You do not need to do all 17 workout plans at home in one week. Pick two or three that match your goal, time, and equipment, repeat them for three to four weeks, and progress them slowly.
This guide gives you no-equipment, dumbbell, band, cardio, and mobility options, each with sets, reps, and rest, so you can build a week that fits a small space. By the end, you will know how to choose a plan, how to make it harder without adding weight, and when a plan is not right for you.
How to Choose From These 17 Workout Plans at Home
Choose by your main goal first, then by time and equipment, because a plan you can repeat beats a harder plan you quit after a week.
Start with strength if you have to pick one category. Strength plans protect muscle and function, while cardio and mobility plans work best added around them.
| If your goal is… | Start with plans | Time needed | Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get started, build a habit | 1, 14, 16 | 15-30 min | None |
| Build full-body strength, no gear | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | 20-40 min | Chair, backpack |
| Build strength with weights | 6, 8, 9, 10 | 30-45 min | Dumbbells or kettlebell |
| Use bands instead of weights | 7 | 25-35 min | Resistance band |
| Improve cardio, low impact | 11, 13, 16 | 15-30 min | None, step |
| Improve cardio, higher intensity | 12, 13 | 20-25 min | None |
| Reduce stiffness, improve balance | 14, 15, 17 | 10-25 min | Chair |
| Train in very short sessions | 4, 15 | 10-15 min | None |
Choose A if you are new or returning after a break: Plans 1, 14, and 17. Choose B if you have trained for at least a month and can do 15 controlled push-ups and 20 bodyweight squats: Plans 6 to 13. Choose C if joints hurt with jumping: Plans 11, 16, and 17, and skip Plan 12.
Rules That Make Any Home Plan Work
A home plan works when the last few reps are challenging, you leave at least one day before training the same muscle group hard again, and you progress one small variable at a time.
The CDC notes that for muscle-strengthening, you should work to a point where another repetition would be hard to do, typically for 8 to 12 repetitions per set, with at least 1 set and 2 to 3 sets for more benefit, according to the CDC guide to what counts as muscle-strengthening activity. The Mayo Clinic similarly advises resting one full day between exercising each specific muscle group, and notes that one set of about 12 to 15 repetitions at the right resistance can be effective for most people, according to Mayo Clinic strength training guidance.
To progress without new equipment, do one of these: add 2 reps, add a set, slow the lowering phase to 3 seconds, pause for 2 seconds at the hardest point, or use a harder variation. Change only one per week, because that makes it clear what caused soreness or a stall.
Warm up for 3 to 5 minutes before strength or cardio plans: march in place, easy squats to a chair, arm circles, and the first exercise at half effort. Cool down with easy walking and breathing until your heart rate settles.
Safety note for home training: These plans are for generally healthy adults. Stop and seek care if you feel chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness, or sharp joint pain, and talk to a clinician before starting if you are pregnant, have a heart condition, uncontrolled blood pressure, a recent injury or surgery, or a condition that affects balance. Start easier than you think you need to, especially with chair, step, and table-supported moves.
No-Equipment Strength Plans: Plans 1 to 5
Plan 1: Beginner Full-Body Foundation – 30 Minutes
Do this 3 times a week on non-consecutive days. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between exercises.
- Sit-to-stand from a chair: 2 sets of 8-12
- Wall or incline push-up: 2 sets of 8-15
- Glute bridge: 2 sets of 10-15
- Bird dog: 2 sets of 6 per side, 3-second hold
- Standing calf raise: 2 sets of 12-15
The NHS uses a solid, stable chair without wheels for sit-to-stand practice and advises building up slowly, according to the NHS strength exercises guide. Progress by using a lower chair, then by doing bodyweight squats without the chair.
Plan 2: Upper-Body Push – 25 Minutes
Do this 1 to 2 times a week. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
- Push-up, on knees or full: 3 sets of 6-15
- Pike push-up for shoulders: 2 sets of 6-10
- Chair dip with feet on floor, knees bent: 2 sets of 8-12
- Plank shoulder tap: 2 sets of 8 per side
Pick a push-up version where you can keep a straight line from head to knees or heels. If your hips sag or you cannot lower with control, use a wall, counter, or knees, because form matters more than the variation name.
Plan 3: Lower-Body Strength – 30 Minutes
Do this 1 to 2 times a week. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
- Bodyweight squat: 3 sets of 10-15
- Reverse lunge: 2 sets of 8 per leg
- Glute bridge: 3 sets of 12-15, 2-second squeeze at top
- Single-leg calf raise: 2 sets of 10 per leg
- Side-lying leg raise or standing hip abduction: 2 sets of 12 per side
Hold a wall or chair for balance on lunges if needed. Progress lunges by stepping to a longer stride, not by adding speed.
Plan 4: Core Stability – 15 Minutes
Do this 2 to 3 times a week, on strength days or alone. Rest 30 to 45 seconds between moves.
- Dead bug: 2 sets of 8 per side
- Forearm plank: 2 holds of 20-45 seconds
- Side plank, knees or full: 2 holds of 20-30 seconds per side
- Glute bridge march: 2 sets of 8 per side
Core training here means resisting movement, not doing hundreds of crunches. Stop a set when you can no longer keep your ribs down and your lower back steady.
Plan 5: Pull and Back With a Backpack – 25 Minutes
Pulling is the hard part at home because most bodyweight moves push. A loaded backpack gives you a row without special equipment.
Load a backpack with books to a weight you can row with control. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
- Backpack bent-over row: 3 sets of 10-15
- Prone Y and T raise, no weight: 2 sets of 8 each
- Backpack good morning, light load: 2 sets of 10-12
- Reverse snow angel lying face down: 2 sets of 8-10
Keep your back flat during rows and good mornings and stop if you feel strain in your lower back. Do not use a door for rows unless you are certain it and the handle can hold your full weight.
Minimal-Equipment Strength Plans: Plans 6 to 10
Plan 6: Dumbbell Full-Body A – 40 Minutes
Do this 2 to 3 times a week, alternating with Plan 9 if you want variety. Rest 90 seconds between exercises.
- Goblet squat: 3 sets of 8-12
- Dumbbell floor press: 3 sets of 8-12
- One-arm dumbbell row: 3 sets of 10 per side
- Romanian deadlift: 2 sets of 10-12
Choose a weight that makes the last 2 reps hard while your form stays clean. If you have only one light pair, slow each rep down and add a pause before you buy heavier weights.
Plan 7: Resistance Band Full-Body – 30 Minutes
Do this 2 to 3 times a week. Rest 45 to 60 seconds between sets.
- Band squat to press: 2 sets of 10-12
- Band chest press, anchored or around your back: 2 sets of 10-15
- Band row, anchored or seated: 3 sets of 12-15
- Band Romanian deadlift: 2 sets of 12-15
- Pallof press for core: 2 sets of 8 per side
Check bands for tears before each session and never anchor a band to something that can tip over. Shorten the band to make a move harder, lengthen it to make it easier.
Plan 8: Dumbbell Upper Body – 35 Minutes
Do this 1 to 2 times a week, at least 48 hours apart.
- Floor press: 3 sets of 8-12
- One-arm row: 3 sets of 10 per side
- Seated or standing shoulder press: 2 sets of 8-12
- Biceps curl: 2 sets of 10-15
- Overhead triceps extension: 2 sets of 10-15
Floor press limits shoulder range compared with a bench, which can be a useful starting point for beginners. Press up smoothly rather than bouncing the weights off your arms.
Plan 9: Dumbbell Lower Body and Glutes – 35 Minutes
Do this 1 to 2 times a week, at least 48 hours apart.
- Romanian deadlift: 3 sets of 8-12
- Split squat, bodyweight or holding dumbbells: 2 sets of 8 per leg
- Dumbbell glute bridge or hip thrust with back on a sofa edge: 3 sets of 10-15
- Standing calf raise holding a dumbbell: 2 sets of 12-15
Keep the Romanian deadlift as a hip hinge, pushing your hips back with soft knees. If you feel it mostly in your lower back, use less weight and a shorter range.
Plan 10: Single Kettlebell Strength – 30 Minutes
Do this 2 times a week if you have one kettlebell you can deadlift with good form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets.
- Kettlebell deadlift: 3 sets of 8-10
- Goblet squat: 2 sets of 8-12
- One-arm press: 2 sets of 5-8 per side
- One-arm row, other hand on chair: 2 sets of 10 per side
Skip kettlebell swings until you have learned the hinge from a qualified instructor in person or have mastered the deadlift without back pain. Swings are not required to get a good home workout.
Cardio and Conditioning Plans: Plans 11 to 13
Plan 11: Low-Impact Cardio – 25 Minutes
Do this 2 to 4 times a week. Work at a pace where you can speak in short phrases but not sing.
Repeat this circuit 4 times, 40 seconds work and 20 seconds easy marching between moves:
- Step touch side to side
- Standing knee raise
- Mini squat to calf raise
- Standing boxing punches, light and controlled
- Heel digs forward
This suits apartments and sensitive joints because there is no jumping. Use a larger step and faster pace to make it harder.
Plan 12: Bodyweight Intervals – 20 Minutes
Do this at most 2 times a week, and only if you can already do Plan 11 comfortably and have no joint pain with impact. Rest at least one easy day after it.
Repeat 3 times, 30 seconds work and 30 seconds rest:
- Fast bodyweight squats
- Mountain climbers, slow version on a chair if needed
- Skater steps, low impact version if jumping bothers your knees
- Push-ups at your level
- Jumping jacks or step jacks
High intensity does not have to mean jumping on every move. If your form breaks down, end the set early, because sloppy intervals raise injury risk without adding benefit.
Plan 13: Step and Strength Circuit – 30 Minutes
Use a low, stable step or bottom stair. Do this 2 times a week.
Repeat 3 times, rest 90 seconds between rounds:
- Step-up: 10 per leg
- Incline push-up on step: 10-15
- Sit-to-stand: 12
- Step calf raise: 12
- March on step or around it: 60 seconds
Check that the step does not slide and that you place your whole foot on it. Do not use a chair as a step unless it is very stable and against a wall.
Mobility, Balance, and Short Plans: Plans 14 to 17
Plan 14: Morning Mobility – 15 Minutes
Do this daily or on rest days. Move slowly and never force a stretch into pain.
- Cat-cow on hands and knees: 8 slow reps
- World's greatest stretch pattern, simplified: 4 per side, using a chair for support if needed
- Standing hip circles: 8 per side
- Thoracic open-book lying on your side: 6 per side
- Deep squat hold holding a doorframe or chair: 20-30 seconds, 2 times
Mobility work helps you reach positions you need for strength moves. It does not need to be long to be useful, consistency matters more.
Plan 15: Desk-Break Plan – 10 Minutes
Do this once or twice on workdays to break up sitting. No change of clothes is needed.
- Sit-to-stand: 12
- Wall push-up: 12
- Standing band or towel row, or backpack row light: 12
- Calf raise: 15
- Neck and shoulder rolls: 30 seconds each direction
Short sessions count toward your weekly total because activity can be broken into smaller parts across the day, according to the CDC guide to adding physical activity as an adult. A 10-minute plan done often beats a perfect plan done rarely.
Plan 16: Indoor Walking Intervals – 20 Minutes
Do this 3 to 5 times a week, in a hallway or around your home. Wear shoes if your floor is slippery.
- Minutes 1-3: easy walk
- Minutes 4-15: alternate 1 minute brisk, 1 minute easy
- Minutes 16-18: repeat 1 minute brisk, 1 minute easy
- Minutes 19-20: easy walk
Brisk here means you are breathing faster and can still hold a conversation in short sentences. Add stairs for one interval if you have them and can use the handrail.
Plan 17: Chair-Based Strength and Balance – 25 Minutes
Do this 2 to 3 times a week. Use a solid, stable chair without wheels placed against a wall, following the set-up described in the NHS strength exercises guide.
- Sit-to-stand, using hands as little as possible: 2 sets of 6-10
- Seated knee extension: 2 sets of 10 per leg
- Standing heel raise holding the chair: 2 sets of 10-12
- Standing side leg raise holding the chair: 2 sets of 8 per side
- Seated biceps curl with water bottles or light dumbbells: 2 sets of 10-12
This is a suitable starting point for older adults and for anyone rebuilding after inactivity. Have someone nearby for balance moves if you feel unsteady, and stop a balance exercise if you need to grab the chair suddenly to stay safe.
How to Put the Plans Into a Week
A sample week shows how to combine plans without training the same muscles hard on back-to-back days.
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Monday | Plan 1 or 6 – Full-body strength |
| Tuesday | Plan 16 or 11 – Easy cardio |
| Wednesday | Rest or Plan 14 – Mobility |
| Thursday | Plan 1 or 6 again, or Plans 8 + 9 |
| Friday | Plan 16 or 14 |
| Saturday | Plan 3, 11, or 13 – Your choice |
| Sunday | Rest |
Beginners should start with 2 strength days and 2 short cardio or mobility days for the first 2 weeks. Add a third strength day only when soreness lasts less than 48 hours and your form is consistent.
What Guidelines Say About How Much to Do
Adults need a mix of aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening, not just one type.
The WHO recommends that adults do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent mix, plus muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week, according to the WHO physical activity fact sheet. The CDC gives the same basic targets for adults: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week and 2 days of muscle strengthening, according to the CDC adult activity guidelines.
You do not have to hit those numbers in week one. Build toward them over several weeks by adding 10 to 15 minutes per week, because a gradual increase is easier to keep and easier on joints and muscles.
Mistakes That Stall Progress at Home
- Training the same muscles hard every day. Muscles need recovery time, so rotate push, pull, legs, and easy days.
- Making every workout a test. If every session is maximal, form drops and you will dread training. Keep most sessions at a level you could repeat tomorrow with one easier rep left in reserve.
- Skipping pulling and glutes. Push-ups and squats alone leave the back of the body under-trained, so include rows, bridges, and hinges each week.
- Changing plans every week. Novelty feels productive but hides progress. Keep the same plans for 3 to 4 weeks and track reps or weight.
- Ignoring pain signals. Muscle effort and mild next-day soreness can be normal, sharp pain, joint pain that alters how you move, chest symptoms, or dizziness are not. Stop and adjust or seek care.
Home Workout Plan Questions, Answered Straight
Can I build muscle with bodyweight plans at home?
Yes, you may build muscle with bodyweight training if sets are taken close to the point where another good rep would be hard and you progress over time. Push-ups, split squats, and single-leg bridges can all be made harder without weights. Growth is likely to be slower once those moves become easy for high reps, at which point adding dumbbells, bands, or a backpack helps.
How many days a week should I do these plans?
Most beginners do well with 2 to 3 strength days and 2 to 3 short cardio or mobility days. That spread lets you meet the 2-day muscle-strengthening target without daily hard sessions. If you only have 2 days total, use full-body strength on both days.
Do I need to be sore for a plan to work?
No, soreness is not a reliable sign of a good workout. Soreness is more common after new exercises or a big jump in volume, and it often fades as you adapt. Track performance instead: more controlled reps, a harder variation, or the same work with less rest.
What if I only have 10 minutes?
Use Plan 15, or do one set each of sit-to-stands, push-ups at your level, backpack rows, and glute bridges in a circuit. A short session keeps the habit alive and adds to your weekly total. Return to a longer plan when you have time rather than trying to compress a 40-minute plan into 10 minutes.
When should I change to a different plan?
Change when you have completed 3 to 4 weeks on the same plans, your form is solid, and progress has stalled for two sessions in a row despite enough sleep and food. Change one element first, such as swapping Plan 1 for Plan 6, before replacing your whole week. If a plan causes repeated joint pain, change it sooner.
Related Home Workouts
How This Guide Was Put Together
This guide is based on the WHO 2020 physical activity recommendations as summarised in its fact sheet, CDC adult activity and muscle-strengthening guidance, NHS home strength exercises, and Mayo Clinic strength training guidance, all linked above. It does not use personal testing, expert interviews, or individual results.
Sources
- World Health Organization. Physical activity fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: Guidelines. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What Counts as Muscle-Strengthening Activity for Adults. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/adding-adults/what-counts.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adding Physical Activity as an Adult. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/adding-adults/index.html
- NHS. Strength Exercises. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-exercises/
- Mayo Clinic. Strength Training: Get Stronger, Leaner, Healthier. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670
