Full Body Bodyweight Workout at Home: Level 3
SYP Home Workouts: Level 3 of 10. < Level 2 | All 10 levels | Level 4 >
This full body bodyweight workout is the point where home training starts to feel like proper training. You have built the base in Levels 1 and 2, your joints are used to moving again, and now you get your first complete session: legs, push, hinge, pull, core and a short burst of cardio, all in one go.
Level 3 is part of my 10-level bodyweight ladder that you can do at home with no equipment. Each level builds on the one before, so you always know what to do next. A session takes about 25 minutes including the warm-up, and you do it 3 times a week. It suits busy people who want to get stronger without a gym membership or a long commute.
I specialise in coaching busy professionals over 30, and this is a level built for real life: short, simple to follow, and done in your living room, so you can stop guessing and just know exactly what is coming each session.
Is Level 3 right for you?
Start here if you can already do the Level 2 move-up test:
- 15 squats to a chair with good control
- 12 kitchen counter push-ups
- A 30-second plank on your knees
- 10 step-ups on the bottom stair, each leg
If any of those felt like a real struggle, spend another week or two on Level 2, the beginner bodyweight workout. There is no prize for rushing, and the extra base will make Level 3 feel much better.
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 space about the size of a yoga mat, a sofa or a sturdy low table for the incline push-ups, and a mat or a folded towel for the floor work. That is it. If your sofa slides, push it against a wall first.
Warm-up (5 minutes)
Do each movement for 40 seconds, at an easy pace, and move straight into the next one.
- March on the spot
- Arm circles, forwards then backwards
- Squat to a chair
- Hip hinges with hands on hips
- Wall push-ups
- Slow reverse lunges holding a wall
The Level 3 full body bodyweight workout
Do 3 rounds of the circuit below. Rest 30-45 seconds between exercises and 90 seconds between rounds. The whole session takes about 25 minutes. Train 3 times a week on non-consecutive days, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Bodyweight squat: 12 reps
- Incline push-up on a sofa or low table: 10 reps
- Bodyweight good morning (hip hinge): 12 reps
- Prone lat pull-down (floor): 10 reps
- Plank: 20-30 seconds
- Jumping jacks (or low-impact step jacks): 30 seconds
Exercise demonstrations
Each animation shows one rep with good form, so watch it a couple of times before you start the first round.
1. Bodyweight squat
How to do it: Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly. Breathe in, then sit your hips back and down as if aiming for a chair, keeping your chest up and your weight spread across the whole foot. Go as low as you can while your heels stay down, then breathe out and drive up through the floor to stand tall.
Coach's tip: Push your knees out so they track over your toes. Knees caving inwards is the most common fault I see, and it is usually fixed by thinking "spread the floor" with your feet.
Easier: Squat to a chair, as in Level 2. Harder: Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom of every rep.
More detail: Bodyweight squat benefits and technique
2. Incline push-up on a sofa or low table
How to do it: Place your hands on the edge of the sofa seat or a sturdy low table, slightly wider than your shoulders, and walk your feet back until your body is one straight line from head to heels. Breathe in as you lower your chest towards the edge, elbows angled back at about 45 degrees. Breathe out and press the sofa away to return.
Coach's tip: Squeeze your bum and brace your stomach before every rep. If your hips sag, the lower back takes the strain instead of your chest and arms.
Easier: Go back to the kitchen counter. Harder: Use a lower surface, such as the bottom stair, or take 3 seconds to lower.
More detail: Incline push-up benefits and technique
3. Bodyweight good morning (hip hinge)
How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, a soft bend in your knees, and your hands lightly on your hips or crossed on your chest. Breathe in and push your hips straight back, letting your chest tip forwards with a flat back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Breathe out and squeeze your glutes to bring your hips forwards and stand tall.
Coach's tip: This is a hip movement, not a squat. Imagine closing a car door behind you with your bum. Your knees should barely bend more as you go down.
Easier: Stand with your back to a wall about a foot away and reach your hips back to touch it. Harder: Hold a full backpack against your chest and take 3 seconds on the way down.
More detail: Good morning exercise benefits and technique
4. Prone lat pull-down (floor)
How to do it: Lie face down on your mat with your arms stretched overhead, thumbs pointing up, and your forehead just off the floor. Lift your arms a few centimetres, then breathe out and pull your elbows down towards your ribs as if pulling a bar to your chest. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then reach slowly back out.
Coach's tip: Keep your neck long and your eyes on the floor. Cranking your head up makes the neck do the work instead of the upper back.
Easier: Rest your arms on the floor between reps. Harder: Hold the squeeze for 2 seconds at the bottom of each rep, which is exactly what Level 4 asks for.
5. Plank
How to do it: Set your forearms on the mat with elbows under your shoulders, then step your feet back so your body is straight from head to heels. Tuck your pelvis slightly, squeeze your glutes and brace as if someone is about to poke your stomach. Breathe slowly through your nose and keep breathing for the whole hold.
Coach's tip: A shorter plank done well beats a long saggy one. The moment your hips drop or your lower back aches, stop the clock.
Easier: Drop to your knees for the last few seconds. Harder: Pull your elbows towards your toes without moving them, which makes the stomach work much harder.
More detail: Plank benefits and technique
6. Jumping jacks (or low-impact step jacks)
How to do it: Stand tall with your feet together and arms by your sides. Jump your feet out wide while your arms sweep up overhead, then jump back to the start. For the step jack, step one foot out at a time instead of jumping, with the same arm movement.
Coach's tip: Land softly on the balls of your feet with slightly bent knees. Loud landings mean your joints are taking the shock.
Easier: Step jacks at a steady pace. Harder: Go faster, or add a quick squat every fifth rep.
Your 2-3 week plan
- Week 1: Do 3 rounds exactly as written, resting 45 seconds between exercises. Focus on clean technique and learning the hip hinge.
- Week 2: Add 2 reps to the squats, push-ups and pull-downs, and add 5 seconds to the plank. Bring the rest down towards 30 seconds if you feel good.
- Week 3 (if needed): Slow the lowering part of each squat and push-up to 3 seconds and try the move-up test at the end of the week.
A simple weekly schedule:
- Monday: Level 3 session
- Tuesday: 30-minute brisk walk
- Wednesday: Level 3 session
- Thursday: 30-minute brisk walk
- Friday: Level 3 session
- Saturday: longer walk
- Sunday: rest
The walking matters. The UK guidelines say adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and do strengthening activities that work all the major muscles on at least 2 days a week. This plan covers both. If you want to understand why small weekly increases work, read my guide to progressive overload explained.
When to move up to Level 4
You are ready for the next level when you can pass this test:
- 20 bodyweight squats
- 12 sofa push-ups
- A 30-second plank
- All 3 rounds completed
If you can't yet, that is normal. Stay on Level 3 for another week and keep adding a rep or two each session. Most people who get stuck are missing one item, usually the plank or the push-ups, so practise that one at the end of each session. When you pass, move on to Level 4, the bodyweight workout plan for strength, where you start single-leg work and your first full push-up lowers.
Common mistakes
- Squatting on your toes. Keep your heels down. If they lift, squat to a shallower depth for now.
- Turning the hip hinge into a squat. Hips go back, not down. Your shins should stay almost vertical.
- Rushing the rest. 30-45 seconds is plenty, but cutting it to nothing turns a strength session into a sloppy cardio session.
- Holding your breath in the plank. Brace your stomach and keep breathing slowly.
- Training every day. Muscles get stronger between sessions, so keep a rest or walking day in between.
Frequently asked questions
How many times a week should I do this full body bodyweight workout?
Three times a week on non-consecutive days is ideal. That gives each muscle group enough work to improve and enough recovery to come back stronger. If life gets busy, two sessions a week still meets the UK strength guideline.
Will this help me lose weight?
It helps, because it builds muscle and burns energy, but weight loss mainly depends on a calorie deficit, meaning you eat slightly less energy than you use. Use my free calorie calculator to find a sensible starting target, then let these sessions and your daily walks do the rest.
Can I do this if I'm over 40 or 50?
Yes. I specialise in coaching people over 30, and this level is a great fit for people in their 40s, 50s and beyond, because every move can be made easier. Take the longer rest, use the easier options and build up steadily. Check the safety note above first.
I'm sore after the first session. Should I still train?
Mild stiffness a day or two after a new session is normal and usually eases once you warm up. Go a little easier, keep walking, and it will settle within a week or so as your body adapts. Sharp or joint pain is different, so stop and get it checked.
Want a coach to take you further?
Level 3 is where a lot of people realise how much they can do at home. If you want someone to check your technique, adjust the plan to your body and keep you accountable, that is what I do 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. Not in London? My online coaching gives you the same structure wherever you are.
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 3 of 10. < Level 2 | All 10 levels | Level 4 >
