GymNoteShort answer
A full body workout trains your whole body every session. For beginners the simplest setup is 3 sessions a week with a rest day between them, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Each session has 4–6 exercises, mostly compound, for 2–4 sets. You alternate two workouts, A and B.
Sample A/B full body plan
- Workout A: squat 3×5–8, bench press 3×5–8, barbell row 3×8–10, lunges 2×8–10 per leg, plank 3×30–45 s.
- Workout B: deadlift 3×3–5, overhead press 3×5–8, pull-ups or lat pulldown 3×6–10, hip thrust 2×8–12, biceps curl 2×10–12.
- Week 1: A, B, A. Week 2: B, A, B. Then start again.
- Rest 2–3 minutes on the main lifts and 60–90 seconds on the rest. The sets and rest timer counts it for you.
- When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add 2.5 kg (2.5–5 kg on the squat and deadlift).
Common mistakes
- Deadlifting heavy three times a week. In an A/B plan it comes up once or twice a week, and that is enough.
- Adding exercises until a session takes two hours.
- Training on back-to-back days. Every muscle works in every session, so the rest day matters.
What most guides miss
Full body does not have to be a phase you grow out of. The same layout works for more experienced lifters with more sets. Its biggest advantage is flexibility: a missed session does not wreck the week, because every muscle gets trained again next time.
FAQ
How many times a week should I do full body?
Three times to start, with a rest day between sessions. Two sessions a week still work, but progress is slower.
Is full body good for building muscle?
Yes. With enough weekly sets and a calorie surplus, it builds muscle as well as a split with the same number of sets.
How long does a full body session take?
Usually 50–70 minutes including the warm-up.