The 3‑Exercise Strength Workout When You Have Zero Equipment, Budget or Time
I love strength training. I have a deep appreciation for training on the finest, most technologically advanced, and most sophisticated strength training equipment in the world (I don’t have an appreciation for a German sports car—but I do want to use the Rolls‑Royce of strength training equipment). I also appreciate being coached or supervised in my workouts. Over the last 26 years, I believe I’ve done 11 workouts on my own; the rest I’ve been trained by a colleague or team member at Discover Strength.
But what if we don’t have access to great equipment or supervision? And what if we are in a life stage where we simply can’t commit much time to our strength training workouts?
Here is what I would do (and how I would modify it to fit the vast majority of trainees).
Physio-Ball Squat. I’d buy a large physio ball (very affordable), place it against a wall, hold dumbbells in each hand (though the dumbbells aren’t even required). I’d lower for 4 seconds, pause when the top of my thighs is parallel to the floor, and then come “up,” making sure to keep a slight knee bend at the top of the rep (to maintain quad tension). This is a highly effective exercise for training the quadriceps and glutes.
Door‑Mounted Chin‑Up. I’d buy a door‑mounted chin‑up station (about $22 at Walmart or Amazon) and install it in the doorway. Using a supinated grip (palms facing me), I’d pull up for 2 seconds, pause for 1 second with my chin above the bar, then lower for 4 seconds until my elbows are straight. I’d complete as many reps as I can with proper form, moving slowly. When I reach muscle failure, I’d step onto a chair, position myself with my chin above the bar, step off the chair, and lower myself for 10 seconds. I’d do an additional 3–5 “negative‑only” reps. If someone isn’t strong enough to perform body‑weight chin‑ups (no shame—normal), I’d start with the negative‑only version. If someone is strong enough for that (again, no shame), I’d recommend buying a set of adjustable dumbbells and doing a single‑arm bent‑over row instead. This works the same muscles and is a safe and practical alternative for those who don’t feel comfortable with chin‑ups.
Push‑Up. I’d lie flat on the floor with hands shoulder‑width apart and my nose aligned over my hands. I’d push up for 2 seconds until my elbows are straight, then lower for 4 seconds. I’d do this until I couldn’t complete another rep with perfect form. Then, like the chin‑ups, I’d perform 3–5 negative‑only reps where I start on top and lower for 10 seconds until I’m fully prone (aiming to have my chest and torso touch the floor before pelvis and legs). If I wasn’t strong enough to do standard push‑ups, I’d begin with the negative‑only version (which I’d try before knee push‑ups).
I estimate this entire routine would take about 6–8 minutes (roughly 2 minutes per exercise plus brief rest). I could buy affordable adjustable dumbbells—and I might swap in a single‑leg squat or lunge instead of the ball squat—but these three exercises, done 1–2 times per week, would yield tremendous return on investment (ROI).
Each workout, I’d track how many reps I could do and aim to improve over time—not at the expense of perfect form.
At the start of each session, I’d remind myself:
“You are only doing 3 exercises. Let’s get the most out of each by going slow, eliminating momentum, making each rep harder, and truly reaching muscle failure.”
Would I get bored over time? Probably. Would it still be incredibly effective? Absolutely.
I wouldn’t do burpees. I wouldn’t do 15 minutes of abs or core work. I wouldn’t walk around wearing a weighted vest.
Luke Carlson, CEO Discover Strength
