6 ms·

Ask HN: What's a good program for calisthenics for beginners that you have tried

61 points by sergiotapia 4y ago

I'm already doing push ups, pull ups and prison burpees, but I want a structure of some kind and a program to follow to build the habit. What's a good calisthenics program that you have used personally?

littlecranky67 4y ago
Bestselling "You are your own gym" (YAYOG) by Mark Lauren is a good book to get started as a beginner. Good list of example excercises with progression plans and training regimes, overall good writeup of fitness basics.
version_five 4y ago
I did exclusively pushups and pull ups and I actually thought that was fine (if boring) for building my upper body. I had done squats and walking lunges for my legs but they interfered with running so I stopped. I subscribe to the "heavy weight, compound exercise" theory of muscle building, which is why I think pushups and pullups are enough for the upper body unless you're targeting some specific muscle. I'd definitely be interested in hearing criticism though.
- riku_iki 4y ago
  Do you do just regular push ups? They quickly become too easy to provide load, and target very few muscles (low pecks and triceps mainly), so some variety is likely needed. I add dips, diver-bomber and tyson push ups. The same is probably for pull ups, you can add chin ups at least on every other day.
  - sourcecodeplz 4y ago
    There are many varieties of push-ups: Close-grip pushups: To perform close-grip pushups, place your hands closer together than shoulder-width apart. This will increase the challenge on your triceps. Wide-grip pushups: To perform wide-grip pushups, place your hands further apart than shoulder-width apart. This will increase the challenge on your chest muscles. Elevated pushups: To perform elevated pushups, place your feet on an elevated surface such as a step or bench. This will increase the difficulty of the exercise. Plyometric pushups: Plyometric pushups, also known as "clap" pushups, involve pushing up with enough force to lift your hands off the ground and clap them together before returning to the starting position. One-armed pushups: As the name suggests, one-armed pushups are performed using only one arm. They are an advanced variation that requires a high level of upper body strength. Knuckle pushups: Knuckle pushups are performed with your hands in a fist position, with your knuckles facing down. They are a more challenging variation that places more of the load on your wrists and forearms. Diamond pushups: Diamond pushups are performed with your hands placed close together, forming a diamond shape with your index fingers and thumbs. They are a challenging variation that targets the triceps muscles.
    - riku_iki 4y ago
      Most of your variants mainly target the same muscles: triceps and low peks. Exception is probably wide push ups, but they are not good for shoulder joint health.
      - littlecranky67 4y ago
        They are meant to target same muscles, but offer a progression (beginner to expert). There are other excercises for other upper body muscles, with similar variant/progression principles (Dips, Shoulder presses)
    - littlecranky67 4y ago
      To add to that list, those I found useful to increase difficulty/load once regular pushups become to easy: - Zombie pushups: Offset hands instead of aligning in a straight line (one upper, one lower) - alternate after a set - Asymetric pushups: Move one arm/hand farther out than the other, try to go down to the center. Alternate sets. Use as progression to go towards one-arm pushups. Another variant is to go with symetric hand position, but lower your body towards one hand at a time (think "nipple to the thumb"). That being said, I strongly believe they are not healthy for your joints, the one-arm pushup in general feels just bad for the joints given the performed motion.
  - belmarca 4y ago
    For the _vast_ majority of people, the benefits are not necessarily in "building muscle" but just getting _some_ exercise. I would say that push-ups and crunches beat any other exercise combination in terms of unit benefit per unit effort. Distractions and shyness can be practically eliminated as you can work-out from home, you can work-out while travelling as you don't need any equipment, risk of injury is relatively much much lower, warm-up is quick, rapid (sometimes _very_ rapid) progress is almost guaranteed, etc. Combined, this allows almost anyone to get the physiological and psychological benefits of working-out cheaply, safely and rapidly. There is just no substitute for the confidence boost that you can now easily do X amount of push-ups after just a few weeks of training. Best bang for your buck for most people IMO. Of course, long-term it's probably a good idea to have a more diverse set of exercises =)
    - riku_iki 4y ago
      > terms of unit benefit per unit effort I strongly disagree with this. You need progressive overload of muscles to continue growing, meaning you should be in state of doing 12 reps max of given exercises per set and not more (6-10 reps range is better). Once you start being able to do 12 push ups, muscles growth stimulus becomes low, and it becomes more about suffering than benefits.
      - r_hoods_ghost 4y ago
        To a degree yes, but endurance and power are important for functional strength and for endurance this means doing lots of reps at low intensity or doing easy exercises explosively for power
        riku_iki 4y ago
        Push ups and crunches are not efficient for endurance too, they involve very few muscles to overload your cardio-energy systems. Something like squats and burpies will make you breath heavy much faster, or medium distance sprint running is even better.
      - belmarca 4y ago
- generalenvelope 4y ago
  The main criticism I can think of is that with pushup/pullup you're constrained by body weight (unless using a machine to assist, I'm not sure if those exist for pushups). Pullups are thus relatively fatiguing compared to a lat-pulldown or similar. Which might be fine, but it's nice to have more control over loading of the movement, particularly if it's hard to get volume in with a reasonable RPE (ie not maxing out every single set, which can end up inhibiting your progress). Given that I think volume (as opposed to absolute load) is a more useful driver of hypertrophy. Sorry if that's missing the point, if you're constrained to bodyweight exercises then they're a good difficult compound option
  - version_five 4y ago
    I started doing pull ups and chin ups under a table, lying at an angle so I was only lifting part of my weight, then once I got strong enough to do the reps I wanted I transitioned to a bar For a while I was doing them with a backpack full of books as well, but I went back to just trying for really good form.
  - User23 4y ago
    The assist machine for pushups is called a ramp. A staircase is also a reasonable approximation. Body weight exercise is all about mechanical advantage. It’s just used in the opposite way as it is when doing actual work. You increase your mechanical disadvantage to increase your training stimulus.
    - User23 4y ago
      To add: You can progress with a ramp/wall all the way to handstand pushups. Simple machines are legit.
  - LouisSayers 4y ago
    For pullups you can use bands to lower resistance and a belt with attached weight (or simply grip a medicine ball / weight with your legs) to add weight. No need for an expensive machine :)
- belmarca 4y ago
  It's incredible how fast you can progress with just these simple exercises. I suspect a lot of people would be quite surprised at how good they can get at push-ups and crunches if they commit to them for 3-4 weeks. Even starting at 5 each when waking up and before going to bed every other day, your body will get used to the effort very quickly. Make sure to properly warm up!
medgelabs 4y ago
Hampton from Hybrid Calisthenics (find him on YouTube) has some of the best content I’ve found, personally, for calisthenics, both informational and his routine is free and made a huge difference for me!
- sergiotapia 4y ago
  You mean this one? https://www.hybridcalisthenics.com/programs https://www.hybridcalisthenics.com/programs I love how each exercise has a difficulty "slider" so you can choose the one variation that fits your current fitness level. Really good shit!
  - postdoc74 4y ago
    I can second this program. I am usually into kettlebells, but for several months I was travelling and required an alternative. This program is an open version of the "Convict Conditioning" program which works just as well. I've been using several months and now that I have returned to KB and clubbells I have retained the pushup and pull-up progressions.
stefantalpalaru 4y ago
https://old.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/routines/bwf-primer https://old.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/routines/bwf...
- danr4 4y ago
  yes. plus a built-in and very active community of all levels.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
generalenvelope 4y ago
Dr. Feigenbaum at Barbell Medicine did a pretty comprehensive overview of how to exercise at home (bodyweight exercises). This includes an example template, explanations for RPE and exercise selection, dosing, progression, etc. all based on evidence. Highly recommend their content. https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/how-to-exercise-at-home/ https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/how-to-exercise-at-home...
tetraodonpuffer 4y ago
My wife swears by https://darebee.com/ https://darebee.com/ they have workouts/programs for all levels, all body weight based
vosper 4y ago
There are loads of yoga classes on YouTube. Try a vinyasa flow class. Yoga doesn’t just improve flexibility and balance, you get stronger all over.
red2awn 4y ago
The Armstrong Pullup Program [0]. It is designed specifically to increase your pull up numbers. I went from being able to do ~10 (straight) pull ups to 17. [0]: https://armstrongpullupprogram.com/ https://armstrongpullupprogram.com/
bgilly 4y ago
What outcome(s) are you trying to achieve? Subjective or objective?
sergiotapia 4y ago
Related: If you're looking for a bodybuilding program for beginners, CoolCicada PPL has been great for me. https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149807833&page=1 https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149807833&pa... - (don't do the deadlifts, not worth the risk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc) Benched 225 in my first year, did 10 reps of 135 military press as well. It builds strength and muscle shape. However, I don't want to be this strong meatball. I want the mobility first and foremost. My goals have changed. This is why I asked about a calisthenics program. Typical strong cali translates to very strong lifts. Very rarely does it go the other way around. Strong lifters are rarely good calis.
- generalenvelope 4y ago
  > (don't do the deadlifts, not worth the risk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc) I'd like to push back on this. Oberst's evidence for this claim is entirely anecdotal, and I don't think it's accurate. Here's a more evidence based opinion: https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/forums/training-q-a-with-dr-jordan-feigenbaum-and-dr-austin-baraki/72867-deadlifts-is-it-worth-it https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/forums/training-q-a-with-d... There's far more involved in injury risk than a specific type of exercise. The guys at Barbell Medicine have a lot of content that you may find useful with regard to these ideas.
oezi 4y ago
I can recommend Apple Fitness+ because I believe they only offer exercises which seem highly vetted not to hurt you. Biggest issue is that they don't offer long term training plans but everything is a la carte (and a bit repetitive because they always structure every video with the exact same overarching monolog).
Bancakes 4y ago
Convict Conditioning is hands down the simplest, shortest, and most densely packed book on callisthenics I’ve ever read. It explains how to work out your whole body and increase the load via harder workouts instead of increasing just reps. E.g. how to go from kneeling push-ups all the way to one arm push-ups. Great follow-up is The Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsoulin
- tdba 4y ago
  I second this - learning that a few slow, powerful bodyweight movements can get you insanely fit was game changing. Having introduced this program to a few others, I would add: don't be afraid to adapt some of the movements to yourself. The general movements in the book are fantastic but the details will vary according to you own body. You may even want to just skip certain stages in the progressions if they're not working for you.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
Animats 4y ago
The "Chicken Fat" song. Government sponsored fat-shaming from the 1960s.[1] [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mcsVgIU1K0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mcsVgIU1K0
hackerbeat 4y ago
K boges is your man! Minimal, to the point, no bs guide for everything Calisthenics. Also offers training plans and more via website, if needed. Highly recommended. Made lots of progress thanks to him. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCUkyyRJdVdXFmBuxPLFYmPw https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCUkyyRJdVdXFmBuxPLFYmPw
L_226 4y ago
I did 5BX [0] during the first lockdown in Germany in 2020 when the gyms closed. I ended up getting around level A on chart 4 pretty consistently. I have since moved onto daily kettlebell training after going through Simple and Sinister by Pavel [1] (I am Simple). I will still do some 5BX inspired routine if I have to travel, it is pretty decent for a zero equipment workout. [0] - https://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~rfburger/5bx-plan.pdf https://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~rfburger/5bx-plan.pdf [1] - https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Simple-Sinister-Revised-Updated-ebook/dp/B07ZQKWMKR https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Simple-Sinister-Revised-Up...
- throw0101c 4y ago
  > I did 5BX [0] See also: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force_Exercise_Plans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force_Exerc... Originally designed for bases without any fitness equipment.
- sli 4y ago
  Oh wow, 5BX looks like it's right up my alley. Thanks for this.
bilal4hmed 4y ago
Tom Merricks youtube channel has a bunch of follow alongs that I started over the pandemic. Worked really well
convolvatron 4y ago
pick up a trade. ride a bike around. stretch a little.
anikuni 4y ago
I've started my journey with the StartBodyweight program [1]. I had great results using it in my youth, marking my progress using mspaint, and having a few friends do it as well. I remember doing it every other day. Also some of the progression jumps were a bit hard, but always doable. [1] - http://www.startbodyweight.com/2014/01/basic-routine-infographic-poster.html http://www.startbodyweight.com/2014/01/basic-routine-infogra... PS: if you open the image, you can replace s1600 with s3200 for a readable resolution.
givemeethekeys 4y ago
For Calisthenics: Go here: https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/ https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/ Read the FAQ's and training guides, progressions in the right column.
cweill 4y ago
Look into Coach Sommer and https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/ https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/. Probably the best guide from beginner to advanced out there. I've been following their program for over 15 years, and there's something for every level of strength and flexibility. It's a program you can follow your entire life. The big thing with calisthenics/gymnastics is developing the tendon and ligament strength in your joints which take several months/years, but is the foundation to doing the advanced stuff like planches and levers. Good luck!
firstprimate 4y ago
I started with the 7 minute workout using this app: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/j-j-official-7-minute-workout/id784797900 https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/j-j-official-7-minute-workout/.... Doing it once a day helped me with fitness and mobility. Less pain doing stuff around the house, lost fat, built muscle. And the app has a progression to more difficult levels as well and I have been moving up that scale. This year I intend mixing in some Apple Fitness strength training, but to be honest I won’t be bummed to just continue using the programs on the app. The gains of the daily routine have been amazing.
lr4444lr 4y ago
How much are you willing to spend, and how many days per week to commit to working out?
Xdraco6 4y ago
Mindfulmover for progressions and choice of exercises, Grease the groove as training style.
2snakes 4y ago
I did 8 weeks to sealfit, it was ok and nothing to write home about. The programming later though was superior.
LouisSayers 4y ago
In addition to a program I'd also recommend chatting to people at the gym (assuming you go to one). I chatted to the trainers at mine and told them how I'd like to do a muscle up. Each one gave me some advice (similar but different) and demonstrated how they do it. They also watched me attempt one and gave me some tips based on my form. I can't do a muscle up yet but have increased the number of pullups (6 -> 10) I can do along with using an overhand grip position. 2023 will see me crack it.
aeyes 4y ago
I used to do the old routines from Madbarz, you can find them easily with Google Image search. Not really a program but I just mixed&matched and rotated through three of them during a week and switched it up after a while according to the equipment I had available. I think these are great for something that is easily accessible.
readthenotes1 4y ago
For many years, I would roll out of bed and do repeat sets of pushups and situps. I would replace the situps with the plank now that I know better. I could not figure out a simpler habit than "wake up, start"
vagrantJin 4y ago
No program. Just planks. Plank under the desk in the office. Plank before and just after a shower. On the bus. In the parking lot, elevator, kitchen. Plank. One goal. 2.5 minutes of perfect plank. Legs straight, shoulders square. Body shaking and burning. Plank.
codingbuddy 4y ago
I've been doing advanced calisthenics for a few years now and have mastered some relatively advanced skills such as the one-arm pull-up, touch front-lever, handstand push-ups, and straddle planche. (I'm also a licensed PT in the UK but use the recommendations here at your own risk) For beginners, if you are thinking of skills-based training I'd recommend focussing on 1-2 skills at a time and developing them (e.g., front-lever and handstand push-ups). A cool thing about calisthenics is that even the most advanced exercises start with simple progressions. Also, contrary to popular belief, you can develop a lot of muscle mass through body-weight exercises. There are many great instructors out there, some I'd recommend off the top of my head are Simonster Strength, Eryc Ortiz, Gabo Saturno, Coach Sommer, and Victor Kamenov. Simonster has some really good tutorials for beginners as well as advanced athletes which I've used (https://simonsterstrength.com/project-calisthenics/ https://simonsterstrength.com/project-calisthenics/ plus loads of great workouts on his insta/youtube). In terms of split, there's a few common approaches like Push/Pull/Leg or Upper/Lower and unless you are doing supersets I'd recommend 3-5 exercises for 3-5 sets each with 2-3 min rest between sets. The number of reps/time under tension will depend on the exercise, your strength level, and your goals. To give an example, a really simple split for beginners could be something like: - Push Day: Warm up, Pseudo-planche Push-ups, Dips, Pike Shoulder Press, Plank, Side-Plank, Warm down, Stretch - Pull Day: Warm up, Pull-ups, Tuck-front Lever Hold, Front-level Raises, Warm down, Stretch - Leg Day: Warm up, Squats, Lunges, Hip Thrusts, Calf Raises, Warm down, Stretch - Rest Day: Cardio or Light Stretching Just go on youtube if you are unsure about any of the exercises. Also, feel free to use a band or look for easier progressions for any of the exercises and Happy to answer any questions.
yaantc 4y ago
For people reading French: https://www.musculation-halteres.fr/methode-musculation-halteres/ https://www.musculation-halteres.fr/methode-musculation-halt... Works for me, started during the Covid "at home" period and continuing since then. Complete and no-nonsense. It's illustrated with pictures of body building champions but no worry, it's fine for normal people like me too ;). There are different programs for different levels.
Ninjaneered 4y ago
My old roommate does a free workout (Bethersize) in a local park twice a week and she has a ton of free video up on YouTube [1] and Instagram [2]. It looks like she's going to stop posting as much new content, but there's a ton of existing videos to follow along with that should stay up. [1] https://www.youtube.com/@evukmanic/featured https://www.youtube.com/@evukmanic/featured [2] https://www.instagram.com/bethercize/ https://www.instagram.com/bethercize/
ttanev 4y ago
Mentioning this one, just in case, as it is a really nice source of tightly packed info, as well as motivation (for me at least: https://www.youtube.com/@Kboges https://www.youtube.com/@Kboges (Doing this for more than 4 months already, happy and leaner :)) Just for completeness - saw this source here first in the comments of another story, earlier this year.

61 points by sergiotapia 4y ago

littlecranky67 4y ago

Bestselling "You are your own gym" (YAYOG) by Mark Lauren is a good book to get started as a beginner. Good list of example excercises with progression plans and training regimes, overall good writeup of fitness basics.

version_five 4y ago

I did exclusively pushups and pull ups and I actually thought that was fine (if boring) for building my upper body. I had done squats and walking lunges for my legs but they interfered with running so I stopped. I subscribe to the "heavy weight, compound exercise" theory of muscle building, which is why I think pushups and pullups are enough for the upper body unless you're targeting some specific muscle. I'd definitely be interested in hearing criticism though.

riku_iki 4y ago
Do you do just regular push ups? They quickly become too easy to provide load, and target very few muscles (low pecks and triceps mainly), so some variety is likely needed. I add dips, diver-bomber and tyson push ups. The same is probably for pull ups, you can add chin ups at least on every other day.
- sourcecodeplz 4y ago
  There are many varieties of push-ups: Close-grip pushups: To perform close-grip pushups, place your hands closer together than shoulder-width apart. This will increase the challenge on your triceps. Wide-grip pushups: To perform wide-grip pushups, place your hands further apart than shoulder-width apart. This will increase the challenge on your chest muscles. Elevated pushups: To perform elevated pushups, place your feet on an elevated surface such as a step or bench. This will increase the difficulty of the exercise. Plyometric pushups: Plyometric pushups, also known as "clap" pushups, involve pushing up with enough force to lift your hands off the ground and clap them together before returning to the starting position. One-armed pushups: As the name suggests, one-armed pushups are performed using only one arm. They are an advanced variation that requires a high level of upper body strength. Knuckle pushups: Knuckle pushups are performed with your hands in a fist position, with your knuckles facing down. They are a more challenging variation that places more of the load on your wrists and forearms. Diamond pushups: Diamond pushups are performed with your hands placed close together, forming a diamond shape with your index fingers and thumbs. They are a challenging variation that targets the triceps muscles.
  - riku_iki 4y ago
    Most of your variants mainly target the same muscles: triceps and low peks. Exception is probably wide push ups, but they are not good for shoulder joint health.
    - littlecranky67 4y ago
      They are meant to target same muscles, but offer a progression (beginner to expert). There are other excercises for other upper body muscles, with similar variant/progression principles (Dips, Shoulder presses)
  - littlecranky67 4y ago
    To add to that list, those I found useful to increase difficulty/load once regular pushups become to easy: - Zombie pushups: Offset hands instead of aligning in a straight line (one upper, one lower) - alternate after a set - Asymetric pushups: Move one arm/hand farther out than the other, try to go down to the center. Alternate sets. Use as progression to go towards one-arm pushups. Another variant is to go with symetric hand position, but lower your body towards one hand at a time (think "nipple to the thumb"). That being said, I strongly believe they are not healthy for your joints, the one-arm pushup in general feels just bad for the joints given the performed motion.
- belmarca 4y ago
  For the _vast_ majority of people, the benefits are not necessarily in "building muscle" but just getting _some_ exercise. I would say that push-ups and crunches beat any other exercise combination in terms of unit benefit per unit effort. Distractions and shyness can be practically eliminated as you can work-out from home, you can work-out while travelling as you don't need any equipment, risk of injury is relatively much much lower, warm-up is quick, rapid (sometimes _very_ rapid) progress is almost guaranteed, etc. Combined, this allows almost anyone to get the physiological and psychological benefits of working-out cheaply, safely and rapidly. There is just no substitute for the confidence boost that you can now easily do X amount of push-ups after just a few weeks of training. Best bang for your buck for most people IMO. Of course, long-term it's probably a good idea to have a more diverse set of exercises =)
  - riku_iki 4y ago
    > terms of unit benefit per unit effort I strongly disagree with this. You need progressive overload of muscles to continue growing, meaning you should be in state of doing 12 reps max of given exercises per set and not more (6-10 reps range is better). Once you start being able to do 12 push ups, muscles growth stimulus becomes low, and it becomes more about suffering than benefits.
    - r_hoods_ghost 4y ago
      To a degree yes, but endurance and power are important for functional strength and for endurance this means doing lots of reps at low intensity or doing easy exercises explosively for power
      - riku_iki 4y ago
        Push ups and crunches are not efficient for endurance too, they involve very few muscles to overload your cardio-energy systems. Something like squats and burpies will make you breath heavy much faster, or medium distance sprint running is even better.
    - belmarca 4y ago
generalenvelope 4y ago
The main criticism I can think of is that with pushup/pullup you're constrained by body weight (unless using a machine to assist, I'm not sure if those exist for pushups). Pullups are thus relatively fatiguing compared to a lat-pulldown or similar. Which might be fine, but it's nice to have more control over loading of the movement, particularly if it's hard to get volume in with a reasonable RPE (ie not maxing out every single set, which can end up inhibiting your progress). Given that I think volume (as opposed to absolute load) is a more useful driver of hypertrophy. Sorry if that's missing the point, if you're constrained to bodyweight exercises then they're a good difficult compound option
- version_five 4y ago
  I started doing pull ups and chin ups under a table, lying at an angle so I was only lifting part of my weight, then once I got strong enough to do the reps I wanted I transitioned to a bar For a while I was doing them with a backpack full of books as well, but I went back to just trying for really good form.
- User23 4y ago
  The assist machine for pushups is called a ramp. A staircase is also a reasonable approximation. Body weight exercise is all about mechanical advantage. It’s just used in the opposite way as it is when doing actual work. You increase your mechanical disadvantage to increase your training stimulus.
  - User23 4y ago
    To add: You can progress with a ramp/wall all the way to handstand pushups. Simple machines are legit.
- LouisSayers 4y ago
  For pullups you can use bands to lower resistance and a belt with attached weight (or simply grip a medicine ball / weight with your legs) to add weight. No need for an expensive machine :)
belmarca 4y ago
It's incredible how fast you can progress with just these simple exercises. I suspect a lot of people would be quite surprised at how good they can get at push-ups and crunches if they commit to them for 3-4 weeks. Even starting at 5 each when waking up and before going to bed every other day, your body will get used to the effort very quickly. Make sure to properly warm up!

medgelabs 4y ago

Hampton from Hybrid Calisthenics (find him on YouTube) has some of the best content I’ve found, personally, for calisthenics, both informational and his routine is free and made a huge difference for me!

sergiotapia 4y ago
You mean this one? https://www.hybridcalisthenics.com/programs https://www.hybridcalisthenics.com/programs I love how each exercise has a difficulty "slider" so you can choose the one variation that fits your current fitness level. Really good shit!
- postdoc74 4y ago
  I can second this program. I am usually into kettlebells, but for several months I was travelling and required an alternative. This program is an open version of the "Convict Conditioning" program which works just as well. I've been using several months and now that I have returned to KB and clubbells I have retained the pushup and pull-up progressions.

stefantalpalaru 4y ago

https://old.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/routines/bwf-primer https://old.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/routines/bwf...

danr4 4y ago
yes. plus a built-in and very active community of all levels.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

generalenvelope 4y ago

Dr. Feigenbaum at Barbell Medicine did a pretty comprehensive overview of how to exercise at home (bodyweight exercises). This includes an example template, explanations for RPE and exercise selection, dosing, progression, etc. all based on evidence. Highly recommend their content. https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/how-to-exercise-at-home/ https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/how-to-exercise-at-home...

tetraodonpuffer 4y ago

My wife swears by https://darebee.com/ https://darebee.com/ they have workouts/programs for all levels, all body weight based

vosper 4y ago

There are loads of yoga classes on YouTube. Try a vinyasa flow class. Yoga doesn’t just improve flexibility and balance, you get stronger all over.

red2awn 4y ago

The Armstrong Pullup Program [0]. It is designed specifically to increase your pull up numbers. I went from being able to do ~10 (straight) pull ups to 17. [0]: https://armstrongpullupprogram.com/ https://armstrongpullupprogram.com/

bgilly 4y ago

What outcome(s) are you trying to achieve? Subjective or objective?

sergiotapia 4y ago

Related: If you're looking for a bodybuilding program for beginners, CoolCicada PPL has been great for me. https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149807833&page=1 https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149807833&pa... - (don't do the deadlifts, not worth the risk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc) Benched 225 in my first year, did 10 reps of 135 military press as well. It builds strength and muscle shape. However, I don't want to be this strong meatball. I want the mobility first and foremost. My goals have changed. This is why I asked about a calisthenics program. Typical strong cali translates to very strong lifts. Very rarely does it go the other way around. Strong lifters are rarely good calis.

generalenvelope 4y ago
> (don't do the deadlifts, not worth the risk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWizDhYjGsc) I'd like to push back on this. Oberst's evidence for this claim is entirely anecdotal, and I don't think it's accurate. Here's a more evidence based opinion: https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/forums/training-q-a-with-dr-jordan-feigenbaum-and-dr-austin-baraki/72867-deadlifts-is-it-worth-it https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/forums/training-q-a-with-d... There's far more involved in injury risk than a specific type of exercise. The guys at Barbell Medicine have a lot of content that you may find useful with regard to these ideas.

oezi 4y ago

I can recommend Apple Fitness+ because I believe they only offer exercises which seem highly vetted not to hurt you. Biggest issue is that they don't offer long term training plans but everything is a la carte (and a bit repetitive because they always structure every video with the exact same overarching monolog).

Bancakes 4y ago

Convict Conditioning is hands down the simplest, shortest, and most densely packed book on callisthenics I’ve ever read. It explains how to work out your whole body and increase the load via harder workouts instead of increasing just reps. E.g. how to go from kneeling push-ups all the way to one arm push-ups. Great follow-up is The Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsoulin

tdba 4y ago
I second this - learning that a few slow, powerful bodyweight movements can get you insanely fit was game changing. Having introduced this program to a few others, I would add: don't be afraid to adapt some of the movements to yourself. The general movements in the book are fantastic but the details will vary according to you own body. You may even want to just skip certain stages in the progressions if they're not working for you.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

Animats 4y ago

The "Chicken Fat" song. Government sponsored fat-shaming from the 1960s.[1] [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mcsVgIU1K0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mcsVgIU1K0

hackerbeat 4y ago

K boges is your man! Minimal, to the point, no bs guide for everything Calisthenics. Also offers training plans and more via website, if needed. Highly recommended. Made lots of progress thanks to him. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCUkyyRJdVdXFmBuxPLFYmPw https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCUkyyRJdVdXFmBuxPLFYmPw

L_226 4y ago

I did 5BX [0] during the first lockdown in Germany in 2020 when the gyms closed. I ended up getting around level A on chart 4 pretty consistently. I have since moved onto daily kettlebell training after going through Simple and Sinister by Pavel [1] (I am Simple). I will still do some 5BX inspired routine if I have to travel, it is pretty decent for a zero equipment workout. [0] - https://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~rfburger/5bx-plan.pdf https://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~rfburger/5bx-plan.pdf [1] - https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Simple-Sinister-Revised-Updated-ebook/dp/B07ZQKWMKR https://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Simple-Sinister-Revised-Up...

throw0101c 4y ago
> I did 5BX [0] See also: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force_Exercise_Plans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force_Exerc... Originally designed for bases without any fitness equipment.
sli 4y ago
Oh wow, 5BX looks like it's right up my alley. Thanks for this.

bilal4hmed 4y ago

Tom Merricks youtube channel has a bunch of follow alongs that I started over the pandemic. Worked really well

convolvatron 4y ago

pick up a trade. ride a bike around. stretch a little.

anikuni 4y ago

I've started my journey with the StartBodyweight program [1]. I had great results using it in my youth, marking my progress using mspaint, and having a few friends do it as well. I remember doing it every other day. Also some of the progression jumps were a bit hard, but always doable. [1] - http://www.startbodyweight.com/2014/01/basic-routine-infographic-poster.html http://www.startbodyweight.com/2014/01/basic-routine-infogra... PS: if you open the image, you can replace s1600 with s3200 for a readable resolution.

givemeethekeys 4y ago

For Calisthenics: Go here: https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/ https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/ Read the FAQ's and training guides, progressions in the right column.

cweill 4y ago

Look into Coach Sommer and https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/ https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/. Probably the best guide from beginner to advanced out there. I've been following their program for over 15 years, and there's something for every level of strength and flexibility. It's a program you can follow your entire life. The big thing with calisthenics/gymnastics is developing the tendon and ligament strength in your joints which take several months/years, but is the foundation to doing the advanced stuff like planches and levers. Good luck!

firstprimate 4y ago

I started with the 7 minute workout using this app: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/j-j-official-7-minute-workout/id784797900 https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/j-j-official-7-minute-workout/.... Doing it once a day helped me with fitness and mobility. Less pain doing stuff around the house, lost fat, built muscle. And the app has a progression to more difficult levels as well and I have been moving up that scale. This year I intend mixing in some Apple Fitness strength training, but to be honest I won’t be bummed to just continue using the programs on the app. The gains of the daily routine have been amazing.

lr4444lr 4y ago

How much are you willing to spend, and how many days per week to commit to working out?

Xdraco6 4y ago

Mindfulmover for progressions and choice of exercises, Grease the groove as training style.

2snakes 4y ago

I did 8 weeks to sealfit, it was ok and nothing to write home about. The programming later though was superior.

LouisSayers 4y ago

In addition to a program I'd also recommend chatting to people at the gym (assuming you go to one). I chatted to the trainers at mine and told them how I'd like to do a muscle up. Each one gave me some advice (similar but different) and demonstrated how they do it. They also watched me attempt one and gave me some tips based on my form. I can't do a muscle up yet but have increased the number of pullups (6 -> 10) I can do along with using an overhand grip position. 2023 will see me crack it.

aeyes 4y ago

I used to do the old routines from Madbarz, you can find them easily with Google Image search. Not really a program but I just mixed&matched and rotated through three of them during a week and switched it up after a while according to the equipment I had available. I think these are great for something that is easily accessible.

readthenotes1 4y ago

For many years, I would roll out of bed and do repeat sets of pushups and situps. I would replace the situps with the plank now that I know better. I could not figure out a simpler habit than "wake up, start"

vagrantJin 4y ago

No program. Just planks. Plank under the desk in the office. Plank before and just after a shower. On the bus. In the parking lot, elevator, kitchen. Plank. One goal. 2.5 minutes of perfect plank. Legs straight, shoulders square. Body shaking and burning. Plank.

codingbuddy 4y ago

I've been doing advanced calisthenics for a few years now and have mastered some relatively advanced skills such as the one-arm pull-up, touch front-lever, handstand push-ups, and straddle planche. (I'm also a licensed PT in the UK but use the recommendations here at your own risk) For beginners, if you are thinking of skills-based training I'd recommend focussing on 1-2 skills at a time and developing them (e.g., front-lever and handstand push-ups). A cool thing about calisthenics is that even the most advanced exercises start with simple progressions. Also, contrary to popular belief, you can develop a lot of muscle mass through body-weight exercises. There are many great instructors out there, some I'd recommend off the top of my head are Simonster Strength, Eryc Ortiz, Gabo Saturno, Coach Sommer, and Victor Kamenov. Simonster has some really good tutorials for beginners as well as advanced athletes which I've used (https://simonsterstrength.com/project-calisthenics/ https://simonsterstrength.com/project-calisthenics/ plus loads of great workouts on his insta/youtube). In terms of split, there's a few common approaches like Push/Pull/Leg or Upper/Lower and unless you are doing supersets I'd recommend 3-5 exercises for 3-5 sets each with 2-3 min rest between sets. The number of reps/time under tension will depend on the exercise, your strength level, and your goals. To give an example, a really simple split for beginners could be something like: - Push Day: Warm up, Pseudo-planche Push-ups, Dips, Pike Shoulder Press, Plank, Side-Plank, Warm down, Stretch - Pull Day: Warm up, Pull-ups, Tuck-front Lever Hold, Front-level Raises, Warm down, Stretch - Leg Day: Warm up, Squats, Lunges, Hip Thrusts, Calf Raises, Warm down, Stretch - Rest Day: Cardio or Light Stretching Just go on youtube if you are unsure about any of the exercises. Also, feel free to use a band or look for easier progressions for any of the exercises and Happy to answer any questions.

yaantc 4y ago

For people reading French: https://www.musculation-halteres.fr/methode-musculation-halteres/ https://www.musculation-halteres.fr/methode-musculation-halt... Works for me, started during the Covid "at home" period and continuing since then. Complete and no-nonsense. It's illustrated with pictures of body building champions but no worry, it's fine for normal people like me too ;). There are different programs for different levels.

Ninjaneered 4y ago

My old roommate does a free workout (Bethersize) in a local park twice a week and she has a ton of free video up on YouTube [1] and Instagram [2]. It looks like she's going to stop posting as much new content, but there's a ton of existing videos to follow along with that should stay up. [1] https://www.youtube.com/@evukmanic/featured https://www.youtube.com/@evukmanic/featured [2] https://www.instagram.com/bethercize/ https://www.instagram.com/bethercize/

ttanev 4y ago

Mentioning this one, just in case, as it is a really nice source of tightly packed info, as well as motivation (for me at least: https://www.youtube.com/@Kboges https://www.youtube.com/@Kboges (Doing this for more than 4 months already, happy and leaner :)) Just for completeness - saw this source here first in the comments of another story, earlier this year.