6 Full Body Gym Workout for Women

 

6 Full-Body Gym Workouts for Women

Full-body workouts are an excellent way for women to build strength, tone muscles, and improve overall fitness. They are time-efficient, targeting multiple muscle groups in one session, and they promote better functional strength for everyday activities. Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced gym-goer, these six full-body workouts will help you achieve balanced, total-body strength and definition.

1. Barbell Deadlifts

Primary Muscles Worked: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, quads, core

The barbell deadlift is a powerful compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups. It's great for building lower-body strength and enhancing core stability.

How to Do a Deadlift:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with the barbell over your mid-foot.
2. Bend your knees and grip the bar just outside your knees.
3. With a flat back and braced core, push through your heels and lift the bar by extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
4. Lower the bar with control, keeping it close to your body.

Reps and Sets:

• 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

Why It’s Effective:

• Builds strength in the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, and back), which helps improve posture and functional strength.

2. Squat to Overhead Press (Dumbbell or Barbell)

Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, core

The squat to overhead press combines two movements to work the lower body and upper body in one motion, making it an excellent full-body strength builder.

How to Do a Squat to Overhead Press:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at shoulder height or a barbell across your upper chest.
2. Perform a squat, lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
3. As you stand back up, press the weights overhead until your arms are fully extended.
4. Lower the weights back to shoulder height and repeat.

Reps and Sets:

• 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Why It’s Effective:

• Targets both the lower body and upper body in one exercise, improving coordination, balance, and total-body strength.

3. Bent-Over Rows (Dumbbell or Barbell)

Primary Muscles Worked: Upper back, lats, biceps, core

The bent-over row is a great exercise to develop upper back strength, improve posture, and build a stronger core.

How to Do a Bent-Over Row:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell or barbell in front of you.
2. Hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back flat and core tight.
3. Pull the weight towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
4. Lower the weight back to the starting position with control.

Reps and Sets:

• 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

Why It’s Effective:

• Strengthens the upper back and arms, helping to improve posture and balance out chest-dominant workouts.

4. Bulgarian Split Squats

Primary Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core

The Bulgarian split squat is a single-leg exercise that targets the lower body and helps improve balance and stability. It’s particularly effective for strengthening the glutes and quads.

How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat:

1. Stand a few feet in front of a bench or elevated surface and place one foot behind you on the bench.
2. Lower your body into a lunge, keeping your front knee in line with your toes.
3. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.

Reps and Sets:

• 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg.

Why It’s Effective:

• Isolates one leg at a time, helping to correct muscle imbalances while building strength in the lower body.

5. Push-Ups

Primary Muscles Worked: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core

Push-ups are a classic bodyweight exercise that engages the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. They can be modified to suit all fitness levels and are great for improving upper body strength.

How to Do a Push-Up:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground, keeping your body in a straight line.
3. Push back up to the starting position.

Reps and Sets:

• 3 sets of 12-15 reps (modify on knees if needed).

Why It’s Effective:

• A versatile bodyweight exercise that works the entire upper body and core.

6. Plank with Shoulder Taps

Primary Muscles Worked: Core, shoulders, arms

Plank with shoulder taps is an advanced core exercise that challenges stability while also engaging the upper body. It’s great for building core strength and improving overall balance.

How to Do a Plank with Shoulder Taps:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
2. Lift one hand off the ground and tap the opposite shoulder, keeping your hips stable.
3. Alternate between hands, maintaining control throughout the movement.

Reps and Sets:

• 3 sets of 20 shoulder taps (10 per side).

Why It’s Effective:

• Engages the core, shoulders, and arms while also improving balance and stability.

Conclusion

These 6 full-body gym workouts for women are designed to target all major muscle groups, promote strength, and enhance overall fitness. Incorporate these exercises into your workout routine 2-3 times per week for the best results. Remember to focus on proper form, and as you gain strength, gradually increase weights and intensity to continue making progress.