You work from a small flat, you have about 30 minutes free, and the nearest gym is a bus ride away. Home exercises with no equipment can cover most of what the official guidelines ask for in strength work, as long as you pick moves that cover the main muscle groups and do them twice a week. This guide gives you six moves, a session you can follow from a timer, and a four-week build-up.
This is general fitness information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, an injury, are pregnant or have recently given birth, or you’re unsure about your fitness, speak to a doctor or physiotherapist before you start. Stop if you feel pain.
Home exercises with no equipment: the six moves that cover the body
The NHS guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 say to do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups, listed as legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms, on at least 2 days a week. The US CDC adult guidelines say the same: 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity a week covering the same groups. Six floor-space moves can cover most of that list.
| Move | Main muscles | Easier version | Harder version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | Thighs, hips | Sit-to-stand from a chair | Slow lowering over 4 seconds, pause at the bottom |
| Press-up | Chest, shoulders, arms | Hands on a wall or a kitchen counter | Hands on the floor, feet raised on a step |
| Split squat or lunge | Thighs, hips | Hold a door frame for balance | Walking lunges |
| Glute bridge | Hips, back of thighs | Both feet down, lift to a small height | One leg lifted at a time |
| Plank | Abdomen, shoulders | Knees down, on forearms | Straight-legged, then longer holds |
| Bird dog | Back, hips | Lift just the arm, then just the leg | Opposite arm and leg lifted together, with a pause |
The back is the hardest group to train without equipment, because most back exercises involve pulling. The bird dog (on hands and knees, reach one arm and the opposite leg out and hold) is a practical stand-in, and it’s an exercise choice rather than something the guidelines name. Every other move in the table is a standard bodyweight exercise. The NHS lists push-ups, sit-ups and squats among its examples of strength activities that use body weight.
How many reps, how many sets, how often
The same NHS strength page says to try 8 to 12 repetitions of each activity, which counts as 1 set. It also says to aim for at least 2 sets, or 3 for extra benefit, and to do muscle-strengthening exercises on at least 2 days a week. It adds that an activity counts when it works your muscles to the point where you may need a short rest before continuing. So the last two or three reps of each set should feel hard.
The British Heart Foundation’s strength exercises page gives a slightly wider range of 8 to 15 repetitions and says to allow at least a full day’s recovery between sessions. That fits a Monday and Thursday pattern better than two days back to back.
Example: six moves, 2 sets of 10 reps each, is 6 x 2 x 10 = 120 reps in total. At roughly a minute per set including rest, that’s 12 sets, so about 12 to 15 minutes of work. Add a warm-up and a cool-down and the whole session fits into 30 minutes.
Aim for reps that feel hard by the end, with good form on every one, and add more only when the current number feels comfortable.
A 30-minute session you can follow
The NHS warm-up page says to warm up to prevent injury and make workouts more effective, and that its routine should take at least 6 minutes. Its routine starts with about 3 minutes of marching on the spot, followed by heel digs, knee lifts, shoulder rolls and a few small knee bends. Use it as your first block.
- Warm-up, 6 minutes. Follow the NHS routine above, or march on the spot, then shoulder rolls and gentle knee bends.
- Round 1, about 7 minutes. One set of 8 to 12 reps each of squat, press-up, lunge, glute bridge, then a plank hold of 20 to 30 seconds, then the bird dog. Rest 30 to 45 seconds between moves.
- Round 2, about 7 minutes. Repeat the same six moves.
- Round 3, optional. Once two rounds feel comfortable, add a third.
- Cool-down, about 5 minutes. The NHS stretching page says to hold each stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, and that the routine should take about five minutes.
Technique cues that prevent most problems
- Breathing. The BHF says not to hold your breath, because it can raise your blood pressure, and to breathe out with the effort of each exercise.
- Pace. The BHF also says to keep movements slow and controlled, so count two seconds up and two seconds down.
- Talk test. The BHF says to take a break if you can’t talk normally while exercising. If you can’t say a sentence, rest.
- Squats and lunges. Keep your knees tracking over your toes and your chest lifted. Stop at a depth where your heels stay on the floor.
- Press-ups and planks. Keep a straight line from head to heels. If your hips sag or your back arches, move to an easier version.
Where cardio fits in
Strength work is only part of the picture. The NHS guidelines advise at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, and say moderate means you can still talk but not sing. The CDC describes the same rule of thumb and says vigorous activity is when you can’t say more than a few words without pausing for breath, on its page on measuring intensity. Stair climbing, brisk walking and skipping all count without equipment.
The NHS guidelines add that strengthening exercises are not always aerobic, so you need to do them as well as your 150 minutes of aerobic activity. A week might be two 30-minute strength sessions plus five 30-minute brisk walks, which reaches the 150-minute aerobic target.
Four weeks, one change at a time
Muscle soreness is normal when you start. Building up slowly keeps it manageable. This plan is practical advice, built from the set and rep ranges above.
| Week | Sessions | Sets per move | Reps | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | Learn each move at the easier version |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | Add the second round |
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | Slow the lowering phase |
| 4 | 2 or 3 | 2 to 3 | 10 to 12 | Try the harder version of one move |
Change one thing at a time: reps, then sets, then difficulty. The last step is the one to hold back when a move still feels shaky.
Common mistakes
The first is skipping the warm-up because the session is only 30 minutes. Six minutes of marching and shoulder rolls costs little compared with a strained muscle.
The second is rushing. Fast, bouncing reps use momentum, not muscle, and they put more strain on joints.
The third is training the same muscles on consecutive days. The BHF advice of a full day’s recovery between sessions exists because muscles need time to adapt.
The fourth is skipping the back and abdomen because they’re less visible. Include the plank and bird dog from week one.
The fifth is jumping straight to the hard version. If you can’t do ten clean wall press-ups, floor press-ups with raised feet will only teach bad habits.
Your session checklist
- A clear patch of floor about the size of a yoga mat, with soft shoes or bare feet on a non-slip surface
- Water within reach, and loose clothing
- A 6-minute warm-up done before the first move
- Six moves covering legs, hips, chest, shoulders, abdomen and back
- 8 to 12 slow reps per set, with breathing out on the effort
- A day off between strength sessions
- A 5-minute stretch with 15 to 20 second holds
- A note of the reps you managed, so next week has a target
The takeaway
Home exercises with no equipment work when they cover every major muscle group, repeat on two non-consecutive days and progress slowly. Pick the six moves above, warm up for six minutes, do two sets of 8 to 12 slow reps, and add brisk walking for the aerobic side. Start with the easier versions and let the hard ones come later.
