Starting calisthenics: equipment and an eight-week program

Calisthenics is strength training using your own body weight. You need little equipment, you can train anywhere, and it makes you functionally strong. The challenge lies in progression: without weights, you need to build up more cleverly.

The equipment

Parallettes or push-up bars. They lift your hands off the floor, allowing you to go deeper and keeping your wrists in a neutral position. Necessary for L-sits, dips, and deep push-ups.

Resistance bands. For pull-up assistance, shoulder work, and to make exercises harder that you can already do with bodyweight.

Jump rope. For your warm-up and cardio.

Fitness mat. For floor work, core, and your knees.

The five basic movements

Pushing (push-up, dip), pulling (pull-up, row), legs (squat, lunge), core (hollow hold, plank), and a static hold (L-sit, handstand against the wall). If you cover these five, you won't miss anything.

Eight-week schedule

Weeks 1 to 2, three times a week. Push-ups 3 sets of 8, rows or assisted pull-ups 3 x 6, squats 3 x 12, plank 3 x 30 seconds. Rest 90 seconds.

Weeks 3 to 4. Increase to 4 sets and add dips on parallettes, 3 x 6. Plank to 3 x 45 seconds.

Weeks 5 to 6. Push-ups on the bars for greater range of motion. Pull-ups with a lighter band. Add lunges, 3 x 10 per leg, and hollow holds 3 x 20 seconds.

Weeks 7 to 8. Work towards your first unassisted pull-up, try L-sit progressions with bent knees, and maintain a steady pace for your push-ups: three counts down, one count up.

Progression without weights

You make an exercise harder by tempo (slower descent), leverage (feet higher), range of motion (deeper descent), pause (hold still for two counts at the bottom), or unilateral work (one arm or one leg). This order is usually the safest.

Recovery is part of it

Three workouts a week with a day in between works better for almost everyone than six times. Take ten minutes for mobility and foam rolling after your session, and pay attention to your sleep. Check out Strength Training for equipment and the Calisthenics Set if you want everything at once.