Full-body workout

A full-body workout, also called a total-body workout, trains all the major muscle groups in one session, typically with one or two exercises for each.^{1Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 99.} The NSCA’s program design guide describes this approach as common among athletes and Olympic weightlifters.^{1Hoffman, NSCA’s Guide to Program Design, p. 99.}

The IPTA textbook recommends full-body routines for beginners, clients short on time and those who want a low weekly training frequency.^{2International Personal Trainer Academy, Certified Personal Trainer Textbook, p. 321.} Two or three workouts a week can provide enough stimulus for substantial changes, with compound exercises fitting the time and energy available.^{2International Personal Trainer Academy, Certified Personal Trainer Textbook, p. 321.} Rippetoe and colleagues also describe the three-day whole-body plan as an efficient way to get a complete workout.^{3Rippetoe et al., Practical Programming for Strength Training, 3rd ed., p. 250.}

When to consider a split routine

Rippetoe and colleagues argue that most people can keep a whole-body design throughout their training career.^{3Rippetoe et al., Practical Programming for Strength Training, 3rd ed., p. 250.} The NSCA’s personal training text describes a split routine as a common strategy for intermediate clients.^{4Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 413.} Rippetoe’s reasons to switch include systemic fatigue that interferes with sport training and hard volume days that can take a very strong lifter 2.5 hours.^{3Rippetoe et al., Practical Programming for Strength Training, 3rd ed., p. 250.}

In practice

• For two weekly full-body workouts, ISSA recommends two extra sets on each of the three main lifts for off-season athletes and the general population, one heavy workout (above 80% of one rep max), and evenly spaced sessions, such as Monday and Thursday.^{5International Sports Sciences Association, Strength and Conditioning, p. 377.}
• Training a major muscle group twice a week is effective for strength, muscle mass and power; ISSA calls it optimal for in-season athletes.^{5International Sports Sciences Association, Strength and Conditioning, p. 377.}
• With one weekly session, ISSA recommends higher volume than with two sessions and one or two circuits alternating upper and lower body and push and pull.^{5International Sports Sciences Association, Strength and Conditioning, p. 377.}