Are you looking to boost your overall fitness and vitality from the comfort of your own home? Full-body workouts might be the solution you've been seeking. They offer a comprehensive approach to fitness, targeting various muscle groups in a single session. In this blog, we'll explore the significance of full-body workouts and guide you through a 30-minute full-body workout routine that you can do right at home.
How to Warm Up For Your Full Body Workout
Warming up is essential to any workout routine, and a full-body workout is no exception. A proper warm-up not only helps prevent injuries but also enhances your overall workout performance. In this section, we'll delve into the significance of a good warm-up and guide you through a general warm-up routine that includes dynamic stretches, mobility exercises, and cardio warm-ups.
A thorough warm-up gradually increases your body's temperature, making muscles and joints more pliable and enhancing blood flow to the muscles which increases oxygen and nutrient delivery. This, in turn, improves muscle contractility and overall performance. This reduces the risk of strains, sprains, and other injuries during your workout.
A typical warm-up consists of three main components: dynamic stretches, mobility exercises, and cardio warm-ups. Here are some ideas for each component of a basic warm-up routine:
Dynamic Stretches
- Leg Swings: Stand beside a wall or support, and swing one leg forward and backward, then side to side. Do this for 30 seconds per leg.
- Arm Circles: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and make big circles with your arms, both forwards and backward, for 30 seconds.
Mobility Exercises
- Hip Circles: Stand with your hands on your hips and make circular motions with your hips, clockwise and counterclockwise, for 30 seconds.
- Shoulder Rolls: Roll your shoulders forward and backward for 30 seconds to loosen up your shoulder joints.
- World’s Greatest Stretch: Lunge one foot forwards outside your hand to a low lunge position, keeping the opposite hand under your shoulder, reach your other arm up towards the ceiling, turning your body towards your front thigh, rotate back down towards the floor thread needling the lifted arm under the armpit of your other arm. Repeat for 30s then switch sides
Cardio Warm-Ups
- Jumping Jacks: Perform jumping jacks for 2-3 minutes to increase your heart rate and circulation.
- Light Jog: Do a light 3-5 minute jog in place or around your workout area to further elevate your heart rate.
A warm-up should typically last for 5-10 minutes. The goal is to gradually increase your heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature. Start at a low intensity and gradually build up to a moderate level. You should break a light sweat by the end of your warm-up, but you should not be fatigued.
By following a proper warm-up routine, you'll set the stage for a safer and more effective full-body workout. It's an essential step on the path to achieving your fitness goals.
For the four full body workouts we'll cover, you'll need a space in your home to do the routine. If you don't have a home gym yet, read our guide on how to build a home gym to get started.
Full Body Workout 1: Bodyweight
Bodyweight workouts are fantastic for improving overall strength and endurance, and the best part is, their ideal for home workouts as all you need is space and perhaps an exercise mat.
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes
Bodyweight Squats:
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 15-20
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Alternating Lunges
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-12 per leg
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Burpees:
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10
Rest: 60 seconds between sets
Glute Bridge:
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 15-20
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Push-Ups:
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-15
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Planks:
Sets: 3
Duration: 20-30 seconds (beginner), 30-45 seconds (intermediate), 45+ seconds (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Beginner: If you're new to bodyweight workouts, start with the lower end of the repetitions and durations. Elongate rest periods if needed. Focus on performing each exercise with proper form. As you become more comfortable, gradually increase the repetitions and durations.
Intermediate: Once you've built some strength and stamina, aim for the intermediate range of repetitions and durations. This will help you push your limits and make progress.
Advanced: If you're more experienced, challenge yourself by going for the higher end of the repetitions and durations. You can also make the workout more intense by reducing rest intervals or incorporating more challenging variations of the exercises.
Remember that proper form is crucial to prevent injuries and get the most out of your workout. If an exercise becomes too easy, consider adding complexity or trying more advanced variations such as single-leg variations. This bodyweight routine is an excellent way to target your full body, and improve your fitness, and can be adjusted to meet your individual fitness goals and abilities.
For the other full body workouts, you're going to need weights, strength bands, and our signature suspension trainer.
Full Body Workout 2: Weights
Incorporating weights into your at-home strength training can be a great way to build strength and muscle. Whether you have dumbbells or barbells at home, it’s important to select the appropriate load and focus on the proper form.
Squats (Dumbbell/Barbell):
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-12 (intermediate), 12+ (advanced)
Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets
Weight: Start with a weight that is challenging but allows you to maintain good form throughout the sets. A barbell provides more stability which allows for heavier loads than dumbbells.
Deadlifts (Dumbbell/Barbell):
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-12 (intermediate), 12+ (advanced)
Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets
Weight: Choose a weight that is challenging but manageable with proper form. It should be heavier than what you used for squats.
Bench Press (Dumbbell/Barbell):
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-12 (intermediate), 12+ (advanced)
Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets
Weight: Start with a weight that you can handle comfortably, and increase it gradually as you become more proficient.
Bent-Over Rows (Dumbbell/Barbell):
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-12 (intermediate), 12+ (advanced)
Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets
Weight: Choose a weight that is challenging but allows you to maintain proper form. This exercise targets the back muscles.
Shoulder Press (Dumbbell/Barbell):
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-12 (intermediate), 12+ (advanced)
Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets
Weight: Choose a weight that is challenging but allows you to maintain proper form, focus on using minimal momentum from your legs to lift the weights overhead.
Butterfly Sit-ups (Dumbbell):
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-12 (intermediate), 12+ (advanced)
Rest: 60-90 seconds between sets
Weight: Select one dumbbell/plate/kettlebell that allows you to control the motion with your core, if you’re using excessive momentum to sit up the weight is probably too heavy.
This workout split will target your shoulders and back heavily. Make sure to mix it up with other back and shoulder exercises you can do at home.
Related: Back Exercises to Do at Home
When selecting the appropriate weight for your exercises, it's essential to find a balance between challenging yourself and maintaining proper form. You should be able to complete the prescribed number of repetitions with good technique, but the last couple of reps should be challenging. As you progress, you can gradually increase the weight to continue building strength.
Here are some key points to remember:
- Always start with a proper warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for the workout.
- Use controlled, smooth movements during each repetition.
- Maintain a neutral spine during exercises to prevent injury.
- Consult a fitness professional or trainer if you're unsure about your form or need guidance on lifting weights safely.
- Start with lighter weights if you're a beginner and focus on mastering the movements before increasing the load.
By following this weights-based full-body workout routine and paying attention to proper form and safety, you can effectively target your major muscle groups and work towards building strength and muscle at home. Adjust the weights and repetitions to suit your current fitness level, and don't forget to listen to your body and gradually progress as you become more comfortable with the exercises.
Full Body Workout 3: Generic
In this workout, we'll combine elements from both bodyweight and weighted exercises, along with the addition of resistance band exercises. This will provide a balanced approach to working your entire body and can be performed with minimal equipment.
This will be a combination of lower body and upper body exercises you can do at home.
Resistance Band Deadlifts
This is a great resistance band back exercise to add to your arsenal.
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-12 (beginner), 12-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Resistance Band Squat to Shoulder Press
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-12 (beginner), 12-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Bodyweight Lunges (alternating legs)
Sets: 3
Repetitions per leg: 8-10 (beginner), 10-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Hip Thrust (resistance band/dumbbells)
Sets: 3
Repetitions per leg: 8-10 (beginner), 10-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Push-Ups:
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-15 (beginner), 15-20 (intermediate), 20+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Burpees:
Sets: 3
Repetitions per leg: 8-10 (beginner), 10-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Lateral raises (resistance band/dumbbells)
Sets: 3
Repetitions per leg: 8-10 (beginner), 10-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Mountain Climbers
Sets: 3
Duration: 20-30 seconds (beginner), 30-45 seconds (intermediate), 45+ seconds (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
This workout aims to maintain a balance across various muscle groups. For this workout, it's important to choose appropriate resistance levels for your resistance band exercises. Make sure that the bands provide enough tension to challenge your muscles without compromising your form. As you progress in your fitness journey, you can gradually increase the intensity by choosing bands with higher resistance.
This versatile full-body workout offers a well-rounded fitness routine that can be adjusted to your current fitness level. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, you can benefit from this workout that promotes overall strength, endurance, and balance.
Full Body Workout 4: TRX
The TRX suspension trainer has gained popularity in the fitness world for its versatility and effectiveness in delivering full-body workouts. Before diving into a TRX-based full-body workout, let's briefly introduce TRX and explain why suspension trainers are perfect for at-home workouts:
TRX is a brand that specializes in suspension training systems. Suspension training involves leveraging your body weight and gravity to build strength, improve flexibility, and increase overall fitness. TRX systems consist of adjustable straps that can be anchored to a door frame, tree branch, or other sturdy support.
TRX suspension trainers are ideal for at-home workouts for several reasons:
- Portability: TRX suspension trainers are compact and lightweight, making them easy to set up and use at home or on the go.
- Versatility: TRX offers a wide range of exercises that can be tailored to your fitness level, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
- Full-Body Engagement: Suspension training targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously, helping you achieve a full-body workout.
- Core Strength: TRX exercises are excellent for building core stability, which is essential for overall strength and injury prevention.
Now, let's explore a TRX-based full-body workout that focuses on core stability and functional strength.
TRX Squats
Strap length: Short
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-12 (beginner), 12-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
TRX Low Row:
Strap length: Short
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
Strap length: Fully lengthened
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-15 (intermediate), 15 (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
TRX Pikes:
Strap length: Mid-calf
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-12 (beginner), 12-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
TRX Lunges:
Strap length: Mid-calf
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-12 (beginner), 12-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
TRX Hamstring Curls
Benefits: Great for targeting your hamstrings at home
Strap length: Mid-calf
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 10-12 (beginner), 12-15 (intermediate), 15+ (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
TRX Side Plank
Strap length: Mid-calf
Sets: 3
Duration (per side): 20-30 seconds (beginner), 30-45 seconds (intermediate), 45+ seconds (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
TRX Y Fly
Strap length: Fully lengthened
Sets: 3
Repetitions: 8-10 (beginner), 10-15 (intermediate), 15 (advanced)
Rest: 30-60 seconds between sets
When using a TRX system, for exercises such as the push-up and low row, you can vary the angle at which you perform TRX exercises to increase or decrease exercise difficulty. To make an exercise easier, stand further away from the anchor point. To intensify an exercise, stand closer to the anchor point.
This TRX-based full-body workout emphasizes core stability, functional strength, and overall fitness. It's an excellent addition to your at-home workout routine, offering a unique and effective way to challenge your body and achieve your fitness objectives.
If you want other full-body workouts like the ones above, check out the TRX Training Club. You'll get access to 1000s of workouts from world-class trainers, all that can be done from the comfort of your own home:
Related: 12 Bicep Exercises at Home
Conclusion
:A 30-minute TRX total body workout offers a fun and effective way to boost overall strength and flexibility. TRX suspension training engages multiple muscles at once, helping to improve core stability and balance. It's adaptable for all fitness levels, thanks to adjustable straps that modify the difficulty. The variety of exercises keeps things interesting while challenging different muscles and body control in various ways. Plus, it's easy to set up at home and delivers a full-body workout in a short time, making it a convenient and engaging fitness option.
By integrating one of these full-body workouts into your fitness regimen and prioritizing consistency and recovery, you're well on your way to achieving your fitness goals and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
