If you only have three days per week to workout, finding the right program to maximize your results is of the utmost importance. According to the American Council on Exercise, in order to maximize your total-body exercise plan, it's important to include as many muscle groups as possible and regularly vary your exercises to prevent muscle adaption. Eat a proper diet and get plenty of rest to make best use of your routine.
Day 1
Because your goal is to work out your entire body in a three-day period, start by separating your workouts into muscle groups. This will let you hit the muscles harder and give them more time to recover. The first day should focus on chest, shoulders and triceps. These muscles work together to press resistance. Include workouts like the chest press, the military press and dips. For each set, do 12 to 20 repetitions. Start out by doing two sets of each exercise and progress to three sets.
Day 2
Day 2 will consist of working your legs, calves and core. According to the American Council on Exercise, when you work out your leg muscle groups together, you release the most muscle-building hormones, which means that even if you want bigger biceps or a smaller waist, hitting the legs will help you reach those goals faster. For legs, do exercises like squats, lunges, hamstring curls and calve raises. For your core, do crunches, leg raises and scissor kicks. For each set, do 12 to 20 repetitions. Start out by doing two sets of each exercise and progress to three sets.
Day 3
The third day in your total-body program should finish with your back and biceps. These muscles work together to pull resistance and balance out the chest, shoulder and triceps. Along with a strong core, working out the back also helps prevent lower back pain. For your back, include exercises like seated cable rows, lat pull downs and upright rows. For biceps, do preacher curls and standing barbell curls. For each set, do 12 to 20 repetitions. Start out by doing two sets of each exercise and progress to three sets.
Alternative Workout
Total body can also be done on the same day three times a week. The most important consideration is the amount of rest you get in between workout days. According to the American Council on Exercise, you should rest your muscles at least 48 hours after your workout in order to give them a chance to repair and grow. One of the benefits to working out your entire body on the same day is that there are more muscle-building hormones released increasing your body's ability to build new lean muscle. To maximize your total-body workout, alternate between these two types of total-body workouts.
References
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
- "Advanced Personal Trainer Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers; Mark P. Kelly, et al.; 2005
- "American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer Manual"; Cedric X. Bryant; 2003
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