You want to train at home, and you have no weights. Good news: a chair, a table, a backpack and a bit of floor are enough for a full-body workout. Here is the routine I start people on, and how it grows with you.
The home workout routine, no equipment
Do the six moves in order, one set each, then rest and go again. Three rounds take about thirty minutes.
- 1
Squat to a chair
Sit back until you touch the seat, then stand. 10 to 15 reps.
- 2
Push-up against a table
Hands on the edge of a sturdy table, body straight. 10 to 15 reps.
- 3
Glute bridge
On your back, knees bent, push your hips up and pause. 10 to 15 reps.
- 4
Backpack row
Fill a backpack with books, hinge forward, pull it to your ribs. 10 to 15 reps.
- 5
Reverse lunge
Hold a chair for balance, step back, bend both knees, return. 10 to 15 reps each leg.
- 6
Plank
Forearms on the floor, body straight. Hold 20 to 40 seconds.
Pick a slow, steady pace you can control. If a rep turns sloppy, stop the set there; that is your number for today.
Fit it into your week
Three days with a day off between them: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Put it in your calendar at a time you already keep, like before breakfast or straight after work. On the days between, walk.
How to progress without weights
Bodyweight training keeps working as long as the moves stay hard for you. Each move has a ladder. Start on the first step. When all three rounds reach 15 reps with good form, take the next step and drop back to 10.
| Move | The ladder |
|---|---|
| Squat | To a chair → full squat → pause at the bottom → split squat |
| Push-up | Against a table → on a chair seat → on your knees → on the floor |
| Glute bridge | Two legs → pause three seconds at the top → one leg |
| Row | Light backpack → full backpack → slow lowering, three seconds down |
| Lunge | Holding a chair → no support → with the backpack on |
| Plank | 20 seconds → 40 seconds → lift one foot, then switch |
One step at a time, one move at a time. You can sit on the second step for the squat and the fourth for the bridge; each move climbs on its own schedule.
Common questions
- Can I build muscle at home with no equipment?
- You can build strength with your own bodyweight while the moves stay hard for you. That is what the ladder below each routine is for: when 15 reps come with reps to spare, you take the next step.
- I already have a gym membership. Do I need this?
- Use the gym. This routine is for the days you can't get there: a late night at work, rain, a trip, a week at home with the kids. Same pattern, different room.
- How much space do I need?
- Enough to lie down with your arms out, and a chair and a table you can lean on. A corner of a bedroom works.
- How often should I do it?
- Three days a week, with a day off between sessions. Walk on the days between if you want to move.
- What if a move hurts my knee or back?
- Stop that move, and see a doctor or physical therapist if the pain is sharp, growing, or won’t go away. Once you know what you’re cleared for, I swap the move for one that fits.
What to do this week
- Pick your three days and a time on each.
- Find your chair, your table and a backpack with a few books in it.
- Do the routine once. Write down your reps.
Then do it on your other two days this week. For a plan with dumbbells, see a simple workout plan you can follow every week.
Want a home routine built around your space and your week?
That's what I do. I build your program, you message me in the app, and I reply on the workouts and meals you log. Coaching from Javier, ₱1,200 a month.