A full body high-intensity workout is not for the first time exerciser. To pull of a routine of this magnitude, you should already have at least basic skills in the gym. Training the full body at high intensity gives you the ability to do your workout in a short amount of time. This is beneficial if you have a busy schedule. From a physical standpoint, expect to become stronger and leaner in one fell swoop.
Warmup
Starting a high-intensity, full body routine with cold and tight muscles can spell disaster. This raises your risk for suffering a mild to severe injury, which can lead to a setback that will compromise your progress. To avoid this, spend five minutes doing a light form of cardio, and then run through a series of dynamic stretches. According to the American Council on Exercise, these stretches, which are performed in motion, functionally prepare your body for movement. This makes you less likely to suffer an injury and more likely to work out efficiently. Perform stretches like arm crossovers, side bends, leg swings, reverse lunges, arm circles, shoulder shrugs and alternating toe touches.
Compound Exercises
The exercises you choose need to be taken into careful consideration. Being that you are looking for a full body workout, you are best served doing compound, or multi-joint, exercises. These recruit multiple muscles at the same time, which can make it easier to target your entire body. As an added bonus, compound exercises are more intense than isolation exercises, which only target single muscles. Include exercises like bench presses, shoulder presses, pullups, dips and deadlifts to target your whole body. A bench press works the chest, triceps and shoulders all at the same time.
Importance of Proper Form
Not paying attention to your movement patterns during exercises will increase your chances of getting hurt, which could prevent you from working out. The most important thing is that you never use momentum and always use a full range of motion. Bench presses are among the exercises in which people often make errors. Bouncing the bar off your chest, for example, is not proper form. This can land you in the doctor's office and it will also take the effort away from your muscles. Lower the bar down to your chest slowly as you take a big inhale. Once it lightly touches your chest, push it back up in a steady motion while exhaling. Allow your arms to fully extend and repeat.
Resistance
Lifting light weights will build muscular endurance, but it will not cause much intensity. Choose a weight instead that is so heavy you can only perform eight to 12 reps with proper form. If you need assistance, have a spotter stand by. Aim for four or five sets of each exercise and take 45-to-60-second rest breaks in between. Taking shorter rest breaks will keep the intensity level up and promote a higher caloric expenditure
Rest Days
Working out every day is not effective practice, especially for a full body, high-intensity routine. Your muscles need time to rest in order to build and get stronger. Take two days off in between your workouts. On your off days, feel free to do light cardio or yoga. Also, get enough sleep. This will not only support your recovery, it will also boost your energy levels during workouts.
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