This is the workout we recommend to anyone who’s never seriously trained and wants to start without buying anything. No equipment, no membership, no app subscription. Twenty minutes, three times a week, with at least one rest day between sessions.

It’s a full-body circuit: five moves, done back-to-back, then repeated. Beginners do 2 rounds; once those feel manageable (after a few weeks), bump to 3 rounds.

Before you start

  • Clear a 6×6-foot patch of floor.
  • Have a glass of water nearby.
  • If you’ve been completely sedentary or you have a heart condition, knee pain, or back pain, check with a doctor first.

The workout

Do each move for 40 seconds of work, 20 seconds of rest, then move to the next. After move #5, rest 60 seconds, then start again. Total time including warm-up and rests: about 20 minutes.

Warm-up (3 minutes)

  • 30 seconds: marching in place, arms swinging
  • 30 seconds: arm circles, forward and back
  • 30 seconds: bodyweight squats (slow, partial range)
  • 30 seconds: standing toe-touches
  • 60 seconds: jog in place lightly, or step side-to-side

The 5 moves

1. Bodyweight squat — Feet hip-width, sit back like you’re aiming for a low chair. Keep your chest up and knees tracking over your toes. Modification: sit down onto an actual chair and stand back up; over time, hover above the chair before standing.

2. Incline push-up — Hands on a sturdy counter, dresser, or wall. Body in a straight line, lower your chest toward the surface, push back. Modification: the higher the surface, the easier. Start at a wall if needed and progress to lower surfaces as you get stronger.

3. Glute bridge — Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Hold one second, lower with control. Modification: none needed — this move is forgiving.

4. Bird-dog — On hands and knees, slowly extend your right arm forward and left leg back at the same time. Hold one second. Return, switch sides. Move slowly. Modification: extend just the arm or just the leg until you have the balance.

5. Dead bug — Lie on your back, arms straight up toward the ceiling, knees bent 90° with shins parallel to the floor. Slowly lower your right arm overhead and your left leg toward the floor. Return, switch sides. Keep your low back pressed into the floor the whole time. Modification: move just the arm or just the leg until coordination clicks.

After the second round

Walk around the room for a couple of minutes. Stretch your hamstrings, hip flexors, and chest gently. Drink water. You’re done.

How long until I see progress?

If you do this 3× a week, eat a sensible amount of protein, and sleep ~7+ hours: you’ll notice you can do more reps before tiring within two weeks, you’ll see and feel real strength changes within 6–8 weeks, and your friends will notice within 3 months.

When to add equipment

You don’t need equipment to keep progressing for months. When you’re ready, the lowest-friction upgrade is a set of loop resistance bands. They cost less than a single gym visit, store in a drawer, and you can use them to add resistance to every move in this workout.

After bands, the next step is a pull-up bar that fits in a doorframe — this unlocks rows, hangs, and eventually full pull-ups, which carry over to almost everything else.

What to do next

Repeat this routine 3× a week for 6 weeks. Same five moves. Don’t change anything except adding a round (move from 2 → 3) when 2 rounds feels easy. After 6 weeks, you’ll be ready for slightly harder progressions: split squats, push-ups from the floor, single-leg glute bridges. We’ll cover those in a follow-up.

Consistency beats complexity. This is the most boring workout we’ll ever recommend, and that’s why it works.