NO EQUIPMENT Upper Body Workout: The Empty Room Challenge
Summary
Jeff Cavalier of ATHLEAN-X demonstrates that an effective upper body workout requires nothing more than your own bodyweight and a wall. He presents a compound combination movement that trains the core, chest, shoulders, and triceps simultaneously. The workout is framed around a 10-minute “Empty Room Challenge” consisting of 10 exercises performed for one minute each.
Key Points
- No equipment is necessary to build a better body — you only need your bodyweight and a small space with a wall
- The featured combo move combines three movements in sequence: cross-knee ab tucks, a pushup, and a burpee jump
- Feet are placed against the wall during the movement, adding a stability and bodyweight control component
- Each exercise in the full challenge is performed for one minute straight with no rest
- The full “Empty Room Challenge” consists of 10 different exercises totaling 10 minutes
- A scoring system is provided to let athletes measure and track their performance level
- The core message is about pushing yourself regardless of surroundings — environment is not an excuse
Exercise Details
The Featured Combo Movement
Target Muscles:
- Core (abdominals, obliques)
- Chest
- Shoulders
- Triceps
- Full-body stabilizers
How to Perform (sequence):
- Start with feet placed against a wall in a plank-like position
- Perform a cross-knee ab tuck — bring one knee toward the opposite elbow (e.g., left knee to right elbow)
- Repeat on the other side (right knee to left elbow)
- Lower into a full pushup
- Jump feet in and back out to complete a burpee component
- Return feet to the wall and repeat the sequence
Form Cues:
- Stick the landing when jumping back out to the wall
- Control the knee-to-elbow cross movement — don’t rush the rotation
- Maintain a rigid, stable plank position throughout transitions
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Losing core tension during the jump/burpee phase
- Allowing hips to sag during the pushup portion
- Rushing the cross-knee tucks without achieving full elbow-to-knee range
Sets/Reps:
- Performed for 1 minute of continuous work as part of the larger challenge format