Here’s What To Look For In A Calisthenics Program

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When I first started calisthenics, it would have been wise to bite the bullet and invest in a reputable calisthenics program.

Instead, I just winged it. I thought I knew better and because of this. I spent a good part of 6-months spinning my wheels and getting nowhere.

And the thing is, I wasn’t really in bad shape (or so I thought). I was already pretty good at pullups, parallel bar dips, and I would power through pushups and bodyweight squats like they were going at of fashion.

But when it came to using my body for more advanced calisthenics exercises like the L-sit, one-arm pushup, and all the rest.

I realize how weak I was.

Anyway…

Thankfully, I learned the error of my ways and eventually sunk my teeth into a few great (and not so great) calisthenic programs to see what the buzz was about.

And to my surprise, I found out there was a sh*t load of stuff I didn’t even know.

See calisthenics is more than just repping out muscle-ups and planche holds until your arms fall off.

There’s a lot of very fine detail that goes with every single exercise.

And if you miss it, you’ll be slapping your forehead repeatedly wondering why the hell you’re not getting any better.

So, what should you be looking for in a calisthenics program?

Let’s dig a little deeper and see what we can find…

What To Look For In A Calisthenics Program

Now, there’s a lot more to calisthenics then you’re typical 3 sets of 10 reps that you find in most spit and sawdust weight rooms.

It’s all about learning to work your body as a unit. And with this, comes a lot of emphasis on form, muscle engagement, and equally as important…

…Progression.

So, when you’re considering any kind of calisthenics program there are only four key things you should look out for to get the most bang for your buck.

They are…

Detailed Progression

You want a program that covers more than the basic rehashed BS that’s out there today.

I even read a blog post once on calisthenics progressions. That gave me only 3 progressive exercises to help towards achieving the one-arm pullup.

The list went something like this…

…Pullup

…Wide grip pullup

…One arm pullup

And that was it.

This tells me nothing about form…

…Negatives progressions

…Scapula depression

Or anything else worth remembering for more than a few seconds.

What you want are the nitty-gritty details.

Progressions stacked upon progressions that give you all the juicy info on every single microsecond of every single move.

It’s the only way you can move forward.

The Essential Movements

The next thing you should look for in a calisthenics program is something that covers ALL the core exercises.

These include but aren’t limited to…

…The planche, human flag, one-arm pushups, one-arm pullups, handstand pushups, muscle-ups, L-sits, front lever, back lever, pistol squats.

I’ve invested in some great calisthenic programs in the past. One’s that literally took me from A-Z in a few particular exercises.

But because they were lacking in all the core exercises that most would deem essential. I couldn’t extend my skill set, change things up, or learn some of the moves that I wanted.

And it ended up stalling my progress.

Support & Motivation

This one’s up for debate. But there are some (not all) people, who benefit from having a little extra push in the right direction.

Motivation to workout doesn’t come naturally to everyone.

So, when someone makes the first brave step into the world of exercise. It’s comforting to know that there’s a community of likeminded individuals who’ve got your back.

This is something that turns a good calisthenics program, into a great calisthenics program.

The Extra Mile

As well as the program itself. It’s always handy when a calisthenics program has a few helpful extras to make things easier or keep you on track.

Stuff like training apps, workout reminders, weekly online training Q&A’s, nutrition guides.

Anything that’s going to help that little bit more is always a huge plus.

What Calisthenics Program Do I Recommend?

So, taking ALL the above into consideration.

There are 2 programs (for me) that reign supreme when it comes to calisthenics.

They are…

Bar Brothers The System (Visit The Official Website)

The Movement Athlete (Visit The Official Website)

Now I won’t bore you with the typical, “This is the best program ever, Buy It Now” type of reviews that are slapped up all over google. Because it’s not really my style.

But what I will do, is give you a brief overview of each program so you can decide which one (if any) takes your fancy.

Starting with Bar Brothers…

Bar Brothers Calisthenic Program

So, the Bar Brothers program was created by two guys who met in college called Lazar Novovic and Dusan Djolevic.

This is them in action…

Epic right?

Anyway…

It’s a 12-week calisthenics program that literally holds you by the hand and takes you from a complete beginner to a calisthenics warrior. Using a well thought out, progressive calisthenics approach that pretty much anyone can follow.

But it goes way beyond being a standard calisthenics program.

Over the years it’s developed into worldwide movement (or brotherhood if you like).

And that’s part of the reason it’s helped thousands of aspire guys and girls transform their bodies using nothing but a bar and their bodyweight.

When you first check out the Bar Brother website it’s got kind of a hardcore approach to it.

Don’t let it fool you though.

Once you’re inside the program and the members’ areas, it quickly feels like the Bar Brothers community embraces you as one of their own. Which gives it a really all-inclusive feel.

One thing that does stand out though, and you’ve probably guessed it from the name of the program. It’s that its very guy orientated.

Think shirtless men pumping out endless reps in the park and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what I mean.

But overall, the Bar Brothers Program ticks all the boxes if you’re looking for a complete calisthenics program with the added community support.

I give it a 9 out of 10.

The Movement Athlete (TMA)

The Movement Athlete was founded in 2018 by a woman named Agnieszka Nazaruk.

To be honest, I couldn’t really find much information on the team behind this calisthenics program.

But even so, it still ranks very highly among thousands of dedicated fitness enthusiasts who have only good things to say about it.

Now the whole thing’s set up a little differently than the Bar Brothers Program.

Firstly, there isn’t really a specific timed program like a 6-week or 12-week transformation.

Instead, it’s more about working towards specific goals like being able to perform a one-arm pull-up or a planche.

For this, there’s a pretty cool App that you can use on both your desktop and mobile that allows you to select certain exercises you want to work towards.

Then, once your up to speed with a progression. It then lets you unlock harder variations of that exercise until you’ve reached your goal.

The idea is that you unlock harder progressions of an exercise only when you’ve successfully mastered their simpler alternative.

This is great because it allows you to remain focused on where you’re currently at with your strength and fitness levels. Without being able to attempt things you aren’t ready for yet.

Another thing I like is that they have a free (but limited) version of The Movement Athlete app so you can see what all the buzz is about.

There’s also a free 7-day trial of the premium version. As well as a refer a friend program that gives you unlimited access to the program for an extra 30 days if you sign up a friend.

One thing that doesn’t impress me as much is the community itself.

There’s both an open Facebook group and a private Facebook group.

People post their progress from time to time and there’s plenty of transformation stories to give you a little inspiration.

But if I’m honest, it doesn’t really have the WOW factor that you look for in a fitness community.

Overall, it’s another great program with more than enough training material to keep you busy for years.

I give it an 8.5 out of 10

Which Calisthenics Program Is Better?

That really depends on you.

See after trying both and knowing what I know now. I’d personally go with Bar Brothers because it’s a lot more suited to my individual needs.

Having said that, both are well-rounded calisthenics programs that will get you to where you want to be.

Provided you commit fully, and you’re consistent with your training.

As I said before, Bar Brothers is a more guy orientated program that quickly turned into a worldwide movement.

This gives it a more personal feel which is why it has a huge entourage of die-hard calisthenics superfans.

The Movement Athlete has a more professional sleek feel to the whole thing. Plenty of cool features, but lacks a personal touch you might need to keep yourself motivated.

If I were you, I’d take a look at both the Official Bar Brother Website…

..and The Movement Athlete Website and get a sense of which one feels like a good fit for you.

To sweeten the deal, if you do end up buying either one of the programs. I’ll also throw in my own inventory of unique training guides worth over $100. As a sincere thank you for purchasing either program via my recommendation.

This includes…

…HIIT to Fit

…Functional Strength

…And Kettlebell Transformation

Just send me proof (receipt or screenshot) that you brought one of the programs to dan@un-ripped.com or via the contact form on my website.

And I’ll send you ALL 3 training guides you see above direct to your email address.

No questions asked

Sound good?

Anyway…

That about wraps things up for this post.

Have any comments or questions? Feel free to drop them in the comments section below.