MusclistFull body workout: a free 3-day plan
Three full body sessions a week, each one training legs, a push, a pull and a couple of smaller muscles. Every muscle gets worked three times a week, which is the fastest way to learn the lifts and build a base.
- Days per week
- 3
- Level
- Beginner
- Session
- 50–60 min
- Equipment
- Free weight, Machine, Cable, and Bodyweight
Who it’s for
Beginners, people coming back after a break, and anyone who can only train three days a week. It also suits lifters who would rather do fewer, shorter sessions than a split.
Weekly schedule
- Mon · Full body A
- Tue · Rest
- Wed · Full body B
- Thu · Rest
- Fri · Full body C
- Sat · Rest
- Sun · Rest
Full body A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat | 3 | 6–10 |
| Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 6–10 |
| Barbell Row | 3 | 8–10 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 2 | 12–20 |
| Dumbbell Curl | 2 | 10–15 |
Full body B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 8–10 |
| Overhead Press | 3 | 6–10 |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8–12 |
| Leg Press | 2 | 10–15 |
| Cable Triceps Pushdown | 2 | 10–15 |
Full body C
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 8–12 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Seated Cable Row | 3 | 10–12 |
| Lying Leg Curl | 2 | 10–15 |
| Face Pull | 2 | 12–20 |
| Hanging Knee Raise | 2 | 10–15 |
Weekly sets per muscle
Counted the way Musclist counts them: a full set for the muscle an exercise mainly trains, half a set for each muscle that helps.
| Muscle | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Upper back | 8.5 |
| Quads | 8 |
| Biceps | 7.5 |
| Triceps | 6.5 |
| Chest | 6 |
| Front delts | 6 |
| Lats | 6 |
| Glutes | 5.5 |
| Hamstrings | 5 |
| Adductors | 4 |
| Forearms | 3.5 |
| Side delts | 2 |
| Rear delts | 2 |
| Abs | 2 |
| Lower back | 1.5 |
| Traps | 1 |
| Calves | 1 |
How to progress
As a beginner, you can add weight almost every session at first. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add the smallest step your equipment allows next time.
Once that slows down, use double progression: keep the weight and add a rep or two across your sets each session until you reach the top of the range again.
Train with one or two reps left in the tank on most sets. Grinding every set to failure makes the next session harder, not better.
Run it in Musclist
In the app, open My routine and add one workout for each day: Full body A, Full body B, and Full body C, with the exercises in the order above. Musclist then suggests the next workout every time, starts each exercise from last time’s weight and reps, and shows the muscles you trained after each session. The app keeps the exercises and their order, not the sets and reps, so keep this page handy for those.
Questions
Is full body 3 times a week enough to build muscle?
Yes. Each muscle is trained three times a week here, and the main muscles get around 5 to 9 hard sets a week, which is plenty for beginners. When progress slows, add a set to the exercises for the muscles you want to grow most.
Can I train full body on back-to-back days?
It is better to leave a rest day between sessions, because every session trains the same muscles. Monday, Wednesday and Friday is the classic schedule.
When should I switch to a split?
When you want more sets per muscle than fit in three sessions, or you can train four or more days a week. An upper lower split is the natural next step.
Other programs
- Push Pull Legs6 days a week
- Upper / Lower4 days a week
- Full body, 2 days2 days a week
- Beginner 5×53 days a week
- Body-part split5 days a week
- Dumbbell only3 days a week
Not sure which one? Read How to choose a workout split.