No traditional gym equipment required for this full body workout…only a piece of luggage!

By Jon-Erik Kawamoto, MSc, CSCS, CEP

Well, we’re still stuck at home and many are looking for home workout ideas. In addition to our 2 Dumbbell Home Workout and Full Body Band Workout, here’s a full body home workout you can do in your living room, all with a large piece of luggage. Fill it with clothes, zip it up and here we go!

The Workout

This workout is designed to be performed 1-2x/week. You’ll do all 5 exercises in a row with minimal rest in between.

Exercise #1 – Overhead Alternating Reverse Lunge

home workout
Overhead Alternating Reverse Lunge Start
home workout
Alternating Overhead Reverse Lunge Bottom

How – Hold the piece of luggage overhead with your arms straight. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Take a large step back and land on your big toe joint. Bend your knee as you kneel toward the floor. Gently touch the floor with your knee and push off your rear leg and push down with your front foot to return to standing. Alternate sides. Make sure to keep your arms straight throughout the set. 

Do – 15 reps per side

Exercise #2 – 2 Point Luggage Row

home workout
2 Point Row Start
home workout
2 Point Row Top

How – Stand with your feet hip width apart, soften your knees and bend over at your hips. Keep your back flat and abs braced. Grab the side loop on the piece of luggage and put your opposite arm straight as if pushing onto a workout bench. Brace your abs and keep your torso still and row the bag up. Squeeze your shoulder toward your opposite hip. Lower the bag but don’t touch the floor. 

Do – 15 reps per side

Exercise #3 – Front Loaded Good Morning

home workout
Front Loaded Good Morning Start
home workout
Front Loaded Good Morning Bottom

How – Stand with your feet hip width apart and cradle the bag in your arms in front of your chest. Soften your knee and bend over at your hips. Keep your back flat and abs braced. Bend to a 90-degree hip angle and notice tension in your hamstrings. Return to standing and squeeze your glutes.

Do – 15 reps

Exercise #4 – Half Kneeling Luggage Overhead Press

home workout
Half-Kneeling Overhead Press Start
home workout
Half-Kneeling Overhead Press Top

How – Kneel on one knee with your opposite leg in front. Form a 90-degree angle at your front knee, get tall and hold the bag in front of your chest with your elbows pointing down. Brace your abs and squeeze your glute on the kneeling leg. Press the bag overhead and stack your wrists over your shoulders. Move your head back and return the weight to your chest. 

Do – 10 reps per knee

Exercise #5 – Luggage Weighted Leg-V Sit-Up 

home workout
Leg-V Sit-Up Start
home workout
Leg-V Sit-Up Top

How – Lie with your back on the ground and your legs open in the shape of a “V.” Hold the bag in front of your chest. Use your abs to sit up. Sit to a tall posture and support the bag with your elbows pointing down. Slowly lie back down using your abs. When you sit up, do not lift your legs.

Do – 15 reps

Once you finish 1 round, take 90-seconds rest and start over. Do 5 total sets.

Have fun with this home workout. Remember, try and do 5 total sets and feel free to do this workout 1-3x/week.


Jon-Erik Kawamoto, MSc, CSCS, CSEP is a Strength and Conditioning Coach, Co-owner and Founder of JKConditioning. With 15 years in the industry and over 10 years as a freelance fitness writer, Jon has helped many change their lives through fitness. To inquire about coaching, workshops, presentations or writing, you can contact him through our Contact Us page. (photo credit: Jim Mullowney Photography)

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I had signed up for other gyms in the past and never went or rarely went. Something always got in the way or I was just too tired and lacked motivation to go. This way I’ve made a commitment to Jon or Thomas and I try very hard to keep my sessions once I’ve booked in. JKC is different from other gyms that I’ve tried in the past because no one is there to be “seen”. We are all there to get a good workout in and go on with our lives. And it’s a small gym so you get to know everyone and it’s like a big family. When I joined JKC, I couldn’t do a chin up with an elastic band, but I’ve slowly worked up to 10 free hanging chin ups. That was big because I hate chin ups.

I saw an article in Men’s Journal that quoted Jon in about 2018 while traveling and was impressed that someone in St. John’s made that international magazine.  Jon spoke about an exercise called the Farmer’s Walk and I started working that into my routine at the YMCA. I tore that article out of the magazine and kept it, meaning to make contact, but got busy. Then I had lunch with an old friend Bruce Dyke. I hadn’t seen Bruce for a while and I remarked that he looked super healthy and fit. He told me about his, and his son Cas’, experience at JKC and then I remembered the Men’s Journal article! No coincidences!

The experience is unique on many levels – great people, camaraderie, passion, purpose, and dedication. Jon and Thomas are attentive, precise and understanding.  Their teaching has unlocked a new perspective for me with what our bodies are capable of. I still appreciate the YMCA, wonderful place, but I can’t imagine working out without Jon and Thomas now.

I had spent a fair bit of time in gyms in my teens and twenties but I turned away from the gym to focus on activities that I enjoyed more. What keeps me at JKC is that I do really enjoy it. I always feel that I’ve accomplished something when I leave at the end of my workout. The environment is really positive and focused on challenging yourself whatever your level of comfort and fitness. I’ve also seen results that I’m really happy with; having someone who really knows what they’re talking about to guide your workouts makes them way more effective and focused than just “going to the gym”.

Shortly after I started at JKC, I sustained a fairly major injury that took me off my feet for several months. When I started to get back to activity, it was very difficult. Jon and Thomas worked hard to tailor my workouts to my goals and what I could do. With their help, I’ve been steadily building back strength and function.

Astrid Billfalk-Kelly

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I wanted to add strength training to my cardio, but have always felt gyms to be a bit intimidating, and was worried I would hurt myself without some supervision and help. JKC was highly recommended by several work colleagues. Thomas and Jon are both fantastic, making sure that everyone gets a highly personalized work out in a very supportive environment. The attention to detail and professionalism are second to none. The groups are very small, but very supportive and make the workouts even more fun. Since getting pregnant (36 weeks as I write this) I’m so happy that they continue to help me get stronger while always being safe.

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