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Full body workout plan for 2 to 3 days a week

Two alternating workouts, for starting out and for little time.

  • 2Workouts in rotation
  • 2–3Sessions per week
  • 55Minutes per session
  • 3Sets per exercise

Shown for muscle growth with some experience, in a gym. Tarvo adjusts the plan to your answers.

The full body plan alternates two workouts, A and B, that both hit legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms. On 2 to 3 days a week, you train every muscle 2 to 3 times.

A week with three workouts

  1. MonFull Body A
  2. TueRest
  3. WedFull Body B
  4. ThuRest
  5. FriFull Body A
  6. SatRest
  7. SunRest

The two workouts

Full Body A

6 exercises · 18 sets · 55 min
  1. SquatBarbell3 × 6–102:30
  2. Bench PressBarbell3 × 6–102:30
  3. Seated RowCable3 × 8–122:00
  4. Seated Leg CurlMachine3 × 12–201:30
  5. Lateral RaiseDumbbells3 × 12–201:30
  6. Triceps PushdownCable3 × 12–201:30

Full Body B

6 exercises · 18 sets · 55 min
  1. Romanian DeadliftBarbell3 × 6–102:30
  2. Lat PulldownCable3 × 8–122:00
  3. Incline Bench PressDumbbells3 × 8–122:00
  4. Leg PressMachine3 × 8–122:00
  5. Shoulder PressDumbbells3 × 8–122:00
  6. Bicep CurlDumbbells3 × 12–201:30

Who is the full body plan for?

For starting out and for little time, as Tarvo describes the plan. You practice the compound lifts in every workout, and if you miss one, no muscle goes untrained all week.

With 4 days, Upper/Lower fits; with 5 to 6, Push, Pull, Legs.

Why is the plan built this way?

  • 2 to 3 times a week per muscle. With the same number of sets, frequency doesn’t matter for growth [1]; several sessions per muscle spread the sets so none gets out of hand [2].
  • Rep ranges by exercise: compound lifts 6–10, medium exercises 8–12, small exercises 12–20 reps. Muscles grow across a wide range of loads as long as the set gets close to failure [3, 4].
  • Rest by exercise: compound lifts 2:30 min, medium 2:00 min, small 1:30 min. Above 90 seconds, rest makes no visible difference for growth [5].

Can I change the plan?

Yes. In Tarvo it’s a regular plan: swap exercises and change sets and rep ranges. Sets per exercise follow your experience: 2 if you’re new, 3 with some experience, 4 if you’re experienced.

If you train at home with dumbbells or only a barbell, Tarvo picks exercises that work with your equipment.

Questions

Is a full body workout plan good for beginners?

Yes. You practice the compound lifts in every workout and train every muscle 2 to 3 times a week. For beginners, Tarvo plans 2 sets per exercise.

Are 2 full body days a week enough?

To start, yes: around 4 hard sets per muscle per week already work measurably [6]. With 3 days you get more sets, and more sets bring more growth [6].

How long does a full body workout take?

About 55 minutes with 6 exercises and 3 sets each. With 2 sets per exercise, as Tarvo plans for beginners, about 40 minutes.

Full body or a split?

Go by your days: up to 3 days full body, 4 days upper/lower, 5 to 6 days push, pull, legs. With the same number of sets, muscles grow equally with any split [1].

Sources

  1. [1]Schoenfeld, Grgic, Krieger (2019). How many times per week should a muscle be trained to maximize muscle hypertrophy?. J Sports Sci. doi 10.1080/02640414.2018.1555906Meta-analysis of 25 studies. With the same number of sets, muscles grew equally regardless of weekly frequency.
  2. [2]Helms, Fitschen, Aragon, Cronin, Schoenfeld (2015). Recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: resistance and cardiovascular training. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govReview for natural bodybuilding. Most reps between 6 and 12, each muscle at least twice a week.
  3. [3]Schoenfeld, Grgic, Ogborn, Krieger (2017). Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training. J Strength Cond Res. doi 10.1519/jsc.0000000000002200Meta-analysis of 21 studies. Muscles grew equally with light and heavy loads; strength grew more with heavy loads.
  4. [4]Lopez et al. (2021). Resistance Training Load Effects on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gain: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc. doi 10.1249/mss.0000000000002585Network meta-analysis of 28 studies. No difference in growth between light, moderate and heavy loads; heavy loads win for strength.
  5. [5]Singer, Wolf et al. (2024). Give it a rest: a systematic review with Bayesian meta-analysis on the effect of inter-set rest interval duration on muscle hypertrophy. Front Sports Act Living. doi 10.3389/fspor.2024.1429789Meta-analysis of 9 studies. A small edge above 60 seconds, no visible difference for growth above 90 seconds.
  6. [6]Pelland, Remmert, Robinson, Hinson, Zourdos (2024). The Resistance Training Dose-Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gain. SportRxiv (Vorabfassung). sportrxiv.orgMeta-regression of 67 studies. More sets bring more growth with diminishing returns; secondary muscles fit best counted as half.

Other plans

PlanUpper/LowerExerciseSquatLearnWorkout splitLearnProgressive overload

The full body plan is built into Tarvo.

As a starter plan, with a target for every set that rises week by week.

One email when Tarvo launches. Nothing else. Privacy

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