Full-Body Gym Workout

Take your strength to new heights with this comprehensive full-body gym workout…

Stick the basics consistently – squats, presses, deadlifts and rows – and you’re guaranteed to build both muscle and strength. This gym workout incorporates each of the above, with some chin-ups and dips added to the mix for good measure, to provide a full-body test that will hit every major muscle group.

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How to do this full-body gym workout:

Stick to 3 working sets, but because you’ll be going heavy you’ll want to do some warm-up sets first. Do a set of 10 reps with an empty bar, 5 reps with 50% of your work weight, then 3 reps with about 70%.  

Low reps and heavier weight make this a strength-focused workout, but you can easily up the reps and drop the weight – consider cutting the rest time, too – to place greater strain on your cardiovascular system and target more of a fat-loss benefit.

Related: Hit the gym with this 30-minute upper-body workout

The full-body gym workout:

1. Barbell Back Squat (Reps: 5 | Rest: 2 mins | Sets: 3)

2. Barbell Overhead Press (Reps: 5 | Rest: 2 mins | Sets: 3)

3. Barbell Bent-Over Row (Reps: 5 | Rest: 90 secs | Sets: 3)

4. Barbell Romanian Deadlift (Reps: 6 | Rest: 90 secs | Sets: 3 

5. Chin-Up (Reps: Max | Rest: 60 secs | Sets: 3)

6. Ring Dip (Reps: Max | Rest: 60 secs | Sets: 3)

Related: Resistance band full-body workout

1. Barbell Back Squat  

Primary target: Quads and glutes

Secondary target: Core 

• Reps: 5
• Rest: 2 mins
• Sets: 3

How to do a barbell back squat:

• Take the bar out of the rack so it rests across your upper back.
• Take two big steps back, ending with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out slightly.  
• Keep your spine in alignment by looking at a spot on the floor about two metres in front of you, then sit back and down as if you’re aiming for a chair.  
• Descend until your hip crease is below your knee.  
• Keep your weight on your heels as you drive up.

2. Barbell Overhead Press 

Primary target: Shoulders

Secondary target: Triceps 

• Reps: 5
• Rest: 2 mins
• Sets: 3

How to do a barbell overhead press:

• With your feet shoulder-width apart, position a bar on your upper chest, gripping it with hands just wider than shoulder-width apart.  
• Brace your abs, glutes and quads as you press the bar straight upwards.  
• Pause at the top, then lower.  
• You might find you can lift more weight by wrapping your thumbs around the same side as your fingers, to keep your forearms in a more favourable position. 

Related: 35 best barbell exercises for every muscle group

3. Barbell Bent-Over Row 

Primary target: Upper back

Secondary target: Biceps 

• Reps: 5
• Rest: 90 secs
• Sets: 3 

How to do a bent-over row:

• Hold the bar with a shoulder-width grip, bending your knees slightly.  
• Bend at the hips until you’re at a roughly 45˚ angle to the floor.  
• Pull the bar up to touch your sternum and then lower under control.  
• If you’re moving your upper body to shift the bar, the weight’s too heavy.

4. Barbell Romanian Deadlift 

Primary target: Hamstrings

Secondary target: Glutes 

• Reps: 6
• Rest: 90 secs
• Sets: 3 

How to do a Romanian deadlift:

• Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip just outside your thighs.  
• Keeping a slight bend in your knees, bend forwards from the hips – not the waist – and lower the bar down the front of your shins until you feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.  
• Reverse the move back to the start by pushing your hips forwards. 

5. Chin-Up 

Primary target: Upper back

Secondary target: Biceps 

• Reps: Max
• Rest: 60 secs
• Sets: 3 

How to do a chin-up:

• Grasp the bar with an underhand grip with your hands shoulder-width apart.  
• Start from a dead hang with your arms fully extended.  
• Pull yourself up.  
• Once your chin is over the bar, slowly lower back to the start.  
• To make it easier, cross your feet behind you. 

Related: Full-body supersets gym workout

6. Ring Dip 

Primary target: Chest

Secondary target: Triceps 

• Reps: Max
• Rest: 60 secs
• Sets: 3 

How to do a ring dip:

• From the top position, bend your elbows and lower into a dip, descending until your shoulders are just below your elbows.  
• Leaning forward will work your chest, while staying straight will build triceps strength.  
• If you don’t have access to rings, use parallel dip bars instead. 

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