Best Bodyweight Only At-Home Workout for Muscle Growth (Minimal Equipment)

TL;DR

This full upper-body workout requires only a pull-up bar and floor space, pairing pulling and pushing exercises back-to-back to maximize muscle growth fast.

Key Points

• 1.Equipment needed: A $20 door-frame pull-up bar (adjustable height) and optionally a broom handle across two chairs covers every exercise in the workout.
• 2.The 7 exercises in order: Sternum pull-ups → wide-grip push-ups → chin-height pull-ups → medium-grip push-ups → underhand pull-ups → diamond push-ups → inverted rows → inverted skull crushers → inverted face pulls (bar at chest height).
• 3.Structure logic: Back/chest exercises are paired with chest/tricep exercises so one muscle group rests while the other works, with only ~5 seconds between movements.
• 4.Rep targets: Aim for 10–20 reps per set; if you drop below 5 reps, rest 30 seconds instead of 5 before continuing — never sacrifice form.
• 5.Progression: Add one rep per session using the RP Hypertrophy app to track bodyweight reps over time; increase from 1 set of everything up to 4–5 sets per exercise as fitness improves.
• 6.Weekly programming split: Earlier session emphasizes chest and back (more sets on pull-ups and wide push-ups); later session emphasizes arms and shoulders (more sets on diamond push-ups, skull crushers, and face pulls).
• 7.Scaling: Beginners can do partial pull-ups or elevated push-ups; advanced athletes can add dive-bomber push-ups; sternum pull-ups are the only uniquely difficult exercise with no direct easy substitute.