3-Day Full Body Workout Routine: How To Split Your Training To Build Strength And Muscle

A 3-day full-body workout is the most effective way to target all muscle groups without spending all week at the gym. You probably have a busy schedule that does not allow you to devote several hours, 6 days a week exercising. If you are wondering how to create an effective workout that is also time-efficient, this article is for you.

Splitting your workout routine to target different muscle groups is what most bodybuilders and athletes prefer. A 5 day split that targets one muscle group per day, for 5 days, is common but not ideal. For you, the average Joe or Jane who works long hours and juggles many commitments, it is not practical. So, here is what you need to know to build the perfect 3-day full-body workout routine.

What Is A 3-Day Full Body Workout?

It is a workout regimen that targets all muscle groups in only 3 days. Because the workout is split into 3, it targets a different muscle group each day. It also leaves days for rest in between the sessions so that your muscles recover. Resting further maximizes the strength gains made during your up days.

Building muscle takes consistency and hard work. To see progress, you must focus on improving your workouts. That is why you cannot do the same exercises, for the same number of sets, with the same amount of weights every day. You have to constantly switch it up and push yourself to trigger hypertrophy.

The 3-day full-body workout incorporates the important tenets of muscle building. It gets progressively challenging such that you are always increasing the effort you put in. It also varies the target muscle group so that the previously exercised areas recover and replenish muscle. But, figuring out a routine that works for you is not always easy.

The 3 day splits tend to work out the larger muscle groups more than the small ones.

The Number Of Sets Per Muscle Group But You Should Adhere To These General Guidelines:

• Larger muscle groups like chest, back, shoulders, quads — 9 to 15 sets.
• Smaller muscle groups like triceps, biceps, calves, abs, hamstrings — 6 to 9 sets.
• Smallest muscle groups like rear delts, traps, and forearms — 1 to 4 sets.

Note that the number of sets per muscle group should be shifted up or down depending on your body goals. You should also consider how much you are willing to endure. It is advisable to work out with progressive intensity. However, you should not push yourself to the point of injuring muscle.

Length Of Each Session In A 3-Day Split Workout

The length of each workout session depends on your schedule and your strength. Because you are only going to the gym thrice a week, you can spare a decent amount for a thorough workout. The full-body workout, without counting warm-up and cool-down should last an hour to an hour and a half.

As you work out consistently, some exercises become easier to do. Your body becomes more efficient at doing certain sets. This is not to mean that you should shorten how much time you spend at the gym. Rather, you should switch up the intensity of your workout.

You should always leave the gym having put a fair amount of stress on your muscles. Remember that hypertrophy is tearing down and building muscle. So, if you do not leave your workout feeling that you have pushed your muscles, you may not be doing the workout right.

What To Do If You Miss A Day In A 3-Day Split Workout?

The 3-day full-body workout is ideally a Monday/Wednesday/Friday affair. It means that you go to the gyms on three days, breaking on Tuesday and Thursday. Weekends are also a time for rest.

However, life is not always predictable. Something might come up, forcing you to miss a gym day. When it happens, simply make up for the lost day the next day and continue the pattern. Here is an example of how to continue the pattern if you missed a day.

• Monday: Workout
• Tuesday: Rest day
• Wednesday: Missed workout
• Thursday: Workout
• Friday: Rest day
• Saturday: Workout
• Sunday: Rest day

If working out on the weekend is not an option, you can do it on consecutive days. Rest days are important, but there are some benefits to working out on consecutive days For example:

• Monday: Workout
• Tuesday: Rest day
• Wednesday: Missed workout
• Thursday: Workout
• Friday: Workout
• Saturday: Rest day
• Sunday: Rest day

Know that the days of the week you choose to train are not set in stone. You can do Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday. The essence of a 3-day workout split is to skip a day in between workouts; whichever way you achieve this is up to you.

Warm-Up Before A Full-Body Workout

Before you learn how to structure a 3-day full-body workout, you must not overlook the importance of warm-up. The number of sets listed in the workout routines does not include warm-up sets. Warm-up is important to prepare your joints, muscles, and nervous system that controls your muscle groups.

It is always a good idea to do progressively heavier warm-up sets to prepare for the heavy work ahead. Usually, 1–3 warm-up sets are sufficient. However, the exact number of sets you do vary depending on how you feel and the amount of weight you are lifting.

The temperature of the gym matters too. In a cold gym, you might do more warm-up sets to warm your body up. If the temperature is normal or hot, you might do fewer sets.

Cardio that targets the specific muscles you plan on exercising later is the best warm-up. You can run on a treadmill, hop on a stationary bike, or jump a rope. Alternatively, you can do mobility exercises. These target arms, shoulders, hips, knees, and wrists.

3-Day Full-Body Workout Routine For Beginners

As a beginner, your priority should be to develop proper form. Doing so prevents injury. Do not feel embarrassed to start with small weights and progress as you feel comfortable. Do not compare yourself to others who have been doing full-body workouts for longer. Remember, patience and consistency give better results.

A beginner is anyone who has done less than 6 months of consistent weight training. The 3 days split for beginners encourages muscle and strength gains while improving workout capacity. Below is a sample 3-day full-body workout routine for a beginner:

Full Body Workout 1

• Squats — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Bench press — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Rows — 3 sets of 8–10 reps

Full Body Workout 2

• Deadlifts — 3 sets of 6–8 reps
• Pull-ups or Lat pull-downs — 3 sets of 8–10 reps
• Shoulder press — 3 sets of 8–10 reps

This is a basic training routine that revolves around 2 workouts. You can alternate between them on each of the 3 days so that you are doing workout 1 — workout 2 — workout 1 the first week, workout 2 — workout 1 — workout 2 the next week, and so on.

It is important to rest between sets. Take a 2–3 minute break between each set. You would rather give yourself too much rest than not enough so that you have the strength to finish the workout.

3-Day Full-Body Workout For Weight Loss

A 3-day full-body workout for weight loss works together with a healthy diet. You must find out how many calories you need to burn through exercise. To do this, calculate your calorie consumption and BMR. Perform the full-body workout listed below on alternate days to burn fat through exercise.

Full Body Workout 1

• Dumbbell power clean — 3 sets of 5 reps
• Barbell deadlift — 5 sets of 5 reps
• Pull up — 5 sets of 8 reps
• Dumbbell RDL to shrug — 3 sets of 12 reps
• Kneeling push up — 3 sets of 20 reps
• Hanging leg raise — 3 sets of 10 reps
• Rows — 2 sets for 1000M

Full Body Workout 2

• Running Sprint — 5 sets of top speed for 8–10 seconds
• Barbell squat — 8 sets of 3 reps
• Barbell hip thrust — 4 sets of 12 reps
• Dumbbell bench press — 4 sets of 10 reps
• Barbell bench press — 4 sets of 8 reps
• Kneeling push up — 4 sets of 8 reps
• AB wheel rollout — 3 sets of 12 reps
• Farmer’s walk — 2 sets of the farthest possible distance

Full Body Workout 3

• Bench Jump — 5 sets of 5 reps
• Overhead dumbbell press — 4 sets of 8 reps
• Face pull — 4 sets of 12 reps
• Dumbbell shrug — 4 sets of 20 reps
• Dumbbell lunge — 4 sets of 8 reps on each side
• Seated leg curl — 4 sets of 20 reps
• Cable woodchip — 3 sets of 8 reps on each side
• Kneeling push up — 100 reps

BetterMe app will enhance the effectiveness of your 3-day full-body workout routine! With tools and tips for changing your eating habits and mindset, the impact of your workouts will be noticeable in no time. Download our app and experience the change yourself!

The Benefits Of A 3-Day Workout Split

A 3-day full-body workout for men and women has many benefits. In comparison to the 2, 4, and 5-day workout splits, this style of training has the following advantages.

• Simplicity — exercising on alternate days is a regimen that is straightforward and easy to stick to.
• Convenience — because most people are busy and need several days away from the gym, the 3 days split fit into their schedules.
• High training frequency — being able to train each muscle group 2–4 times a week is the recommended frequency for hypertrophy and strength gains.
• Reduced risk of repetitive stress injuries — varying exercises allows your joints to rest and prevents injury.
• Reduced risk of overtraining — with breaks between sets and rest days, the 3-day split reduces the risk of fatigue and poor form.

How Should Eating Habits Be On A 3-Day Full-Body Workout Routine?

To see results from a full-body workout, you must follow a healthy diet. Depending on your body goals, you should create a calorie deficit or surplus.

People looking to lose weight require a calorie deficit i.e. to burn more calories than they consume. There are many diet options you can look into. Whether you choose to do Keto, Paleo, or any other diet, make sure that you are getting all nutrients.

Eating balanced meals and controlling your portions will help you achieve the deficit. You might also want to look into calorie counting to achieve your body goals faster.

On the other hand, people working to build muscle require a calorie surplus. They must nourish their bodies adequately to repair torn muscles and encourage hypertrophy (3). If you are having trouble eating enough to attain a caloric surplus, you might want to drink your calories. This means taking protein shakes or mass gainers.

As a beginner, do not rush to supplementing your diet with shakes and gainers straight away. Start by working on your meals to ensure they are nutritious and portions are sufficient. If after a while you are still having a hard time consuming a surplus, look into supplementation.

DISCLAIMER

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!