Home Workouts: What To Do
Training with body weight and household objects, without a gym or equipment.
Last revised
It removes cost, travel and scheduling as reasons not to train, which are the reasons most programmes actually fail.
Key takeaways
- Core movement pattern set: squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge, brace
- Typical structure: 6 movements, 8-12 reps, 3 rounds
- Most useful single change: Pick the regression you can complete for every round, then progress.
- Commonest mistake: Starting at the hardest version and concluding you cannot do it.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Do
- Pick the regression you can complete for every round, then progress
- Slow the lowering phase to three seconds before adding reps
- Use a table for rows and a wall or worktop for press-ups
- Keep it on the same days each week so it becomes a fixture
Do not
- Starting at the hardest version and concluding you cannot do it
- Adding a fourth round when you could make the movement harder
- Training through sharp pain on the assumption it will loosen up
The figures behind the list
Each item above follows from these, published in the guidance named at the foot of the page.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Core movement pattern set | squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge, brace |
| Typical structure | 6 movements, 8-12 reps, 3 rounds |
| Session length | about 20 minutes including rest |
| Rest between rounds | about 90 seconds |
| Progression method | leverage and tempo, not added weight |
Where to go next
- What the Guidance Really Says About Home Workouts
- Making Sense of Home Workouts
- Home Workouts — the reference entry
- Running for Beginners: What Published Guidance Supports
- Sedentary Time: What the Evidence Actually Says
When to get help
Speak to a GP before starting if you have a heart condition, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or a recent injury or surgery. Stop and seek urgent help for chest pain, pressure or tightness during exercise.
Where this comes from
- NHS — Strength and flexibility exercises
- UK Chief Medical Officers — Physical Activity Guidelines
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.