Table of Contents
The Calisthenics Beginners Guide
Welcome to my calisthenics beginners guide! Whether you’re just beginning your journey into getting fit, want to supplement your existing workouts with something new, or are looking for an effective and efficient way to level up your workout routine – this calisthenics beginners guide can help you.
It combines strength training with bodyweight exercises that can give you maximum results without having to leave the comfort of your own home. Within this blog post, we’ll discover some essential calisthenic basics and cover six fundamental moves known as ‘The Big Six’.
With each exercise breaking them down in detail, I’ll teach you how they form a solid foundation for any beginner’s repertoire – enabling better movement and skill building from day one!
Start With These 6 Fundamental Exercises (And Build A Basic Routine Around Them)
Ready to get your body into shape? Start with the basics: push-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats, lunges, and calf raises. Working these core exercises into your routine will help you achieve results no matter what level of experience or strength you currently have. Commit yourself even further by targeting more difficult sets and reps; not only will this test your limits but it’ll give remarkable outcomes too! Seek small successes in order to reach that big dream physique – start making those baby steps now toward a fitter body today!
How To Do Push-ups Step-By-Step
Maximize the rewards of your push-ups by ensuring that each one is done right! Start by firmly planting your palms on the ground, with a little more room than shoulder width.
Make sure to extend out your legs behind you in line with an upright torso and equalize pressure across both feet for optimal results.
When executed correctly, not only will it work out those chest, arms, and core muscles but also strengthen back muscle groups as well!
Squeeze your core as you gradually descend towards the ground until both of your elbows reach a 90-degree angle. Make certain to keep your back and legs in an upright position, avoiding any kind of sagging or overextension that would misalign your body. To ensure optimal form, take roughly two seconds to lower yourself for greater control over each repetition. Push yourselves up into the initial stance and perform one rep!
When performing push-ups, it is essential to maintain your body in good alignment and avoid any hip movement from side to side. This will not only allow you to preserve correct posture throughout each repetition but also ensure that all muscle groups remain engaged while reducing strain on them.
Breathing is a fundamental element when doing push-ups, as it ensures that all muscles are engaged. Be sure to exhale while pushing back up and inhale during the downward motion for each repetition. Push yourself further by completing multiple repetitions with good form for an optimal workout!
Make Your Push-ups Harder By:
- Wearing a weighted vest
- Looping pull-up bands across your back (hold one end in each hand)
Make Your Push-Ups Easier By:
- Performing Pushups on your Knees
- Do half-reps (don’t go all the way down)
- Do negatives (go down slow, but not back up, reset at the push-up position and do it again! Rinse and repeat for every rep)
How To Do Pull-ups Step-By-Step
Ensure your grip on the pull-up bar is solid and secure, with your palms facing towards you for optimum results. Doing so will activate all of your primary upper body muscles—biceps, lats, deltoids, and triceps.
If regular pull-ups are still too much to handle at present, then turn to an assisted machine that helps support one’s own weight while exercising.
Begin by positioning your hands at shoulder-width apart on the bar and keeping your arms stretched out. Gradually pull yourself up until only your chin is higher than the bar while maintaining a centered bodyweight and refraining from using any extra force or movement such as kicking with your feet – this will help to engage full muscular activation.
Begin by positioning your hands at shoulder-width apart on the bar and keeping your arms stretched out. Gradually pull yourself up until only your chin is higher than the bar while maintaining a centered bodyweight and refraining from using any extra force or movement such as kicking with your feet – this will help to engage full muscular activation.
After you reach the peak of your motion and your chin is just above the bar, take a brief pause before beginning to lower yourself. This portion of pull-ups should be done with great control in order to properly target those hard-to-reach muscles that typically remain inactive during the “up” phase. Continue lowering until both arms are fully extended once more, then restart another rep.
When performing Pull-ups correctly, focus on contracting your core muscles as firmly as you can. Additionally, involve other body parts by engaging the glutes and legs to give extra strength during each repetition of a pull-up. This will assist in stabilizing the upper body position for better execution of the exercise.
Furthermore, perform exercises with a seamless and continuous flow to avoid stress on your tendons and joints. When doing Pull Ups, ensure you are breathing correctly; exhale as you pull up while inhaling when returning slowly back down. Doing Pull-Ups in the right form helps keep injuries at bay whilst also helping build strength through regular workouts!
Make Your Pull-ups Harder By:
- Wearing a weighted vest
- Wearing a chain belt with added weight
Make your Pull-ups Easier
- Standing inside a pull-up assist band
- Standing on a pull-up assist machine
How To Do Dips On A Parallel Bar Step-By-Step
Get stronger and improve your posture with tricep dips, a fantastic exercise that is easy to do as long as you know the correct steps. To start, sit on the edge of a secure chair or bench. Place both hands right by your hips while keeping hold of the side firmly; then keep your feet flat on the floor in an area wider than shoulder-width apart. Make sure that throughout this activity you maintain a straight back while engaging those abs!
Drawing your elbows close to the body, slowly lower yourself until your arms are roughly parallel to or a little below the floor. Be sure that you create 90-degree angles with your form as you descend and focus on tightening all of the triceps muscle fibers for maximum effect from this exercise.
Once you’ve reached the bottom position, you can pause for a few seconds before pushing yourself back up to the starting position. Press up using only your triceps muscles without overextending at the elbow joints—keep them slightly bent throughout each rep—and keep your core tight as you press upward again until both arms are fully extended again. Avoid rocking back and forth, instead keeping constant tension on both triceps muscles so that they can get an optimal workout with each rep.
Tricep dips can also be done using a dip bar if available; however, make sure that the bars are set at a height that allows for a full range of motion while dipping down without having to lift any part of your feet off the ground, as this will reduce tension on the triceps muscle fibers and diminish their effectiveness overall in this exercise. When first starting out with dips, it’s best, to begin with lighter resistance until proper technique has been established and mastered before adding more weight or reps for higher-intensity workouts later on once the form has been perfected. Proper technique is essential when performing dips for optimal gains in strength and posture improvement
Make Your Dips Harder By:
- Wearing a weighted vest
- wearing a chain belt with bumper plates
Make Your Dips Easier By:
- looping a pull-up band across both your wrists, and put your knees in the band (as you go down the band will stretch and help to pull you back up.
- Using a dip assist machine, adjust the weight on the assist to your desired level then stand on it. It will press up into your feet helping you back up.
How To Gain Muscle From Home (Without Free Weights)
I will show you how to gain muscle from home without free weights, by building a gym, and starting a workout routine in your house
How To Do Bodyweight Squats Step by Step
Bodyweight squats are a great way to strengthen your body and build muscle without any equipment. With proper technique, bodyweight squats can be an effective exercise for all fitness levels.
In order to do bodyweight squats properly, start by standing with your feet placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Point your toes outwards slightly to hold your stance. Keep arms extended and concentrate on pushing the hips back while flexing at a 90-degree angle with the knees.
When squatting, make sure you put pressure on your heels rather than onto the toes in order to reach as deep as possible within the form’s range.
Point your toes outwards slightly to hold your stance. Keep arms extended and concentrate on pushing the hips back while flexing at a 90-degree angle with the knees. When squatting, make sure you put pressure on your heels rather than onto the toes in order to reach as deep as possible within the form’s range.
If regular bodyweight squats are too difficult or you want to switch things up, try doing bodyweight squats on a chair or bench. Before beginning any bodyweight squats, it’s important to activate the glutes and hamstrings prior to motion in order to prevent any injuries from occurring.
To protect your spine and to fend off pulled muscles or herniated discs, it is critical for bodyweight squatters to remain erect with their eyes focused ahead the entire time. After you reach the bottom of a squat, take a brief pause before slowly pushing up through your heels while firmly contracting your glutes at the peak of each repetition.
Bodyweight squats are not only effective but they can also be done anywhere with little space required; so if you’re looking for an easy way to get fit then bodyweight squats should definitely be added to your fitness routine! However, it’s important that bodyweight squats are done correctly in order to maximize results while also ensuring safety during workouts – here are some additional tips & tricks for bodyweight squats that could come in handy:
1) Start out slow; If you’re new to bodyweight exercises then it’s important not to push yourself too hard too soon as this could lead cause more harm than good! Beginners should stick with low-intensity body weight exercises like wall sits until they can build up enough strength and balance before progressing onto more advanced movements like box jumps or burpees etc.
2) Use correct form; Having correct technique is vital when doing bodyweight exercises as incorrect form won’t just reduce efficiency but could also lead to serious injury such as strains or sprains etc., so always ensure that you have good posture throughout each exercise & focus on engaging the right muscles groups when performing each movement (e.g core muscles should always be engaged during planks).
3) Track progress; Keeping track of progress is key when trying to reach specific fitness goals, so make sure that you record all bodyweight exercises completed over time (including reps & sets, etc.) as this will help motivate you and highlight areas where improvements need/can be made!
4) Mix things up; To avoid boredom & improve results, try mixing up body weight workout routines every few weeks – this will not only help break through plateau periods but can also target different muscle groups depending on which type of exercises are performed (e.g plyometric moves like jump lunges target lower-body muscles whereas arm circles target upper-body muscles).
By following these tips & tricks along with proper technique, bodyweight squats are an effective exercise that anyone can do no matter what their current fitness level may be!
Make Your Bodyweight Squats Harder By:
- Wearing a weighted vest
- Using some resistance bands
- Holding some dumbells
- Holding a kettlebell (alternate sides every set)
- Holding a sandbag
- holding a large heavy rock
Make Your Bodyweight Squats Easier By:
- Performing Half reps
- Bracing against a pole, wall, table, chair, or tree
How To Do Lunges Step-by-Step
Stand upright with your feet about one shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. Keep your back as straight as possible, relax your shoulders, and maintain a forward gaze.
Engage your core for proper lunging form. It is important to practice lunges on solid, even ground rather than an exercise mat; this will prevent you from throwing off balance.
Start the lunge by taking a big step forward with one leg. How far you take this step depends on your height, but it should usually be around two or three feet (0.6 or 0.9 meters).
As you move ahead, bend both knees until they form 90-degree angles while lowering your hips at the same time. Make sure that the front knee does not go over your toes and that the rear knee doesn’t touch any surface during this exercise for maximum effectiveness!
Return to starting position when at the lowest point of the lunge by pushing off the heel of the lead foot into a standing position. Remember to keep all muscles engaged throughout this exercise in order to prevent injury and work out more efficiently. Finally, alternate with lunges performed on each side in order to ensure both legs experience an equal workout load.
For those who want to add additional resistance to lunges, there are several options available such as incorporating dumbbells or barbells into lunges. However, barbell lunges should only be attempted by experienced athletes who have a very good balance in order to avoid injury or further strain on the body. When using any additional weight start with a low amount until your form is perfected before gradually increasing the difficulty level over time.
In terms of technique, there are some key points to consider when doing lunges properly including posture, stance width, and range of motion for both knees and hips when performing lunges correctly:
– Posture: maintain an upright posture throughout lunges while keeping eyes facing directly ahead
– Stance width: adjust stance width depending on individual size – usually somewhere between two or three feet (0.6 or 0.9 meters)
– Knee alignment: make sure the front knee does not extend over the toes while the back knee should not touch the ground
– Range of motion: keep all muscles tight when lunging so that hips move up and down smoothly while bending each knee 90 degrees
Additionally, pausing at bottom of the lunge can increase intensity while also allowing for proper analysis of form before returning to the standing position after each rep is completed successfully. Lunges can help improve balance and coordination as well as strengthen glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and core muscles for better overall fitness results without putting excessive stress on joints since it is considered a low-impact exercise. With proper technique and form lunging can be an excellent addition to any workout routine!
Make your luges harder by:
- Using 2 Dumbells 1 in each hand
- Putting on a weighted vest
- Holding a kettlebell on one site (On the side you’re training)
- holding a sand-bag in both arms
- Holding a large rock in both arms
Make your lunges easier by:
- Pressing off of your leg with your hands as you go back up
- Putting a chair in front of you and pressing off the back of it with your hands
How To Do Standing Calf Raises Step By Step
To perform standing calf raises with the appropriate form, you must first locate a secure spot to practice. The best place is on a stair step or any other low surface so that if your balance wavers, you won’t fall too far.
Your feet should be firmly structured at the edge of the step, heels dangling off its end for optimal leverage. If feeling unsteady or uncertain about maintaining equilibrium arises, try out standing calf raises against a wall or railing for extra support and stability!
Repeat this exact sequence until feeling tired; gradually build up stamina and strength by adding reps each time you do standing calf raises until reaching 10 repetitions per session. To get extra resistance, hold a dumbbell in each hand while doing standing calf raises but make sure it’s lightweight so as not to strain yourself. Furthermore, increase the difficulty level by using a taller step which will put more pressure on both calves and ankles when lifting up.
Make Your Calf Raises Harder
- Do one leg at a time (aka. single leg calf raises)
- hold a dumbbell in one hand and brace it against a pole, bar, or chair with the other hand (only for stability)
Make Your Calf Raises Easier
- Grabbing a pull-up bar and pull up a little to remove some of your body weight off of your calves
- place a chair on each side of you, stand in the center, and push down on the backs of the two chairs
- Standing inside some parallel bars and grab them. You can press down a little for assistance.
A Simple Workout Routine Using These 6 Core-Calisthenics Exercises
Creating a simple yet effective workout routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Incorporating push-ups, pull-ups, dips, bodyweight squats, lunges, and calf raises is an excellent way to ensure you are getting a full-body workout. Push-ups and pull-ups target your chest and back & bicep muscles respectively.
Dips are a great addition to working out the triceps & lower chest. For lower body exercises that can be done anywhere, lunges and bodyweight squat really hit the quads and glutes. Last but not least are calf raises which help strengthen your lower leg muscles. With this diverse range of exercises, as long as you stick with it you should achieve noticeable results in no time!
A Sample Routine With The 6 Core Calisthenics Exercises
| Day | Upper Body | Lower body |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push-ups, Pull-ups, dips | – |
| Tuesday | – | BW. Squats, lunges, calf-raises |
| Wednesday | Push-ups, pull-ups, dips | – |
| Thursday | – | BW. Squats, lunges, calf-raises |
| Friday | push-ups, pull-ups, dips | – |
| Saturday | – | BW. Squats, lunges, calf raises |
| Sunday | – | – |
Sets And Reps (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
| Exercise | Upper Body |
|---|---|
| Push-ups (Chest & Triceps) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
| Pull-ups (Back & Biceps) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
| Dips (Lower Chest & Triceps) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
| Pike Push-ups (Shoulders) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
Sets And Reps (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
| Exercise | Lower Body |
|---|---|
| Squats (quads, glutes, hamstrings) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
| Lunges (quads, glutes, hamstrings, core) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
| Single Leg Calf raises (rear calve) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
| Reverse Calf raises (front calve) | Set-1 ?? | Set-2 ?? | Set-3 ?? | Set-4 ?? |
Conclusion
Calisthenics is the perfect way to tone up and become stronger without overworking your joints. With just 6 basic exercises; push-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats, lunges, and calf raises with proper form and technique, you can reap powerful results – all while avoiding injury! Already feel like an expert?
Amp it up by introducing added resistance like barbells or dumbbells for more intensity in time. No matter what skill level you’re at – from novice to pro – calisthenics offers everyone a full-body workout that will have them feeling energized no matter their challenge! Please share your thoughts below in a comment, I’d love to know what you think about my Calisthenics For Beginners Guide, thanks!
