20 Ways to Make Your Full Body Workout More Challenging

Are you feeling like your full body workouts have plateaued? If you’re a busy professional trying to squeeze in effective home workouts, you might find that the exercises you once found challenging are now feeling a bit too easy. You’re not alone—many face the struggle of making workouts consistently challenging. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to ramp up the intensity without needing a gym or an extensive amount of equipment.

Quick Stats Box:

• Total Time: 30-40 minutes
• Equipment Needed: No equipment (optional: resistance bands, dumbbells)
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• Calories Burned: Approximately 200-300 calories depending on intensity

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Start with this dynamic warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for the workout ahead:

1. Arm Circles: 30 seconds (15 seconds forward, 15 seconds backward)
2. Leg Swings: 30 seconds (15 seconds each leg)
3. High Knees: 30 seconds
4. Bodyweight Squats: 1 minute (slow tempo)
5. Dynamic Lunges: 1 minute (alternate legs)

20 Ways to Increase Workout Challenge

1. Increase Time Under Tension

• Exercise: Slow Squats
• Reps: 10 reps
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 60 seconds
• Form Cue: Lower for 4 seconds, pause for 2 seconds at the bottom, then rise in 2 seconds.
• Modification: Use a wall for support (easier) or add a jump at the top (harder).

2. Add Plyometrics

• Exercise: Jumping Lunges
• Reps: 12 reps (6 per leg)
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 45 seconds
• Form Cue: Land softly and keep your knee behind your toes.
• Modification: Step back instead of jumping (easier) or add a tuck jump (harder).

3. Compound Movements

• Exercise: Burpee to Push-Up
• Reps: 8 reps
• Sets: 4 sets
• Rest: 60 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your body straight when you jump back into the push-up.
• Modification: Step back instead of jumping (easier) or add a jump at the end (harder).

4. Increase Reps

• Exercise: Push-Ups
• Reps: 15-20 reps
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 45 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body.
• Modification: Use knees for support (easier) or add a clap at the top (harder).

5. Add Resistance

• Exercise: Resistance Band Rows
• Reps: 12 reps
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 60 seconds
• Form Cue: Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the pull.
• Modification: Use a lighter band (easier) or increase the band tension (harder).

6. Change the Tempo

• Exercise: Slow Mountain Climbers
• Duration: 30 seconds
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 30 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your core tight and move slowly to increase difficulty.
• Modification: Perform on an elevated surface (easier) or speed up (harder).

7. Add Isometric Holds

• Exercise: Plank with Shoulder Taps
• Duration: 30 seconds
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 30 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your hips level as you lift your hand.
• Modification: Do a knee plank (easier) or add a push-up after each tap (harder).

8. Incorporate Balance Elements

• Exercise: Single-Leg Deadlift
• Reps: 10 reps per leg
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 60 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your back straight and hinge at the hips.
• Modification: Hold onto a wall for support (easier) or hold a weight (harder).

9. Use Supersets

• Exercise: Squats + Push-Ups
• Reps: 10 reps each
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 60 seconds after both exercises
• Form Cue: Transition quickly between exercises to keep your heart rate up.
• Modification: Reduce reps (easier) or increase to 15 reps (harder).

10. Incorporate Core Work

• Exercise: Russian Twists
• Reps: 15 reps per side
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 30 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your back straight and twist from your torso.
• Modification: Keep feet on the ground (easier) or hold a weight (harder).

11. Use Circuit Training

• Exercise: Circuit of 5 exercises (e.g., Jumping Jacks, Push-Ups, Squats, Plank, Lunges)
• Duration: 30 seconds each with 15 seconds rest
• Sets: 3 circuits
• Rest: 1 minute between circuits
• Form Cue: Maintain intensity and minimize rest.
• Modification: Reduce time to 20 seconds (easier) or increase to 45 seconds (harder).

12. Change Your Stance

• Exercise: Wide Stance Squats
• Reps: 12 reps
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 45 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your knees in line with your toes.
• Modification: Use a chair for support (easier) or add a jump at the top (harder).

13. Increase Range of Motion

• Exercise: Deep Squats
• Reps: 10 reps
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 60 seconds
• Form Cue: Go as low as you can while maintaining form.
• Modification: Use a box to limit depth (easier) or hold a weight (harder).

14. Implement Time-Based Challenges

• Exercise: Tabata (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off)
• Duration: 4 minutes per exercise
• Sets: 2 different exercises
• Rest: 1 minute between sets
• Form Cue: Maximize effort during work periods.
• Modification: Increase work time to 30 seconds (harder) or reduce to 15 seconds (easier).

15. Add Static Exercises

• Exercise: Wall Sit
• Duration: 30-60 seconds
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 30 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your back flat against the wall.
• Modification: Decrease time (easier) or hold a weight (harder).

16. Incorporate Agility Drills

• Exercise: Lateral Bounds
• Reps: 10 reps per side
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 45 seconds
• Form Cue: Land softly and explode to the other side.
• Modification: Step instead of jump (easier) or increase distance (harder).

17. Increase Frequency

• Frequency: Add an extra workout day per week.
• Duration: 30-40 minutes
• Rest: Ensure recovery days in between.
• Modification: Reduce workout intensity (easier) or increase to 5 days a week (harder).

18. Use a Timer

• Exercise: Timed Challenge (e.g., complete as many reps as possible in 1 minute)
• Sets: 3 rounds
• Rest: 1 minute between rounds
• Form Cue: Maintain good form regardless of speed.
• Modification: Reduce time to 30 seconds (easier) or increase to 90 seconds (harder).

19. Try Unilateral Exercises

• Exercise: Single-Arm Rows
• Reps: 10 reps per arm
• Sets: 3 sets
• Rest: 60 seconds
• Form Cue: Keep your back straight and pull towards your hip.
• Modification: Use lighter weight (easier) or increase weight (harder).

20. Finish with a Burnout

• Exercise: AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) in 5 minutes of:
  • 5 Push-Ups
  • 10 Squats
  • 15 Mountain Climbers
• Rest: None during the 5 minutes
• Form Cue: Keep a steady pace throughout.
• Modification: Reduce reps (easier) or increase to double the reps (harder).

Cool-Down (3-5 minutes)

Finish your workout with these stretches to enhance recovery:

1. Standing Quad Stretch: 30 seconds per leg
2. Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch: 30 seconds per arm
3. Hamstring Stretch: 30 seconds per leg
4. Cat-Cow Stretch: 30 seconds

Complete in: 30-40 minutes

Conclusion

By incorporating these 20 strategies into your full body workouts, you can continuously challenge yourself and avoid plateaus. Remember to listen to your body—progress at your own pace, and don’t hesitate to adjust exercises to fit your current fitness level. As you grow stronger, revisit these challenges, and keep pushing your limits.

Ready to take your workouts to the next level? Consider personalized coaching for real-time feedback that can help you master these advanced techniques.