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When it comes to the complexities of bodyweight training, gaining that perfect balance is tough. That’s why adding a calisthenics workout plan to your weekly training session can elevate your exercise routine.
While one-armed handstands and pull-ups are impressive, you might be wondering where do I begin? There are so many types of calisthenics exercises that it can be hard to know where to focus your energy.
This post will take a look at a beginner calisthenics program. We give you the right advice on how to get started on a workout that will positively impact your fitness progress.
What Are Calisthenics Exercises – in a Nutshell?
With calisthenics, your body becomes your primary tool. These exercises rely on your own bodyweight to strengthen different muscle groups.
The exercises are performed with varying levels of intensity and flow. Light handheld tools like gymnastic rings and portable parallettes can be used for different modifications.
These exercises are perfect for strength training, endurance, coordination, and flexibility. A routine of calisthenics exercises can do wonders for body development.
Developed in ancient Greece, calisthenics became popular in the early 19th century. Today, it is included in the training of top athletes, military, law enforcement, and people in general who are trying to keep in the best possible shape.
You might be interested to know that scientists are now investigating calisthenics to help treat various health conditions like obesity.
Why You Should Start a Basic Calisthenics Workout
If you are just beginning your fitness journey, then calisthenics is the perfect place to start. You’ll achieve maximum results with the minimum amount of training and equipment.
There is a long list of reasons why calisthenics is best for you:
- Become stronger & leaner: take the opportunity to build muscle in the comfort of your own home. Calisthenics is the perfect opportunity to target specific muscle groups and increase strength. With this training, as your intensity goes up, so do your abilities
- It’s fun: it’s your body and your rules. Learning to move your body can be a heart-racing experience. You will have a blast as you slowly begin to see just how far you can push your own body.
- No gym membership costs: the fact that it’s easy on your wallet is a major plus. You can achieve your calisthenics goals without any serious expenses. This makes it perfect for the beginner that might have a small budget.
- No fancy equipment is required: no need to fill up your home with bulky equipment. All you need for calisthenics is a few simple tools and your own body (the best tool of all). You can even use ordinary household objects like a door frame or bath tub ledge for incline pushups.
- Choose when and where: the convenience of calisthenics workouts is one of the reasons it’s so appealing. No matter where you are, you can use different exercises to train. That means there are no excuses if you are not able to make it to the gym.
- Simple: if you are not one for complex things, then this is perfect for you. What makes calisthenics so perfect is that they are straightforward and rely on repetition.
You might be thinking that isn’t much of a workout. Don’t let their simplicity fool you, calisthenics are seriously hard work. Mastering the proper form takes concentration and practice.
And, if you want to progress, you will increase the difficulty of the movements. For example, advance from basic squats to one-legged squats or increase the reps of your basic pushups from 5 to 50. You get the drift.
Calisthenics Workout Plan for Beginners
Starting any workout plan can be difficult. It’s hard to know where to begin and whether or not your form is right. It’s best to start with the basics and work your way up. Beginners should be looking at basic calisthenics moves that can help them slowly build a routine.
A great way to start is by identifying body categories you would like to work on and building your routine from there. This will make creating a plan easier and have you on your way to getting that calisthenics body.
Remember to always consult a professional when you begin any workout plan. This can help ensure your form is right and help prevent any injuries.
Start your beginner calisthenics workout plan
Start by dividing your exercises into four categories: push exercises, pull exercises, core exercises, and leg exercises.
By doing this, you can target specific muscle groups that can be worked at separate times. This helps you track your progress as you slowly increase intensity. Plus, it gives each muscle group time to recover if you’re splitting your training sessions according to targeted areas.
Each category of exercise will develop certain muscle groups.
- Push exercises: these exercises will help develop your chest, shoulders, and triceps
- Pull exercises: with these movements, you can be sure to engage your lats, biceps, and upper back
- Core exercises: everyone looking for that famous six-pack can rely on these exercises to work abs, obliques, and lower back
- Lower body exercises: they might not be everyone’s favourite but these exercises help to transform your quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and calves
Just like that, you can have high-performance workouts that transform your training.
Try this week-long combination to get you started:
- Monday – Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Quadriceps, and Calves
- Tuesday – Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes
- Wednesday – Rest
- Thursday – Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Quadriceps, and Calves
- Friday – Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes
- Saturday – Rest
- Sunday – Rest
Start with a small number of reps and slowly build up your calisthenics progress. The following exercises can help you meet your body targets.
Beginner Calisthenics Program: Best exercises to get started
Once you have clearly defined your muscle groups, you can allocate workouts to help develop each one. This will give you the motivation to aim for specific goals.
Here are some exercises you can incorporate into your sessions.
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Push-ups: if you are going to start push exercises, start with the most popular one. When done with proper form, push-ups are a perfect way to strengthen your lower back and abs.
This is an incredible tool for fast, effective strength building.
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Pull-ups: once again, keeping it simple. The best pull exercise to start with is a pull-up. Do not be discouraged if you can’t get this the first time around.
It might take a while to build the upper back strength necessary. This is okay and all part of the process. Beginners might choose to start with laying down pull-ups or assisted pull-ups to get used to the movement.
- Plank: this is a perfect exercise to get you that core and full-body calisthenics workout. Having a strong core has proven to reduce lower back pain, improve your cardiovascular system, and enhance athletic performance.
- Squats: get ready to burn those calories with this one! It lowers your chances of injuring your knees and ankles. The movement is said to strengthen your bones and ligaments in the leg area. Plus, it’ll help you build impressive glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
- Reverse Lunge: Stand straight and brace your core muscles. Then, take a giant step backward with your left foot. This is perfect for balance and core muscle definition.
Get into the routine!
Repetitions are key when it comes to calisthenics. These exercises are about dedication.
You will soon start feeling better and stronger. You’ll see progress across your whole body.
With a combination of a good diet and exercise, it won’t take long before those desired muscles start to grow and show. When you’re ready, you can attempt harder variations of the beginner’s bodyweight exercises.
Aim for 2-3 reps at least 3 times a week in the beginning. Remember the more you put in, the quicker you will see results.
Go gently for the first couple of weeks as you ease into regular exercise. You are just a beginner and you need to treat yourself as one.
Give yourself plenty of rest days and try not to push yourself too hard. Any injury will make it hard to get back into the swing of things.
Get Started and Get Fit with Calisthenics!
These bodyweight exercises are perfect for improving posture and lowering fat mass. This alone is reason enough to start your calisthenics training.
There are plenty of tips and tricks available to get your bodyweight training started. If you feel like it’s time to get fit and healthy, there is no need to sign up for expensive gym memberships.
Design yourself a good beginner calisthenics program by taking note of the suggestions above and you’re well on your way. So, get started and embrace fitness today!
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