Bodyweight Only Program
Bodyweight only program: 8 weeks of street workout on a pull-up bar and parallel bars — full-body strength training at home with zero equipment
This program is built for the street workout corner: a pull-up bar, a pair of parallel bars, and the ground you stand on. If you are new to structured training and want to get stronger without a gym membership, this is the plan to start with. Every session takes about 35–45 minutes, and the only gear you need is a place to hang and a place to dip.
You train three days a week — Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday — with at least one full rest day between sessions. The week is split into an upper-body day, a legs-and-core day, and a full-body day. Within each day the exercises are ordered from hardest to easiest, so your technique stays sharp even when your arms get tired.
Do not chase failure. Leave one or two reps in the tank on every set and write down the numbers you hit. When you can complete every set at the top of the rep range for two sessions in a row, add a rep or a set — the progress rules are at the bottom of this page.
Day A — Upper Body (Tuesday)
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-Up (Neutral Grip) | 3 × 5–8 | 90 s | Use slow negatives if a full rep is not possible yet |
| Chest Dip | 3 × 8–12 | 90 s | Lean forward slightly to load the chest |
| Deep Push-Up | 3 × 10–15 | 75 s | Lower the chest between your hands |
| Bench Dip (Knees Bent) | 3 × 10–12 | 60 s | Elbows track straight back |
| Russian Twist | 3 × 15–20 | 45 s | Rotate with the ribs, not just the arms |
Day B — Legs & Core (Thursday)
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking Lunge | 3 × 12–15 | 90 s | Per leg; long steps, tall torso |
| Bodyweight Standing Calf Raise | 3 × 15–20 | 45 s | Pause one second at the top |
| Hyperextension | 3 × 10–15 | 60 s | Squeeze the glutes, control the lowering |
| Dead Bug | 3 × 10–12 | 45 s | Per side; keep the lower back pressed down |
| 3/4 Sit-Up | 3 × 12–15 | 45 s | Roll up segment by segment, lower slowly |
Day C — Full Body (Saturday)
| Exercise | Sets × Reps | Rest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burpee | 3 × 8–12 | 90 s | The hardest movement of the day — pace yourself |
| Mountain Climber | 3 × 30 s | 45 s | Drive the knees to the chest, hips low |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s | No swinging — lower under control |
| Air Bike | 3 × 20–30 s | 45 s | Elbow to the opposite knee |
| Pull-Up (Neutral Grip) | 2 × max | 90 s | Log the numbers to track progress week by week |
How to progress
- Add one rep per set when you hit the top of the range for two sessions in a row; start with the hardest exercise of the day.
- When every set is at the top of the range, add a set instead — three sets of pull-ups become four.
- Cut rest time by 15 seconds once per week, down to 45 seconds on the assistance work.
- Slow the lowering phase of pull-ups and dips to three seconds — the strength gained there carries over to the regular movement.
Rest days matter
Muscle grows between workouts, not during them. Training the same muscles on back-to-back days — pull-ups and dips especially — prevents full recovery and turns progress into stagnation. Keep the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday schedule, sleep seven to nine hours, eat enough protein, and treat rest days as part of the program rather than an interruption. If you are unusually sore, swap a session for a short walk instead of grinding through it.