Ultimate Calisthenics Workout Plan with PDF (2024)

If you are looking for a calisthenics workout plan that is both challenging and fun, then you’ve come to the right place.

I’ve designed a couple of weekly calisthenics workout routines in this article that will develop your muscular strength, build lean mass, improve balance and flexibility, and help you achieve a better shape.

If you’re a beginner, you can download the first calisthenics workout plan PDF. And if you’re an intermediate, you can download the second one.

But before you download any program, let’s find see why you should do calisthenics and the results you can expect from it.

Contents show

Why Should You Do Calisthenics Workout?

Ultimate Calisthenics Workout Plan with PDF (1)

Calisthenics exercises are fun, challenging, efficient, and adaptable.

You can do them anywhere you like, such as at home, in the gym, or on the ground.

They are mostly bodyweight exercises and require little to no equipment.

They keep your muscles strong as well as flexible, which allows you to perform different tasks more efficiently.

Calisthenics training teaches you how to use your body weight to increase strength, mobility, and balance, which not only helps in your everyday activities, such as pushing and lifting things but also helps you sit long hours and prevents injuries (as they make you flexible).

Who Can Do This Calisthenics Workout Plan?

You can follow this program if you want to

  • Improve your flexibility, muscle coordination, strength, balance, and body composition.
  • Perform bodyweight exercises with little or no equipment.
  • Burn a good number of calories and increase fat loss.

You shouldn’t do

  • If you have any health issues, such as injuries.
  • If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • If you want to beef up muscle mass like a bodybuilder or gain ultimate strength like a powerlifter.

Beginner Calisthenics Workout Plan (Weekly Routine)

Ultimate Calisthenics Workout Plan with PDF (2)

This routine will help you build strong, toned muscles and improve your overall strength and fitness level. You’ll be able to perform more difficult calisthenic exercises as well as pull-ups, push-ups, and dips with ease.

Brief info about the workout:

  • Training Frequency a week– 4 days
  • Daily workout duration– 30 to 45 minutes
  • Interval time between sets– 45 seconds to 2 minutes
  • Way to perform exercises: Complete all sets of one exercise before moving on to another.
  • Expected program duration: 12-16 weeks
  • Warm-up: It’s best to perform warm-up exercises for 5 minutes before starting bodyweight strength training.

Schedule

  • 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

Monday – Push Workout and Legs

ExerciseMuscles WorkedReps
Hindu PushupsUpper Body10 x 2
Bench Dips Chest and Triceps 10 x 2
Triangle PushupTriceps and Chest 10 x 2
Lateral LungesShoulder and Triceps5/side x 2
Shoulder TapsUpper Body10 x 2
InchwormFull Body10-sec x 2
Drop SquatLegs10 x 2
Standing Calf RaiseCalves10 x 2

Tuesday – Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes

Inverted RowBack and Biceps8 x 2
Superman PullBackAMRAP
Floor IYT RaisesBack and Rear Delt8 x 2
Chin-upsBiceps and Back 8 x 2
Single-leg Ham BridgeHamstring10/side x 2
Glute KickbackGlute10/side x 2
PlankCore45-sec x 2
Side PlankCore20-sec/side x 2
Reverse CrunchesCore10 x 2

Thursday –Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Quadriceps, and Calves

ExerciseMuscles WorkedReps
Incline PushupChest10 x 2
Standard Push-UpsTriceps and Chest10 x 2
Kneeling Pike PushupsShoulder and Triceps6 x 2
Plank to Tricep ExtensionTricep10 x 2
Bench DipsTriceps10 x 2
Step-upQuads & Glutes15 x 2
Reverse LungeQuads and Hams10 x 2
Calf RaisesCalves10 x 2

Friday –Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes

ExerciseMuscles WorkedReps
ChinupsBack and BicepsAMRAP
Bear CrawlUpper Body
Assisted PullupsBack and BicepsAMRAP
Floor IYT RaisesBack and Rear Delt10 x 3
Superman PullBack10 x 2
Single-Leg BridgeHamstring10/side x 2
Glute KickbackGlute10/side x 2
10-min Abs WorkoutCore

Beginner Calisthenics Workout Plan PDF

Beginner-Calisthenics-Workout-Routine-PDFDownload

Calisthenics Workout Program For Intermediate

Ultimate Calisthenics Workout Plan with PDF (3)

Details about the workout:

  • Training Frequency a week– 5 days
  • Daily workout duration– 30 to 45 minutes
  • Interval time between sets– 45 seconds to 2 minutes
  • Way to perform exercises: Perform exercises in a circuit or individually.
  • Expected program duration: 12-16 weeks
  • Warm-up: It’s best to perform warm-up exercises for 5 minutes before starting bodyweight strength training.

Schedule:

  • Monday –Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Quadriceps, and Calves
  • Tuesday –Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes
  • Wednesday –Full Body
  • Thursday –Rest
  • Friday –Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Quadriceps, and Calves
  • Saturday –Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes
  • Sunday –Rest

Monday – Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Quadriceps, and Calves

ExerciseMuscles WorkedReps
Hindu PushupsUpper Body10 x 2
Standard PushupChest10 x 2
Bar DipsTriceps and Chest10 x 3
Pike Push-UpsShoulder and Triceps10 x 3
Bench DipsTriceps10 x 2
Cursty LungesQuads10 x 2
Standard SquatQuads15 x 2
Step-upQuads and Hams10 x 2
Standing Calf RaisesCalves15 x 2

Tuesday –Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes

ExerciseMuscles WorkedReps
PullupsBack and Biceps10 x 3
Inverted RowBack and Biceps10 x 3
ChinupsBiceps and Back10 x 3
45-Degree Hip ExtensionHamstring10 x 3
Single-Leg RDLHamstring and Glute10 x 2
Glutes BridgeGlute10 x 2
15-minute Core WorkoutCore

Wednesday –Full Body

5-minutes Warm-up

ExerciseActivity
Jumping Jacks15-sec
High knees30-sec
Mountain Climber20-sec
Burpees10 reps
Shoulder Tap10 taps/side
Jump Squat10 reps

30-minute Strength Workout

ExerciseReps
Lateral Squat10 x 2
Wide Arm Pushup10 x 2
Bar Dips15 x 2
Bulgarian Split Squat10/side
Pike Pushup10 x 2
Back and Forth Lunges10/side
Pullup15 x 2
Pistol Squat10/side
Floor IYT Raises8 x 2
Chinups15 x 2
Hanging Leg Raise10 x 2
Plank1-2 min

10-min Cool Down Stretching

ExerciseActivity
Bird Dog Pose10-sec/side x 2
Downward Facing Dog30-sec x 2
Upward Facing Dog30-sec x 2
Seated Bend Forward30-sec x 2
Standing Bend Forward30-sec x 2

Friday – Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Quadriceps, and Calves

ExerciseMuscles WorkedReps
Archer PushupChest and Triceps20 x 2
Narrow Grip PushupChest and Triceps 20 x 2
Wall Handstand Push-ups Shoulder and Triceps10 x 2
Bench DipsTriceps10 x 2
Dive Bomber Push-upsShoulder and Chest10 x 2
Sumo SquatQuads20 x 2
Jumping Split SquatQuads15 x 2
Lateral LungesQuads and Hams10 x 2
Standing Calf RaisesCalves10 x 2

Saturday –Back, Biceps, Core, Hamstrings, and Glutes

ExerciseMuscles WorkedReps
Superman PullBack
PullupsBack and Biceps10 x 3
Inverted RowBack and Biceps10 x 3
Elevated Inverted RowsBack and Rear Delt10 x 3
ChinupsBiceps and Back10 x 3
Archer SquatsLegs10 x 3
Lunges to Single Leg RDLLegs10 x 2
Sissy SquatsLegs10 x 2
20-min Core WorkoutCore

Calisthenics Workout Plan Intermediate PDF

Calisthenics-Workout-Plan-Intermediate-PDFDownload

Final Words

Calisthenics is an excellent bodyweight training program that helps improve posture, strength, and body composition without the use of any major training equipment.1 The effects of a calisthenics training intervention on posture, strength and body composition – Isokinetics and Exercise Science

It is a great way to achieve overall fitness, but you need a well-designed and effective workout program.

A good calisthenics workout program helps you work out efficiently and yield maximum results.

That’s why I’ve shared two workout routines in this article, one for beginners and one for intermediate.

So if you’re starting out, follow the first one and if you’ve been working out for a while, follow the latter.

You can also make changes depending on your goal and fitness level. For example, increase or decrease the number of sets, repetitions, interval time between sets, and the number of exercises.

Download the updated PDF

BeginnerIntermediate

References

Ultimate Calisthenics Workout Plan with PDF (2024)

FAQs

Is 20 minutes of calisthenics enough? ›

You'll be pleased to hear that short sessions of calisthenics work are definitely worth it. You can make measurable progress with your strength, fitness, or skills goals without spending longer than 30 minutes per session. In fact, if all you've got is 5 minutes during the day, you can get results.

Is BetterMe calisthenics free? ›

Download the BetterMe: Health Coaching App for free online.

Is 3 days a week enough for calisthenics? ›

Three to four workouts per week is enough. For example, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. You can also combine them, performing the At-Home workout one day, the Intermediate on another, and the Advanced (if you dare!) on a third day.

What's the hardest calisthenics skill? ›

10 Most Impossible Calisthenics Exercises
  • Superman Push-up.
  • One-handed Superman Push-up.
  • 90-degree Push-up.
  • 2-finger Push-up.
  • The Human Flag.
  • Nakayama Planche.
  • Manna.
  • One finger pull up.

What is the 80 20 rule in calisthenics? ›

Workout Intensity: 80% of your progress can come from 20% of your most intense and effective exercises. High-intensity workouts, featuring compound movements like squats and deadlifts, often yield substantial results compared to less intense exercises.

Is 30 too late for calisthenics? ›

Natural Movements Know No Age: Calisthenics is all about embracing the natural, primal movements of your body. Push-ups, squats, pull-ups – these are movements that humans have been doing for millions of years. And guess what? Your body doesn't forget how to do them just because you've hit 30.

Is the BetterMe app worth it? ›

From our experience, BetterMe is a beginner-friendly workout app catering to newbies or folks with limited to no home gym equipment. Reviews, however, are very mixed, so we recommend considering your goals and needs before purchasing this app to determine if it's a good fit for you.

Is there a free version of BetterMe? ›

Available for free from the App Store or Google Play (with premium features available for purchase), this app encourages healthy mental and physical lifestyle changes in accessible ways.

How much does BetterMe cost? ›

In-App Purchases
TitleDurationPrice
Fat Loss Program. 3 days trialMonthly$9.99
BetterMe Annual SubscriptionAnnual$19.99
BetterMe Monthly SubscriptionMonthly$6.99
BetterMe 1 Month SubscriptionMonthly$9.99
6 more rows

Can I get ripped with calisthenics? ›

For Hypertrophy

That's not to say that you can't or won't build muscle with calisthenics, you absolutely can and will, but working out with weights will make it easier for you to isolate and target specific muscle groups.

What is the best split for calisthenics? ›

Push/Pull (Legs)

The most popular and in my regard the most efficient split for training calisthenics. You take your full body workout and divide it in 2 separate sessions. One workout made up of all your pushing exercises and the other for the pulling work.

What is better than calisthenics? ›

Since it's easier to progress and lift heavier and heavier with weightlifting, you're going to be able to build more muscle over time in your target muscles than you otherwise would be able to if you were training with calisthenics.

Which is harder CrossFit or calisthenics? ›

Calisthenics, with its emphasis on compound exercises, teaches your body to work as a unified whole. In CrossFit, it's more challenging to pursue personal goals. Typically, the WODs (Workouts of the Day) are planned by the trainer, putting your training and progress entirely in their hands.

Who is the strongest calisthenics guy? ›

Vadym Oleynik calls himself the strongest calisthenics athlete in the world, and he's a sought-after coach and judge as well as holding several world championship titles. His feats of strength include incredible weighted muscle-ups that blend calisthenics with sheer strength sports.

How many minutes of calisthenics should I do? ›

How long should a calisthenics workout last? Including a proper warm-up and stretch, a calisthenics workout can last between 30 minutes and one hour. It's the same as other types of training: the benefits could be lost if longer than an hour, and you might not stress your body into adaptation if too short.

Is a 20 minute workout enough to build muscle? ›

When to expect results. You don't need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. You can see significant improvement in your strength with just two or three 20- or 30-minute strength training sessions a week.

Is 20 minutes of exercise sufficient? ›

Though the intensity of physical activity is more important than the time duration, research and studies show that 20 minutes of exercise is better than nothing.

How much calisthenics is enough? ›

3 training rules of gaining muscle with calisthenics

If you want to build muscle with calisthenics, you need to train regularly enough to stimulate muscle growth. This means finding a balance between infrequent or sporadic training, and overtraining. A good rule of thumb is 3-5 times per week.

References

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