Netflix and Sweat: The 30-Day Sofa Workout Challenge That Will Change Your Life

As a personal trainer specializing in coaching people who train at home, I’ve realized that dedicating time to exercise is one of the biggest obstacles for most people. Folks are more likely to stick to their new training routines if they can integrate the workouts into their daily rituals.

However, this is easier said than done. You cannot combine two physically intensive activities. For example, gardening and physical exercise don’t go well together. On the flip side, working out while watching TV is a match made in heaven.

Netflix is one of the biggest companies in the world and is continuously investing in new shows and movies. Most of us end up getting sucked into one of these series every week, resulting in countless hours spent on the couch.

This 30-day sofa challenge is designed to help you make the most of this ‘recreational’ time.

Plus, these bodyweight workouts ensure that you can do them anywhere at any point, increasing adherence and saving valuable time.

In this article, I pull back the curtain on my top-secret 30-day sofa workout challenge that has helped countless people achieve their transformation objectives. I’m confident it can produce the same results for you.

30-Day Sofa Workout Challenge

I’ve divided this balanced program into four phases, each focusing on a unique aspect of your fitness. We also gradually increase the training intensity to avoid strength, muscle, and endurance plateaus.

The interesting thing about implementing progressive overload in this routine is that instead of adding more weights, we’ll increase the challenge and add more variety.

What’s more? This is a five-days-a-week training plan, allowing ample rest and recovery for optimal gains.

This will be so mindblowing and I can’t wait for you to try it!

Week 1: Foundation Week (Beginner)

Since most people will be new to this sofa workout routine, we’ll take it easy in the first week. You’ll do simple exercises to allow your body time to adapt to the new movement mechanics.

Day 1:

Sofa squats are a box squat variation, involving a limited range of motion (ROM). To perform this exercise, you must stand in front of the sofa, and squat until your bum touches the cushion. Then, perform a triple extension to return to the starting position.

If your sofa is too squishy, perform the dips on an armchair to prevent developing muscle and strength imbalances.

Finally, since planks involve maintaining your body in a straight line from head to toe, you can save them for commercial breaks (if you’re watching network television). Extending your neck during this exercise can cause strains.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats	3	10	30 sec
Armchair Dips	3	8	30 sec
Commercial Break Planks	3	30 sec	60 sec

Day 2:

Since this is a bodyweight routine, we will consistently switch up the exercises to keep your workouts fun and interesting.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Couch Cushions Russian Twists	3	12 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Push-ups	3	8	30 sec
Leg Raises	3	12	30 sec

Day 3:

Since we are not leaving any stone unturned in this program, you’ll also do calf raises to build bigger and stronger lower legs. Use an elevated platform like a wooden box to perform this exercise.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats	3	12	30 sec
Glute Bridges	3	12	30 sec
Calf Raises	3	15	30 sec
Armchair Dips	3	10	30 sec

Day 4:

It can be hard to start your workout during a nail-biting sports match. However, you must get down to business during the commercial breaks. Once you get going, your entire workout will be over before you realize it.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Commercial Break Planks	3	45 sec	60 sec
Couch Cushions Russian Twists	3	15 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Push-ups	3	10	30 sec

Day 5:

Focus on contracting your muscles throughout the ROM to maximize muscle stimulation.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats	3	15	30 sec
Leg Raises	3	15	30 sec
Glute Bridges	3	15	30 sec
Calf Raises	3	20	30 sec

Day 6 & 7: Rest & Recovery

Even though this is primarily a bodyweight workout, you must prioritize recovery to maximize your gains. I recommend going out for a 10-20 minute walk to boost blood flow throughout the body. Research shows light physical activity can promote recovery, helping you reach your goals faster. (1)

Week 2: Strength & Endurance

Now that you have built a solid base, it is time to turn things up a notch. We’ll increase the overall training volume to overload the muscles and shock them into growing. The goal this week is to build strength and endurance.

Day 8:

You don’t need to change your exercises too often to make progress. This week, our main objective is to do a higher number of reps per exercise compared to the last week.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats	3	15	30 sec
Armchair Dips	3	12	30 sec
Commercial Break Planks	3	45 sec	60 sec

Day 9:

Breathing correctly during core exercises can make a world of difference in your results. As a rule of thumb, exhale sharply during the concentric phase and breathe in during eccentrics.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Couch Cushions Russian Twists	3	20 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Push-ups	3	12	30 sec
Leg Raises	3	15	30 sec

Day 10:

Even though this is a bodyweight training program, you should always perform a 10-minute dynamic stretching warm-up routine to prime your muscles and joints, as it can boost your performance. Similarly, use a five-minute cool-down routine comprising static stretches to improve your flexibility and kickstart recovery.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats	3	20	30 sec
Glute Bridges	3	15	30 sec
Calf Raises	3	20	30 sec
Armchair Dips	3	15	30 sec

Day 11:

Feel free to sip on water during the rest periods. Optimal hydration is indispensable for optimal performance and recovery.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Commercial Break Planks	3	60 sec	60 sec
Couch Cushions Russian Twists	3	25 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Push-ups	3	15	30 sec

Day 12:

Use the rest-pause technique if you cannot perform the recommended reps unbroken. This will help improve your work capacity over time.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats	3	25	30 sec
Leg Raises	3	20	30 sec
Glute Bridges	3	20	30 sec
Calf Raises	3	25	30 sec

Day 13 & 14: Rest & Recovery

Use a 15-20 minute yoga stretching flow or a foam rolling session to flush out the metabolites from the muscle tissues and promote recovery.

Week 3: Challenge Week

This week will see you incorporate plyometric and advanced exercises into your workouts to ignite new muscle, strength, and endurance gains. Aim to push yourself to the limit in each workout and don’t leave anything in the tank.

Day 15:

Combining two exercises into one is one of the best ways to increase the demands on your muscles without significantly increasing training time.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats with Calf Raise	3	15	30 sec
Armchair Dips	3	15	30 sec
Commercial Break Plank Jacks	3	10	60 sec

Day 16:

Learn to listen to your body and pay close attention to how you’re feeling. Stop an exercise immediately if something feels weird or uncomfortable.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Couch Cushions Russian Twists	3	30 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Decline Push-ups	3	10	30 sec
Leg Raises with Flutter Kicks	3	15	30 sec

Day 17:

Remember, exercise is only one-third of the equation. You must also ensure a balanced nutrition and recovery program to get the best bang for your training buck. Use this TDEE calculator to determine your ideal daily calorie and macronutrient intake. Plus, sleep for at least eight hours each night to allow your body enough time to recover.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Jump Squats	3	10	30 sec
Glute Bridge Holds	3	30 sec	30 sec
Calf Raises with Toe Taps	3	20	30 sec
Armchair Dips with Leg Raise	3	12	30 sec

Day 18:

Use a sturdy push-up table for the third exercise in this workout. Perform them on the floor, if necessary.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Commercial Break Plank with Leg Lift	3	10 each leg	60 sec
Couch Cushions Russian Twists with Rotation	3	20 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Push-up with Clap	3	8	30 sec

Day 19:

Jump squats are one of the best exercises to build lower body power. You must, however, jump as high as possible to build explosiveness.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Jump Squats	3	12	30 sec
Leg Raises with Hip Lift	3	15	30 sec
Glute Bridges	3	20	30 sec
Calf Raises	3	25	30 sec

Day 20 & 21: Rest & Recovery

The final week will be very different than what you have done until now. Rest well during these two days so you are 100 percent for the final push.

Week 4: Mastery & Maintenance

The final week of this 30-day sofa workout challenge is upon us, and we must make the most of it. The overall training volume this week will shoot through the roof. Use the correct training technique to maximize adaptations and limit injury risk.

Day 22:

So you thought the workload was high in Week Three, wait till you do this first workout. I encourage you to train to mechanical failure in each workout this week to unlock your maximum potential.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats with Calf Raise	3	20	30 sec
Armchair Dips with Leg Raise	3	15	30 sec
Commercial Break Plank Jacks	3	12	60 sec
Couch Cushions Russian Twists	3	25 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Decline Push-ups	3	12	30 sec

Day 23:

Feel free to modify an exercise if something feels too easy or difficult. Doing comfortable things for an extended period is the best way to hit a plateau.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Jump Squats	3	15	30 sec
Glute Bridge Holds	3	45 sec	30 sec
Calf Raises with Toe Taps	3	25	30 sec
Commercial Break Plank with Leg Lift	3	12 each leg	60 sec
Leg Raises with Flutter Kicks	3	20	30 sec

Day 24:

Push as hard as you can during these workouts without compromising your form. Avoid resting for too long between sets as it can lower training intensity.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats	3	25	30 sec
Armchair Dips	3	20	30 sec
Commercial Break Plank with Arm Raise	3	10 each arm	60 sec
Couch Cushions Russian Twists with Rotation	3	30 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Push-up with Clap	3	10	30 sec

Day 25:

Variety is key to keeping your muscles guessing. For instance, you can switch conventional calf raises with the single-leg variation to challenge your muscles.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Jump Squats	3	20	30 sec
Leg Raises with Hip Lift	3	25	30 sec
Glute Bridges	3	25	30 sec
Calf Raises	3	30	30 sec

Day 26:

This workout can take you anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes to complete, so plan your sessions accordingly.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Jump Squats with a Twist	3	15	30 sec
Armchair Dips with Leg Raise (Alternating)	3	12 each leg	30 sec
Commercial Break Plank with Shoulder Taps	3	10 each shoulder	60 sec
Couch Cushions Russian Twists with Weighted Plate (if available)	3	20 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Decline Push-ups with a Clap	3	10	30 sec
Glute Bridge Hold with Single Leg Raise (Alternating)	3	10 each leg	30 sec

Day 27 & 28: Rest & Recovery

Use these two rest days to refuel your muscles. Since the next two workouts will be demanding, I recommend loading up on carbs to replenish your glycogen stores and ensure optimal energy levels throughout the day.

Day 29:

Most lifters have a love-hate relationship with Bulgarian split squats. Employ a full ROM, touching your back knee to the floor with each rep, to maximize muscle fiber stimulation.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Bulgarian Split Squats (using the sofa)	3	12 each leg	30 sec
Glute Bridge with Hip Thrust	3	15	30 sec
Calf Raises on an Elevated Surface (like a book)	3	20	30 sec
Side Plank with Hip Dips (each side)	3	10	30 sec
Superman Plank (hold)	3	30 sec	60 sec
Leg Raises with Ankle Weights (if available)	3	15	30 sec

Day 30:

I encourage you to try new exercises before you start your main workout to get used to the movement mechanics, so you don’t waste your precious time.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest Time
Sofa Squats with Overhead Reach	3	20	30 sec
Armchair Tricep Dips with Close Grip	3	15	30 sec
Commercial Break Plank with Leg and Arm Raise (opposite)	3	8 each side	60 sec
Couch Cushions Russian Twists with a Pause at the Top	3	15 each side	30 sec
Coffee Table Push-ups with a Rotation at the Top	3	12	30 sec
Calf Raises with a Hold at the Top	3	15	30 sec

Conclusion

Bodyweight exercises, a sofa, 30 days, and an iron grit are all you need to build a chiseled physique. While the exercises listed in this workout program might look easy on paper, they will challenge you to your core once you try them!

Remember, you don’t necessarily need to push yourself too hard during this program. Scale down the training volume and intensity to suit your current fitness level. Stay consistent and persistent, and you’ll be rewarded with mind-blowing results. Best of luck!

If you have any questions about the 30-day sofa workout challenge, post them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to help!

References:

1. Ortiz, R. O., Jr, Sinclair Elder, A. J., Elder, C. L., & Dawes, J. J. (2019). A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Active Recovery Interventions on Athletic Performance of Professional-, Collegiate-, and Competitive-Level Adult Athletes. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33(8), 2275–2287. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002589

---