5 Best Full-Body Workouts with Weights

Full-body workouts with weights are an excellent way to keep your fitness routine balanced and effective. These exercises work your entire muscles in one session, help build strength and endurance, and burn calories.

Even a few days a week, practicing full-body exercises can boost your overall functional strength, regardless of age. All you need for a productive strength training session is free or fixed weight, depending on your preferences and goals.

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5 Full-Body Workouts With Weights

To help you get started, we’ve rounded up a few of the best full-body workouts with weights that you must add to your strength training routine.

1) Kettlebell swings

One of the best full-body workouts with weights, the kettlebell swing is a compound exercise that works your entire posterior chain muscle in one motion and boosts your overall cardio fitness. It strengthens weak muscles and also helps burn a lot of calories, thereby promoting weight loss.

To do this exercise:

• Keep a kettlebell in front of you and stand with your feet more comprehensive than the shoulder-width.
• Lean forward by bending your knees and holding the kettlebell's handle using both hands.
• Keeping your back flat and engaging your lats, pull the kettlebell between your legs and then push your hips forward to pull the weight up explosively.
• Bring the kettlebell to your shoulder height while keeping your arms straight in front of you.
• Return to the start and continue the exercise for a few reps without any pause.

While doing this exercise, do not squat fully – bend your knees slightly and execute the movement with your hips.

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2) Dumbbell sit-ups

Dumbbell sit-ups are also one of the most effective full-body workouts with weights that amps the intensity of the standard sit-up exercise that targets the core and surrounding muscles.

To do this exercise:

• Lie flat with your feet on the floor and knees bent. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and place it next to your chest.
• Now perform a sit-up by moving your torso up and pushing the weights overhead simultaneously.
• Slowly bring your body back down by engaging your abs.
• Complete a few reps more.

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3) Barbell back squats

The barbell back squats are considered one of the most functional and powerful full-body workouts with weights that target all the major muscles in the upper and lower body, including hamstrings, quads, back, calves, and glutes.

To do this exercise:

• Place a loaded barbell on your shoulders and stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width.
• With your back straight and abs engaged, squat down slowly by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Keep your gaze straight and your chest up at all times.
• Push back up to the initial position when your thighs get parallel to the floor.
• Repeat the exercise a few times more.

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4) Overhead press

The overhead press is one of the most productive full-body workouts with weights that helps improve your posture and overall balance. Alongside some lower body muscles, the major muscles targeted in this exercise are the chest, triceps, deltoids, and traps.

To do this exercise:

• Stand with a normal stance and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• Bring the dumbbells up just in front of your shoulders and keep your palms facing out.
• With your core engaged and upper body muscles upright, press the dumbbells by extending your arms.
• Hold at the top, then slowly let the dumbbells come back to the start.

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5) Deadlifts

Deadlifts are among some of the most functional full-body workouts with weights that target the upper back, forearms, hamstrings, and glutes while also targeting the lower back to prevent lower back pain and injuries.

To do this exercise:

• Stand with your feet at a hip-width distance and hold a barbell in front of your thighs.
• Bend at your hips and lower the barbell down while keeping your back flat and shoulders back.
• Come back up to the initial position and repeat the exercise.

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Takeaway

Whatever your goal, the aforementioned full-body workouts with weights will surely develop strength, build muscle, and improve your overall fitness. Aim to do these exercises three days a week and be consistent with your practice. Get enough rest on your recovery days, and do not train the same muscles daily, as this can lead to strains and muscle tears. Mix and match the workouts to keep your workout routine interesting.