20-minute home workout with no equipment

No gym, no equipment, no time? This 20-minute full-body workout needs nothing but a bit of floor space. It works for beginners and can be made harder as you get fitter, so you can do it in your living room, a hotel room or your building gym.

Before you start

• Clear a space about the size of a yoga mat.
• Wear trainers, or train barefoot on a non-slip surface.
• Keep water nearby.
• Move with control: good form matters more than speed.

If you have an injury, a medical condition or you’re pregnant, check with your doctor before starting a new workout.

Warm-up (4 minutes)

Do each move for 40 seconds, with 20 seconds to switch:

1. March on the spot, swinging your arms
2. Arm circles, forwards and backwards
3. Bodyweight good mornings: hinge at the hips with a flat back
4. Slow squats to a comfortable depth

The workout (12 minutes)

Do 3 rounds of the circuit below. Work for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, then move to the next exercise. Rest 1 minute between rounds if you need it.

1. Squats: feet shoulder-width apart, sit back and down, chest up, then stand tall.
2. Push-ups: on your knees, against a wall or a sturdy table if full push-ups are too hard.
3. Reverse lunges: step back, lower your back knee towards the floor, return and alternate legs.
4. Plank: forearms on the floor, body in a straight line, squeeze your glutes and stomach.

Cool-down (4 minutes)

Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds per side and breathe slowly:

• Standing quad stretch
• Hamstring stretch, reaching towards your toes
• Chest stretch in a doorway
• Child’s pose

Make it easier or harder

How often to do it

Start with 3 times a week on non-consecutive days, for example Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. As it gets easier, add a fourth round, shorten the rests or move to the harder versions. Add daily walking for an extra boost.

Want a plan that progresses with you?

A PT DXB coach can build on this workout with a plan matched to your goal, check your technique and keep you progressing, at your home, building gym or local park. Your first session is free. See our training programmes or meet the coaches.

Make your home workout part of your week

Doing this home workout 3 times a week, alongside daily walking, puts you on track for the NHS recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and strength exercises on 2 or more days.

Want a coach to guide you? Want more than 20 minutes? Train at home with Abdelrahman, our calisthenics personal trainer or Chaimaa, our strength training coach. Your first session is free.

Keep reading

• Can you build muscle at home without a gym?
• How to do your first pull-up: a step-by-step plan