Bodyweight training progresses by leverage, not plates. Pick the right step of a progression and own it before moving on.
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4 lessons · ~8 min · in this order- 1What Is CalisthenicsStrength training that uses the body's own weight as resistance, manipulating leverage, range of motion, and tempo instead of external load to drive adaptation.Begin →
- 2Progressive Overload Without WeightsSix levers — leverage, range of motion, tempo, unilateral loading, added reps, and density — let bodyweight training keep getting harder even though the load (your mass) is fixed.2 min
- 3Beginner Full-Body Bodyweight RoutineA 3x/week full-body template covering one push, one pull (vertical + horizontal), one squat, one hinge, and core — each picked at the trainee's current progression level.2 min
- 4Push-Up ProgressionA leverage ladder from wall push-ups to the one-arm push-up that lets the horizontal press keep overloading the chest, triceps, and front delts without weights.2 min
Every Calisthenics topic
76 topics
- Ab Wheel Rollout1 minExercise · Kneeling (or standing) and rolling a wheel forward to extend the body, then pulling back — a dynamic anti-extension exercise that overloads the core through a long lever.
- Archer Pull-Up1 minExercise · A wide-grip pull-up where you pull up to one hand while the other arm stays straight along the bar — shifting most of the load to one side as the bridge toward the one-arm pull-up.
- Archer Push-Up1 minExercise · A wide-stance push-up where you lower toward one hand while the other arm stays nearly straight, shifting most of the load onto the working arm — the key bridge to the one-arm push-up.
- Back Lever Progression1 minSkill · Tuck → advanced tuck → straddle → full back lever — a straight-arm hold with the body horizontal and face-down behind the hands, loading the chest, front delts, and biceps in shoulder extension.
- Band-Assisted Pull-Up1 minExercise · A full pull-up with a resistance band looped over the bar under the feet or knees, offloading part of bodyweight so you can train the complete range; thinner bands give less help.
- Beginner Full-Body Bodyweight Routine2 minProgram · A 3x/week full-body template covering one push, one pull (vertical + horizontal), one squat, one hinge, and core — each picked at the trainee's current progression level.
- Bodyweight Calf Raise1 minExercise · Rising onto the balls of the feet to train the calves; done off a step for full range and on one leg to overload without weights.
- Bodyweight Lunge Variations1 minProgression · Reverse, forward, walking, lateral, and curtsy lunges — a family of stepping single-leg movements that vary the joint emphasis and balance demand.
- Bodyweight Row Progression1 minProgression · Incline/Australian rows → ring rows → tuck front lever → front lever — the horizontal-pull ladder building the mid-back and lats and leading into the front lever.
- Bodyweight Squat1 minExercise · A free-standing squat using only bodyweight — the base lower-body pattern, training the quads and glutes and teaching the squat mechanics behind every harder variation.
- Bulgarian Split Squat1 minExercise · A split squat with the rear foot elevated on a bench, shifting most of the load onto the front leg — a powerful unilateral builder of the quads and glutes and a key step toward the pistol.
- Crow / Frog Stand1 minExercise · Balancing on the hands with the knees resting on the backs of the upper arms — the entry-level arm balance that teaches hand balancing, wrist strength, and forward lean.
- Dead Hang1 minExercise · A passive hang from a bar with straight arms — the first step toward a pull-up, building grip endurance and shoulder/lat tolerance for loaded hanging.
- Diamond Push-Up1 minExercise · A push-up with the hands close together under the chest (thumbs and index fingers forming a diamond) that shifts the emphasis onto the triceps and inner chest.
- Dip Progression2 minProgression · Bench dips → parallel-bar dips → ring dips — a vertical/downward press ladder that builds the lower chest and triceps, with each step adding load and shoulder-stability demand.
- Dragon Flag Progression2 minProgression · Tuck → one-leg → straddle → full dragon flag — gripping a fixed anchor behind the head and holding/lowering the whole rigid body off a bench, an extreme anti-extension feat.
- Elevated Pike Push-Up1 minExercise · A pike push-up with the feet on a raised surface so the hips stack higher over the shoulders, approaching the vertical loading of a handstand push-up.
- Equipment-Minimal Bodyweight Training2 minPrinciple · A pull-up bar, a sturdy elevated surface, and the floor are enough to train every major pattern; rings and resistance bands greatly expand the options.
- Freestanding Handstand1 minExercise · Holding an inverted vertical line on the hands with no wall — balance maintained by pressure through the fingers and small shoulder/body adjustments.
- Front Lever Progression2 minSkill · Tuck → advanced tuck → straddle → full front lever — a straight-arm hold where the body hangs horizontal and face-up beneath the bar, driven by the lats and a braced core.
- Full Front Lever1 minExercise · The complete front lever — body straight, legs together, held horizontal and face-up beneath the bar on straight arms — the culmination of the front-lever progression.
- Full Planche1 minExercise · The complete planche — legs straight and together, the whole body floating horizontal and parallel to the floor on straight arms — the culmination of the planche progression.
- Full Pull-Up1 minExercise · A strict pronated-grip pull-up from a dead hang to chin over the bar and back down, with no kipping — the bodyweight benchmark for vertical pulling strength.
- Glute Bridge1 minExercise · Lying on your back with knees bent, drive the hips up to full extension and squeeze the glutes — the base bodyweight hip-extension exercise.
- Glute Bridge & Hip Thrust Progression1 minProgression · Glute bridge → single-leg glute bridge → (elevated) hip thrust — a floor-up ladder for hip extension that targets the glutes and hamstrings with no equipment.
- Handstand Progression2 minSkill · Wall walk → kick-up to wall → freestanding kick-up → freestanding hold — building the shoulder strength, alignment, and balance to hold an inverted vertical line.
- Handstand Push-Up1 minExercise · A full overhead press performed inverted in a handstand — lowering the head to the floor and pressing back up — the strongest bodyweight shoulder press, done first against a wall and then freestanding.
- Handstand Push-Up Progression1 minProgression · Pike push-up → elevated pike push-up → wall handstand push-up → freestanding handstand push-up — the bodyweight vertical (overhead) press ladder.
- Hanging Knee Raise1 minExercise · Hanging from a bar and drawing the bent knees up toward the chest — the entry-level hanging ab exercise and the regression for the hanging leg raise.
- Hip Thrust (Bodyweight)1 minExercise · A bridge with the upper back elevated on a bench so the hips travel through a larger range, keeping the glutes under high tension at full lockout.
- Hollow Body Hold1 minExercise · A face-up hold with the lower back pressed flat to the floor and the arms and legs extended off the ground — the gymnastics core position underlying levers, handstands, and the L-sit.
- Human Flag Progression2 minSkill · Support holds → vertical flag → tuck → straddle → full human flag — gripping a vertical pole with both hands and holding the body sideways, horizontal to the ground.
- Incline Push-Up1 minExercise · A push-up with the hands on a raised surface; the higher the surface, the lighter the load — a graded bridge from wall to full push-up.
- Inverted Row (Australian Pull-Up)1 minExercise · A horizontal pull lying under a fixed waist-height bar (or sturdy table edge), pulling the chest to the bar — the most accessible bodyweight rowing movement.
- Jump Squat1 minExercise · An explosive bodyweight squat that ends in a jump, training lower-body power through the stretch-shortening cycle and a soft, controlled landing.
- Kick-Up to Handstand1 minExercise · Lunging and swinging one leg up to drive into a back-to-wall handstand — the entry skill for finding and holding the inverted vertical line.
- Knee Push-Up1 minExercise · A floor push-up pivoting from the knees instead of the toes, shortening the lever to reduce load while keeping the full horizontal chest angle.
- L-Sit1 minExercise · Supporting the whole body on straight, locked arms with the legs held straight out front in an "L" — a static support-and-compression hold.
- L-Sit Progression2 minSkill · Foot-supported L-sit → tuck L-sit → one-leg → full L-sit — supporting the body on the hands with straight legs held out in an "L," a compression and straight-arm-support skill.
- Muscle-Up Progression2 minProgression · Explosive pull-up → transition over the bar/rings → dip lockout — built from a high pull-up, strong dips, and drilling the transition with negatives and assistance.
- Negative Pull-Up1 minExercise · Jump or step to the top of the bar, then lower yourself as slowly as possible — eccentric-only training that builds pulling strength before you can do a full rep.
- No-Equipment Bodyweight Circuit2 minProgram · A floor-only, equipment-free circuit of squats, push-ups, lunges, bridges, and core done back-to-back with short rest — for conditioning, muscular endurance, and fat loss.
- Nordic Curl Progression2 minProgression · A kneeling eccentric hamstring curl — lower the torso forward as slowly as possible while the heels are anchored — scaled by how much you assist with the hands.
- One-Arm Pull-Up Progression1 minProgression · Assisted single-arm work — archer → one-arm negatives → assisted one-arm (towel/band/finger) → full one-arm pull-up — the elite top of the vertical-pull ladder.
- One-Arm Push-Up1 minExercise · A push-up performed on a single arm — the top of the horizontal-press progression — demanding maximal unilateral chest/triceps strength plus intense anti-rotation core control.
- Pike Push-Up1 minExercise · A push-up done in a high-hipped pike (downward-dog) position so the press becomes more vertical, shifting load onto the shoulders — the entry to the handstand-push-up line.
- Pistol Squat1 minExercise · A full single-leg squat — descending to depth on one leg with the other held straight out in front — combining single-leg strength, balance, and deep ankle mobility.
- Pistol Squat as a Skill (Balance & Mobility)2 minSkill · Beyond leg strength, the pistol is a skill gated by single-leg balance, deep ankle dorsiflexion, and active hip-flexor compression to keep the front leg up.
- Pistol Squat Progression2 minProgression · Bodyweight squat → split squat → Bulgarian split squat → pistol squat — the road to a full single-leg squat, scaling from two-leg to fully unilateral loading.
- Planche Lean1 minExercise · A straight-arm plank with the shoulders leaned far forward past the hands and held — the foundational strength builder for the planche.
- Planche Progression2 minSkill · Planche lean → tuck planche → straddle planche → full planche — a straight-arm holding skill where the body floats parallel to the ground, leveraged by how far the legs extend behind the hands.
- Plank1 minExercise · A straight-body isometric hold on the forearms and toes, bracing the whole core to keep the spine neutral — the foundational anti-extension core exercise.
- Plank Progression2 minProgression · Forearm plank → long-lever and limb-lifted planks → planche-lean-style and dynamic planks — an anti-extension core ladder that trains bracing rather than spinal flexion.
- Progressive Overload Without Weights2 minPrinciple · Six levers — leverage, range of motion, tempo, unilateral loading, added reps, and density — let bodyweight training keep getting harder even though the load (your mass) is fixed.
- Pseudo-Planche Push-Up1 minExercise · A push-up done with the shoulders shifted far forward over the hands (hands by the hips, fingers often turned out) that heavily loads the anterior delts and serratus and builds toward the planche.
- Pull-Up Progression2 minProgression · Dead hang → scapular pull → negative → band-assisted → full pull-up → chin-up variations → archer → one-arm — the road to a strict pull-up and beyond.
- Push-Pull-Legs Bodyweight Split2 minProgram · An intermediate split grouping push days, pull days, and leg days — run 3 or 6 days/week — that allows more volume per pattern and a skill slot up front.
- Push-Up Progression2 minProgression · A leverage ladder from wall push-ups to the one-arm push-up that lets the horizontal press keep overloading the chest, triceps, and front delts without weights.
- Rep-Based vs Skill-Based Training2 minPrinciple · Rep-based work chases muscular fatigue with moderate-to-high reps to failure; skill-based work chases motor mastery of a hard position with short, fresh, low-fatigue practice.
- Ring Dip1 minExercise · A dip on gymnastic rings; the free-hanging, rotating rings demand large shoulder/scapular stabilization on top of the pressing strength of a bar dip.
- Ring Row1 minExercise · An inverted row done on gymnastic rings; the free-rotating rings add stabilization demand and let the wrists rotate to a shoulder-friendly path.
- RIR and Effort for Bodyweight Training2 minPrinciple · Because you cannot dial in a percentage of 1RM, bodyweight intensity is autoregulated by Reps In Reserve (RIR) — how many more reps you could have done — kept at 1-3 for rep work and much higher for skill work.
- Scapular Pull-Up1 minExercise · A small shrug-down from a dead hang — depressing and retracting the shoulder blades without bending the elbows — that teaches how to initiate every pull-up.
- Side Plank1 minExercise · A sideways isometric hold on one forearm and the side of the feet, bracing the obliques and lateral hip to resist the body folding sideways.
- Single-Leg Glute Bridge1 minExercise · A glute bridge driven by one leg with the other extended, roughly doubling the load on the working glute and adding a pelvic-stability demand.
- Split Squat1 minExercise · A stationary lunge with a staggered stance — most weight on the front leg, back foot for balance — introducing single-leg loading without the balance demand of a full lunge step.
- Step-Up1 minExercise · Stepping up onto a raised surface one leg at a time; a unilateral knee/hip extension exercise whose difficulty scales with box height.
- Straddle Front Lever1 minExercise · A front lever held with legs straight and spread wide; the straddle shortens the lever, making it the step just before the full front lever.
- Straddle Planche1 minExercise · A planche held with the legs straight and spread wide; the wide straddle shortens the effective lever, making it the last step before the full planche.
- Structuring a Bodyweight Workout2 minPrinciple · Warm up, do skill practice while fresh, then heaviest-leverage strength work, then rep/hypertrophy and conditioning, finishing with core and cool-down.
- Tuck Front Lever1 minExercise · The first front-lever hold — hanging from a bar with straight arms, knees tucked to the chest and the back horizontal and face-up.
- Tuck Planche1 minExercise · The first true planche hold — knees tucked to the chest, hips lifted, both feet off the floor, supported on straight arms with the shoulders leaned forward.
- Wall Push-Up1 minExercise · The easiest horizontal press — standing and pushing off a wall — used as the entry point of the push-up progression and for rehab/deconditioned trainees.
- Wall Sit1 minExercise · An isometric "invisible chair" hold against a wall with thighs parallel to the floor, building quadriceps strength-endurance.
- Wall Walk1 minExercise · Starting in a plank with feet against a wall, walk the feet up and the hands back toward the wall into a belly-to-wall handstand — a low-fear way to build inverted shoulder strength.
- What Is Calisthenics2 minPrinciple · Strength training that uses the body's own weight as resistance, manipulating leverage, range of motion, and tempo instead of external load to drive adaptation.
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