Calisthenics are exercises that rely on body weight for resistance. They allow for the development of strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. Lie down belly-up with your legs bent and arms crossed at the chest. Bring your chest as close to your knees as possible. If you have difficulties keeping your feet on the floor, add some weights to the top of your feet. With your feet at shoulder distance, perform a normal bodyweight squat, holding the position at the bottom, with the glutes as close to the floor as possible.
Day Calisthenics Workout Program
By isolating this movement, our shoulders come into correct alignment automatically during dips. This exercise can be performed on gymnastics rings, a straight bar, or even a TRX system. However, I recommend the rings for convenience and adjustability. Aim to first add at least one rep in each set per training session. This can be affected by many factors, such as your skill level, recovery, nutrition, and capacity to progress.
Then you can place your extended hand on an elevated object, like a book. This will put greater demand on your working muscles. It has been repeatedly shown that muscle activation with the bench press and push-ups are nearly identical. As you’re exercising, pay attention to the way your body responds to the movements you’re doing. If you’re unsure of how something should feel during an exercise or you’re wondering about how to perfect your form and technique, a physical therapist or athletic trainer can help you.
The hip thrust is the best movement you can perform for maximal glute activation. Luckily, these are easy to perform just using your couch — so you don’t have to worry about getting to a gym for your calisthenics workout (if you don’t have access to one). Lunges/split squats are another must-have is mad muscles safe exercise in your calisthenics workout for the legs. They’re also a unilateral exercise, which means that you can expect the extra bonus of improved balanced as well. The straighter your legs are and the further your heels are from your butt, the harder the move will be.
Free 21 Day Calisthenics Workout Plan for All Fitness Levels
If you have ever seen progress in changing your body…… getting bigger, stronger, leaner etc, you will know how good it feels. In calisthenics, we want to make sure that every time we work out, we are utilising this reaction of the body, so that we can make progress towards our goal. This is going to serve as the foundational knowledge that will underpin your workouts. When you combine this knowledge, with the workout I’ll be going over later in this article, then you will be in a much better position to reap the rewards you seek from your training. This progression will refine your strength, coordination, and flexibility. Improve your functional strength with kettlebell swings and battle rope workouts.
Beginner Calisthenics Workout Program
Or try this advanced calisthenics workout plan for women. Beginners can start with easier progressions and longer rest. Intermediate and advanced athletes can use harder variations, slower tempo, and added volume to keep the same plan challenging. Imagine finally achieving your first muscle-up or effortlessly holding a handstand.

Without this calisthenics program I don’t think I would have persevered with some of the exercises enough to get stronger. It wasn’t until my 20s that I realized I could learn those skills if I committed myself to them. So I started training calisthenics and never stopped!
Best Calisthenics Routine to Build Muscle
Since then, I’ve achieved the human flag, handstand push-ups, straddle planche, and so much more. Now, I get to help people from all over the world start calisthenics with my calisthenics programs and coaching. One of the worst side effects of a sedentary lifestyle is a fall down in your natural flexibility. This especially affects the stabilizers in your joints, leading to health hazards in the long run.
This is because most muscle damage and soreness comes from the eccentric portion of a movement, where the muscles are lengthening under tension. This time under tension can be excellent for hypertrophy, but is a hindrance if we’re trying to get as many reps as possible without fatigue. The goal is to stay “fresh” so that high-intensity exercises can be done at optimum capacity for more repetitions overall compared to other programs. Therefore, rest times have been optimized so the individual can come back to each set feeling refreshed from the last one.
How to do push ups:
By knowing these concepts, we can better understand how to get started efficiently and safely as a beginner in calisthenics. Use this 21 day program as a springboard into a long term fitness lifestyle. It gives you a simple template you can repeat or build on once the 21 days are over. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to beginning any diet or exercise program or taking any dietary supplement.
Day 1: Legs and Glutes
- They could help develop an exercise regimen to minimize your risk of injury.
- Well, that’s because doing so is the only way you can ensure that no muscle goes overlooked.
- Add some explosive variants (think hill sprints to squats) and isometrics (think L Sits to leg raises).
- There are many ways you can progress a bodyweight exercise, but here are some of the most common.
- Watching the scale move in the right direction and fitting into clothes more comfortably is what kept me on track.
- Complete the moves in order, rest, then repeat the circuit for 3 rounds.
A jump rope for a warm-up is always a good idea, too. Perform two sets of pull-ups or chin-ups, push-ups and jump lunges to failure, meaning as many reps per set as possible until your form gives out and you need to stop. Add 1 to 10 reps to each move each week, depending on your ability. You can remove the jumps from the lunges and perform standard lunges if you prefer. Even the best workout plan is useless if you don’t put it into action.
Tips For How To Start Calisthenics From An Expert
However, in reality, this practice should be done in weight training and other forms of exercise as well. Following good form allows you to maximize your gains from the exercise while lowering the risks of injuries. This is why we will share with you three levels to accommodate every beginner skill stage.
How Fit Do You Have to Be Before Starting Calisthenics?
Note that they should be at an angle – so your knees are at about a 90-degree angle at the top. At-home calisthenics are perfect if you’re just starting a fitness routine or resuming physical activity, especially given that there’s a very low risk of injury, says Dr. Dakkak. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these exercises. They can be scaled up to create an excellent workout for seasoned gym-goers and all types of athletes, too. For those who wish to continue training with me afterwards, you will have two options. When I started incorporating a combination of cardio and core training exercises such as burpees and mountain climbers into my calisthenics routine, I felt a better burn in my muscles.
Scapula Positioning

I grew up in a small, secluded town that didn’t have gymnastics, cheerleading, or anything of that sort. So, I spent my childhood dreaming of being able to do the splits, handstands, and more. If you have enjoyed and resonated with my content then I would encourage you to check out my website realhomeworkout.com, where I regularly post articles on all things calisthenics. Luckily for you guys I’m going to cover one of the fundamentals that everyone needs to know if they are serious about progressing in calisthenics. I’m sure that you’re really eager to learn the program, and you’re not too concerned with much else.
