Home Workout Plan for Beginners: 4 Weeks, No Equipment

Starting at home is the easiest way to begin: no commute, no crowd and no one watching. The hard part is knowing what to do and in what order. This plan gives you exactly that for four weeks, with nothing to buy and nothing that will annoy the neighbours downstairs.

How much exercise does a beginner need?

The World Health Organization's 2020 guidelines ask adults for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking, plus muscle-strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week. The NHS gives the same advice and lists bodyweight exercises like push-ups as a way to do the strength part at home.

This plan covers both: three short strength sessions a week, and walking on the days in between. If you're not sure how many days suit you, our guide on how many days a week you should work out goes into it in more detail.

What you need to work out at home

• Floor space about the length of a yoga mat, with room to stretch your arms out.
• A mat or a folded blanket for exercises on the floor.
• A sturdy chair without wheels, and a wall for the easier versions of some moves.
• Optional: two filled water bottles, if you want to add a little weight later.
• A way to track: a notebook or the notes app on your phone.

Your 4-week home workout plan

Do the strength session on three days with a rest day between them, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. One round means doing all eight moves once, one after another, then resting for a minute before the next round.

Each strength session takes about 25 to 35 minutes, including the warm-up. Rest days are part of the plan: muscles adapt between sessions, not during them.

A 5-minute warm-up before every session

1. March on the spot for one minute, swinging your arms.
2. Arm circles: 10 forwards and 10 backwards.
3. Hip circles: 5 each way, hands on your hips.
4. Cat-camel on all fours: 8 slow rounds, rounding then arching your back.
5. Five slow, shallow squats, going a little deeper each time.
6. Ten slow step-backs, alternating legs.

The 8 moves, with easier and harder versions

Move slowly and with control. The last two reps of each set should feel like work while your form stays clean. If your form breaks down, stop the set there or switch to the easier version.

1. 1

   Squat

   Feet about shoulder-width apart, sit your hips back and down as if onto a chair, keep your chest up and knees in line with your toes, then stand tall. Easier: sit down onto a chair and stand back up. Harder: take 3 seconds to lower and pause at the bottom.

2. 2

   Push-up

   Hands under your shoulders, body in one straight line from head to heels, lower your chest towards the floor and press back up. Easier: hands on a wall or a kitchen counter; the more upright you are, the easier it gets. Harder: full push-ups on the floor with a slow lowering.

3. 3

   Glute bridge

   Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body is straight from shoulders to knees, squeeze for a second, then lower. Easier: smaller lift. Harder: one foot on the floor and the other leg straight.

4. 4

   Reverse lunge

   Step one foot back and lower until both knees bend to about a right angle, then push through the front foot to stand. Alternate legs. Easier: hold the back of a chair and take a shorter step. Harder: stay in the split position and do all reps on one side before switching.

5. 5

   Back raise (superman)

   Lie face down, arms by your sides. Lift your chest and arms a few centimetres off the floor while looking at the floor, hold for a second, lower. Easier: lift only your arms. Harder: arms stretched in front in a Y shape, with a 3-second hold.

6. 6

   Dead bug

   Lie on your back, arms pointing at the ceiling, knees bent above your hips. Keep your lower back pressed to the floor while you slowly lower one heel to tap the floor, then switch. Easier: smaller movements. Harder: straighten the leg as you lower it and reach the opposite arm overhead.

7. 7

   Plank

   Forearms on the floor under your shoulders, body straight, squeeze your glutes and brace as if about to be poked in the stomach. Breathe normally. Easier: knees down, or hands on a chair seat. Harder: hold longer, or lift one foot for a few seconds at a time.

8. 8

   Calf raise

   Stand tall holding a wall, rise onto the balls of your feet, pause, then lower slowly. Easier: smaller range. Harder: one foot at a time, or stand on the edge of a step and lower your heels below it.

A no-jump option for flats and apartments

Nothing in this plan jumps, so it's quiet enough for a flat with neighbours below. If you want a little extra cardio at the end of a session, try two minutes of fast marching on the spot, step-back jacks (step one leg out to the side while raising your arms, instead of jumping) or shadow boxing. You'll get warm and slightly out of breath without a single thud.

How to progress after each week

Your body adapts to whatever you ask of it, so the plan has to get a little harder over time. The American College of Sports Medicine's guidance on progression recommends making the work harder once you can do one or two more reps than your target, and two to three strength sessions a week for beginners. At home, without heavy weights, you can do that in a few ways, in this order:

1. Add reps, up to the top of the range for the week.
2. Add a round, as the plan does in week 3.
3. Move to a harder version of a move, one move at a time.
4. Slow the lowering down to 3 seconds, which makes every rep count for more.
5. Add a little weight: hold a filled water bottle for squats and lunges.

How to track your progress

Write down the date, the version of each move, your reps and how hard the session felt on a scale of 1 to 10. On the first day and again at the end of week 4, do a quick test: as many good push-ups as you can (any version) and your longest plank with good form. Seeing those numbers improve is the best motivation there is.

Weight on the scale often moves slowly at first and can go up and down from day to day. If losing fat is your goal, read our fat loss goal page and work out a sensible daily target with the calorie deficit calculator.

What to do after the 4 weeks

Repeat week 4 with harder versions, or move on. To keep building strength, follow our strength training goal page. To put on muscle at home, read the guide to building muscle at home. If you're over 40, our guide to strength training for women over 40 covers what changes and why it matters.

When a coach makes the difference

A plan tells you what to do. A coach notices what you're actually doing: the knee that caves in on a squat, the hips that sag in a plank, the week you're more tired than usual. If you've tried home workouts before and stopped, have an old injury, or simply want someone to keep you on track, live coaching helps. Wondering whether it works over video? Our honest guide asks is online personal training worth it.

Personal Home Training is ₹899 a session, or ₹8,080 for a 4-week plan of 12 sessions: 45 minutes one-to-one, live on video, built around your space and whatever kit you have. If you'd rather train alongside others, live group classes start at ₹499 per person.