Ever wondered how to write a strength program on your own? Learn how from Lift Clinic strength coaches!
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) recommend that everyone engage in a minimum of 2 days of strength training per week to acquire and maintain various health benefits.
If you can fit 2-3 consistent strength workouts per week into your training routine, then it is probably best to stick to full body workouts addressing most muscle groups rather than splitting your routine into different muscle groups (eg. Having an upper body day, lower body day). This will ensure that all major muscle groups are being trained multiple times per week and will enable you to benefit from your strength training more efficiently.
For those of you who are able to train more frequently (4-6X/week, it may be more beneficial to split your training routine – which will be a topic for another blog post)!
Important movements to incorporate into every full body workout
1. Lower Body Squat (squat, lunge, split squat etc.)
2. Lower Body Hinge (deadlift, hip thrust)
3. Upper Body Pull (rows, chin ups etc.)
4. Upper Body Push (overhead press, bench press etc.)
5. Core (carries, planks, deadbugs, etc.)
Check out our Instagram page for tips on the technique of the exercises listed above.
Organizing your full body workout
The order of your exercises matters. To maintain proper form and ensure muscle groups are properly rested, you can pair together your upper body, lower body and core exercises. See the example below!
Superset 1:
1A. Lower Body Squat
1B. Upper Body Pull
1C. Core
Superset 2:
2A. Lower Body Hinge
2B. Upper Body Push
2C. Core
How much volume should I do?
This is a tricky question that might be better addressed in a later blog post, but in general 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps is a good place to start for a full body workout! To learn more and have a program specialized to your needs and goals, visit our website and book in with one of our strength coaches!
