Total gym workout
Designed to increase muscle strength, this gym workout will hit almost every muscle in your body.
Get started:
Before you start assess your strength level so you can have the right weight amount to work your muscles and prevent injury. If you are unsure please speak to a professional at your local gym.
Choose your weights
| Exercise | Beginner | Intermediate | Advanced |
| Barbell squats | 10kg | 20kg | 40kg |
| Dead lifts | 10kg | 20kg | 40kg |
| Squat, curl, press | 2.5kg each | 5kg each | 7.5kg each |
| Bent over rows | 7.5kg | 10kg | 20kg |
| Chest dips | Maximum assistance | Medium assistance | Lower assistance |
To do this workout complete the sets for each exercise and then rest for 1 minute between.
1. Barbell squats
Works: Legs
Repetitions: 3 x 15
How to do it:
- Rest the bar evenly on your upper back/shoulders (not your neck), feet about shoulder width apart, your core engaged, glutes squeezed and the weight in your heels.
- Begin to squat by sticking your bottom back and bending your knees, ensure that your knees don’t go beyond your toes.
- Aim to keep your knees in line with your middle toes (take a wider stance if your knees still want to drift together).
- Slowly lower until your thighs are roughly parallel to the ground, then drive through your heels and return to a standing position, keeping your spine straight through the whole movement.
2. Dead lifts
Works: Legs & back
Repetitions: 3 x 15
How to do it:
- Stand tall with feet at hip distance, your arms straight down with the bar held at the front of your hips, core engaged and glutes squeezed.
- Slowly stick your bottom back and bend at your knees, keep your back straight, lower the bar until the plates are centimetres from the ground and as close to your shins as possible.
- From there lift by pushing through your heels, leading with your head and slowly squeezing the back of your legs. Maintain a straight spine and core engaged throughout the movement. Repeat.
3. Squat, curl, press
Works: Legs & arms
Repetitions: 3 x 12
How to do it:
- Stand tall with feet shoulder width apart holding the dumbbells at your side.
- Slowly lower into a squat keeping your spine straight, your core engaged and glutes squeezed. Once your thighs reach parallel, drive through your heels and return to the top of your squat.
- With your knees slightly bent, lift the dumbbells from your sides up to your shoulders, then from there press them up over your head. Keep your wrists straight and your elbows soft through the movement.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells back down to your shoulders and then down to your sides. Repeat.
4. Bent over rows
Works: Back & arms
Repetitions: 3 x 12
How to do it:
- Start by standing tall, drawing your shoulders back and down, squeezing your glutes and engaging your core.
- Maintain a straight back and slight bend in the knees, stick your bottom back and bend at the hips until the bar is just below your knees.
- Keeping your upper body still and strong, spine straight, draw your shoulders back and row until the bar reaches the lower rib cage, leading with the elbows.
- Slowly lower back down to just below your knees and repeat.
5. Chest dips
Works: Chest & arms.
Repetitions: 3 x 12
How to do it:
- Stand with your hands on the bars directly below your shoulders and elbows slightly bent, keep your chest out and your knees bent so that your feet are behind you (or on the assistance platform).
- Slowly lower your body allowing your chest to come forward and elbows to move slightly back behind your hand pointing straight back.
- Pause at the bottom (90 degrees) and slowly press though the palms of your hands so that you rise back up to the top and repeat. Do not lock your elbows at the top, always keep a slight bend in your arms.