By Will Duru, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science
If you’ve ever thought about getting stronger, building muscle, or losing fat, but felt intimidated by the gym, I’m here to tell you that you don’t need a single weight to completely transform your body. My name is Will Duru, and for over a decade, I’ve helped countless men and women unlock their true potential by utilising the most powerful tool they already possess: their own body.
I’ve seen clients go from struggling to do a single push-up to mastering advanced bodyweight movements. I’ve witnessed incredible transformations, from skinny guys building powerful, lean muscle to men losing 10kg or more of stubborn body fat. The secret isn’t complicated equipment; it’s a smart, consistent approach. This 12-week program is your blueprint to getting in the best shape of your life, right from the comfort of your own home.
Why Bodyweight Strength Training Will Change Your Life
Strength training is about so much more than just looking good. It’s about building a body that’s resilient, capable, and ready for anything life throws at you. When you commit to a program like this, you’re investing in your longevity and your quality of life.
Research from Harvard Medical School indicates that bodyweight exercises are highly effective in building muscle, improving aerobic capacity, and increasing flexibility [1]. It builds functional strength, meaning it prepares your body for real-world activities, from carrying groceries to playing with your kids. It also strengthens your bones, improves your posture, and boosts your metabolism, turning your body into a more efficient fat-burning machine.
But the most profound change I see in my clients is mental. There is an incredible sense of empowerment that comes from mastering your own body. The discipline and confidence you build carry over into every area of your life.
Your Ultimate Home Workout Partner: The 12reps App
Starting a new fitness journey can feel overwhelming, which is why having a clear guide is crucial. The 12reps app is the perfect tool to guide you through this program. Think of it as your digital personal trainer. It’s more than just a strength training app; it’s a complete weightlifting app (even when the weight is your own body!) that keeps you on track.
You can build this entire 12-week routine in the app, watch video demonstrations for every exercise to ensure your form is perfect, and use the built-in stopwatch to time your rest periods. It removes all the guesswork. Download the 12reps appand start your 7-day free trial to see how simple and effective your training can be.
Nutrition: The Fuel for Your Transformation
You can’t out-train a bad diet. Nutrition is the other half of the equation. Here’s how to eat for your specific goal.
Scenario 1: Muscle Gain (From 60kg to 70kg)
If you’re a 60kg man looking to gain 10kg of lean muscle, you need to be in a caloric surplus. This means eating more calories than your body burns.
- Target Calories: A healthy surplus is about 300-500 calories above your maintenance level. For a moderately active 60kg man, a great starting point is ~2,500 calories per day.
- Protein: This is essential for building new muscle tissue. Aim for 8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
- 60 kg x 1.8 g/kg = 108 grams of protein per day.
- Fats: Healthy fats are vital for hormone production. Aim for 1 gram of fat per kilogram of body weight.
- 60 kg x 1.0 g/kg = 60 grams of fat per day.
- Carbohydrates: Carbs will fuel your workouts and help with recovery. The rest of your calories will come from carbs.
- ~380 grams of carbs per day.
Scenario 2: Fat Loss (From 90kg to 80kg)
If you’re a 90kg man looking to lose 10kg of body fat, you need to be in a caloric deficit. This means consuming fewer calories than your body burns, while maintaining a high protein intake to preserve muscle.
- Target Calories: A safe and sustainable deficit is about 300-500 calories below your maintenance level. For a moderately active 90kg man, a great starting point is ~2,300 calories per day.
- Protein: Maintaining a high protein intake is crucial to ensure you’re losing fat, not muscle. Aim for 0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
- 90 kg x 2.0 g/kg = 180 grams of protein per day.
- Fats: Aim for 8 grams of fat per kilogram of body weight.
- 90 kg x 0.8 g/kg = 72 grams of fat per day.
- Carbohydrates: The remainder of your calories will come from quality carbs.
- ~131 grams of carbs per day.
The 12-Week Beginner Bodyweight Blueprint
Phase 1 focuses on mastering basic bodyweight movements and building a solid foundation. Each workout has 5 exercises with 1 warm-up set plus 4 working sets (5 total sets per exercise). Start each session with a 10-minute warm-up and mobility work.
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Push-ups (Modified if needed) | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 8-10 (warm-up), 8-12 (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Pike Push-ups | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 5-8 (warm-up), 6-10 (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Tricep Dips (Chair/Bench) | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 6-8 (warm-up), 8-12 (working) | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Plank Hold | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 20-30 sec (warm-up), 30-45 sec (working) | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Superman | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 8-10 (warm-up), 10-15 (working) | Bodyweight | 45 seconds |
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Bodyweight Squats | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 12-15 (warm-up), 15-20 (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Lunges | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 8-10 each leg (warm-up), 10-12 each leg (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Single Leg Glute Bridge | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 8-10 each leg (warm-up), 10-15 each leg (working) | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Wall Sit | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 20-30 sec (warm-up), 30-45 sec (working) | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Calf Raises | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 12-15 (warm-up), 15-20 (working) | Bodyweight | 45 seconds |
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Burpees (Modified if needed) | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 5-8 (warm-up), 8-12 (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Mountain Climbers | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 15-20 total (warm-up), 20-30 total (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Bear Crawl | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 10-15 steps (warm-up), 15-20 steps (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Dead Bug | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 8-10 each side (warm-up), 10-12 each side (working) | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Jumping Jacks | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 15-20 (warm-up), 20-30 (working) | Bodyweight | 45 seconds |
Phase 2: Strength & Power Building (Weeks 7-12)
Phase 2 introduces supersets to increase training intensity and maximise your time. You’ll perform 5 main exercises followed by 4 superset exercises (9 total exercises per workout). Each exercise includes one warm-up set and four working sets.
Day 1: Upper Body Power
Main Exercises:
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Push-ups (Standard/Decline) | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 10-12 (warm-up), 12-15 (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Pike Push-ups | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 8-10 (warm-up), 10-12 (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Diamond Push-ups | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 6-8 (warm-up), 8-10 (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Tricep Dips | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 10-12 (warm-up), 12-15 (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Plank Hold | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 30-45 sec (warm-up), 45-60 sec (working) | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Supersets (A1-A2, B1-B2):
Superset | Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
A1 | Wide Push-ups | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 8-10 (warm-up), 10-12 (working) | Bodyweight | No rest |
A2 | Superman | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 10-12 (warm-up), 12-15 (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
B1 | Archer Push-ups (Assisted) | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 3-5 each side (warm-up), 5-8 each side (working) | Bodyweight | No rest |
B2 | Plank to Push-up | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 5-8 (warm-up), 8-10 (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Day 2: Lower Body Power
Main Exercises:
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Jump Squats | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 10-12 (warm-up), 12-15 (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Reverse Lunges | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 10-12 each leg (warm-up), 12-15 each leg (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Single Leg Squats (Assisted) | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 3-5 each leg (warm-up), 5-8 each leg (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Single Leg Glute Bridge | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 12-15 each leg (warm-up), 15-20 each leg (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Wall Sit | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 45-60 sec (warm-up), 60-90 sec (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
Supersets (A1-A2, B1-B2):
Superset | Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
A1 | Lateral Lunges | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 8-10 each side (warm-up), 10-12 each side (working) | Bodyweight | No rest |
A2 | Single Leg Calf Raises | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 10-12 each leg (warm-up), 12-15 each leg (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
B1 | Bulgarian Split Squats | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 8-10 each leg (warm-up), 10-12 each leg (working) | Bodyweight | No rest |
B2 | Glute Bridge Hold | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 20-30 sec (warm-up), 30-45 sec (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Day 3: Full Body Power
Main Exercises:
Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
Burpees | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 8-10 (warm-up), 10-15 (working) | Bodyweight | 2-3 minutes |
Mountain Climbers | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 20-30 total (warm-up), 30-40 total (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Bear Crawl | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 15-20 steps (warm-up), 20-30 steps (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Plank Jacks | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 10-15 (warm-up), 15-20 (working) | Bodyweight | 90 seconds |
High Knees | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 4 working | 20-30 total (warm-up), 30-40 total (working) | Bodyweight | 60 seconds |
Supersets (A1-A2, B1-B2):
Superset | Exercise | Equipment | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Period |
A1 | Squat Thrusts | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 8-10 (warm-up), 10-12 (working) | Bodyweight | No rest |
A2 | Dead Bug | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 10-12 each side (warm-up), 12-15 each side (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
B1 | Star Jumps | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 10-15 (warm-up), 15-20 (working) | Bodyweight | No rest |
B2 | Bicycle Crunches | Bodyweight | 1 warm-up + 3 working | 15-20 total (warm-up), 20-30 total (working) | Bodyweight | 2 minutes |
Maximising Your Success with the 12reps App
The 12reps app is essential for your success with this bodyweight program. As the ultimate strength training app and weightlifting app, it provides everything you need to stay on track and see results.
Building Your Custom Routine: Navigate to “Build Your Routine” in the app and select each exercise from this comprehensive 12-week program. The app’s extensive exercise library includes detailed video demonstrations for every movement, ensuring you maintain perfect form throughout your training.
Progress Tracking Made Simple: After each workout, log your reps and sets directly in the app. This creates a detailed record of your progress, showing you exactly how much stronger you’re getting week by week. There’s nothing more motivating than seeing those numbers climb!
Perfect Rest Timing: Use the built-in stopwatch to time your rest periods accurately. Proper rest is crucial for maintaining workout intensity and achieving optimal strength gains.
Form Reference at Your Fingertips: Whenever you need a form check, simply tap on any exercise in the app to watch the demonstration video. Perfect form is always more important than doing more reps with poor technique.
Your Transformation Starts Now
This 12-week program is more than just a workout routine; it’s your pathway to becoming the strongest, most confident version of yourself. You’ll start by building a foundation of strength and proper movement patterns. As the weeks progress, you’ll notice incredible changes not just in your physique, but in your entire approach to life.
I’ve seen men transform their bodies, lose stubborn body fat, and achieve strength they never thought possible by using nothing but their own body weight. But more importantly, I’ve watched them transform their mindset. They walk taller, feel more energetic, and approach challenges with a newfound sense of capability.
The beauty of bodyweight training is its simplicity and accessibility. You don’t need a gym membership, expensive equipment, or even much space. All you need is the commitment to show up consistently and push yourself to grow stronger each week.
This program is designed to build dense, lean muscle while reducing body fat, creating a physique that’s both strong and functional. The habits you build now will serve you for decades to come, contributing to your longevity and quality of life.
Download the 12reps app today and start your 7-day free trial. Your strongest, most confident self is waiting for you to take that first step. This program is your investment in a healthier, stronger future. It’s time to show yourself what you’re truly capable of achieving with nothing but your own body and determination.
Your transformation starts now. Let’s build something incredible together.
