Workout of the week: 25-min full-body strength workout

25th March 2024

ALL LEVELS / full-body strength workout / 25 minutes

Equipment: Dumbbells & barbell

Typically, our workout routines follow a structure, designating specific days for specific muscle groups. That’s why we end up having the infamous leg days and others dedicated to the chest, back, and triceps, among others. While this is an effective way of targeting all muscle groups throughout the week, one other obvious solution should be considered: full-body workouts, the one-stop shop for a resilient physique.

That’s why we decided to bring you a full-body strength workout. It’s a routine with 4 exercises, 10 reps each — keep an eye out, as some are unilateral. The goal is to complete 7 rounds within the designated 25-minute timeframe.

Single-leg Romanian deadlift
Plank rows
Deadlifts
Barbell shoulder press

Ready to elevate your fitness game? Let’s go!

WORKOUT SETUP

4 exercises
10 reps each
7 rounds
No rest
Duration: 25 minutes

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

7 rounds

1 – SINGLE-LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

5 reps on each side

Stand balancing on your right leg, holding a pair of dumbbells.
Engage your hips and glutes and allow your right knee to bend slightly. Try to maintain your left leg straight and in line with your body throughout the rep.
With your back flat, continue to bend until the dumbbell reaches the middle of your lower leg.
Use your heel to push your hips forward and get back to the starting position.
Perform 5 reps on the right side, and then 5 others with the left leg.

2 – PLANK ROW

10 reps

Assume a pushup position and place your hands on a set of dumbbells.
Ensure your arms remain fully extended, aligning your hands beneath your shoulders and orienting your palms toward each other.
Maintain your core engaged, keeping your elbows in proximity to your body, and lift a single dumbbell off the floor.
As you raise your elbow as high as you can, contract your shoulder blades together.
Perform the same motion with the opposite arm.
Continue alternating between arms until you’ve finished the 10 reps.

3 – DEADLIFTS

10 reps

Stand with your feet under the barbell, hip-width apart. When you look down, the barbell should run halfway over your feet.
Bend down and grasp the barbell with a shoulder-width grip.
Keeping your torso upright and your back and arms straight, stand and pull the bar up the front of your legs, driving with your legs.
At the top of the movement, squeeze your glutes, pull your shoulders back, and exhale.
To return the bar to the floor, push your butt backward and lower the bar down the front of your legs, keeping your back straight.
Once the bar passes your knees, bend your knees and lower the bar to the floor.
Keep your arms and back straight, your torso upright, and your feet and knees pointing in the same direction.
At the top of the lift, do not hyperextend your back.
Keep the barbell close to your body to improve mechanical leverage.
Start light and add weight gradually to give your lower back time to adapt.
When lifting heavy, you can wear a support belt to protect your lower back.

4 – BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS

10 reps

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip at upper-chest height.
Exhale as you push the barbell straight upward.
At the top of the movement, shrug your shoulders to raise the barbell even higher.
Inhale as you reverse the motions and lower the barbell to the starting position in a controlled manner.
Do not lock your elbows out, and use a grip that is a little wider than shoulder-width.
To move your head out of the way of the bar, rock your body slightly forward as the bar ascends and slightly backward as the bar descends.
Your head should be facing forward, not looking up.
Keep your elbows a little forward, not directly out to the sides.
Keep your wrists directly above your elbows.