Full body workout, 3 days a week
A full body workout trains your whole body every session: legs, a push, a pull and core. You do it three days a week with at least one rest day between sessions, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That way every muscle gets worked three times a week instead of once, which is why it is one of the best options if you are just starting, coming back after a break, or can only get to the gym three days a week.
The plan alternates two sessions, A and B: one week you do A, B and A, the next B, A and B. Each session has a knee-dominant exercise, a hip exercise, a push, a pull and a core exercise. Every exercise links to its own page, with the technique and the most common mistakes.
Session A
- Squat
Sets 3 · Reps 6 to 8 · Rest 2 to 3 min
Alternatives: Bulgarian split squat, Leg press
- Bench press
Sets 3 · Reps 6 to 8 · Rest 2 to 3 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell bench press, Chest press machine
- Barbell row
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell row, Machine row
- Romanian deadlift
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
- Side plank
Sets 3 · Reps 30 to 45 s per side · Rest 1 min
Session B
- Leg press
Sets 3 · Reps 10 to 12 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Bulgarian split squat, Lunges
- Overhead press
Sets 3 · Reps 6 to 8 · Rest 2 to 3 min
Alternatives: Dumbbell shoulder press
- Lat pulldown
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
Alternatives: Pull-ups
- Hip thrust
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 · Rest 2 min
- Dead bug
Sets 3 · Reps 8 to 10 per side · Rest 1 min
How to pick the weight
Use a weight that lets you finish every set inside the rep range with two or three reps left in the tank: if you kept going, you could still do a couple more. The first two weeks are for learning each movement, not for testing how much you can lift. On the barbell lifts, start with the empty bar or a light load and work up gradually until you find that weight.
How to progress
Once you complete all three sets at the top of the rep range with good form (for example, 3 sets of 8 on the squat), add the smallest jump you can: 2.5 kg on the bar, or the smallest step on the machine or dumbbells. Then go back to the bottom of the range and repeat. That is progressive overload: adding weight gradually, and only once the reps are there. If you miss your previous reps on an exercise two times in a row, drop that exercise's load by 10% and build back up from there.
How long each session takes
Between 50 and 70 minutes with the rest times shown, plus 5 to 10 minutes to warm up. The best warm-up is two or three light sets of the day's first exercise, working up to your working weight. The long rests go on the heavy barbell lifts; cutting them short costs you reps, it doesn't make the session better.
If the equipment is missing or taken
Next to each exercise are the alternatives that train the same pattern: the Bulgarian split squat or the leg press instead of the squat, the dumbbell bench press instead of the barbell bench press, the dumbbell row instead of the barbell row. Pull-ups replace the lat pulldown only if you can already do several in a row with good form. Pick one and stick with it for several weeks: switching exercises every session makes it impossible to see whether you are progressing.
Frequently asked questions
Can a full body workout build muscle?
Yes. What matters most for building muscle is how many sets each muscle gets per week and whether the weights go up over time, not how you split the days. With three sessions, each muscle is trained three times a week, a frequency that works very well for growth.
Can I do the workout two days in a row?
Better not. Since every muscle works in every session, leave at least one day between sessions to recover. If you can't make it one day, move that session to your next free day instead of doubling up.
When should I switch to a different routine?
A 3-day full body plan works for months. It makes sense to move to a split, such as upper/lower or push pull legs, when you want to train four or more days a week, or when you add so many sets that sessions get too long.
Gojan builds the routine and changes it when you tell it your week falls apart. Download Gojan