Advanced Full Body Workout: Compound Strength From Every Angle
This session is built for advanced lifters who already train consistently and want a full body stimulus that challenges strength, stability, and coordination in a single session. If you've moved past foundational programming and you're ready to work with loaded carries, accommodating resistance, and complex pressing patterns, this is your session. We'll walk you through every movement so you finish stronger — and smarter — than when you started.
What the research says
The research behind full body training touches on how you structure sets, how often you train each muscle, and how load and speed interact during your session. One randomized controlled trial compared superset training — where two exercises are performed back-to-back with minimal rest — against traditional sets in a full body, multiple-joint program. The superset format nearly cut session time in half, but the traditional set group saw significantly greater improvement in lat pull-down strength, and a near-significant advantage in seated row strength; improvements in leg press and bench press were similar between groups. A separate trial comparing full body routines to split routines found that training muscle groups twice versus four times per week produced similar gains in maximal strength and muscle thickness after eight weeks, provided total weekly set volume was equal. On the energy side, a study on circuit resistance training found that load and movement speed both significantly affected energy expenditure during exercise: a moderate-load explosive condition produced higher total energy expenditure than a heavy-load controlled condition, while a heavy-load explosive condition produced a significantly higher rate of energy expenditure than either of the other two conditions.
Moderate overall — the set structure and volume-frequency findings come from controlled trials with reasonable sample sizes, but the populations studied were often untrained or recreationally trained adults, so direct application to advanced lifters requires care.
In a 10-week randomized controlled trial of full body, multiple-joint resistance training performed twice per week, the traditional set group showed a significantly greater improvement in lat pull-down strength than the superset group (5.2 kg higher, p = 0.033). The difference in seated row improvement was close to significant in favor of traditional sets (4.8 kg, p = 0.073). Improvements in leg press and bench press were similar between groups (p = 0.507–0.527). There were no significant differences between groups in body composition outcomes.
View study →A randomized trial of 67 untrained subjects comparing a split routine (muscle groups trained twice per week, eight sets per session) to a full body routine (muscle groups trained four times per week, four or eight sets per session) found a significant main effect of time for maximal strength in the bench press and squat and for muscle thickness of the elbow extensors, elbow flexors, and quadriceps femoris. The selected variables did not differ significantly between groups.
View study →In a study of recreationally trained males and females performing circuit resistance training protocols that varied load and contraction speed, there was a significant difference in energy expenditure among conditions during exercise (p = 0.034). Post hoc analysis showed that a moderate-load explosive condition produced significantly higher total energy expenditure than a heavy-load controlled condition. There was also a significant difference in the rate of energy expenditure among conditions (p = 0.003), with the heavy-load explosive condition producing a significantly higher rate than either the heavy-load controlled or moderate-load explosive conditions.
View study →The routine
Warmup
Stand up and extend your arms straight out by the sides. The arms should be parallel to the floor and perpendicular (90-degree angle) to your torso. This will be your starting position. Slowly start to make circles of about 1 foot in diameter with each outstretched arm. Breathe normally as you perform the movement. Continue the circular motion of the outstretched arms for about ten seconds. Then reverse the movement, going the opposite direction.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. This will be your starting position. Keeping your arms straight, swing them straight up in front of you 5-10 times, increasing the range of motion each time until your arms are above your head.
Stand with your hands together, arms extended directly in front of you. This will be your starting position. Keeping your arms straight, quickly move your arms back as far as possible and back in again, similar to an exaggerated clapping motion. Repeat 5-10 times, increasing speed as you do so.
Main
Hold an Olympic barbell loaded with 5-10lbs on each side and kneel on the floor. Now place the barbell on the floor in front of you so that you are on all your hands and knees (as in a kneeling push up position). This will be your starting position. Slowly roll the barbell straight forward, stretching your body into a straight position. Tip: Go down as far as you can without touching the floor with your body. Breathe in during this portion of the movement. After a second pause at the stretched position, start pulling yourself back to the starting position as you breathe out. Tip: Go slowly and keep your abs tight at all times.
This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first place a flat bench or a box behind you. The flat bench is used to teach you to set your hips back and to hit depth. Then, set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it. Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances discussed in the foot stances section). Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees and sitting your hips back as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until you slightly touch the bench behind you. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly. Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs and extend the hips to go back to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Clean a kettlebell to your shoulder. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you raise the kettlebell towards your shoulder. The wrist should rotate as you do so. This will be your starting position. Begin my leaning to the side opposite the kettlebell, continuing until you are able to touch the ground with your free hand, keeping your eyes on the kettlebell. As you do so, press the weight vertically be extending through the elbow, keeping your arm perpendicular to the ground. Return to an upright position, with the kettlebell above your head. Return the kettlebell to the shoulder and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Begin in a power rack with a box at the appropriate height behind you. Set up the bands on the sleeves, secured to either band pegs, the rack, or dumbbells so that there is appropriate tension. If dumbbells are used, secure them so that they don't move. Also, ensure that the dumbbells you are using are heavy enough for the bands that you are using. Additional plates can be used to hold the dumbbells down. If more tension is needed, you can either widen the base on the floor or choke the bands. Typically, you would aim for a box height that brings you to a parallel squat, but you can train higher or lower if desired. Begin by stepping under the bar and placing it across the back of the shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and rotate your elbows forward, attempting to bend the bar across your shoulders. Remove the bar from the rack, creating a tight arch in your lower back, and step back into position. Place your feet wider for more emphasis on the back, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings, or closer together for more quad development. Keep your head facing forward. With your back, shoulders, and core tight, push your knees and butt out and you begin your descent. Sit back with your hips until you are seated on the box. Ideally, your shins should be perpendicular to the ground. Pause when you reach the box, and relax the hip flexors. Never bounce off of a box. Keeping the weight on your heels and pushing your feet and knees out, drive upward off of the box as you lead the movement with your head. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe. Use care to return the barbell to the rack.
Begin in a power rack with a box at the appropriate height behind you. Typically, you would aim for a box height that brings you to a parallel squat, but you can train higher or lower if desired. To set up the chains, begin by looping the leader chain over the sleeves of the bar. The heavy chain should be attached using a snap hook. Adjust the length of the lead chain so that a few links are still on the floor at the top of the movement. Begin by stepping under the bar and placing it across the back of the shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and rotate your elbows forward, attempting to bend the bar across your shoulders. Remove the bar from the rack, creating a tight arch in your lower back, and step back into position. Place your feet wider for more emphasis on the back, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings, or closer together for more quad development. Keep your head facing forward. With your back, shoulders, and core tight, push your knees and butt out and you begin your descent. Sit back with your hips until you are seated on the box. Ideally, your shins should be perpendicular to the ground. Pause when you reach the box, and relax the hip flexors. Never bounce off of a box. Keeping the weight on your heels and pushing your feet and knees out, drive upward off of the box as you lead the movement with your head. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe.
Cooldown
Start off on your hands and knees, then lift your leg off the floor and hold the foot with your hand. Use your hand to hold the foot or ankle, keeping the knee fully flexed, stretching the quadriceps and hip flexors. Focus on extending your hips, thrusting them towards the floor. Hold for 10-20 seconds and then switch sides.
Sit upright on the floor with your partner behind you. Place your hands behind your hand, and push your elbows back as far as you can. Your partner should hold your elbows. This will be your starting position. Gently attempt to pull your elbows forward with your hands still behind your head for 10 or more seconds. Your partner should prevent your elbows from moving. Now, relax your muscles and have your partner gently pull the elbows back as far as it comfortable for you. Be sure to let your partner know when the stretch is adequate to prevent overstretching or injury.
Set and rep ranges are general starting suggestions based on this guide's level — adjust to your own experience, and progress gradually.
This session includes technically complex movements — the Bent Press in particular demands shoulder mobility, lateral spinal flexion under load, and strong proprioception (your body's sense of joint position and movement in space); if you have any history of shoulder impingement or lumbar instability, work with a qualified coach before loading this movement. Accommodating resistance tools like bands and chains alter the force curve in ways that can mask form breakdown — REDUCE the load before you think you need to, and treat bar speed as a real-time feedback signal. Nothing here is medical advice; if you're managing an injury or returning from one, consult a qualified health professional before training.