The main goal of a full-body workout is to target all of your muscle groups to efficiently and effectively promote muscle growth.
Whether you’re a bodybuilder of any level, are underweight, or want to build muscle following an injury or illness, a total-body workout can help you gain muscle and strength.
Choose exercises that involve compound, or multi-joint, movements to target your entire body. Working more muscles at once can save you time and maximize your gains. It’s also helpful to do exercises that target large areas of muscle.
Read on to learn some of the best exercises you can do for muscle gains as well as how to plan your workouts. Also, we’ll also go over some dietary and lifestyle tips that can help promote and sustain your gains.
Here are the six main muscle groups in the body that you may want to target:
- arms
- legs
- core
- shoulders
- chest
- back
The following workouts can be performed up to four times a week. How you structure your routine with these exercises is ultimately up to you.
For each exercise, do 3 to 6 sets of 8 to 20 repetitions.
Arms
These exercises target the:
- latissimus dorsi
- shoulders
- pectorals
- triceps
Here are some exercises to try:
- bench press
- pullup
- triceps pushdown
- seated cable row
Legs
These exercises target the:
- abdominals
- quadriceps
- hamstrings
- calves
Here are some exercises to try:
- calf raises
- lying dumbbell hamstring curls
- leg press
- deadlift
- squat
- lunge
Core
These exercises target the:
- latissimus dorsi
- rhomboids trapezius
- erector spinae
- abdominals
- hip flexors
Here are some exercises to try:
- hanging leg raise
- barbell rollout
- plank
- weighted reverse crunch
Shoulders
These exercises target the:
- deltoids
- trapezius
- rhomboids
- pectorals
- serratus anterior
- biceps
Here are some exercises to try:
- seated dumbbell shoulder press
- barbell overhead shoulder press
- barbell upright row
- front raise
- lateral raise
Chest
These exercises target the:
- shoulders
- pectorals
- triceps
Here are some exercises to try:
- bench press
- chest dip
- dumbbell fly
- cable crossover
Back
These exercises target the:
- latissimus dorsi
- trapezius
- teres minor
- rhomboids
- obliques
Here are some exercises to try:
- wide-grip pullup
- lat pulldown
- barbell upright row
- seated row
Beginner
These exercises target the:
- glutes
- quadriceps
- hamstrings
- calves
- pectorals
Here are some exercises you can try:
- standing calf raises
- squat
- lunge
- bench press
- pullup
Intermediate
These exercises target the:
- glutes
- hip flexors
- calves
- pectorals
- deltoids
- triceps
Here are some exercises you can try:
- seated calf raises
- hanging leg raise
- shoulder press
- dumbbell lateral raise
- barbell front raise
Advanced
These exercises target the:
- triceps
- trapezius
- hip flexors
- hamstrings
- quadriceps
- calves
Here are some exercises you can try:
- standing barbell shrugs
- triceps pushdown
- push press
- hanging knee raise
- back squats
- reverse lunges
Here are some tips on planning your workouts to get the best results:
- Design your workout plan so you can target all muscle groups equally.
- To maximize muscle gains,lift weights at least three times a week.
- Prevent plateauing by mixing up your workouts and exercises. Avoid doing the same exercises on consecutive days because this can inhibit muscle growth and may even lead to muscle loss.
- Begin with the most important exercises that are a priority in terms of meeting your training goals.
- On occasion, you can train to failure, especially when you’re using low weight loads. Allow for up to 3 minutes of rest between sets.
- For each workout, target up to two muscle groups or movements. Depending on the difficulty of each exercise, you can do up to six per workout.
- Focus on one muscle group for the majority of the exercises. It’s OK to include a few easier exercises that target other muscle groups.
- Ensure you use proper form and technique. This includes using the correct speed to perform the movements.
- Use the correct weight loads. Change up the number of sets and reps you do. When you do heavy lifts, do fewer reps, and vice versa.
Because hypertrophy occurs between workouts, recovery days should also be a key component of your workout routine. Allow for at least 1 day of rest each week.
If you don’t want to have a full rest day, consider an active recovery day, which would include a low-intensity activity such as swimming, yoga, or cycling.
To build mass, focus on strength training and limit your cardio workouts. Cardio burns calories and fat, which can help to enhance muscle definition, but it doesn’t promote muscle gain.
You don’t need to eliminate cardio completely, but you’ll want to strike the right balance to gain lean muscle without losing too much weight. This will depend on factors such as your weight, metabolism, and fitness ability.
You can do a few short sessions of cardio each week, including HIIT workouts. But if you find that you’re not gaining muscle, cut back on your cardio workouts.
Create a dietary plan that includes nutrient-dense foods that promote weight gain and lean muscle growth to help you meet your bodybuilding goals.
This includes foods high in protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Eating nutritious foods before and after your workouts will ensure you have enough energy.
Include foods such as:
- eggs
- protein smoothies and supplements
- lean fish
- chicken breast
- pork tenderloin
- turkey breast
- dried fruit
- potatoes
- Greek yogurt
- quinoa
- beans
- nuts and nut butters
- tofu
- cheese
- milk
Here are some positive lifestyle changes you can make along with your workouts that will encourage muscle growth:
- Allow more time to relax, rest, and sleep.
- Lower stress levels through progressive muscle relaxation, yoga nidra, or a hot bath.
- Pace yourself to avoid burnout.
- Avoid overtraining.
Plan your workouts, diet, and lifestyle to enhance muscle growth.
Challenge yourself and change up your workouts to prevent boredom and plateauing. To maximize results, stay focused on your goals and consistent in your approach.
Keep track of your progress and set goals accordingly. Remember to be patient — it takes time to see results. Continue to work out even after you see progress.
