Bodyweight Workout Plan for Strength: Level 4
SYP Home Workouts: Level 4 of 10. < Level 3 | All 10 levels | Level 5 >
This bodyweight workout plan is built for one thing: real strength you can feel. Level 4 is where you move on from two-legged exercises to single-leg work, and where you start training for your first full push-up. It is still all bodyweight, still done at home, and still about 25-30 minutes a session.
It is part of my 10-level bodyweight ladder that you can do at home with no equipment. Levels 1 to 3 got you moving well and gave you a full-body routine. Level 4 makes each exercise harder by putting more load on one leg or one side at a time, which is exactly how you keep progressing without weights.
If you are a busy professional who wants to feel stronger, stand taller and stop getting niggles from long days at a desk, this is a great level to spend a few weeks on.
Is Level 4 right for you?
Start here if you can already pass the Level 3 move-up test:
- 20 bodyweight squats
- 12 push-ups with your hands on the sofa
- A 30-second plank
- All 3 rounds of Level 3 completed
If one of those is still a stretch, go back to Level 3, the full body bodyweight workout for another week or two. The single-leg moves in this level are much easier when your base strength is solid.
Safety first: if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, recent surgery, are pregnant or have joint pain, check with your GP before you start. Stop if you feel chest pain, dizziness or sharp joint pain.
What you need
A clear space about two metres long, a mat or folded towel for your knees and the floor work, and a wall or the back of a sturdy chair to hold for balance on the lunges if you need it. A cushion under your knees makes the knee push-ups more comfortable.
Warm-up (5 minutes)
Do each movement for 40 seconds and flow straight into the next.
- March into a light jog on the spot
- Arm circles, forwards then backwards
- Bodyweight squats
- Hip hinges
- Walk-outs (inchworms)
- Alternating reverse lunges with a reach
The Level 4 workout
Do 3 rounds of the circuit below. Rest 30-45 seconds between exercises and 90 seconds between rounds. A session takes about 25-30 minutes. Train 3 times a week on non-consecutive days, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Reverse lunge: 8 each leg
- Knee push-up, then 3 slow full push-up lowers: 10-12 reps + 3 lowers
- Single-leg glute bridge: 8 each leg
- Prone lat pull-down with a 2-second squeeze: 12 reps
- Side plank from the knees: 20 seconds each side
- Slow mountain climbers: 20 total
Exercise demonstrations
Each animation shows one rep with good form, so watch it before your first round and copy the pace.
1. Reverse lunge
How to do it: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Breathe in and take a long step backwards with one foot, lowering your back knee towards the floor until both knees are bent at roughly 90 degrees. Keep most of your weight on the front heel, then breathe out and push through that front foot to step back to standing.
Coach's tip: Keep your front knee in line with your middle toes and your chest tall. Leaning forwards and letting the knee wobble inwards are the two faults I correct most.
Easier: Hold a wall or the back of a chair, and do not go as deep. Harder: Take 3 seconds to lower, or pause with the back knee just off the floor.
More detail: Reverse lunge benefits and technique
2. Knee push-up, then 3 slow full push-up lowers
How to do it: Kneel on a cushion, hands just wider than your shoulders, and walk your hands forwards until your body is straight from head to knees. Breathe in as you lower your chest to just above the floor, elbows at about 45 degrees, then breathe out and press back up. After your knee push-ups, come onto your toes in a full push-up position and lower yourself as slowly as you can, 3 to 5 seconds, then drop to your knees to come back up. Do that 3 times.
Coach's tip: The slow lowers are the most valuable part of this exercise. Your muscles are stronger on the way down, so these lowers build the strength for full push-ups faster than anything else. Do not rush them.
Easier: Go back to sofa push-ups and skip the lowers for a week. Harder: Add 2 more lowers, or try a full push-up at the end of each set.
More detail: Push-up benefits and technique, and my step-by-step guide on how to do a push-up.
3. Single-leg glute bridge
How to do it: Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat, then lift one foot off the floor and hold that knee towards your chest. Breathe out and drive through the heel of the planted foot to lift your hips until your body is straight from knee to shoulder. Hold for a second at the top, then lower slowly.
Coach's tip: Keep your hips level. If one side drops, you are losing the glute and twisting through your lower back. Place your hands on your hip bones to feel it.
Easier: Keep both feet down but put most of the weight through one leg. Harder: Hold the top for 3 seconds on every rep.
More detail: Single-leg glute bridge benefits and technique
4. Prone lat pull-down with a 2-second squeeze
How to do it: Lie face down with your arms stretched overhead, thumbs up, and your forehead just off the mat. Lift your arms a few centimetres, then breathe out and pull your elbows down to your sides as if pulling a bar to your chest. Hold the squeeze for a full 2 seconds, then reach slowly back out.
Coach's tip: Think "elbows into back pockets". That cue gets the big back muscles working instead of the neck and upper traps.
Easier: Rest your arms on the floor between reps. Harder: Hold the squeeze for 3 seconds and keep your arms off the floor for the whole set.
5. Side plank from the knees
How to do it: Lie on your side with your elbow under your shoulder and your knees bent behind you. Breathe out and lift your hips so your body is straight from head to knees. Keep breathing steadily, hold for the time, then switch sides.
Coach's tip: Push the floor away with your forearm and lift the bottom hip up high. Most people let the hips sink back, which turns it into a rest.
Easier: Do shorter holds of 10 seconds, twice per side. Harder: Straighten your legs and stack your feet for a full side plank.
More detail: Side plank benefits and technique
6. Slow mountain climbers
How to do it: Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and your body straight. Bring one knee in towards your chest without letting your hips rise, then return it and switch legs. Breathe out each time a knee comes in, and count each knee drive as one rep.
Coach's tip: Slow means slow. Keep your shoulders over your hands and your hips at shoulder height, so this trains your core as well as your heart rate.
Easier: Put your hands on the sofa or a sturdy chair. Harder: Speed up while keeping your hips still, ready for the faster pace in Level 6.
Your 2-3 week bodyweight workout plan
- Week 1: 3 rounds as written with 45 seconds rest between exercises. Learn the balance on the lunges and the timing of the push-up lowers.
- Week 2: Aim for 12 knee push-ups per round, add 2 lunges each leg and 5 seconds to each side plank. Bring the rest down towards 30 seconds.
- Week 3 (if needed): Take 3 seconds to lower on the lunges and bridges, try 1 or 2 full push-ups after your lowers, and test yourself at the end of the week.
A simple weekly schedule:
- Monday: Level 4 session
- Tuesday: 30-minute brisk walk
- Wednesday: Level 4 session
- Thursday: 30-minute brisk walk
- Friday: Level 4 session
- Saturday: longer walk
- Sunday: rest
Three strength sessions plus regular walking covers the UK guideline of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity and 2 or more strength days a week. Keep notes on your reps each session so you can see the progress.
When to move up to Level 5
You are ready for the next level when you can pass this test:
- 10 reverse lunges each leg
- 15 knee push-ups
- 3 full push-ups
- A 30-second side plank from the knees, each side
If you can't yet, the full push-ups are usually the missing piece. Keep the slow lowers in every session, add an extra set of 3 lowers at the end, and be patient. It often clicks suddenly after a few weeks of steady work. Once you pass, move on to Level 5, the intermediate bodyweight workout, with full push-ups, table rows and single-leg hinges.
Common mistakes
- Short, choppy lunges. Step back far enough that both knees can bend to about 90 degrees.
- Dropping fast on the push-up lowers. If you cannot control it for 3 seconds, lower from a higher surface until you can.
- Hips twisting on the single-leg bridge. Keep them level, even if that means a smaller lift.
- Skipping the squeeze on the pull-downs. The 2-second hold is the new challenge at this level, so count it out loud.
- Racing the mountain climbers. At Level 4 they are a core exercise first. Speed comes later.
Frequently asked questions
How many times a week should I follow this bodyweight workout plan?
Three times a week on non-consecutive days. Single-leg work is demanding on your balance and stabilising muscles, so the rest days between sessions really matter. Fill them with walking rather than more training.
Will this help me lose weight?
Building strength helps, but weight loss mainly depends on a calorie deficit, meaning you take in a little less energy than you use. Use my free calorie calculator to set a realistic target, and use this plan to keep and build muscle while you lose fat.
Can I do this if I'm over 40 or 50?
Yes. Single-leg strength and balance become more important as we get older, which makes this a very useful level. Hold a wall on the lunges, take the longer rest and build up gradually. Check the safety note above before you start.
Why can I do knee push-ups but not a full push-up?
A full push-up asks you to lift more of your bodyweight and hold a longer plank at the same time. That gap is normal, and it is exactly why Level 4 adds slow full push-up lowers. Keep practising them each session and the strength builds week by week.
Want a coach to take you further?
Level 4 is where technique starts to matter more, and a coach watching your lunges and push-ups can save you weeks. That is what I do in the studio every day. On my 12-Week Body Transformation, clients lose 6-16kg in 12 weeks (average, results vary) and build 1.2-3kg of lean muscle, measured on InBody. If you live outside London, my online coaching gives you the same plan and check-ins from wherever you train.
SYP Fitness is a private 1-to-1 personal training studio at 2-4 Navigator Square, Archway, London N19 3UB, 2 minutes from Archway tube. Rated 5.0 from 106 Google reviews.
Book a free consultation | WhatsApp Artem | Call 07301 512215 | See prices
SYP Home Workouts: Level 4 of 10. < Level 3 | All 10 levels | Level 5 >
