If You Want to Work Out Two Days a Week: Full-Body Routine 1
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The workout below is for 6 Weeks to Stronger, SELF’s new six-week workout plan geared toward building serious strength. Check out the full program right here for the rest of your workouts and more important info!
If you’ve got two days a week blocked off, welcome to your program! We’re so excited that you’re joining us for 6 Weeks to Stronger—we know you’re going to love it.
All of the workouts in your program are focused on compound exercises (those which work multiple muscle groups) and functional movements, which better mimic the way you move in everyday life. And in order to make the most of your twice-weekly sessions, both of your workouts will be full-body ones, so you’ll hit each muscle group twice a week—the recommended frequency if you want to get stronger.
Exactly when you choose to do your workouts doesn’t really matter, as long as you make sure to leave at least 48 hours in between them. This is important because it gives your muscles the time they need to recover from the tiny microtears that lifting causes. Don’t worry, this is a good thing; it’s what allows them to mend and come back stronger. (For more general info about the program, make sure to check out our primer here!)
For your first full-body workout, you’ll start with a straight set, meaning you’ll finish this exercise completely before you move on to your next. The overhead press is on the docket here: This upper-body move really works your shoulders, and your triceps (the muscles along the back of your upper arms) come in with the assist. You’ll be working in a relatively low rep range here (5 to 8) to encourage you to really try a weight that feels heavy to you. That means you’ll rest a lot, so make sure to take advantage of it!
Then you’ll get into a three-move circuit designed to show some love to the rest of your body: The hip thrust (which targets your glutes and hamstrings), the single-arm row (which hits your lats, rhomboids, and biceps, and it trains one-side, or unilateral, motion), and the front squat (which hammers your quads). Your rep range will be higher and rest time lower than what you did in your straight set. Finally, you’ll end with a superset focused more on isolation moves: the plank hip dip to work your core, and the clam shell to zero in on the muscles along the sides of your butt.
Ultimately, you’ll get a workout that does it all—the front and back of your upper and lower body are going to be feeling this! Before you get started, take a look at what equipment you’ll need so you can get pumping.
The Workout
What you need: Dumbbells (or a barbell if you prefer) and a weight bench or sturdy step. A mini-band is optional. You may also want an exercise mat for comfort.
Exercises
Straight Set:
- Overhead Press
Circuit:
- Hip Thrust
- Single-Arm Row
- Front Squat
Superset:
- Plank Hip Dip
- Clam Shell
Directions
- For Straight Set, complete 5 to 8 reps. Rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Complete 4 sets total.
- For Circuit, complete 8 to 12 reps of the first exercise; rest for 60 to 90 seconds before going on to the second exercise. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds before going to the third exercise. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds after all three are done, and then repeat from the top. Complete this circuit 3 times total.
- For the Superset complete 12 to 15 reps of the first exercise. Rest for 30 to 60 seconds before going on to the second exercise. Rest 30 to 60 seconds, and then repeat from the top. Complete this superset 3 times total.
Katie ThompsonOverhead Press
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your shoulders with your palms facing out and your elbows bent. Alternatively, you can use a barbell; hold it in an overhand grip with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. (You can also do this seated on a bench with your back supported). This is the starting position.
- Press the weight overhead, straightening your elbows completely. Make sure to keep your core engaged and hips tucked to avoid arching your lower back as you lift your arms.
- Slowly bend your elbows to lower the weight back down to the starting position. This is 1 rep.
You can do the overhead press—which works your shoulders and triceps—with a pair of dumbbells or a barbell. If you choose dumbbells, you can do this standing or seated with your back supported.
Katie ThompsonHip Thrust
- Sit on the floor with your back to a supported bench. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, hip-distance apart. Rest your upper back on the edge of the bench and place your dumbbell or dumbbells on your lap. (You can use one or two, depending on size and comfort of the weights.) Alternatively, you can do this with a barbell; grab the barbell with an overhand grip with your hands shoulder-width apart, and place over your lap.
- Drive through your heels to lift your hips up toward the ceiling, keeping your upper back in place against the bench.
- Pause and squeeze your glutes at the top.
- In a slow and controlled motion, lower your butt back toward the ground. This is 1 rep.
If you don’t have a weight bench, you can use a sturdy step—whichever you choose, you may want to place it against a wall to prevent it from moving. Don’t have either handy? You can do a glute bridge instead—you’ll perform the same motion but while lying on the floor instead. Use a dumbbell or a barbell for this one.
Katie ThompsonSingle-Arm Row
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in one hand with your arm at your side. (You can stagger your stance if you feel more comfortable that way, and place your other arm on your thigh for support.) This is the starting position.
- With your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, push your butt back, and keep a soft bend in both knees, making sure you don’t round your shoulders. (Your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility will dictate how far you can bend over.)
- Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your feet to keep your neck in a comfortable position.
- Pull the weight up toward your chest, keeping your elbow hugged close to your body, and squeeze your shoulder blade for 2 seconds at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower the weight by extending your arm toward the floor. This is 1 rep.
- Continue to do all of the reps on the same side, then repeat on the other side.
This single-sided move helps build balanced strength in your body so one side doesn’t take over.
Katie ThompsonFront Squat
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and rest them on the tops of your shoulders with your palms facing in toward each other and your elbows bent. This is the starting position.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back as you lower down into a squat.
- Drive through your heels to return to standing and squeeze your glutes at the top. That’s 1 rep.
Your quads and glutes will be feeling this move. Do it with dumbbells racked on your shoulders as pictured or a barbell if you feel comfortable.
Katie ThompsonPlank Hip Dip
- Start in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders, your shoulders pressed down away from your ears, your core engaged, your hips level, and your legs straight.
- Gently tip your left hip to the left, bringing it toward the floor. Your hip does not actually need to touch the floor.
- Now repeat the movement on the other side, tipping your right hip to the right.
- Continue to alternate sides, allowing your hips to arch slightly in the middle as you transition from side to side. Keep your core engaged throughout.
This dynamic version of a plank will fire up your entire core.
Katie ThompsonClam Shell
- Lie on one side with your hips, knees, and ankles stacked on top of each other. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and wrap a mini-band around your thighs just above your knees. (Alternatively, you can do this with just your bodyweight.)
- Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee open, then slowly lower it back to meet your other. This is 1 rep.
- Focus on keeping your core engaged and your back straight as you do these moves. Try not to lean forward or tip back.
- Complete all your reps on one side, then switch sides.
Great as a warm-up, the clam shell can also work well as a finisher after bigger, lower-body compound exercises. If you don’t have a mini-band handy, you can do this with just your bodyweight instead.
Demoing the moves above are Chad Ryan (GIF 1), a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and life coach; Winnie Yu (GIFs 2 and 5), a doctor of physical therapy, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and running specialist; Lauren Leavell (GIFs 3 and 6), a NASM-certified personal trainer and founder of Leavell Up Fitness; and Francine Delgado-Lugo (GIF 4), a strength coach and co-founder of Form Fitness Brooklyn
Chad Ryan wears: Top by On Running; shorts by Reebok; and shoes and socks by Alo. Winnie Yu wears: Bra by Aritzia; leggings and socks by Alo; and shoes by Vivobarefoot. Lauren Leavell wears: Top and leggings by Beyond Yoga; shoes by Reebok; and socks by Alo. Francine Delgado-Lugs wears: Top by Aritzia; pants by Yitty; and shoes by Alo.
BowFlex 5.1S Adjustable Weight Bench by Bowflex.
SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
