Finding a workout program that resonates and forces you to stay committed can be as difficult as the workout itself. In today’s broad fitness landscape, the endless options from strength training to Pilates, can be overwhelming. So when you find a program that excites you and aligns with your goals, it’s natural to want to do it every day.

The human body is home to over 650 muscles. Even if you get past that big number and just focus on the major muscle groups – chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, core and legs – there’s still a lot of ground to cover. An easy solution: a full-body workout.

Full body workouts target multiple muscle groups and include compound exercises (movements that train multiple muscles at the same time). They are time efficient, build strength and improve cardiovascular health and endurance.

And while that all sounds well and good, the fundamental question remains: Is a daily full-body workout really beneficial, or is it a recipe for burnout and unexpected injuries? The experts will give you the answers.

What is full body training?

It doesn’t matter if it’s Pilates or strength training at the gym – if you’re working and targeting multiple muscle groups and movement patterns (eg lower body, upper body and core), you’re probably doing a full body workout.

“These workouts aim to activate the entire body rather than focusing exclusively on specific muscle groups or areas”explains Shabnam Islam, MS, a clinical exercise physiologist and professor of kinesiology at California State University, Northridge.

Should you do a full body workout every day?

There are no one-size-fits-all recommendations when it comes to getting a full body workout every day.

“It really depends on two things: your fitness level (i.e. are you fit or more sedentary) and your individual goals (i.e. do you want visibly more muscle or do you want to lose body fat?”)says Islam.

There are many benefits to daily full body workouts, including improved cardiovascular health, endurance, training consistency, time efficiency, and increased calorie burn. However, doing this type of training every day will not necessarily accelerate the desired results and may actually increase your risk of injury.

“Muscle growth happens during rest,” says Islam. “Combined with proper nutrition, nutrient timing, sleep and adequate hydration, rest allows muscles to repair, grow and prepare for the next workout”. Plus, a daily full-body session can be considered overtraining, according to Brittany Watts, CPT, certified personal trainer and head coach of Tone House.

“Daily full body training without adequate rest can increase the risk of overtraining and injury”says.

Another disadvantage of daily full body workouts is the lack of specialization. While we know that spot training (the idea that we can target a single muscle or have weight loss in a specific area of ​​the body) is a complete myth and not possible, whole areas and groups need individual attention.

“You can’t have specific muscle strength or skill development [όταν προπονείτε ολόκληρο το σώμα κάθε μέρα]says Jacqueline Kasen, CPT, certified personal trainer and creator of the Kasen Method. “Plus, you can also have a plateau with your progress. Over time, the body adapts to the stress of exercise and the progressions become more demanding.”.

How often should you do a full body workout?

As a general rule, healthy adults ages 18 to 65 should participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, with two or more days of full-body muscle-strengthening activities, according to the American College of of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).