Bodyweight Only Routine
A full routine needing no equipment at all, with a progression ladder for every movement so it keeps getting harder as you get stronger.
Last updated: 1 July 2026
Overview
Bodyweight training has one real problem: you cannot add weight to yourself, so progression has to come from making the movement harder.
Solved properly, that works well. Solved badly, it becomes doing fifty press ups and wondering why nothing changes.
Quick Answer
A bodyweight routine progresses by making movements harder rather than heavier, moving through variations such as incline press ups to standard to decline to single arm. Train three to four days a week with sets taken close to failure.
Key Points
- Progress by variation difficulty, not by endless reps.
- Once you can do 20 clean reps, move to a harder variation.
- Lower body is the hardest thing to load; single leg work is the answer.
- A pull up bar transforms what is possible.
- Three to four sessions a week.
The progression principle
The rule: work in a range of 5 to 12 reps on the hardest variation you can perform with control. When you reach 15 to 20 clean reps, move up the ladder.
Doing 60 press ups is endurance work. Doing 8 single arm press ups is strength work. The second builds far more.
Progression ladders
| Pattern | Easiest to hardest |
|---|---|
| Horizontal push | Wall push, incline [press up](/wiki/exercises/press-up), knee press up, full press up, feet elevated, archer, single arm |
| Vertical push | Pike push up, feet elevated pike, wall handstand hold, wall handstand push up |
| Horizontal pull | Table row, inverted row feet on floor, feet elevated inverted row, single arm inverted row |
| Vertical pull | Band assisted [pull up](/wiki/exercises/pull-up), negative pull up, full pull up, weighted, archer |
| Squat | Box squat, bodyweight squat, split squat, [Bulgarian split squat](/wiki/exercises/bulgarian-split-squat), pistol squat |
| Hinge | [Glute bridge](/wiki/exercises/glute-bridge), single leg glute bridge, nordic curl negative, full nordic curl |
| Core | [Dead bug](/wiki/exercises/dead-bug), [plank](/wiki/exercises/plank), hollow hold, [hanging leg raise](/wiki/exercises/hanging-leg-raise) |
Workout A
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Squat variation | 3 | 8 to 12 |
| Horizontal push variation | 3 | 6 to 12 |
| Horizontal pull variation | 3 | 6 to 12 |
| Hinge variation | 3 | 8 to 12 |
| Core: hollow hold or [plank](/wiki/exercises/plank) | 3 | 30 to 60 sec |
Workout B
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Split squat variation | 3 | 8 each leg |
| Vertical push variation | 3 | 5 to 10 |
| Vertical pull variation | 3 | 4 to 10 |
| Calf raise, single leg | 3 | 15 each |
| Core: [hanging leg raise](/wiki/exercises/hanging-leg-raise) or dead bug | 3 | 10 to 15 |
Alternate A and B, three to four days a week. Rest two to three minutes between sets on the hard variations; this is strength work, not a circuit.
The lower body problem
Legs adapt to bodyweight quickly, because you carry your bodyweight all day. The progression has to be aggressive.
| Stage | Exercise |
|---|---|
| Beginner | Bodyweight squat, 3 x 15 |
| Early | Split squat, 3 x 12 each |
| Intermediate | [Bulgarian split squat](/wiki/exercises/bulgarian-split-squat), 3 x 10 each |
| Advanced | Pistol squat, or Bulgarian split squat with a loaded backpack |
A weighted backpack is the single cheapest upgrade to a bodyweight routine, and it makes lower body training viable indefinitely.
Adding a pull up bar
Without one, the pulling half of your body goes largely untrained. Inverted rows under a sturdy table help, but vertical pulling has no substitute.
A doorway bar is inexpensive and roughly doubles what this routine can achieve.
A four day week
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | A |
| Tuesday | B |
| Thursday | A |
| Friday | B |
Bodyweight work is generally less systemically fatiguing than heavy barbell training, so four days a week is manageable for most people.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it causes problems | Better approach |
|---|---|---|
| Chasing rep counts | Turns strength work into endurance | Progress the variation instead |
| Treating it as a circuit | No rest means no strength stimulus | Rest 2 to 3 minutes |
| Skipping pulling | Half the upper body untrained | Get a pull up bar |
| Ignoring the hinge | Hamstrings and glutes get nothing | Glute bridges and nordic negatives |
| Never adding external load | Ceiling arrives quickly on legs | Use a weighted backpack |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you build muscle with bodyweight training?
Yes, particularly in the upper body, where progressions are plentiful. Lower body growth is more limited without added load.
How many reps should I do?
Five to twelve on the hardest variation you can control. If you can do more than about twenty, the variation is too easy.
Is bodyweight training as good as weights?
For general strength and muscle in the upper body, it is competitive. For maximal strength and for lower body development, weights have a clear advantage.
How long until I can do a pull up?
Most beginners get there in two to four months using negatives and band assistance, though it varies considerably with starting bodyweight and strength.
Sources
NHS physical activity guidelines for adults - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-guidelines/
American College of Sports Medicine - https://acsm.org/