Travel / at-home alternative
A short full-body session with extra core work for days without gym access. Add handstand practice when the space, surface and shoulders are ready.
Updated October 16, 2026 · Ankle return guidance added
First 2 minutes
Spend 30 seconds on each movement, at an easy pace.
Choose your length: for 15 minutes, go straight to the circuit. For 20 minutes, insert the five-minute skill block below before the circuit. Take extra preparation time if needed.
Optional · 5 minutes · before strength work
Surface check: hands need a firm, level, non-slip surface. Avoid a thick squishy mat, loose rug or soft carpet for handstands. Clear enough space to come down; a wall is optional, not required for the workout.
Dose: up to 10–20 sec per attempt; stop earlier if balance or position deteriorates.
Setup: use a familiar wall-supported or freestanding variation only if you already have a controlled entry and exit compatible with the no-cartwheel restriction. Do not learn a new bailout here.
Cue: spread fingers, push tall through the shoulders, keep ribs over pelvis and breathe. No headstands or handstand push-ups in this block.
Dose: 15–20 sec per attempt; rest for the remainder of each minute.
Setup: hands and feet stay on the floor. Lift hips into an inverted V; bend knees as needed for comfortable hamstrings.
Cue: straighten arms and push the floor away without forcing shoulders overhead. Return knees to the floor to finish. If arm loading causes symptoms, skip skills.
12 minutes · 6 movements · 2 rounds
Timer: 40 sec to move, then 20 sec to rest and change position. Complete 1–6 twice. Stop before form fails, even if time remains. Each round takes six minutes, including transitions.
Setup: stand with feet around shoulder width, toes turned out slightly if comfortable.
Move: lower for three seconds, then stand smoothly. Keep the whole foot down and knees following the toes.
Adjust: shorten depth for hip or knee discomfort. Never force a front-of-hip pinch.
Setup: knees down or full plank; hands just wider than shoulders. Keep a straight line from head to knees or heels.
Move: lower the chest slowly and press up. Elbows bend and straighten while tracking roughly 30–45° from the torso, rather than flaring sideways.
Adjust: use knees down or less depth. For neck, arm or tendon symptoms, substitute heel slides from step 04.
Setup: lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat around hip width and arms beside you.
Move: squeeze glutes and lift hips toward a shoulder–hip–knee line. Pause two seconds; lower slowly.
Cue: keep ribs down and stop before your lower back arches. Use a smaller lift if needed.
Setup: stay on your back, knees bent and feet down. Gently tighten your abdomen while breathing normally.
Move: slide one heel away and return. Alternate sides, keeping the pelvis still; stop extending before your back arches.
Adjust: if carpet grips the heel, take tiny heel steps along the floor. Shorten the reach for hip pinching.
Setup: hands under shoulders, knees under hips; look down with the neck in line with the back.
Move: reach one arm forward and the opposite leg backward. Hold three seconds, return and switch. Keep hips level; reach long, not high.
Adjust: move only one limb or keep reaching toes down. Use heel slides if arm loading causes symptoms.
Setup: lie on one side with knees bent and supporting elbow directly under the shoulder.
Move: lift hips into a shoulder–hip–knee line. Hold up to 15 sec, lower and allow 10 sec to switch, then hold the other side up to 15 sec. Breathe throughout.
Adjust: use shorter holds. Replace with heel slides if the shoulder or neck complains.
Last minute
Lie on your back, knees bent and feet down. Breathe slowly and relax the shoulders. Done at 15 minutes, or 20 with skills. Symptoms should not be worse afterward or next morning; if they are, reduce the next session and review persistent symptoms with your clinician.
When the basics feel easy
How this fits: useful for travel or a missed gym day, covering legs, pushing, glutes and trunk work. Without a bar, load or anchor it cannot reproduce rows, weighted pull-ups or heavy leg work; resume those in the gym plan. Avoid stacking this on top of a hard pressing or planche day.
Technique help
These explain general technique; the timing and substitutions above are this site's session plan.