Free · no equipment
Beginner workout routine at home
Three sessions a week, no equipment, 35 minutes each. Exact sets, reps and rest below, plus how to make every move harder as it gets easy.
How this routine works
Two full-body strength days and one conditioning day, spaced with a rest day between them. Keep the same movements for four weeks. Progress by adding one rep per set each week, then moving to a harder variation once you clear the top of the rep range on every set.
Day 1 — full body push focus
- ›Incline push-up — 4 × 8 (hands on a sofa or step)
- ›Split squat — 3 × 10 each leg
- ›Hip bridge — 3 × 15
- ›Hollow hold — 3 × 30 seconds
Day 2 — full body pull & hinge focus
- ›Table or towel row — 4 × 10
- ›Single-leg Romanian deadlift — 3 × 8 each leg
- ›Reverse lunge — 3 × 10 each leg
- ›Side plank — 3 × 25 seconds each side
Day 3 — conditioning circuit
- ›Six moves, 40 seconds work / 20 seconds rest
- ›Squat, push-up, reverse lunge, plank shoulder tap, glute bridge, march in place
- ›3 rounds in week 1, building to 5 by week 4
The four-week progression
- ›Week 1 — learn the movements, stop every set two reps short of failure.
- ›Week 2 — add one rep to every set.
- ›Week 3 — add a second rep, or move to the harder variation.
- ›Week 4 — cut the sets by a third, keep the harder variation, then restart the block.
Keep going after week 4
Home Workout Plan With No Equipment is the full written version of this routine, with every session laid out week by week.
Home training questions
Can you build muscle at home without equipment?
Yes, for the first several months. Bodyweight training builds muscle as long as sets are taken close to failure and difficulty keeps increasing — through leverage, slower tempo, pauses and single-leg variations rather than added weight.
How long should a beginner home workout be?
Thirty to forty minutes including a five-minute warm-up. Three sessions a week is the target; two still produces progress.
What if I can't do a push-up yet?
Raise your hands. Start with hands on a counter, then a chair, then a low step, then the floor. Each drop in height is a progression, so you never need a knee-only version for long.
Do I need to buy anything?
No. A towel, a sturdy chair and a bit of floor space is enough for this routine. One pair of adjustable dumbbells is the only upgrade worth making later.