5 best full-body exercises for building strength and improving endurance, according to a personal trainer (2024)

• Full-body workouts are a great way to up the intensity of your fitness routine at the gym.
• They help with everything from strength and endurance training to core stability and cardio.
• Moves like squats with an overhead press and weighted lunges are simple yet effective full-body exercises.

One of the best things you can do for your body this year is to add more full-body workouts to your exercise regimen.

Full-body workouts differ from the typical cardio or strength training routine because they are all-encompassing.

They "help not just with strength training but also with endurance training and core stability, and they create an afterburn effect in the body" which helps burn more calories and fat, says personal trainer and owner of CORE, Denise Chakoian.

Most full-body exercises combine two different exercises or add weights and extra movements to make the workout more dynamic. Because of this, they require a little more coordination than typical weight lifting.

The key to mastering a full-body workout — and avoiding injury — is to start slow with a lower weight to first perfect your form and technique and, from there, ramp up weight and frequency.

With that in mind, here are five of the best full-body exercises you can do at the gym, as recommended by Chakoian.

She says to perform each of the five moves for either 15 total reps or one minute straight, and repeat the entire circuit two to three times over for a complete workout.

1. Squat with overhead press

By adding an overhead press to the classic squat, you're able to target both the upper and lower body with this exercise.

Chakoian says that having to focus on both your own body weight and the weight of the dumbbells adds a little cardiovascular workout, too.

You'll want to select a set of dumbbells that challenges you without impacting your form. Chakoian recommends starting with a lighter weight, like 5 pounds, and then moving up from there.

Equipment needed: (1) pair of dumbbells

How to do it:

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and with one dumbbell in each hand resting by your sides.
• Bend your knees and lower your butt to squat down and bring both dumbbell weights toward the ground on the outside of your feet.
• Keep your core engaged and ensure your knees are directly above your feet, not bending forward beyond your toes.
• Push up through your feet and stand up from the squat while lifting your arms to bring the weights up toward your shoulders with your palms facing out.
• Once the weights get to your shoulders, extend your arms straight up toward the sky.
• Lower the dumbells back down past your shoulders and back to the starting position. That's one rep.
• Do four sets of 15 total reps or repeat for one minute straight.

2. Upper body rows with rotation plank

Chakoian says that "this is a compound movement that targets the upper body, specifically, muscle groups in your back and core."

You'll want to make sure you use a pair of dumbbells that are much lighter than you'd use for something like curls or overhead presses.

Equipment needed: (1) pair of dumbbells

How to do it:

• Begin in a plank position with a pair of dumbbells gripped in your hands and pressed to the floor.
• Keep your shoulders directly over your wrists and keep your hips level to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
• From the plank, lift one weight up toward your shoulder for a single-arm row, then continue lifting it toward the ceiling as you rotate your hip and upper body open.
• Bring the weight back down to the ground and return to a plank position. Repeat the same movement on the other side. That's one rep.
• Do four sets of 15 reps or perform the moves for one minute straight.

3. Walking lunges with weights

Adding weights to walking lunges really ratchets up the intensity of this move, and you'll get a total lower-body workout with this exercise.

Make sure to select a pair of dumbbells you're comfortable getting in and out of a low lunge with, but be sure not to go too heavy — you don't want it to impact your form so much that you get injured.

This workout can be done one of two ways, too. You can either lunge with an upright body and a straight spine to focus on your thighs and quads, or with a forward-leaning position to work your glutes.

Equipment needed: (1) pair of dumbbells. You can also use a gym mat to allow for soft contact if your knee ever hits the floor.

How to do it:

• Start by standing tall with a dumbbell in each hand, resting by your side.
• Step your right foot roughly two feet in front of you and bend your back knee so it lunges down toward the ground and make sure it doesn't go beyond your toes.
• Press into your forward-planted foot and step your feet back together.
• Once you're back in a standing position, perform a bicep curl with both arms at the same time.
• Repeat the move with your other leg.
• Continue alternating lunges and biceps curls for one minute straight.

4. Ball slams

Ball slams are an excellent way to work your shoulder and back muscles, your core, and your legs. You do want to make sure, however, that you do these on a sturdy ground or floor space as you'll be quite literally slamming a weighted ball with all your power.

Gym equipment needed: A weighted medicine ball

How to do it:

• Start with a weighted medicine ball between 10 and 20 pounds.
• With your feet shoulder-width apart, lift the ball toward the sky and over your head.
• From that position, throw it or slam it toward the floor in front of you while simultaneously moving into a squat position.
• Pick the ball up and return to the starting standing position.
• Repeat this move for 30 to 60 seconds straight.

5. Dip and flip

The dip and flip is a fun move that works your triceps and biceps, engages the entirety of your ab and core muscles, and really elevates your heart rate.

Equipment needed: Gym mat

How to do it:

• Start by laying on the floor on your back with your knees bent in front of you and your hands under your butt and your thumbs near your hips.
• Keep your knees and legs slightly separated with your toes off the ground and drive your hips up into a bridge position; your butt shouldn't be touching the ground.
• Do one tricep dip by bending your arms so your elbows point away from your body and you slowly lower your upper back toward the floor.
• Drive through your hands to extend back up to the bridge position.
• Next, turn your body completely over to a high plank position and do one push-up. That's one rep.
• Do 10 total reps.

Insider's takeaway

Doing full-body exercises at the gym can be a great way to build strength, burn calories, and work multiple muscle groups at the same time.

Moves like ball slams, weighted lunges, and squats with an overhead press do a good job of challenging your entire body while delivering an effective workout.

Although many full-body exercises are more complex than normal weight training moves, starting slow by using lower weights is the best way to perfect your form, improve your technique, and avoid injury.