Full-Body Workouts For Women To Build Strength And Burn Fat

Program 2: Full-Body Workout at Home (Bodyweight)

This is an excellent option for a full-body workout for female beginners or anyone without access to gym equipment. Perform it 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.

Program Notes:

Key Terms:

• AMRAP: As Many Reps As Possible.
• Equipment Needed: None. A chair or bench is optional.
• Split Structure: Perform the full workout 3 times a week.
• Reps & Sets: Focus on taking each set close to failure to maximize muscle stimulation.
• Rest: Rest 45-60 seconds between sets.

These are practical full-body workouts for women at home.

Looking for more bodyweight-only options? Check out this guide to a full-body calisthenics workout. 

Exercise Instructions

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to perform each exercise in both the gym-based and bodyweight (at-home) programs.

Barbell Back Squat

1. Position a barbell in a squat rack at shoulder height. Step under the bar and rest it across your upper back–not on your neck.
2. Grip the bar with your hands wider than your shoulders. Lift the bar off the rack, take 2 steps back, and set your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing slightly out.
3. Keeping your chest up and your core braced, initiate the movement by pushing your hips back, then bend your knees.
4. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly below, ensuring your knees track in line with your feet.
5. Drive through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Dumbbell Bench Press

1. Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting them on your thighs.
2. Kick your knees up to bring the dumbbells to the starting position, holding them at your sides with your palms facing forward.
3. Press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended but not locked.
4. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body.

Barbell Bent-Over Row

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip just outside your knees.
2. Hinge at your hips, keeping your back straight, until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. Let the barbell hang directly in front of you.
3. Brace your core and pull the barbell up towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4. Pause at the top, then slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.

Leg Press

1. Sit in a leg press machine with your feet placed shoulder-width apart on the platform.
2. Release the safety catches and press the platform up until your legs are nearly extended, but do not lock your knees.
3. Slowly lower the platform by bending your knees until they form a 90-degree angle.
4. Press the platform back to the starting position by driving through your heels.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a light dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing in.
2. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows and your core engaged, raise the dumbbells out to your sides until they reach shoulder height.
3. Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Plank

1. Position yourself on the floor on your forearms and toes, with your elbows directly under your shoulders.
2. Create a straight line from your head to your heels. Engage your core and glutes to prevent your hips from sagging.
3. Hold this position for the prescribed time.

Barbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
2. Keeping your legs almost straight (a slight bend in the knees is okay), hinge at your hips and lower the barbell towards the floor. Keep the bar close to your legs.
3. Lower the bar until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, ensuring your back remains straight.
4. Drive your hips forward to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Lat Pulldown

1. Sit at a lat pulldown machine and adjust the knee pad to secure your legs.
2. Grasp the bar with a wide, overhand grip.
3. Lean back slightly and pull the bar down towards your upper chest, leading with your elbows and squeezing your lats.
4. Slowly return the bar to the starting position, maintaining control.

Dumbbell Overhead Press

1. Sit on a bench with back support, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
2. Press the dumbbells directly overhead until your arms are fully extended.
3. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Dumbbell Lunge

1. Stand with your feet together, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Take a large step forward with one leg, then lower your hips until both knees are bent to 90 degrees. Ensure your front knee does not travel past your toes.
3. Push off your front foot to return to the starting position.
4. Alternate legs for each repetition.

Cable Tricep Pushdown

1. Attach a straight bar or rope to a high pulley on a cable machine.
2. Grasp the attachment with an overhand grip, and position your elbows close to your body.
3. Press the attachment down until your arms are fully extended, focusing on contracting your triceps.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Hanging Knee Raise

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended.
2. Engage your core and raise your knees towards your chest.
3. Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position, avoiding any swinging.

Bodyweight Squat

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
2. Brace your core and keep your chest up as you begin the movement.
3. Push your hips back first, then bend your knees to lower your body as if sitting into a chair.
4. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as low as your mobility allows), keeping your heels flat.
5. Press through your entire foot to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Push-Up (or Incline/Knee Push-Up)

1. Start in a plank position with your hands placed just wider than shoulder-width apart, arms straight.
2. Engage your core and keep a straight line from head to heels (or knees if modifying).
3. Bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor, aiming for your chest to touch the ground.
4. Keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle from your body; do not flare out excessively.
5. Press through your palms to return to the starting position.

Inverted Row (using a table)

1. Lie underneath a sturdy table or bar, reach up, and grasp the edge with an overhand grip.
2. Position your body with your heels on the ground and your body in a straight plank.
3. Pull your chest toward the edge of the table, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
4. Lower slowly back to the start position without letting your hips drop.

Glute Bridge

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
2. Brace your core and press through your heels to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line.
3. Squeeze your glutes at the top, pause, then lower your hips back to the starting position.

Alternating Reverse Lunge

1. Stand upright with your feet together and your hands on your hips or at your sides.
2. Step one leg back and lower your body until both knees are at about a 90-degree angle.
3. Keep your front knee stacked over your ankle while your torso remains upright.
4. Push through your front foot to return to the starting position, then switch legs.

Plank

1. Position your forearms on the ground, elbows under your shoulders, legs extended behind you.
2. Engage your core and glutes so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. Hold the position for the allotted time, maintaining a neutral neck and steady breathing.

Jumping Jacks

1. Stand tall with your feet together and arms at your sides.
2. Jump your feet out to the sides as you swing your arms overhead until your hands touch.
3. Quickly return to the starting position by hopping feet together and lowering arms to your sides.
4. Repeat at a brisk, steady pace for the assigned time.

For more workouts you can do from the comfort of your home, check out this guide on creating a full-body workout at home without equipment.

Read more: 7 Types of Gym Workouts for Total Beginners and When to Use Them

How To Burn 1,000 Calories In A Full-Body Workout for Women?

Burning 1,000 calories in a single workout is an ambitious goal and not something most people can sustain or need. It typically requires a combination of very high intensity and long duration, which increases the risk of injury and overtraining. 

The number of calories you burn depends on your body weight, metabolism, and workout intensity.

For example, a 155-pound person might burn 100-150 calories in 30 minutes of vigorous weightlifting (14). To reach 1,000 calories, that person would need to train vigorously for 2+ hours.

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Instead of chasing a specific calorie number, focus on these principles for an effective workout:

• Increase Intensity: Use challenging weights that bring you close to muscular failure within your target rep range. This is far more important for muscle growth and metabolic impact than simply doing more reps with light weight (15).
• Minimize Rest Periods: To keep your heart rate elevated, you can use advanced techniques like supersets.

A superset involves performing 2 exercises back-to-back with no rest in between (16). For example, pair a lower-body exercise, such as squats, with an upper-body exercise, such as dumbbell rows.

• Incorporate Finishers: End your workout with a short, high-intensity “finisher” lasting 5-10 minutes. This could involve exercises like burpees, battle ropes, or kettlebell swings, which can maximize EPOC.

Focus on the quality of your workout, progressive overload, and consistency. These are the true drivers of long-term changes in body composition.

What Happens If I Do Full-Body Workout Every day?

Doing a full-body workout every day is not recommended. 

Rest and recovery are just as important as the training itself. 

When you lift weights, you create microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. It is during the recovery period that your body repairs these tears, making the muscles stronger and larger (17).

Without adequate rest–at least 48 hours for a given muscle group–you risk:

• Overtraining: This can lead to performance declines, persistent fatigue, mood disturbances, and an increased risk of illness.
• Injury: Fatigued muscles are less able to support your body correctly, increasing your susceptibility to strains and sprains.
• Diminished Results: If your body is in a constant state of breakdown without enough time to repair, you won’t see the strength and muscle gains you’re working for.

A much more effective approach is to perform full-body workouts 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days. 

Research supports this workout frequency as optimal for muscle growth and allows for the recovery needed to make progress (12).

On your “off” days, you can focus on active recovery, such as walking, stretching, or yoga. This is especially important for full body workouts for women over 50, as recovery capacity can decrease with age (18).

What Are Common Full-Body Workout Mistakes?

Avoid these common pitfalls to ensure your workouts are safe and effective.

• Improper Form: Sacrificing form to lift a heavier weight is a direct path to injury. Focus on mastering the movement pattern with a lighter load before progressing. If you’re unsure, consider hiring a coach or filming yourself to check your technique.
• Neglecting Progressive Overload: Doing the same workout with the same weights and reps week after week will lead to a plateau. You must consistently challenge your body to force adaptation. Track your workouts and aim to make small, incremental improvements over time.
• Skipping the Warm-Up: A proper warm-up increases blood flow to the muscles, activates your nervous system, and prepares your joints for the work ahead. Spend 5-10 minutes on light cardio and dynamic stretches before each session.
• Inadequate Recovery: This includes not getting enough sleep (7-9 hours per night), not eating a well-balanced diet, and not taking rest days. Recovery is where the magic happens.
• Focusing Only on “Toning”: The idea of “toning” is often associated with high reps and very light weights. True muscle tone comes from building muscle and reducing body fat. To achieve that defined look, you must lift challenging weights.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can a flabby belly be toned?

Yes. “Toning” the belly requires a 2-part approach: reducing overall body fat through a consistent calorie deficit and strengthening the underlying abdominal muscles. You cannot spot-reduce fat from one area, so a comprehensive fitness and nutrition plan is necessary.

• Which workout is best for belly fat females?

No single workout is “best” for belly fat. A combination of full-body resistance training to build muscle and increase metabolism, along with a sensible nutrition plan to create a calorie deficit, is the most effective strategy for reducing belly fat.

• Is a 30-minute full-body workout enough?

Absolutely. A well-designed 30-minute full-body workout can be very effective, especially if you focus on compound exercises and minimize rest time between sets. For those short on time, this is an excellent way to maintain consistency and still see results.

• Is it better to train full body or split?

For most women, especially beginners and intermediates, full-body workouts performed 2-3 times a week are often superior because they provide higher training frequency per muscle group.

Split routines can be effective for advanced lifters with specific goals, but full-body training is a highly efficient and potent method for building strength and improving body composition.

The Bottom Line

Building a stronger, leaner body is a journey of consistency, not perfection. By embracing a science-backed, full-body training approach, you empower yourself with an efficient and effective method for achieving your goals.

Forget the myths and focus on what truly matters: progressive overload, solid nutrition, and adequate recovery. You have the tools and the knowledge to build a routine that not only transforms your physique but also fosters a sustainable, lifelong relationship with fitness.