30 Minute Full Body Gym Workout

A split schedule involves training one or two muscle groups per session, three to four times a week. With a full body routine you target all the major muscle groups in every workout. If you're used to a workout split then that might seem unthinkable, but there are real benefits, as we’re going to explain.

If you’ve just started training or are returning to exercise after a long break, concentrating on one or two muscle groups in a workout split may cause a lot of muscle pain. Spreading the volume over several days will reduce that. You’ll feel a lot less stiff after 5 sets of leg exercises than after 15 sets.

You can also get more volume in your workouts by training this way. Exercise volume is a combination of sets, reps and weight. By spreading all sets over several days, you can do more reps with heavier weights. You can train harder when your muscles are still fresh than if you’ve just done 10 sets.

Even if you have a busy schedule, training this way means missing a workout isn’t the end of the world. Instead of neglecting a specific muscle group for a week, you immediately include it in your next session. If you're really short on time, you can build in antagonistic supersets to speed up your workouts. These involve performing two exercises that train opposite muscle groups, right after each other. For example, try combining a vertical thrust exercise like a shoulder press with a vertical pull like a pull up. You then do the shoulder exercise first and the pull up immediately afterwards, before resting.

30-minute full body workout routine
We’ve put together an example routine for you to follow below. This combines all the techniques we’ve covered and you can easily customise it with your favourite exercises. Don’t forget to pack a protein shake like our Vegan Perfection Special Series to help your muscles recover after training.

DAY 1
1a Barbell bench press 3 x 6
1b Barbell row 3 x 6
2a Front squat 3 x 8
2b Overhead press 3 x 8
3a Pull up 2 x 8
3b Leg curl 2 x 12

DAY 2
1a Dumbbell row 3 x 8
1b Include dumbbell bench press 3 x 8
2a Leg press 3 x 10
2b Single-arm shoulder press 3 x 10
3a Lat pulldown 2 x 12
3b Leg extension 2 x 12

Day 3
1a Squat 3 x 6
1b Romanian deadlift 3 x 6
2a Cable fly 3 x 10
2b Straight arm pulldown 3 x 10
3a Cable triceps extension 2 x 12
3b Cable curl 2 x 12