1 Week Total Body Workout Program

Just made a commitment to getting back to the gym? Awesome – good for you! Now, where are you going to start?

You have a lot of options in front of you: total body workouts, upper/lower splits, push/pull, muscle grouping splits…It’s a lot. You could make a lot of right decisions here, but I’m just going to talk to you about one: total body workouts.

Why? I’ll tell you.

Smaller Time Commitment

If you are just getting back into the gym, you don’t need to be spending hours a week there. In fact, the fastest way to burn out is over-doing it and getting stressed about then you can fit in your workout.

Total body workout programs can be designed to be done in 3-4 days a week, a totally doable commitment. You might be spending a bit more time at the gym each session, but overall the time commitment is definitely smaller than any other split would call for.

More Time for Recovery

Because you’re only going to be working out every other day (at most), your body has time to recover and repair. What that means: more time for muscle growth and fewer gym sessions you have to push yourself through major soreness to complete.

Simplicity

With total body workouts, there’s no questioning whether you’ve done leg day this week, whether you can fit in the back exercises you had planned because all of the machines are taken, or what you should do next. Each workout touches every muscle group, but you’re not forced to stick with one exercise.

Also, if you do happen to miss a day, your workout schedule doesn’t get complicated. You simply go the next day and rest the following day. No muscle groups missed.

Plenty of Time for Other Activities

Because your strength training workouts will take up only 3-4 days of the week, you have time to try other activities and classes. On your non-strength training days, take a yoga class, go for a hike, swim or just take time to do all of the other things that round out your life.

Total Body Workout Outline

Ready to get started? A few pointers and notes.

• Stick with one major exercise for each muscle group.
• Start light and work your way up in weight – ALWAYS think form first.
• Perform this workout 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.
• Always begin with a light warm up and foam rolling.
• Perform 2-3 sets of 12-15, depending on your fitness level.

Workout 1

Lying Leg Press
Barbell Chest Press (or Dumbbell Chest Press)
Cable Row (or Resistance Band Row)
Standing DB Press
Bench Dips
Dumbbell Bicep Curls
Planks (2-3 sets of 30-60 seconds)

Workout 2

Barbell Squat (or Dumbbell Squat)
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
Lat Pulldown
Front to Side Lateral Raises
Cable Tricep Pushdown with Rope Attachment
Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Russian Twists

Workout 3

Barbell Deadlift (or Dumbbell Deadlift)
Cable Chest Flyes (or Machine Butterflies)
Barbell Bent Over Row (or Dumbbell Bent Over Row)
Seated Dumbbell Press
Overhead Dumbbell Tricep Extensions
Cable Bicep Curl
Lying Leg Raises

Get the Most Out of Your Workout

• Control your movement, always. Be purposeful about your movement – that mind/muscle connection is important!
• Take a short rest between sets to recover. 60-120 seconds should do it but pay attention to your breath and heart rate.
• Fuel your body. If you want to grow and progress, you have to pay attention to nutrition as much as you pay attention to exercise. Eat a well-balanced meal (with protein), 1-2 hours before you workout. Grab a small snack (with carbs and protein), post-workout to refuel your muscles and give your body something to build with.
• Push yourself. You can almost always do more than you think you can. It’s really important to challenge your body and mind – that’s where growth comes from. Don’t stick with the same old 8 pound dumbbells, there are 10s on the rack for a reason!

Stick With It

You have a goal, now you have a plan. Stick with it. Instead of jumping around from random workout to random workout, stick with one for a while and push yourself to start seeing results.

You can take this program and continue with it for weeks. Each week, progress yourself a bit more. Lift a heavier weight, do one more rep, add a set, decrease your rest periods. You have control over all of these factors that can lead to major results! Stick with it!