How I Got Back in Shape with Just Three 20-Minute Workouts a Week (and Almost No Equipment)

By Malik Jordan

No excuses. Just pull-ups and progress.

There was a moment when I realized I wasn’t as in shape as I used to be. Not dramatically out of shape — just “getting winded from a flight of stairs and pretending to check my phone halfway up” kind of out of shape. My shirts still fit, but they were starting to feel more “snug confidence check” than “I could do a set of pushups right now for no reason.”

I didn’t want to be the guy who used to be fit and now just talks about his glory days like they’re part of a documentary. But I also didn’t want to spend two hours in the gym every day, live off boiled chicken, or buy a $200 dumbbell that doubles as a doorstop when motivation vanishes.

So I built a deal with myself:

✅ Three workouts per week

✅ 20 minutes max

✅ Bodyweight-focused

✅ A pull-up bar, some bands, and eventually rings

✅ And zero drama

Is it the most scientifically perfect training program ever? Nope.
Did it get me moving, feeling stronger, and out of “mid-stairway crisis” mode? Absolutely.

💪 The Routine (20 Minutes, 3 Days a Week)

1) Pushups – 2 Sets (No Equipment needed)
Targets: Chest, shoulders, triceps

Full range of motion. If your face never gets close to the ground, that’s just bowing to your ego, not doing pushups.

2) Crunches – 2 Sets (No Equipment)
Targets: Upper abs

Keep it controlled. If you’re yanking your neck like you’re trying to headbang your way to a six-pack, slow down. I like to think I’m pulling my torso straight to my knees(not pulling my torso upward)

3) Supermans – 2 Sets (No Equipment)
Targets: Lower back, glutes, posterior chain

Lie face-down like you’re sunbathing on a budget airline floor, then lift your chest and legs slightly. Your lower back will respectfully request that you behave.

4) TYIS – 2 Sets (No Equipment)
Targets: Upper back, shoulders, posture

Make T, Y, I, and S shapes with your arms. You’ll feel like you’re doing interpretive dance rehab choreography, but your shoulders will thank you for existing.

5) Squats – 2 Sets (No Equipment)
Targets: Legs, glutes, core

Pretend you’re lowering yourself onto a mysterious gas station toilet you’re not 100% committed to — then stand back up with purpose.

6) Pull-Ups (Assisted if Needed) – 2 Sets
Targets: Lats, biceps, grip

Use an assistance band if needed — there’s no shame. A clean assisted pull-up is way more impressive than a flailing ego rep.

7) Rows – 2 Sets (Rings)
Targets: Mid-back, rear delts

Anchor your rings, lean back, and pull your chest toward your hands. Squeeze like you’re trying to crush a soda can between your shoulder blades. Don’t fall back into a slouched back, keep it tight and short range. Rings can be a bit tricky to set up for the first time but their 100% worth the hassle. I have an article coming soon that goes into the fine art of using rings and will post the link here.

🧠 Why It Works (Even If It’s Not Trying to Be a Fitness Bible)

• Full Body Balanced: push + pull, front + back, upper + lower

• Functional: builds strength that shows in real life

• Short enough to stay consistent

• Doesn’t leave you wiped for two days

• Easy to progress with reps, rest time, or better form

It's not a masterpiece — it’s just consistent. And consistent beats complicated every time.

📓 How I Tracked Progress

I used a basic workout journal and wrote down:

✅ Reps

✅ Rest time

✅ Whether I survived

Each week, I focused on improving one thing:

• More reps

• Less rest

• Cleaner form

• Less whining

That’s it. Progress doesn’t need fireworks — just repeatable effort.

🏋️‍♂️ What I Used (Minimal, Like My Patience for Overpriced Equipment)

Start with just your body. When you’re ready to level up:

• Doorway Pull-Up Bar: → Buy here On Amazon

• Assistance Bands: → Buy here On Amazon

• Gymnastic Rings (when you’re feeling like a calisthenics ninja): → Buy here On Amazon

• Highly recommended Free-Standing Pull-Up Station: → Buy here On Amazon

I used a journal to track my progress and challenged myself to do better after each workout.

🏁 Final Thought: You Don’t Need Perfect — You Need Movement

This wasn’t about building the best plan. It was about building one I’d actually show up for — even on days when the couch was flirting with me like we had history. I stuck with it long enough to feel lighter on my feet again, shirts started fitting with a little more respect, and stairs stopped talking trash behind my back.

Someone once told me:

“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent.”

If you consistently bail on yourself, it becomes a personality trait. But when you repeat something simple that works, even on low-energy days, your body starts to remember who it is — and your confidence follows like, “Yeah, we’re back.”

Three days. Twenty minutes. Almost no equipment.
That’s it. No excuses — unless you’re auditioning for I Could Have Been Great but Netflix Had Other Plans.

Run this for a week and tell me your pull-up number doesn’t climb. If it doesn’t, I’m assuming you slacked — and yes, I’m sending virtual burpees. I don’t make the rules (I absolutely do).

— Malik