Calisthenics · Updated 2026-09-15
Bodyweight training at home — without equipment
You can train the whole body at home with four movements: push-up (push), table-edge or towel row (pull), squat and split squat (legs), plank and hollow hold (core). Three sessions a week with 3-4 sets per exercise is enough to get significantly stronger.
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See plans and pricingThe only real problem at home: pulling
Push, legs and core are easy to train without equipment. Pulling is not — and if you skip it you end up with a strong front, a weak back and shoulders that rotate forward. The fix is one of three, in priority order: a doorway pull-up bar, a solid table edge for inverted rows, or a towel around a door handle for door rows.
The programme: full body, three times a week
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Targets |
|---|---|---|
| Push-up (adjust the angle to your level) | 4 × 8-12 | Chest, triceps, shoulders |
| Row under a table or with a towel | 4 × 8-12 | Back, biceps |
| Bulgarian split squat, back foot on a chair | 3 × 10 per leg | Quads, glutes |
| Single-leg glute bridge | 3 × 12 per leg | Hamstrings, glutes |
| Pike push-up | 3 × 6-10 | Shoulders |
| Hollow hold | 3 × 30 sec | Core |
| Side plank | 3 × 25 sec per side | Obliques |
The 20-minute version for busy days
Set a timer for 20 minutes and run through the circuit as many times as you can without compromising form. If you rest 30-45 seconds between exercises it is still strength training, not just conditioning.
- 0110 push-ups
- 0210 rows (table or towel)
- 0315 squats
- 0420 seconds hollow hold
- 0530-45 seconds rest, repeat
How to make an exercise harder without weights
- 01Change the angle — feet on a chair makes push-ups dramatically heavier
- 02Remove a contact point — one leg, one arm, or a hand on a ball
- 03Slow down — five seconds on the way down changes everything
- 04Add a pause — two seconds at the bottom removes all momentum
- 05Increase the range — push-ups between two books so the chest drops below the hands
How long does it take, and what can you expect?
Three sessions a week of 30-40 minutes gives most adults clear strength gains within a month. The biggest risk at home isn't a lack of equipment — it is that nobody notices when your form breaks down as you get tired.
How the app helps you with this
Frequently asked questions
Can you build muscle at home without weights?
Yes, as long as sets end close to failure and the exercises get harder over time. Muscle responds to load and effort, not to where the load comes from.
How many times a week should I train at home?
Three full-body sessions a week is the best result-to-time ratio for most people. Four or five gives a little more if recovery keeps up.
What is the first piece of equipment worth buying?
A doorway pull-up bar. It solves the one problem home training actually has, which is pulling.
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