least possible because you're lazy. It's about optimizing your training for the best results while managing your life. Keep in mind that many pro lifters only lift 3-4 days a week.
2) Full Body Workouts For Women Optimize Recovery.
To optimize your weight training, there are two variables you need to consider: your actual training and workout and muscle recovery. And yes, they are equally as important.
As I mentioned above, many trainees think that they can train and train and train and be fine. But that's not the case. While our bodies will adapt to training, they will only grow muscle by increasing the workout intensity by a small amount over time.
When you train too much, your body is basically in a perpetual state of being broken down and is never able to progress.
With a 3-day week full body workout, you don't really need to worry about getting enough recovery as it's more or less guaranteed. This means you can be sure that each training session can be done with full intensity.
3) Full Body Workouts Cut Out The Fluff.
Too many workout programs these days have waaaay too much fluff in them. By fluff, I mean exercises that are there to kill time rather than actually produce meaningful results. If you're doing 10+ exercises a day that include 3 variations of arm curls, you're likely guilty of this.
However, full body workouts cut out all of the junk and stick to the most efficient exercises. In other words, you make every minute in the gym count rather than doing exercises because you have this feeling you need to be in the gym for a certain amount of time.
Special Variables Specific To A Full Body Workout For Women
First things first: I always like to preface that, while men and women have obvious physiological differences, they don't affect training much. This means that overall workouts should be relatively similar.
However, there are a few physical differences between men's and women's bodies, meaning that there are a few adjustments women can make to ensure they get the most out of their routine.
These are some of the most important areas to address in a women's workout routine.
1) Include Hamstring Strength Training Exercises:
If you're a woman and have been in sports for any time, you are probably aware that you are more prone to knee injuries, including ACL tears. While we know this occurs, sports researchers and physicians aren't entirely sure why. While we can't pinpoint exactly why this is the case, one of the more likely causes is weak hamstrings.
Sports researchers have begun to discover that women with ACL injuries tend to have high levels of muscle activation in their quadriceps paired with low muscle activation in their hamstrings¹. This causes a sort of tugging on the kneecap, which results in injuries.
This makes hamstring exercises a particular focus area for women to ensure adequate training and prevent injury.
2) Train The Glutes And Thighs:
During gym workouts, many women love to try to lose weight and build muscle in their glutes and thighs.
Whether it's to build or tone muscle, targeting glutes and thighs, along with abs, are probably the area of greatest concern. That's why I gave this area a little special attention in my program. Notice I said "little," as we need to address all other muscle groups as well.
3) Don't Neglect Upper Body Work:
When it comes to strength levels between the sexes, women who train tend to have similar relative strength numbers to men, especially in the lower body. For example, a woman can typically squat her body weight just as easily as a man.
However, when we compare upper body strength, how often do you see women doing pull-ups and benching their body weight? Not nearly as often as you see men, which is unfortunate. You've got this, ladies!
Many women minimize their upper body training, but they shouldn’t. Remember, we're talking about a full-body workout routine, so we can't neglect the upper half. And doing upper body work doesn't mean just triceps kickbacks. Add in those presses and rows.
4) Incorporate Load Bearing Exercises For Bone Strength:
Another reason big compound exercises are vital for a woman's full-body workout routine is bone health. While everyone is at risk of developing osteoporosis as they age, this condition is significantly higher in women.
Even though it usually doesn't set in until after age 55 or older, that doesn't mean you wait until 55 to address it. Instead, spend time when you're younger strengthening your bones to lower your risk. Luckily, this is possible with weight training if you choose the right exercises.
Our bones develop in a very similar manner to our muscles. When they experience a heavy resistance, little micro breaks occur. With rest (which you'll get plenty of with a full body workout!) and proper nutrition, these breaks are filled in, creating bigger and stronger bones.
For this to occur, you must use load-bearing exercises. These are exercises when the weight is directed into the bone in a straight line. For example, a leg extension has the load at the end of the leg and is directed perpendicular to the leg. However, with a back squat or leg press, the resistance goes straight into the bone.
Full Body Workout For Women: Key Takeaways
Sometimes wrongly described as a beginner's routine, a full body workout for women is anything but!
It works for beginner, intermediate, and advanced trainees. It's as hard as you make it. Use a mix of weights and rep ranges, and push yourself, knowing you'll have a decent amount of rest in between gym sessions.
No matter how busy you are, make time for this routine. It will get you where you want to go while keeping you feeling great.
Looking for more great routines? Check out The Best Workout Splits For Women and The Best Workout Programs For Women To Build Muscle!
Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...
References:
-
Opar, David A., and Benjamin G. Serpell. “Is There a Potential Relationship between Prior Hamstring Strain Injury and Increased Risk for Future Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury?” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 95, no. 2, Feb. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2013.07.028.
Kirsten Yovino
Author