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If you look at how exercise has evolved over the years. You’ve probably noticed that the basic calisthenics workout has taken a backseat to all of the new and improved, overhyped training programs that most people rave about.
And while I’m all for anything that’s going to help me improve. The truth is that basic calisthenics movements practiced with good form are more than enough to carve out a decent physique as long as you’re consistent and work hard.
Now, if you’ve read some of my other blog posts, you’ll probably be aware that I’m all about bringing the pain and sweat to get the most bang for my buck when it comes to calisthenics.
And that’s why I’m constantly testing and tweaking my workouts to find the best combination of exercises performed in the right order to drive the best results possible.
But today, I want to dial it back a little and talk about the bare essentials. And take you through a few ways you can impliment some of the most basic exercises into a complete, full-body workout that’ll help you…
- Build brute strength
- Add slabs of lean muscle
And torch huge amounts of unwanted body fat by applying the same set of exercises with a slightly different approach.
In fact, this is going to be an education masterclass into what’s possible using nothing but the basics and the hardcore discipline of a calisthenics beast.
But before we dive in, I think it’s only fair that I mention the Bar Brothers Program by Lazar Novovic and Dusan Djolevic.
Just to give you a little insight, Bar Brothers is a hardcore, 12-week calisthenics program that’ll guide you through the exact step-by-step process of getting in the best shape of your life.
It’s ideal for both newbies and even intermediate calisthenics junkies who are hell-bent on pushing the limits, getting ripped, and building huge slabs of rock-solid muscle in the process.
Anyway, I’m not going to overhype this or anything because, to be honest, it’s not going to be for everyone.
But if you’re even remotely interested in what the program has to offer and want all the juicy details, then here’s the video link to take a look: Bar Brothers – The System
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Table of Contents
Basic Calisthenics Movement Patterns
So when it comes to a basic calisthenics workout, there are five movement patterns you need to be concerned with.
These include…
- Vertical Pull (Pullups or chinups)
- Vertical Push (Parallel bar dips)
- Horizontal Pull (Australian pullups/inverted rows)
- Horizontal Push (Pushups)
- Squat (Squats/lunges etc…)
Before we move on, I think it’s only fair to mention that there is one other movement pattern… which is a hinge movement.
And this correlates to exercises like deadlifts or hip thrusts that require you to hinge at the hips.
I talk about these a lot in some of my other blog posts. But for the sake of simplicity and to stick with the theme of basic calisthenics. We’re mainly going to focus on five.
Anyway…
The reason the above five movement patterns work so well is that they’re all compound movements. And combined, they hit practically every muscle group in the body.
You could argue that they’re a little lacking in the side delts (middle shoulder). But if it’s a concern, you could always add in a few sets of overhead presses or side lateral raises for good measure.
Related Post: The Perfect Calisthenics Shoulder Workout To Get Strong & Shredded Fast
Basic Calisthenics Workouts For Killer Results
So without further ado, here are 3 awesome calisthenics workouts for you to tackle at your convenience.
I’ve broken them down from beginner all the way through to a high rep, hardcore circuit work using pretty much the same exercises throughout.
Try them at your peril…
Basic Beginner Workout
So the first workout is a beginner routine that focuses on straight sets of the 5 movement patterns we discussed above.
Now, there’s no particular rep range to work with here. Because the idea is to build up a foundation that will serve you well as you start to progress.
Instead, what you’ll want to do is perform 3 sets of each exercise below to the point where you’re leaving one or two reps in the tank after each set.
So, for instance, if you can only perform, let’s say, 12 pushups before you hit muscle failure, you should stop short at 10 reps and rest 90-120 seconds between sets.
Anyway, here’s what it looks like.
- Pullups (3 sets)
- Bench Dips (3 sets)
- Australian Pullups/Trx Row (3 sets)
- Pushups (3 sets)
- Squats Or Lunges (3 sets)
As a general guide, I’d recommend doing this workout 3-4 times a week with a day of rest between each.
With regards to the squats and lunges, I’d recommend switching these up each workout and performing squats one day and then lunges the time around.
As for the pullups, I know that not everybody will be capable of performing multiple reps. Especially if you’re brand new to calisthenics. So if this is the case for you, I’d recommend regressing the exercise a little.
Close grip chinups are a great alternative as they’re easier to perform than regular pullups.
But if you’re still struggling, you could always opt for performing the negative phase of the pullup (lowering phase). Or even performing band-assisted pullups until you’ve built up enough strength to perform regular pullups for at least 8 reps.
Basic Intermediate Workout
Once you’ve built up a solid foundation, you’re gonna want to kick things up a gear by implementing some harder variations of each move.
On top of that, you’re going to start pairing exercises together (supersets) to get more work done in less time. While keeping your heart rate elevated for that sweet fat burning effect.
Here’s what you need to do…
Superset 1:
- Pullups
- Parallel Bar Dips
Superset 2:
- Inverted Row (feet elevated)
- Uneven Pushups
Straight Set:
- Split Squats (left leg forward)
- Split Squats (right leg forward)
Now depending on you’re goals, there are a few ways you can approach this workout.
You could just rep out to failure for 3-4 sets and keep working on upping the reps each and every workout.
And although there’s nothing wrong with this approach, over time, you’ll probably hit a point where you hit a snag in your training and stop progressing as quickly as you’d like.
What you could do at this stage however is start implementing weighted calisthenics into your workout to add a new dimension to your training.
For instance, if you wanted to focus purely on strength. You could add weight in the form of a dip belt or weighted vest and focus on the above exercises using one of the following rep schemes…
- 4×6 (4 sets of 6 reps)
- 5×5 (5 sets of 5 reps)
- 6×4 (6 sets of 4 reps)
- 8×3 (8 sets of 3 reps)
However, if you want to focus a little more on size. You could apply the same principles (with a little less weight attached, obviously) using one of the following rep schemes…
- 4×8 (4 sets of 8 reps)
- 3×10 (3 sets of 10 reps)
- 3×12 (3 sets of 12 reps)
Again, the exercises don’t change, but by playing around with the rep schemes and rest periods, you’ll eventually find what works best for you.
If you wanted, you could even change things up by spending 4-6 weeks focusing on size and the next 4-6 weeks focusing on strength.
I think the take-home message here is that variety is the key to progression. And I guarantee that if you apply this basic approach, you’ll see great results a lot sooner than you think.
High Rep Calisthenics Workout
Last up is a little high rep workout I like to practice once or twice a week.
It’s a little more of a circuit-style workout. But it’s been broken up strategically to allow the most recovery time between similar exercises.
Anyway, here it is for your enjoyment…
- Pullups (15 reps)
- Leg Raises (20 reps performed on parallel bars)
- Rest 30-60 Seconds
- Dips (25 reps)
- Close Grip Chinups (15 reps)
- Pushups (40 reps)
Rest 3 minutes and repeat 2 more times (3 sets total)
Then perform the following as a finisher…
- Tabata Split Squats (alternating legs each round)
Now, if you’re unfamiliar with Tabata. It’s basically an intense 4-minute workout where you perform 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for a total of 8 rounds.
The idea here is to go balls to the ball and give it everything you got for during the 20-second work intervals and then catching a quick breather before going at it again.
So the entire finisher would look like this…
- 20 Seconds Of Split Squats (left leg forward)
- 10 Seconds Of Rest
- 20 Seconds Of Split Squats (right leg forward)
- 10 Seconds Of Rest
Repeat 3 more times for a total of 8 rounds (4 minutes)
Now, I know this looks short and sweet, but when performed at full intensity, it’s going to literally set your quads on fire.
So before you attempt it, I highly recommend you’ve got at least a base level of lower body muscular endurance before diving in headfirst.
In fact, if it proves too difficult, here’s another Tabata leg finisher that’s a little less taxing but still highly effective.
It goes like this…
- 20 Seconds Of Squats (or jump squats if you’re feeling brave)
- 10 Seconds Of Rest
- 20 Seconds Of Alternating Lunges
- 10 Seconds Of Rest
Repeat 3 more times for a total of 8 rounds (4 minutes)
It’s brutal, but it gets the jobs done in record time.
Taking Your Calisthenics Workout To The Next Level
So there you have it, three very basic yet highly effective workouts to suit any experience level.
They might look simple, but I guarantee that if you perform them often and to the best of your ability. In time, you’ll see some solid increases in both your size and strength.
But here’s the thing…
Even though the above workouts are great, the truth is that they’re only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to getting results.
Because if you want to keep progressing long term while carving out a strong, functional body that Sparticus himself would envy. Then you need to step your game up and follow a PROVEN program that gets the job done.
So if you want to take your calisthenics game to an entirely new level while building the ultimate of a calisthenics beast. Then I’d highly recommend checking out the Bar Brothers Program. (see video below)
Now just to be clear, this program isn’t a shortcut to getting results, and it’s by no means a walk in the park. So if you’re looking for a quick fix that promises overnight miracles, then this isn’t for you.
But if you’ve got the stones to put your metal to the test and your willing to put the work in (and there will be work). Then this is exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Anyway, I won’t keep banging on about it because you’d be better off just taking a look for yourself and seeing if it’s a good fit for your training goals.
So before I sign off and bid you a good day, here’s the video link to check it out: Bar Brothers – The System
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