If you’re looking for the best full-body workouts (a.k.a. full body split), you’re in the right place.
In this post you’ll learn how to create simple workout routines to target every single muscle group in your body–perfect for busy professionals, students, or moms.
You’ll also get a free PDF workout template to get started.
The best part? You can do it in just 30 minutes a day, as little as 2 days a week. How does that sound? Bonus: This program template fits seamlessly into your block schedule
I know that you’re busy, and you have very little time to waste, so let’s get started.
What is a Full Body Split?
A full body split is where you train muscle groups in both your upper body and lower body on the same day.
For example, if you did upper body, squats, and core on the same day – that would be considered a full-body split. It DOES NOT mean that you train every single muscle group in a workout.
What is the Benefit of a Full Body Workout?
Research has shown us that training each major muscle group twice per week is superior to once per week in terms of muscle growth and strength. 3 times per week may be better. It’s simple, concise, saves time, and it’s proven to get results.
Who Benefits the Most From Full Body Training?
This split is perfect for beginners, and ideal for busy students, moms, and professionals.
How Many Times a Week Should You Do a Full Body Workout?
In general, I recommend that you workout 4 days a week. Given that there are 7 days in the week, it’s best to be active more often than not. 4 days a week might be a lot for you. But keep in mind, 4 days a week is simply a guideline.
Students, moms, and busy professionals do not usually have stable or predictable schedules, so it’s important to have a range of training frequencies. Using your block schedule you can easily plan out your training schedule. Download my free time blocking workbook here.
You can train anywhere from 2–5 days a week and still get great results. Aim for less training sessions on busier weeks, and more training sessions on lighter weeks, it’s all about balance and harmony.
A training set-up could look like this:
- Two consecutive training days
- One day off
- Two consecutive training days
- Two days off
For example, this is what your training would look like:
- Monday Workout #1
- Tuesday Workout #2
- Wednesday Off
- Thursday Workout #3
- Friday Workout #4
- Saturday & Sunday Off
Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri are training days, with Wed, Sat, and Sun as rest days.
This is just a suggestion; if your lifestyle forces you to make a training schedule different from this pattern, that’s okay. Just pick up where you left off and keep going. The habit of making it to your training session, and maintaining some type of routine, is more important than the schedule, or the actual routine itself.
Create the Habit to Establish a Routine
If you’re going to take anything away from this post it’s this:
Any routine is better than no routine.
Hold yourself accountable. Make it to your workout sessions, however you need to. Make your health a priority, just like you did with your career, your family, and all the other things you’ve always done for others instead of yourself.
Make whatever changes necessary, but aim to average approximately 2-4 sessions per week, every single month. That is only 8-16 training days a month!
Even better, these sessions only need to be 30-35 minutes a day. Just like the interest on your student loans, it begins to add up quickly.
Is it OK to Do a Full Body Workout Everyday?
No! Unless you are training for a competition, or you get paid to work out, you should not do a full-body workout every day. 2-4 days a week is more than enough.
How Often Should You Workout Your Abs (or Any Muscle Group)?
For every major muscle group, the ideal number of times to train them is twice a week. This is also in line with the CDC recommendations for muscle strengthening for adults.
What are the major muscle groups?
- Quadriceps
- Glutes/Hamstrings
- Chest
- Back
- Shoulders
- Core
You can train all of these two times per week as they only need 2 days to recover.
I know what you’re thinking–if you only train 30 minutes a day, 3-4x a week, how can you possibly hit each muscle group twice in a week?
The answer is simple: compound exercises. In order to benefit from full-body training, it is important to fill your workout routine with compound exercises. Compound exercises are an easy way to train 2-3 muscle groups simultaneously, helping you save the precious time you have.
Do not forget, something is ALWAYS better than nothing when it comes to exercise.
How Long Should I Work Out?
The length of time that you need to spend is not as critical as you may think. You don’t need to spend 60 minutes to achieve results. If you design your workout program correctly, you can accomplish a lot of work in a short amount of time.
It’s all about training smart, and training efficiently. Unless you are lifting really heavy weights, or training for some sort of competition there is no reason to spend countless hours per week at the gym.
Believe it or not, 30 minutes is enough time to get a lot of work done. I know that you don’t have time to waste, so your workout sessions need to be compact!
What Could be Better than Split Training?
I hope that I’ve convinced you that training your full-body at each session can be a wise choice. But if you are a busy beginner, I recommend it for one major reason.
The Full Body split ensures that you train your upper and lower body evenly, especially if your schedule is unpredictable.
The SPICE Workout Template was designed with two major principles in mind:
1) Efficiency: It focuses on compound exercises for the majority of the workout so that you can spend less time working out while maximizing your progress.
2) Balance: It balances the amount of work you perform on your upper body and lower body, as well as the amount of work you perform on your anterior muscles (chest, quads etc) and posterior muscles (back, glutes etc). Additionally, it fits into any lifestyle and schedule.
To receive your free SPICE Workout Template simply email me, or connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Final Words on Full-Body Splits
- Workout routines don’t have to be complicated.
- They don’t have to be long.
- It doesn’t have to be difficult.
- It only requires you to make a decision.
- Start now, and stick with it.
- In a nutshell, it’s best to train 3-4x a week on average, but deviations from this are okay
- Train each major muscle groups 1-2 times a week for the best results
- Use full body splits and spend the majority of your time using compound exercises for maximum efficiency
- Start light, progress slowly, and make small realistic goals
- Something is always better than nothing in the fitness realm.
Disclaimer:
Although I am a registered nurse and nurse educator, I am not your doctor. The content in this post is for informational purposes only and should not substitute the advice from your healthcare professional. All kinds of exercise and dietary activities are potentially dangerous, and those who do not seek counsel from the appropriate health care authority assume the liability of any injury which may occur.
