Easier and Harder Variants

A ladder for each of the four core movements, from the easiest variant to the hardest, with rep targets at every rung.

A push-up progression runs from wall push-ups to incline push-ups, knee push-ups and full push-ups as strength grows. The same ladder structure applies to squats, lunges and planks.

Pick the rung where you can complete 8 to 12 clean reps — the standard beginner dose. If you cannot reach 8 reps, drop one rung; if you pass 12 reps on all sets, move one rung up.

Squats progress from a shallow squat holding a wall or chair, to a parallel bodyweight squat, to a squat with a 2 to 3 second lowering phase, to a squat with a 2 to 3 second pause at the bottom. Rep target at every rung: 8 to 12 reps for 2 to 3 sets.

Lunges progress from a split stance with no knee lowering, to a shallow lunge, to a full lunge, to a reverse lunge. Rep target: 8 to 12 reps per leg for 2 to 3 sets, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Planks progress from a knee plank held 20 to 40 seconds, to a full plank held 20 to 40 seconds, to a full plank held 40 to 60 seconds, to a plank with an alternating arm lift held 30 to 45 seconds. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between holds.

Move one rung at a time and keep the 48-hour gap between strength sessions for the same muscle groups so the adaptation from the harder variant has time to land.

• Push-up: wall → incline → knee → full; 8–12 reps per set.
• Squat: supported shallow → parallel → slow lowering → paused; 8–12 reps per set.
• Lunge: split stance → shallow → full → reverse; 8–12 reps per leg.
• Plank: knee → full → long hold → arm lift; 20–60 s per hold.
• Rule: 1–2 reps left in reserve at the end of each set means the rung is right.

Further reading

• The 20-Minute Beginner Routine
• How Much Is Enough