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Full body strength workout

Train the lifts. Build measurable strength.

A three-day gym plan that gives the main lifts enough weight, rest and repetition to improve—without maxing out, testing your limits every week or filling the session with unnecessary exercises.

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The short answer

Strength needs practice, resistance and recovery.

A strength-focused full body workout is not just a general routine performed with heavier dumbbells. The lifts you want to improve need to appear regularly, early in the session and with enough rest that fatigue does not turn every set into conditioning.

The plan below alternates two sessions. Each begins with one lower-body and one upper-body priority lift, then adds a pull, a second leg pattern and simple trunk or carry work. Main lifts use four to six repetitions; supporting work uses slightly higher ranges where that makes stable technique and progression easier.

The programme

Do this workout

Alternate workouts A and B in sequence. Perform one or two lighter preparation sets before the first working set of each main lift. Rest 2–3 minutes after the first three exercises and roughly 60–120 seconds after the remaining work.

01

Squat · horizontal push · row · hinge · carry

Workout A — squat and bench priority

Choose repeatable working loads, not the heaviest weight possible today.
ExerciseSets and repsHow to use it
Back squat or leg press3 × 4–6Use the same controlled depth each set. A leg press is a valid stable alternative when barbell setup is the limiter.
Bench press3 × 4–6Use safety arms or a competent spotter when appropriate; stop before the bar path becomes unpredictable.
Chest-supported row3 × 5–8Pause near the torso and keep the chest against the support instead of creating momentum.
Romanian deadlift2 × 6–8Keep the bar close, hinge at the hips and stop the range before your trunk position changes.
Farmer carry3 × 30–40 mWalk with quiet steps and tall posture. Use a timed carry when distance is difficult to measure.
02

Hinge · vertical push · pulldown · single leg · brace

Workout B — deadlift and press priority

The priority changes, but the whole-body structure remains.
ExerciseSets and repsHow to use it
Trap-bar deadlift3 × 4–6Reset between repetitions when needed. Use a conventional deadlift only when its setup is already familiar.
Overhead press3 × 4–6Press without leaning back to turn the movement into an incline press.
Lat pulldown or assisted chin-up3 × 5–8Use a grip and range you can control without pulling behind the neck.
Supported split squat2 × 6–8 / sideHold support lightly so balance does not hide what the working leg can do.
Pallof press2 × 8–12 / sideUse a stable cable or band anchor and resist rotating towards it.
01

Warm up specifically

Before a main lift, use two or three gradually heavier sets of that exercise rather than exhausting yourself with a long circuit.

02

Leave two good reps

Most working sets should finish with roughly two controlled repetitions still possible. Strength practice does not require daily failure.

03

Take the full rest

Use up to three minutes after demanding compound sets. Begin again when you can brace and move with intent—not when a timer creates urgency.

04

Record every set

Write down exercise, load and completed repetitions. Progress comes from comparing like with like across several weeks.

Fit it into the week

A schedule you can repeat

Three days provides frequent practice while preserving recovery days. If two days fit your life better, perform A and B once each week; do not compress the third session into the weekend.

  1. Week 1
    Monday A · Wednesday B · Friday ASquat and bench receive two exposures in the first week.
  2. Week 2
    Monday B · Wednesday A · Friday BDeadlift and overhead press receive two exposures next.
  3. Repeat
    Continue alternating A and BThe sequence—not the weekday name—decides which workout comes next.

Make it work next month

Add strength without testing it every week

Use double progression: first earn more repetitions with the same load, then add the smallest practical amount. A successful workout is training evidence, not a one-day performance test.

Step 1

Own the lower target

Begin with a load you can complete for every set at the bottom of the range while leaving about two good repetitions in reserve.

Step 2

Build to the top

Add one repetition where possible over later sessions. Keep the load unchanged until all working sets reach the top of the range.

Step 3

Add a small load

Increase the weight by the smallest practical amount, return to the lower rep target and rebuild. Repeat a load when technique or reps regress.

Real-life rule

The next letter stays next.

If workout B is missed, perform B at the next available session. Do not restart with A and do not double the main lifts to repay the week. After roughly two weeks away, keep the exercises but use about 10% less load and one fewer working set during the first session back.

Keep the movement

Useful substitutions

Strength is specific, but the programme does not depend on one barbell lift. Pick a stable alternative that trains the same broad pattern, then keep it long enough to progress.

Movement neededUse thisOr use this
Knee-dominant strengthBack squatLeg press or front squat
Horizontal pushBench pressDumbbell bench or machine chest press
Hip hingeTrap-bar deadliftConventional deadlift or Romanian deadlift
Upper-body pullChest-supported rowCable row or lat pulldown
Vertical pushOverhead pressDumbbell or machine shoulder press

Why this is a sensible starting point

Simple, repeatable and evidence-informed

The NHS recommends muscle-strengthening activity for all major muscle groups on at least two days each week. Its guidance recognises bodyweight, resistance bands, free weights and gym machines as valid ways to train.

ACSM’s 2026 resistance-training update places consistency ahead of unnecessary complexity. The most useful programme is one you can perform safely, progressively and often enough to repeat.

NHS activity guidance ↗ACSM resistance-training update ↗

Choose the next useful guide

Keep training connected

Use a related version when your equipment, available time or preferred session format changes. You do not need to restart your progress.

Choose the movements

Compound exercise guide

Understand which multi-joint lifts cover each pattern and where isolation work can still help.

Open guide →Need more schedule options

Complete workout plan

Compare two-, three- and four-day versions with the full progression system.

Open guide →Choose the prescription

Sets and reps guide

Understand when to use lower-rep priority lifts, moderate supporting work and additional working sets.

Open guide →

Practical questions

Before you start

Can a full body workout build strength?+

Yes. A full body plan can train the main movement patterns several times each week, which gives you regular practice with the lifts you want to improve. Strength still depends on progressive resistance, adequate rest and repeating comparable exercises—not simply training every muscle in one session.

How many reps should I do for strength?+

This plan uses mostly 4–6 repetitions for the first main lifts and 6–10 for supporting exercises. You do not need to test a one-repetition maximum. Choose loads that leave roughly two controlled repetitions available at the end of most sets.

Is three full body strength workouts a week too much?+

Not when volume and effort are managed. The plan alternates workouts A and B, limits most exercises to two or three working sets and places recovery days between sessions. Begin with two days if you are new, returning or not recovering predictably.

Should every exercise be a compound lift?+

No. Compound exercises make the programme efficient, but smaller or more stable exercises can add useful work without the same coordination or fatigue cost. The movement pattern and reason for the exercise matter more than whether every lift receives the compound label.