Full body workout at home

Train your whole body. Stay at home.

Three straightforward home sessions using dumbbells, a resistance band or a loaded backpack. No jumping, no elaborate setup, and no need to restart when your week changes.

See the workout Get the free six-week plan

The short answer

Home training works when resistance can grow.

You do not need a gym to train your whole body. You do need a squat or single-leg movement, a push, a pull, a hip hinge and something that asks your trunk to resist movement. The sessions below cover those jobs without turning your living room into a circuit class.

This is a minimal-equipment home plan rather than a no-equipment plan. A band, dumbbell or securely loaded backpack makes pulling exercises and gradual load increases much more practical. Start with two sessions if you are returning to exercise; add the third when recovery feels predictable.

The programme

Do this workout

Alternate workouts A, B and C in order. Complete the five exercises shown; the sixth is optional when you have time. Rest for 60–90 seconds after smaller movements and up to two minutes after squats, split squats or Romanian deadlifts.

Squat · push · pull · hinge · brace

Workout A — establish the basics

Use this first and record the load or variation used.

Exercise	Sets and reps	How to use it
Goblet squat or backpack squat	3 × 6–10	Hold the load close to your chest; use a chair as a depth target if helpful.
Incline press-up	3 × 8–12	Use a stable worktop or sofa arm. Lower the surface as you become stronger.
One-arm dumbbell or backpack row	3 × 8–12 / side	Support the free hand on your thigh or stable furniture; pause at the top.
Dumbbell or backpack Romanian deadlift	2–3 × 8–12	Push the hips back and keep the load close to your legs.
Dead bug	2 × 6–10 / side	Move only as far as you can without your lower back lifting.

Single leg · floor press · vertical pull · hips · carry

Workout B — add single-leg work

A different angle, but the same full-body structure.

Exercise	Sets and reps	How to use it
Supported split squat	3 × 6–10 / side	Hold a wall lightly for balance; add load only when the position is steady.
Dumbbell floor press	3 × 8–12	Pause softly when the upper arms meet the floor; use a press-up if no weights are available.
Band pulldown	3 × 10–15	Anchor the band only to a point designed to hold force. Use another row if no safe anchor exists.
Hip thrust or glute bridge	3 × 10–15	Add a load across the hips when bodyweight reps are easy and controlled.
Suitcase march	3 × 30–45 sec / side	Hold one weight and march slowly without leaning towards it.

Knee dominant · press · row · hinge · side brace

Workout C — repeat with a new angle

Finish the week without chasing fatigue for its own sake.

Exercise	Sets and reps	How to use it
Low step-up or squat	3 × 8–12 / side	Use a genuinely stable step. Choose squats when your home setup is uncertain.
Half-kneeling one-arm press	3 × 6–10 / side	Squeeze the glute on the down knee and keep the ribs stacked over the pelvis.
Band row or one-arm row	3 × 10–15	Keep the shoulders away from the ears and finish each rep without twisting.
Staggered-stance Romanian deadlift	2–3 × 8–12 / side	Use the rear foot as a kickstand; most of the work stays on the front leg.
Side plank	2 × 20–40 sec / side	Use a bent-knee version if the full position changes your alignment.

Clear the floor

Give yourself enough room to step, hinge and set the weights down without reaching around furniture.

Test every anchor

Do not attach a band to a door, rail or handle unless it is designed and positioned to resist the direction of pull.

Keep reps in reserve

Finish most sets with 2–3 controlled reps still possible. Home training does not need to feel frantic.

Log the variation

Record surface height, band colour, backpack load or dumbbell weight so next week is comparable.

Fit it into the week

A schedule you can repeat

Leave at least one recovery day between the main sessions. If only two days fit, keep moving through A, B and C rather than forcing all three into seven days.

Monday
Workout AStart the sequence and set a repeatable baseline.
Wednesday
Workout BUse the same effort target; do not compensate for rest days.
Friday
Workout CFinish with good reps, then begin with A next week.

Make it work next month

Progress without buying a home gym

Use the smallest progression that makes the same exercise meaningfully harder. Change one variable at a time so you can tell what worked.

Step 1

Add repetitions

Stay with the same load until every set reaches the top of the listed range with the same depth, tempo and control.

Step 2

Add resistance

Add a small amount to the dumbbell or backpack, or move to a stronger band. Return to the lower end of the rep range.

Step 3

Improve the variation

Lower the press-up surface, move from bilateral to supported single-leg work, or add a one-second pause before adding more volume.

Real-life rule

Missed Wednesday? Workout B is still next.

Do not squeeze two full sessions into the following day or restart the week. Continue the A–B–C sequence at your next available session. When the gap has been longer than about two weeks, repeat your previous loads with one fewer set before building again.

Keep the movement

Useful substitutions

Swap exercises by movement job, not by which one looks similar. The replacement should train the same broad pattern and be safe in the space you have.

Movement needed	Use this	Or use this
Squat / knee dominant	Goblet or backpack squat	Supported split squat
Horizontal push	Incline press-up	Dumbbell floor press
Pull	One-arm row	Safely anchored band row
Hip hinge	Romanian deadlift	Loaded hip thrust
Trunk stability	Dead bug or side plank	Suitcase march

Why this is a sensible starting point

Simple, repeatable and evidence-informed

The NHS recommends muscle-strengthening activity for all major muscle groups on at least two days each week. Its guidance recognises bodyweight, resistance bands, free weights and gym machines as valid ways to train.

ACSM’s 2026 resistance-training update places consistency ahead of unnecessary complexity. The most useful programme is one you can perform safely, progressively and often enough to repeat.

NHS activity guidance ↗ACSM resistance-training update ↗

Practical questions

Before you start

Can I get an effective full body workout at home?+

Yes. A home workout can train every major movement pattern with a pair of dumbbells, a resistance band or a loaded backpack. Results depend more on regular training and gradual progression than on being inside a gym.

What equipment do I need for a home full body workout?+

The most useful starting kit is one load you can hold safely, such as adjustable dumbbells or a well-secured backpack, plus a long resistance band. A stable chair or sofa edge can help with supported exercises, but do not use furniture that slides or tips.

How often should I do a full body home workout?+

Two or three non-consecutive sessions per week is a practical starting point. Use two when recovery or time is limited; use three when you can perform each session with stable technique and recover between them.

Can I use this as a no-equipment workout?+

Not exactly. This plan deliberately uses simple resistance so pulling and lower-body exercises remain easy to progress. If you have no equipment, use the listed bodyweight alternatives temporarily, but expect to need harder variations or added resistance as you improve.

Home training works when resistance can grow.

Do this workout

Clear the floor

Test every anchor

Keep reps in reserve

Log the variation

A schedule you can repeat

Progress without buying a home gym

Add repetitions

Add resistance

Improve the variation

Missed Wednesday? Workout B is still next.

Useful substitutions

Simple, repeatable and evidence-informed

Keep training connected

Dumbbell workout

No-equipment workout

Kettlebell workout

Before you start