If you are looking to maximize your lean muscle and strength gains as efficiently as possible without making things more complicated than they need to be, using simple full body routines are a great way to train for most people.
With these suggested routines, you can cycle through them to prevent injuries and train anywhere from two to four days a week, altering volume and frequency to suit your needs and recovery abilities.
Hitting each muscle group several times a week is optimal for gains in lean body mass, while rotating exercises will lessen the likelihood of overuse injuries to the joints.
The exercise selections cover upper and lower pushing and pulling, as well as a squat and a hinge movement – the four main prerequisites for creating a balanced full body routine.
One can combine squatting and hinging movements quite effectively with movements like the Trap Bar Deadlift or Snatch-Grip Deadlift, as those two are examples of exercises that work your entire lower body and posterior chain.
This sort of training is particularly beneficial for those with fast metabolisms who have a hard time gaining muscle, as those individuals don’t fare any better with longer or more complicated routines.
The number of sets and reps listed are actual work sets only, and do not include warm-up sets. It is advisable, as always, to include several light, progressive warmup sets as well as a short systemic warmup before beginning the routine.
As far as rest between sets goes, I would take anywhere from 1-3 minutes between sets, perhaps opting to closer to 2-3 minutes if you are lifting heavy. Time between workouts will depend on your recovery.
8 Simple Full Body Workouts
Workout 1:
Trap Bar Deadlift 3×8 reps
Close Grip Bench 3×8-12 reps
Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat 3×10-12 reps
Dumbbell Pullovers 3×10-12 reps
Workout 2:
Incline Press 3×6-8 reps
Front Squat 3×8-10 reps
Stiff-legged Deadlift 3×8-10 reps
Chin-ups or Pull-ups 3x fail reps
Workout 3:
Snatch-Grip Deadlift 3×8-10 reps
Overhead Press 3×8 reps
One Arm Dumbbell Rows 3×10-12 reps
Push-ups 3x fail reps
Workout 4:
Squat 3×10-12 reps
Weighted Dips 3x fail reps
Kettlebell Swings 3×15 reps
Dumbbell Pullovers 3×10-12 reps
Workout 5:
Semi-Sumo Deadlift 3×6-8 reps
Dumbbell Floor Press 3×8-10 reps
One Arm Dumbbell Rows 3×8-10 reps
Dumbbell Jump Squats 3x fail reps
Workout 6:
Low Handle Trap Bar Deadlift 3×10-12 reps
Incline Press 3×8-10 reps
Dumbbell Rows 3×10-12 reps
Leg Press 3×15 reps
Workout 7:
Leg Press 3×15 reps
Close Grip Bench Press 3×8-10
Barbell Rows 3×10-12 reps
Kettlebell Swings 3×15 reps
Workout 8:
Machine Hack Squats 3×12-15 reps
Barbell Incline Press 3×10-12 reps
Machine Rows 3×10-12 reps
Dumbbell Single Stiff-Leg Deadlift 3×10-12 reps
The Exercises
Below are some videos detailing the finer points of some of these exercises that some of you may or not be familiar. These are some of the very best movements one should include in any routine planning and programming.
