A full-body workout means many groups of muscles are working at once.
A full-body workout means many groups of muscles are working at once. This helps to achieve greater workout results from a lesser number of exercises.
Because these are more strenuous exercise than usual, the muscles require 2-3 days to recover from all the strain they endure. Hence, these must not be attempted daily.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends full-body workout two times a week for beginners and about three-four times a week for seasoned trainers.
You can alternate a full-body workout with treadmill, bicycling, and cross training for a good training plan. Alternatively, you can split a full-body workout into upper body training and lower body training on alternate days.
Advantages of full-body workouts:
- Increases overall strength and power
- Increases stamina
- Improves movement patterns, coordination, and balance
- Burns more calories
- Improves metabolism
- More efficient; requires fewer exercises for one muscle group
- Only requires two-three workouts per week, at most
Disadvantages of full-body workouts:
- Can be fatiguing because so many muscle groups are targeted during each workout
- Workouts are harder to recover from, especially as you increase volume and intensity
- Harder to target and grow specific muscles
Advantages of split training:
- Better for increasing muscle size
- Allows you to target specific muscle areas for more physique control
- Better post-workout “pump”
- Less stressful on the musculoskeletal system because only one or two areas are targeted with each workout
- More rest days and recovery for each muscle group between workouts
Disadvantages of split training:
- Usually requires more workouts per week
- Less efficient; requires more exercises to target one muscle group
- Can lead to muscle and strength imbalances if used incorrectly
- Less overall calorie burning
- Less emphasis on movement patterns and quality
The best protocol for building muscle varies. You might find total body workouts to be the most efficient way. Others might see better results with split training. Everybody is different. Sometimes the best program for you might be a combination of both training styles. Motivation wise, it helps keep people interested in what they are doing. So, think about how much time you must workout each week, your fitness goals, and how easily you get bored. Accordingly, pick your fitness plan.
What is a Tabata workout?
Tabata workout is a high-intensity workout that people can opt for to reduce weight faster and increase their metabolism. According to research from the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Tabata can burn up to 15 calories per minute.
- All the exercise in a Tabata workout needs to be carried out for only 4 minutes. However, you must push yourself hard for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. This completes one set.
- You need to complete eight such sets for each exercise.
- Tabata workout consists of strength and aerobic exercises that work the entire body as opposed to just one set of muscles.
- The exercises include warmups, side shuffles, shoulder rotations, etc. Gradually, you move on to cardio exercises, such as skater plyo, and strength exercises, such as push-ups.
- There can also be combination exercises where you complete sets of various workouts, such as burpees, lunges, kettlebell squats.
- This can be extremely tiring, but you must push yourself to reap the maximum benefits.
Here is the 20-minute workout protocol:
Round 1:
- High knees
- Plank punches
- Jumping jacks
- Side skaters
Round 2:
- Jump rope
- High/low boat
- Line jumps
- Push-ups
Round 3:
- Burpees
- Russian twists
- Squats
- Lunges
Round 4:
- Mountain climbers
- Push-ups
- Split squats
- Box jumps
Tabata, in essence, is a short, build your own adventure type of fitness regimen that will produce a heady burn and afterglow in a short period. It is cost-effective, fun, and quite challenging. Also, by adhering to the 20:10 principle, it produces remarkable results. Intense workouts carry a greater risk of dehydration, so keep your water handy and be sure to refuel with a post-workout snack when needed.