A full body workout is time efficient and effective method of building strength and muscle. Many exercises can train each muscle but when it comes to a full body workout we will rely on compound movements and some isolation work to target the weak points.

We can train our whole body 3 times a week or maybe 4 but any more than that it will hinder recovery. In this article, we will go over the best compound exercises to train effectively and efficiently.

Squat

The squat is a fundamental exercise in any gym routine. You can effectively perform this exercise either with just your body weight or using a barbell or dumbbell. The squat targets the quadriceps and hamstrings, emphasis on these muscles can be changed by bar placement or depending on how you hold the dumbbell.

Famous personalities such as Tom Platz have said there is no other exercise as effective as the squat for building legs and that coming from the man who had the greatest legs of all time in bodybuilding.

How to squat

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
• Bend the knees and hinge from the hips at the same time
• Brace your core and make your back rigid
• Push the floor away rather than thinking of lifting it with your back

Deadlift

The deadlift targets the posterior chain like no other exercise in this list. In recent days the deadlift has been shunned away by bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts because of the risk-to-reward ratio but the deadlift does build a strong back and hamstrings.

Deadlifts should not be done in high volume as they will fatigue your body’s central nervous system and hinder performance and recovery on the next workout session. Overall the deadlift is a fun exercise that should be a part of your full body workout routine.

How to deadlift:

• Stand about 1 inch away from the bar
• Stand in a position from which you can jump the highest
• Hinge from the hips and grab the bar
• Meet the shin to the bar (do not move the bar towards your shin)
• Initiate the lift by pushing through your legs

Bench press

The bench press targets the chest, tricep, and front delt. You can perform this exercise with dumbbells or barbells and if you don’t have access to equipment you can do push-ups. The bench press is an exercise that can be modified to hit the weak points of your chest. If you have a weak or underdeveloped upper chest you can do it on an incline and if you have a weak lower chest you can do it on a decline.

The barbell bench press might not be effective like the dumbbell bench press since you can get more range of motion with dumbbells rather than barbells. Overall Bench press should be a part of your training routine.

How to bench press:

• Retract your scapula and lay on the bench
• Grab the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width
• Lift the bar and bring it down slowly towards your lower chest
• Pause at the bottom and push upwards

Military press

Military press primarily targets the deltoids and triceps. Military press eliminates leg drive and gives more stimulus to the Shoulder and triceps making it a great compound movement for building shoulders. Most of the time you can pair these with cable or dumbbell lateral raises if you have less time in the gym. Overall this exercise should be a part of your full body dumbbell workout.

How to military press:

• Grab the bar just outside shoulder-width
• Get into a front squat position
• Brace your core
• Press the bar up without the help of legs
• Hold at the top and bring it down slowly

Pull-ups

Pull-ups are a great exercise for targeting the mid back and the lats. There is also a little contribution by the biceps but it’s very less. If you can’t do pull-ups you can replace them with lat pulldowns they work the same muscle groups. This exercise can contribute greatly when you have a full body workout with emphasis on the back.

How to structure your full body dumbbell workout

To structure your full body workout we will have to assess what weak points you have in your physique or which weak point you want to address. On this basis, I will give examples of workouts with emphasis on Legs and chest.

Full body workout routine with emphasis on legs

To begin a full body workout with emphasis on the legs we will need to hit the legs first so we can go full force on the legs and train them effectively. So it will look something like this:

Full body workout routine with emphasis on chest

FAQs

We will answer some questions you might be interested in this section

1. Is it OK to train full body every day?

Ans. No, it is not OK to train full body every day since training that frequently will increase the chances of injury and hinder recovery.

2. Is 5 exercises enough for full-body?

Ans. Yes, 5 exercises are good enough for a full body workout if you are doing 5 compound movements.

3. How long should full body workout routines last?

Ans. Full body workout routines can last anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours. It is important to assess how much time you have to train and train accordingly.

4. Can I do full body workouts at home?

Ans. Yes, you can do full body workouts at home using your own body weight and home gym equipment.

5. How to prevent injury?

Ans. To prevent injury you need to ensure you get proper rest and diet before your workout and focus on maintaining proper technique to prevent such mishaps.