It’s easy to chalk a full‑body workout up to nothing more than a case of counting reps.
But in reality, it’s a ritual that embraces gravity—the strongest force in nature—as your source of resistance, and your own awareness as the fuel that keeps you moving.
And each move? It connects body and breath. Meanwhile, every repetition is an opportunity to sharpen your sense of control. As for strength, you build it every time you return to it.
The effort you put in will eventually be evident… in your posture, focus, and ultimately, how you carry yourself throughout life.
What is a full-body workout?
A full-body workout trains your body to move as one cohesive unit. Every muscle, joint, and limb learns to work together in a single flow that empowers how you move through daily life.
The best full-body workouts? They tend to blend multiple moves that target different areas of your body at once. This way, it’s easier to build strength, stability, and endurance… all while ensuring that no single muscle works in isolation.
A good session can include:
- Bodyweight exercises. Done anywhere, they help you control your coordination using only your own mass and gravity as a load.
- Arm workouts. Moves like push-ups, tricep dips, and bicep curls train your upper body to push, pull, and lift with greater control in everyday movements.
- Glute activation workouts. Designed to awaken the hips and lower back, they help you stay upright and supported as you move throughout the day.
- Leg workouts. Think squats, lunges, and step‑ups, which build power from the ground up and enable your overall balance and stability.
Together, movements like these can help you build bodily strength that empowers you to live life with greater ease.
No wonder Ronan Diego, the director of Health Programming at Mindvalley and the trainer of Mindvalley’s 10X Fitness program, swears by them. To the point that he doesn’t see them as a must-do.
“I use the word ‘movement’ instead of ‘exercise,’” he says, “because the point of a full‑body workout is to move your body.”
The 10X Fitness full-body workout structure
In Ronan’s fitness system, which he elaborates on in 10X Fitness, structure is everything. Every movement is intentionally designed to build efficiency from the inside out.
Each rep connects your body’s systems, from your muscle fibers to your nervous system, so you become stronger, faster, and smarter in motion.
At its base are six fundamental movements:
- Horizontal pushes,
- Horizontal pulls,
- Vertical pushes,
- Vertical pulls,
- Lower-body pushes, and
- Lower-body pulls.
Together, they form the language of human motion: how we stand, reach, pick things up, and move through the world. Each pattern activates a different part of your body.
Yet all of them connect through the same foundation of form and awareness.
“You start from the biggest muscle group to the smallest,” he explains, “to give the most input to the toughest one.” This sequence matters because it teaches coordination in layers. Larger muscles take the lead, while smaller ones refine control.
Now, tempo is essential, too.
Every rep follows a steady rhythm: about three seconds down, then two seconds up. This slower pace, a hallmark of resistance training, helps your body better sense its position in space while protecting your joints.
With this structure in place, every full-body workout plan becomes a practice in locomotive precision. And each session becomes feedback on muscular endurance, showing you how skillful movement really feels.
The ultimate 15-minute full-body workout
Here’s where Ronan’s holistic fitness method comes alive. In just 15 minutes, you can move through every major muscle group intentionally and precisely.
The goal? Super simple: full engagement in short bursts of structured effort. When the body works as one, little time is wasted.
The session is built around what Ronan calls “units.” They’re complete circuits that balance push and pull from both the upper and lower body.
The units are done in sets or circuits. Each set has 12 repetitions, with each rep following a standard time: three seconds of eccentric contractions (lowering weight) and two seconds of concentric contractions (lifting it).
During an eccentric contraction, the muscle lengthens as the resistance becomes greater than the force the muscle is producing. In a concentric contraction, the muscle tension rises to meet the resistance and then remains stable as the muscle shortens.
Here’s your workout time calculation: 12 repetitions x five seconds = one minute.
One set takes three minutes. So your full-body workout takes 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how much rest you take in between the units. These are the two-unit combinations:
Check them out:
Unit 1
a. Squat
Equipment: None.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet hip-distance apart, toes pointed out slightly.
- Keeping the head in line with the tailbone, shift hips back, and bend at the knees.
- Lower down until thighs are parallel with the floor.
- Drive up through heels to return to standing. That’s one rep.
- Now, repeat 12 times.
b. Bodyweight pull-up
Equipment: A bar.
How to do it:
- Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, keeping your arms extended, hanging from the bar, about shoulder-width apart.
- Pull up the body toward the bar by bending at the arms until your chin touches the bar.
- Pause at the top, then lower back down, controlling your movement.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise. That’s one rep.
- Repeat 12 times.
c. Incline push-up
Equipment: Any surface higher than a floor.
How to do it:
- Stand in front of your bench, then squat or bend down and place both hands on the chosen surface in an elevated plank.
- Bend your arms to help you slowly lower your chest toward the bench. Straighten your arms to bring yourself back up into a straight line.
- Ensure that your core is engaged. That’s one rep.
- Repeat 12 times.
Unit 2
a. Hinge
Equipment: A pair of dumbbells.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet in a neutral position, with a neutral spine and head straight.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, holding them at arm’s length in front of your thighs.
- Bending from the hips only, allow the dumbbells to run along the length of your thighs and halfway down your shins.
- Keep your lower back straight as you lower your upper body until you’re close to a 90-degree angle.
- Using only the muscles in your hips and pelvis, push your upper body back into the starting upright position. That’s one rep.
- Repeat 12 times.
Pro tip: Grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip, and hold them at arm’s length in front of your thighs. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
b. Dumbbell bent over row
Equipment: A pair of dumbbells.
How to do it:
- Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing each other.
- Bend over at a 45-degree angle (or more) and inhale.
- Pull the dumbbells straight up, toward the sides of your chest, on an exhale, keeping your wrists stable.
- Lower the dumbbells with control to the starting position, inhaling as you do so, and keep your lower back straight. That’s one rep.
- Repeat 12 times.
- Remain bent over until all repetitions are complete.
c. Dumbbell shoulder press
Equipment: A pair of dumbbells.
How to do it:
- Hold the dumbbells by your shoulders with your palms facing forward and your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, out to the sides.
- Without leaning back, extend through your elbows to press the weights above your head.
- Then slowly return to the starting position. That’s one rep.
- Repeat 12 times.
Taking notes
Getting your numbers down in a full-body workout is crucial if you want to maximize your results. So bring your journal along for a session, and take the following notes:
- The form for each exercise
- The load for each exercise
- The full-body workout time
- Score each exercise from 1 (easy) to 5 (hard).
When it comes to fitness results, consistency is key. And if you want to 10X your results, start with this 15-minute full-body workout and experience its super efficiency for yourself.
Your entire form should remain constant: an aligned spine, steady breath, and complete control throughout each phase.
Precision, Ronan says, ultimately wins over pace—anytime. “When done with intention,” he points out, “these fifteen minutes can outperform hours of random training.”
The benefits of a full-body workout, according to science
A full-body workout, at home or at the gym, trains your entire system to sync together, all in the name of endurance that lasts beyond your session.
And its benefits speak for themselves, as you can see below:
- Improved muscle coordination. Training all your main muscle groups simultaneously helps your body move as a unified unit. Multi-movement exercises like squats, push-ups, and rows strengthen the connection between your muscles and nerves. The more they sync, the quicker and smoother your reactions become.
- Greater energy use and fat metabolism. Turns out, a full-body session burns more fuel during and after your workout. Your metabolism remains elevated for hours as your body continually uses oxygen to refuel itself. In simple terms, you keep burning calories even after you’ve stopped moving, and your energy levels stay higher through the day.
- Stronger heart health. Full-body training makes your heart and lungs stronger because they have to supply more oxygen to more muscles, all at once. Over time, this improves your circulation, keeps your blood pressure stable, and boosts your level of endurance. Suddenly, climbing many flights of stairs or carrying groceries is much easier.
- Better posture, flexibility, and joint mobility. A full-body approach strengthens the small stabilizing muscles that support your spine and joints. These movements help keep your body aligned and mobile, allowing you to sit, stand, and move with greater comfort and confidence.
- Enhanced hormone and mood balance. When strength and endurance work together, your body releases feel-good hormones like endorphins and growth hormone. These help you sleep better, manage stress more effectively, and feel more balanced overall. Think of it as exercise, turning your body into its own mood stabilizer.
Ultimately, when grouping all workouts in one session, you prepare your body to live well, move freely, and keep going.
How to get the most out of your full-body workout
Every full-body workout becomes more meaningful when it shifts from something you do to something you feel.
No need to race through reps or clock in more time. Getting the most out of it is, ultimately, all about dialing into the rhythm of your breath, your alignment, and your intention.
I use the word ‘movement’ instead of ‘exercise because the point of a full‑body workout is to move your body.
— Ronan Diego, trainer of Mindvalley’s 10X Fitness program
Here’s how to make every session count, according to Ronan:
1. Focus on form first
Every good movement begins with alignment. So, keep your spine tall, your core engaged, and your breath mindful and steady.
Ronan would always remind his students that “the more controlled the movement, the more input your nervous system receives, and the faster it adapts.”
Another big reason you should master clean form? So you can avoid injuries. When you can hold each rep in good form, you train your muscles to move in ways that keep your body stable and safe through every rep.
2. Train with the right tempo
Remember the drill about three seconds down, two seconds up?
This deliberate pace keeps your muscles under tension longer, which is what builds endurance. As you remain in tension, your muscles will start to shake, a point known as muscle failure. Real muscle growth happens right after this breakdown.
On top of this, controlling each rep this way gives your mind something to focus on. This helps you stay calm under eustress, or positive stress that helps your body adapt and grow.
3. Breathe through every motion
Ronan calls the breath your “anchor during effort,” because it can really keep you “zen” even during high intensity. It’s why he suggests inhaling through your nose during the easier phase of the movement, then exhaling as you exert force.
Mindful breathing during a full-body workout helps steady your heart rate variability and channel your focus where you need it most. When your breathing syncs with your movement, you can better manage fatigue and control your outcomes.
4. Balance effort with recovery
Pushing your limits is essential. But resting well is even more.
When you prioritize recovery time, you make space for muscles to rebuild properly, your energy levels to reset, and your endurance level to truly improve.
Not sure where to begin? Start by planning lighter days between full workouts. Go for a walk, stretch, or move slowly through basic mobility drills.
By embracing recovery as non-negotiable, you’ll naturally support your body’s upgrade processes, making way for lasting strength.
5. Track your progress
After each session, take a minute to jot down what you did and how it felt. Note the number of reps, the steadiness of your breath, or how quickly you regained energy afterward.
These small reflections chart your progress far better than numbers alone. Over time, the pattern becomes clear: consistency shapes strength, and focus turns every workout into a reminder of what your body is capable of.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a full-body workout every day?
You can, but your body still needs boundaries. Overtraining can stall progress and drain your energy instead of building it.
According to Ronan, two to three sessions a week are enough for most people to see steady, lasting progress.
“Consistency,” he says, “not exhaustion, is what shapes your results.”
So, leave at least one day of rest between your full-body workouts; this way, your muscles have time to recover and rebuild. On other days, stay active with light movement, such as walking, yoga, or stretching, to maintain your momentum.
How long should a full-body workout be?
The truth is, you don’t need hours to see a difference. Ronan’s 10X method shows that even fifteen focused minutes can be more effective than an hour of rushed training.
The key to obtaining results is… surprise, surprise: total presence. Think slow, controlled movements and a steady, even breath to “gel” them all together.
Of course, you can go longer than fifteen minutes if you feel like challenging yourself. Work within a window of fifteen to forty‑five minutes, depending on your level and energy for the day.
Remember, quality always carries farther than quantity.
How do I structure a full-body workout?
When in doubt, just follow Ronan’s 10X structure he’s built. It’s less about having an order in place and more about creating a fitness flow you can return to again and again.
As he recommends:
- Begin with a movement that gently wakes up your biggest muscle groups, then
- Build upward, linking pushes, pulls, and core work until your whole body feels connected and alive.
Don’t stress over having the perfect sequence. What matters most is the attention you give to each rep. And remember, when your breath stays even, it steadies the effort… and your form will ultimately guide everything else.
Awaken your unstoppable
A great full-body workout reminds you of what’s already within reach: focus, balance, and a sense of power that emerges every time you’re on the move.
And every time you build your strength with awareness, you also cement a little more trust in your body’s ability to show up and carry you forward.
Now that awareness? It’s what Ronan Diego aims to cultivate with his holistic fitness philosophy, which he explores in his free 10X Fitness masterclass on Mindvalley.
By signing up for the session, you’ll get to learn:
- How to unlock maximum strength in minimal time,
- The six movement patterns that define human performance,
- Your nervous system’s role in amplifying your fitness results, and
- How to train for lasting vitality, not burnout.
If anything, it’s an invitation to redefine what strength means: less strain, more intelligence in motion.
When Mindvalley member Debbie L. Holden completed her 10X Fitness journey, her entire relationship with movement changed. She shares:
I can complete a full workout in under 20 minutes, and I’m getting great results… I’m in this for the long haul and love seeing my progress every week.
Debbie’s journey mirrors what many students of Ronan have witnessed in their lives: a 360° transformation that’s sustainable, not forced. And this experience can be yours too, once you dare take the next step with him on Mindvalley.
Welcome in.
