Home Workout: 20-Minute Full Body (No Equipment)

A complete workout you can do anywhere. Perfect for busy schedules and fitness beginners. No gym, no equipment, no excuses—just you and 20 minutes to transform your body.

Life gets busy. Between work, family, and everything else, finding time for the gym can feel impossible. But here's the truth: you don't need a gym membership or fancy equipment to get a great workout.

This 20-minute full-body workout targets every major muscle group, burns calories, and builds strength—all from the comfort of your living room.

The Workout Structure

This is a circuit-style workout with 5 exercises. You'll do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, then move to the next exercise. Complete 4 rounds for a total of 20 minutes.

"The best workout is the one you'll actually do. This routine fits into any schedule and requires zero equipment."

The 5 Exercises

1. Push-Ups (40 seconds)

Target: Chest, shoulders, triceps
Form: Start in plank position, lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, then push back up
Modification: Do knee push-ups or wall push-ups if needed

2. Squats (40 seconds)

Target: Quads, glutes, hamstrings
Form: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, lower your body as if sitting in a chair, then stand back up
Modification: Hold onto a chair for balance if needed

3. Mountain Climbers (40 seconds)

Target: Core, shoulders, cardiovascular system
Form: Start in plank position, alternate bringing knees toward chest in a running motion
Modification: Slow down the pace or do standing knee raises

4. Lunges (40 seconds)

Target: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, balance
Form: Step forward with one leg, lower your body until both knees are bent at 90 degrees, then step back
Modification: Hold onto a wall for balance

5. Plank Hold (40 seconds)

Target: Core, shoulders, back
Form: Hold a straight-arm plank position, keeping your body in a straight line
Modification: Drop to your knees if needed

Complete Workout Flow

Round 1: Push-ups → Rest 20s → Squats → Rest 20s → Mountain Climbers → Rest 20s → Lunges → Rest 20s → Plank → Rest 60s
Round 2: Repeat
Round 3: Repeat
Round 4: Repeat

Progression Tips

As you get stronger, you can make this workout more challenging:

Add reps: Try to complete more reps in each 40-second window
Increase rounds: Add a 5th or 6th round
Reduce rest: Cut rest periods to 15 or 10 seconds
Add variations: Try jump squats, burpees, or pike push-ups

Why This Workout Works

Time-efficient: 20 minutes is manageable for even the busiest schedules
Full-body: Targets all major muscle groups in one session
Cardio + strength: Builds muscle while burning calories
Scalable: Can be modified for any fitness level
No equipment: Can be done anywhere, anytime

Pre-Workout Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Before starting the main workout, do these movements to prepare your body:

Arm circles: 30 seconds forward, 30 seconds backward
Bodyweight squats: 10 slow, controlled reps
Cat-cow stretches: 30 seconds
Light jogging in place: 60 seconds
Hip circles: 30 seconds each direction

Post-Workout Cool-Down (5 minutes)

After completing the workout, take time to stretch:

Chest stretch: 30 seconds each side
Quad stretch: 30 seconds each leg
Hamstring stretch: 30 seconds each leg
Child's pose: 60 seconds
Deep breathing: 60 seconds

When to Do This Workout

This workout is perfect for:

Busy weekdays: When you can't make it to the gym
Travel days: Hotel room workouts
Recovery days: Light active recovery
Getting started: Building a fitness habit

Tracking Progress

Keep a simple log to track your progress:

Number of reps completed in each 40-second window
How you felt during the workout (1-10 scale)
Any modifications you needed
Weekly frequency (aim for 3-4 times per week)

Bottom Line

You don't need fancy equipment or hours of free time to get a great workout. This 20-minute routine proves that consistency and effort matter more than duration and complexity.

Start with what you can do, stay consistent, and watch your strength and endurance improve over time.

Ready to take your fitness to the next level? Check out our guide to cardio to understand how to complement this strength workout.