Creating Kings
You can train hard at home with no equipment. Do six bodyweight moves (push-ups, squats, lunges, glute bridges, superman holds and planks) three days a week, and make them a little harder every week or two.
Below is the full plan: how to warm up, how to do each move, how many reps to start with, and how to keep getting stronger once it feels easy.
Can you build muscle at home with no equipment?
Yes, especially when you are starting out. Your own body weight is plenty of load for your first months of training. Push-ups train your chest, shoulders and arms. Squats and lunges train your legs. Planks and holds train your core and back.
The key is to keep making it harder. Your body gets stronger when you ask it to do a bit more than last time. With no weights to add, you do that with more reps, slower reps and harder versions of each move. The plan below shows you how.
Later on, a pull-up bar or a few weights will help you keep going. You do not need them to start.
What is the best home workout for men with no equipment?
The best one is the one you do three times a week for months. This plan is built to be simple enough for that. It is one full body workout. You do the six moves in a row, rest, and repeat.
| Move | Reps or time | Easier version |
|---|---|---|
| Push-ups | 6 to 15 reps | Hands on a wall or a sturdy table |
| Squats | 10 to 20 reps | Sit down to a chair each rep |
| Reverse lunges | 8 to 12 reps each leg | Hold a wall for balance |
| Glute bridges | 12 to 20 reps | Smaller lift, slower pace |
| Superman hold | 20 to 30 seconds | Lift your arms only |
| Plank | 20 to 45 seconds | Knees on the floor |
Rest about 30 seconds between moves and 90 seconds after the last one. That is one round. Do two rounds in your first two weeks, then three. With a warm-up and a short stretch at the end, that is about 20 to 30 minutes.
Pick a number of reps you can do with good form, and stop two or three reps before you have to. Write down what you did. Next time, try to beat it by one rep.
How do you warm up for a home workout?
Take five minutes to get warm before the first round. Move from easy to a bit harder:
- March or jog on the spot for one minute.
- Ten big arm circles each way.
- Ten slow squats, only as deep as feels easy.
- Five slow push-ups against a wall.
- Ten hip hinges: hands on your hips, push your hips back, then stand tall.
How do you do each move?
Good form matters more than big numbers. Move slowly enough to feel the right muscles working.
Push-ups
Hands a little wider than your shoulders. Keep your body in one straight line from head to heels. Lower your chest to just above the floor, then push back up. To make it harder later, put your feet up on a step or the couch.
Squats
Feet about shoulder width apart. Sit back and down, as if into a chair, with your chest up and your knees pointing the same way as your toes. Stand back up by pushing through your whole foot. To make it harder, pause for two seconds at the bottom.
Reverse lunges
Stand tall and take a big step back with one foot. Lower your back knee toward the floor, keeping your front knee over your ankle. Push through your front heel to stand back up. Do all your reps on one leg, then switch. To make it harder, rest your back foot on the couch and stay in place.
Glute bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your knees, hips and shoulders make a straight line. Lower slowly. To make it harder, do them on one leg.
Superman hold
Lie face down with your arms stretched out in front. Lift your arms, chest and legs a few inches off the floor and hold. Keep your neck long and look at the floor. This trains your upper and lower back, which are easy to miss in a home workout.
Plank
Forearms on the floor, elbows under your shoulders. Lift your body into a straight line and squeeze your glutes and stomach. Breathe slowly. To make it harder, lift one foot for a few seconds at a time.
How many days a week should you work out at home?
Three days a week, with a rest day between each one. Monday, Wednesday and Friday is a simple way to do it.
Your muscles grow stronger while you rest, not while you train. So on the other days, keep moving without training hard: go for a walk, stretch, or play a sport for fun. A short daily walk is one of the easiest habits you can add.
How do you make bodyweight workouts harder?
Change one thing at a time. When the top of a rep range feels easy for all your rounds, move to the next step.
| Weeks | Rounds | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | 2 | Learn the moves. Stop two or three reps before you have to. |
| 3 to 4 | 3 | Add one or two reps, or five seconds, each session. |
| 5 to 6 | 3 | Slow down: take three seconds on the way down. |
| 7 and on | 3 | Move to the harder version of one move at a time. |
These weeks are a guide, not a rule. Some moves will get easy fast and some will take longer. Go by what you write down, not the calendar.
What should you do on rest days?
Rest days are part of the plan. Use them to help your body catch up:
- Walk. Easy movement helps you feel less stiff.
- Stretch. Five to ten minutes for your hips, back and shoulders.
- Sleep. Go to bed at the same time each night. Train hard enough on training days that you are tired, not wired.
- Eat enough. Have some protein with each meal, and drink water through the day.
Stop any move that causes sharp pain. If you have an injury or a health condition, talk to a doctor before you start a new workout.
Training at home works best when you treat it like a promise to yourself. A few positive affirmations for men before a session can help on days you do not feel like it. If you enjoy this kind of training, calisthenics is one of the best hobbies for men to grow into. More on training, food and sleep in our body guides.