3 Day Full Body Workout Plan: Mon/Wed/Fri A/B Routine

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Train Monday, Wednesday and Friday, alternating two full-body workouts, A and B. Each day pairs a squat or hinge with a press, a row or pulldown and two accessories, for 3 sets of 6 to 12 reps. Rest 2 to 3 minutes on main lifts, and add reps, then weight, every week.

A three-day full-body plan is the most reliable routine there is for people with busy weeks. Every muscle gets trained three times, every session has a rest day after it, and you leave four days free for the rest of your life. Here is a complete A/B plan with the exercises, sets, reps and rest you need.

How the week runs

You have two workouts and three training days, so they alternate. In week one you do A on Monday, B on Wednesday and A on Friday. In week two it flips: B, A, B. Over two weeks each workout gets done three times.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday is the classic, but any three non-consecutive days work, like Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Keep each session to about 50 to 60 minutes including warm-up.

Start every session with five minutes of easy cardio and a few lighter ramp-up sets of the first lift. On your off days, walk, stretch or play a sport, but avoid anything that leaves your legs wrecked for the next session.

Workout A

The squat leads because it's the most demanding lift of the day. If you don't have a rack, a goblet squat or leg press works; if you can't do a row with a cable, use a one-arm dumbbell row.

▸Barbell squat or goblet squat: 3 sets of 6 to 8, rest 2 to 3 minutes
▸Dumbbell bench press or barbell bench press: 3 sets of 8 to 10, rest 2 minutes
▸Seated cable row or one-arm dumbbell row: 3 sets of 10 to 12, rest 90 seconds
▸Romanian deadlift: 2 sets of 10, rest 90 seconds
▸Side lateral raise: 2 sets of 12 to 15, rest 60 seconds
▸Plank: 2 holds of 30 to 45 seconds

Workout B

B shifts the emphasis: a hinge leads instead of a squat, and the press goes overhead. If you can't do chin-ups yet, use a lat pulldown or band-assisted pull-ups.

▸Trap bar deadlift or Romanian deadlift: 3 sets of 5 to 8, rest 2 to 3 minutes
▸Dumbbell shoulder press: 3 sets of 8 to 10, rest 2 minutes
▸Lat pulldown or chin-ups: 3 sets of 8 to 12, rest 90 seconds
▸Bulgarian split squat: 2 sets of 8 to 10 per leg, rest 90 seconds
▸Incline dumbbell press: 2 sets of 10 to 12, rest 90 seconds
▸Hanging leg raise or dead bug: 2 sets of 10 to 12

How hard each set should be

Finish most sets with one to three good reps left. If you could have done five more, the weight is too light. If your form breaks down to finish the last rep, it's too heavy.

Keep the main lifts a little further from failure than the accessories. A grinding last rep on a squat or deadlift is where form slips; on a lateral raise it's harmless.

The progression rule

Use double progression on every exercise. Each one has a rep range. Work at one weight until you hit the top of the range on all sets, then add the smallest increment available and start again at the bottom of the range.

Example: you squat 135 lb (61 kg) for 8, 7 and 6. Next time aim for 8, 8, 7. When you get 8, 8 and 8, go to 140 or 145 lb (about 63 to 66 kg) and expect something like 6, 6, 6. Small, steady jumps add up fast over a few months.

▸Upper-body presses: add 5 lb (2.5 kg) on a barbell, or the next dumbbell up
▸Squats and deadlifts: add 5 to 10 lb (2.5 to 5 kg)
▸Rows and pulldowns: add one plate or pin
▸Accessories: add reps first, weight only when the top of the range is easy

When progress stalls

Expect a stall eventually, and check the basics before changing the program: are you sleeping enough, eating enough protein, and showing up all three days? Most stalls are fixed there.

If a single lift stalls for three sessions in a row while the basics are solid, drop its weight by about 10 percent and build back up. If everything feels heavy and you're tired all the time, take a lighter week with half the sets, then resume. Swapping one exercise for a close variation, like a front squat for a back squat, is another fair fix after a long stall.

Track it so the plan works

Double progression only works if you know last session's numbers. Write down every set, or use SSS Workout Assistant, which is free and logs sets, reps and weight for each workout, keeps a streak and a 30-day history, and charts an estimated one-rep max so you can see each lift climbing.

FAQ

Is a 3-day full-body workout enough to build muscle?

Yes. Training each muscle three times a week with a few hard sets each time gives plenty of weekly volume for most people. Beginners and intermediates can build muscle and strength on this plan for a long time.

Can I do the same full-body workout three times a week?

You can, and it works, but alternating two workouts adds variety and covers more movement patterns, like a squat and a hinge or a flat and overhead press. It also spreads the stress on joints a little more evenly.

Should I do cardio on my off days?

Easy cardio like walking or cycling on rest days is a good addition and usually helps recovery. Keep hard intervals modest so they don't drain the legs you need for squats and deadlifts.

What if I miss a workout?

Just do the next workout in the sequence on your next available day. Don't double up or try to squeeze two sessions into one. Over a month, one missed session barely matters if you keep the pattern going.

How long should I follow a 3-day full-body plan?

As long as you keep making progress, which can be many months. Consider changing when sessions get too long, lifts stall despite good recovery, or you want to train four or more days a week.

Put it into practice

SSS Workout Assistant turns these principles into a free weekly routine built around you — then tracks every set and reminds you to train so you actually keep it.

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