Home workout with no equipment: 20-minute full body
You can train your whole body at home in 20 minutes with no equipment: a 3-minute warm-up, two short circuits that cover legs, push, pull and core, and a 2-minute cool-down. Every move below has an easier and a harder version, so the same workout fits a beginner and a regular.
By the MuscleOG team · Updated October 28, 2026
What you need
A bit of floor space, a mat or towel, a sturdy chair and a door frame. That is all.
Warm-up: 3 minutes
30 seconds each: march on the spot, arm circles, hip circles, cat-cow, jumping jacks (or a fast march), and 30 seconds of slow bodyweight squats.
Circuit 1: legs and push (about 7 minutes)
Do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest 20 seconds, then move on. Do the circuit twice.
| Exercise | Easier | Harder |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight squat | Sit-to-stand | Jump squat |
| Knee push-up | Incline push-up | Push-up |
| Reverse lunge | Hold a wall | Bulgarian split squat |
Circuit 2: pull, glutes and core (about 7 minutes)
Same timing: 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off, twice through.
| Exercise | Easier | Harder |
|---|---|---|
| Door-frame row | Stand more upright | One arm at a time |
| Glute bridge | Smaller range | Single-leg glute bridge |
| Mountain climbers | Hands on a chair, step the feet | Faster, knees to the chest |
Cool-down: 2–3 minutes
Child’s pose, a hamstring stretch, a standing quad stretch and a door-frame chest stretch, 30 seconds each.
How often to do it
Three times a week on non-consecutive days is a good target. That meets the WHO recommendation of muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week. On other days, walk: it adds to the 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week the same guidelines recommend.
How to make it harder over time
- Move from the easier to the main version, and then to the harder one.
- Add a third round of each circuit.
- Slow the lowering part of each rep to 3 seconds.
- Cut the rest to 15 seconds.
Change one thing at a time, and only when the whole workout feels manageable.
Common questions
Can you build muscle without equipment?
Yes. Muscles respond to hard work, not to where the resistance comes from. The key is moving to harder versions as you get stronger. Our guide to calisthenics explains how.
Is 20 minutes enough?
For general fitness and strength, yes, if you do it consistently. A 20-minute workout you do three times a week beats a 60-minute one you skip.
What if I live in an apartment?
Swap jumps for their quiet versions: fast bodyweight squats instead of jump squats, and step-back instead of jumping moves.
General fitness information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant, and stop if an exercise causes pain.