3 days · 30 min
Home workout plan (no equipment)
No rack, no dumbbells, no excuses left. This is the week our engine writes when the only load available is your own bodyweight.
Get this plan built around meBodyweight training runs out of load long before it runs out of difficulty. The plan progresses leverage and tempo instead of plates: elevated push-ups become decline push-ups, split squats become single-leg squats, and every rep gets slower before it gets easier.
The week below assumes three 30-minute sessions and a floor. Add bands or a single kettlebell in the assessment and the plan absorbs them immediately.
Who it's for
- Training at home, in a hotel room or outdoors
- Rebuilding a base before joining a gym
- Anyone who wants a plan that survives a travel week
How the block progresses
The exercises barely change across the 4 weeks. What changes is the load, the rep target and the volume — one variable at a time, so you always know what moved.
Week 1: Find your variation
For each movement, choose the hardest version you can perform cleanly for the prescribed reps with two in reserve. Note which variation you used.
Week 2: Add reps
Same variations, one or two more reps per set. Bodyweight progress usually arrives as reps first, leverage second.
Week 3: Harder leverage
Hit the top of the rep range everywhere and move to the next variation on that movement — feet higher, base narrower, one limb instead of two.
Week 4: Deload, then repeat
Drop one set per exercise and stay further from failure. Restart the block at week three's variations.
The full 4-week block, week by week
Every session of every week, straight out of the live program engine for a 3-day, 30-minute setup — sets, reps, rest and the cue that matters.
Week 1 — Find your variation
For each movement, choose the hardest version you can perform cleanly for the prescribed reps with two in reserve. Note which variation you used.
Day 1: Lower Strength
Squat, hinge, single leg · 30 min
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Single-Leg RDL3 × 12-15
Hips square to the floor. Move slow enough that you never wobble to finish a rep. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
- Reverse Lunge3 × 12-15
Step back and sit down, not forward. Control the landing every rep. · 45s rest
Day 2: Upper Strength
Press, pull, torso · 30 min
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Pull-Up / Assisted Pull-Up3 × 12-15
Start from a dead hang, lead with the chest, control the way down. · 45s rest
- Incline Push-Up3 × 12-15
Hands on a bench or box. Same line, easier angle, same quality of rep. · 45s rest
- Band Row3 × 12-15
Two-second squeeze at the back. Tension beats speed here. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Day 3: Conditioning
Intervals and work capacity · 30 min
- Bike / Rower Intervals3 × 3 x 30s
Hard effort, then true easy. The recovery half is part of the workout. · 45s rest
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Week 2 — Add reps
Same variations, one or two more reps per set. Bodyweight progress usually arrives as reps first, leverage second.
Day 1: Lower Strength
Squat, hinge, single leg · 30 min
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Single-Leg RDL3 × 12-15
Hips square to the floor. Move slow enough that you never wobble to finish a rep. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
- Reverse Lunge3 × 12-15
Step back and sit down, not forward. Control the landing every rep. · 45s rest
Day 2: Upper Strength
Press, pull, torso · 30 min
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Pull-Up / Assisted Pull-Up3 × 12-15
Start from a dead hang, lead with the chest, control the way down. · 45s rest
- Incline Push-Up3 × 12-15
Hands on a bench or box. Same line, easier angle, same quality of rep. · 45s rest
- Band Row3 × 12-15
Two-second squeeze at the back. Tension beats speed here. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Day 3: Conditioning
Intervals and work capacity · 30 min
- Bike / Rower Intervals3 × 3 x 30s
Hard effort, then true easy. The recovery half is part of the workout. · 45s rest
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Week 3 — Harder leverage
Hit the top of the rep range everywhere and move to the next variation on that movement — feet higher, base narrower, one limb instead of two.
Day 1: Lower Strength
Squat, hinge, single leg · 30 min
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Single-Leg RDL3 × 12-15
Hips square to the floor. Move slow enough that you never wobble to finish a rep. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
- Reverse Lunge3 × 12-15
Step back and sit down, not forward. Control the landing every rep. · 45s rest
Day 2: Upper Strength
Press, pull, torso · 30 min
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Pull-Up / Assisted Pull-Up3 × 12-15
Start from a dead hang, lead with the chest, control the way down. · 45s rest
- Incline Push-Up3 × 12-15
Hands on a bench or box. Same line, easier angle, same quality of rep. · 45s rest
- Band Row3 × 12-15
Two-second squeeze at the back. Tension beats speed here. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Day 3: Conditioning
Intervals and work capacity · 30 min
- Bike / Rower Intervals3 × 3 x 30s
Hard effort, then true easy. The recovery half is part of the workout. · 45s rest
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Week 4 — Deload, then repeat
Drop one set per exercise and stay further from failure. Restart the block at week three's variations.
Day 1: Lower Strength (Deload)
Squat, hinge, single leg · 30 min
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat2 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Single-Leg RDL2 × 12-15
Hips square to the floor. Move slow enough that you never wobble to finish a rep. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat2 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug2 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
- Reverse Lunge2 × 12-15
Step back and sit down, not forward. Control the landing every rep. · 45s rest
Day 2: Upper Strength (Deload)
Press, pull, torso · 30 min
- Push-Up2 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Pull-Up / Assisted Pull-Up2 × 12-15
Start from a dead hang, lead with the chest, control the way down. · 45s rest
- Incline Push-Up2 × 12-15
Hands on a bench or box. Same line, easier angle, same quality of rep. · 45s rest
- Band Row2 × 12-15
Two-second squeeze at the back. Tension beats speed here. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug2 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Day 3: Conditioning (Deload)
Intervals and work capacity · 30 min
- Bike / Rower Intervals2 × 2 x 30s
Hard effort, then true easy. The recovery half is part of the workout. · 45s rest
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat2 × 12-15
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here. · 45s rest
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat2 × 12-15
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on. · 45s rest
- Push-Up2 × 12-15
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top. · 45s rest
- Dead Bug2 × 12-15
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend. · 45s rest
Key exercises in this plan
Every lift week one uses, with the coaching cue and the swaps we allow when equipment or a cranky joint gets in the way.
Tempo Bodyweight Squat
squat · bodyweight
Three seconds down, one second pause, drive up. Slow is the load here.
Appears in: Day 1: Lower Strength, Day 3: Conditioning
Swap for: Goblet Squat, Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat
Single-Leg RDL
hinge · bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebell
Hips square to the floor. Move slow enough that you never wobble to finish a rep.
Appears in: Day 1: Lower Strength
Swap for: Romanian Deadlift, Hip Thrust
Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat
lunge · bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebell
Front shin vertical, back knee straight down. This is the single-leg base everything else sits on.
Appears in: Day 1: Lower Strength, Day 3: Conditioning
Swap for: Reverse Lunge, Loaded Step-Up
Dead Bug
core · bodyweight
Low back stays flat on the floor the entire set. Exhale as you extend.
Appears in: Day 1: Lower Strength, Day 2: Upper Strength, Day 3: Conditioning
Swap for: Front Plank, Pallof Press
Reverse Lunge
lunge · bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebell
Step back and sit down, not forward. Control the landing every rep.
Appears in: Day 1: Lower Strength
Swap for: Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat, Loaded Step-Up
Push-Up
push · bodyweight, bands
Body is one line from ear to heel. Full lockout at the top.
Appears in: Day 2: Upper Strength, Day 3: Conditioning
Swap for: Dumbbell Bench Press, Incline Push-Up
Pull-Up / Assisted Pull-Up
pull · bodyweight, bands, machines
Start from a dead hang, lead with the chest, control the way down.
Appears in: Day 2: Upper Strength
Swap for: Lat Pulldown, Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
Incline Push-Up
push · bodyweight
Hands on a bench or box. Same line, easier angle, same quality of rep.
Appears in: Day 2: Upper Strength
Swap for: Push-Up, Dumbbell Bench Press
Band Row
pull · bands, bodyweight
Two-second squeeze at the back. Tension beats speed here.
Appears in: Day 2: Upper Strength
Swap for: Single-Arm Dumbbell Row, Lat Pulldown
Bike / Rower Intervals
conditioning · machines, bodyweight
Hard effort, then true easy. The recovery half is part of the workout.
Appears in: Day 3: Conditioning
Swap for: Acceleration Runs (20 yd), Loaded Carry Medley
How to swap an exercise
Missing kit, a busy rack or a joint that argues with a lift are all fine reasons to substitute. These four rules keep the block intact when you do.
Keep the pattern
Swap a squat for another squat and a push for another push. The plan stays balanced as long as the pattern survives the substitution.
No pull-up bar?
Replace vertical pulls with a table-edge row, a towel row around a door frame or a band pull-down. Keep the same sets and reps.
Build your own version
Change the goal, schedule, session length or equipment and week one rebuilds instantly — this is the same engine that writes your full program.
Lower Strength
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
- Single-Leg RDL3 × 12-15
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
- Reverse Lunge3 × 12-15
Upper Strength
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
- Pull-Up / Assisted Pull-Up3 × 12-15
- Incline Push-Up3 × 12-15
- Band Row3 × 12-15
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
Conditioning
- Bike / Rower Intervals3 × 3 x 30s
- Tempo Bodyweight Squat3 × 12-15
- Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat3 × 12-15
- Push-Up3 × 12-15
- Dead Bug3 × 12-15
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How to run it
Leverage is your loading
When a movement gets easy, change the angle or the base of support before you add reps. Harder leverage keeps the sets in a strength rep range.
Tempo counts as weight
A three-second lowering phase and a one-second pause roughly doubles the time under tension of the same rep. Use it before you start doing sets of fifty.