Troy Hurst holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Carroll University. He is a physical therapist specializing in both athletic and vestibular rehabilitation with an emphasis on performance running.
You’ve probably seen skilled athletes pulling off incredible feats of strength and agility, like effortlessly holding a handstand or executing a flawless muscle up. These moves may be the very reason you chose to get into calisthenics in the first place.
Ok, but don’t make the mistake of jumping into advanced maneuvers without first having a solid foundation. Mastering the foundational exercises is crucial to progressing in calisthenics safely and effectively.
For many reasons, beginners should start with basic movements to build strength, improve flexibility, and prevent injury. These foundational exercises lay the groundwork for more complex skills and ensure a well-rounded development in body control and fitness.
Here are the top 10 calisthenics exercises designed for beginners. These are meant to introduce you to the world of bodyweight training and set the stage for more advanced techniques in the future.
The big 3 calisthenics exercises for beginners refer to the three fundamental exercises that are essential for any beginner in calisthenics: push-ups, pull-ups, and squats. These exercises together work your entire body and help you build strength and muscle mass.
A push-up is a classic calisthenics exercise that works your chest, arms, shoulders, core, and back muscles. It is a compound exercise, meaning it involves multiple joints and works multiple muscle groups at once. It’s also a functional movement that mimics everyday pushing actions, making it a practical exercise for daily life (4).
Push-ups not only serve as a significant strength-building exercise but also as a metric for physical fitness. If you’ve ever done a fitness test, chances are you had to do push-ups.
They challenge the body by utilizing one’s own weight as resistance. By engaging a wide range of muscles—from the pectorals and deltoids to the triceps and core—push-ups facilitate a comprehensive upper-body workout.
Modifications can be made to increase or decrease difficulty, making them suitable for various fitness levels. This accessibility ensures that beginners can start with basic forms and progressively adapt to more challenging variations as their strength and confidence grow.
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Pull-ups are another fundamental exercise in calisthenics that targets the back muscles, specifically the lats (latissimus dorsi). They also engage your biceps and forearms to a significant extent.
Pull-ups are considered one of the best calisthenics exercises for building upper body strength and sculpting a V-shaped torso. If you’ve heard of muscle ups, you need to be able to do pull-ups well before attempting this advanced move (3).
Unlike most calisthenics exercises, you’ll need equipment for pull-ups, such as a pull-up bar or sturdy tree branch. While this may seem like an inconvenience, it provides a unique challenge and variety to your workout routine.
Squats are a lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles. They are a functional movement that mimics sitting down and standing up, making them essential for daily activities.
Squats not only help build lower body strength but also improve flexibility and balance. Proper squat form involves engaging the core and keeping your knees from caving inwards, which helps develop overall stability and reduces the risk of injury (2).
When done correctly, squats are an excellent exercise for building strength and muscle mass in the legs. They can also be modified to increase or decrease difficulty, making them suitable for all fitness levels.
These are just three of the many calisthenics exercises that beginners can start with to build strength and muscle mass. As you progress, you can explore more advanced variations and incorporate other bodyweight exercises into your routine for a well-rounded workout.
Read more: The Simplest Lower Back Calisthenics Guide for Beginners
Aside from the big 3 (push-ups, pull-ups, and squats), other fundamental calisthenics exercises for beginners include planks, lunges, dips, jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers and more.
These exercises target different muscle groups, providing a calisthenics body workout without the need for equipment or weights.
The plank is an isometric core exercise that targets the abdominal and back muscles. It involves holding a position similar to a push-up for an extended period, challenging your body’s stability and strengthening your core.
Planking variations include side planks, reverse planks, and plank jacks, each targeting different muscle groups for a well-rounded workout. Beginners can decrease difficulty by starting on their knees instead of toes and gradually working up to a full plank position.
To perform a basic plank:
Learn all about the core and explore more strengthening exercises in our blog – 8 Core Calisthenics Moves for Getting Visible Abs.
Lunges are a lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. They also engage the core for stability and balance. Lunges can be done in different directions (forward, backward, or to the side) to target muscles from various angles.
To perform a basic lunge:
Dips are a compound exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. They can be done using parallel bars or sturdy chairs/benches at home. Dips are an advanced calisthenics exercise and may require some additional strength training before attempting.
To perform a basic dip:
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Jumping jacks are a full-body calisthenics exercise that gets your heart rate up and activates multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These target the legs, core, arms, and shoulders while also providing a cardio workout.
Many of us are familiar with jumping jacks from childhood, making them an easy exercise to incorporate into a workout routine. To perform a basic jumping jack:
Burpees are a challenging full-body exercise that targets the chest, arms, core, and legs. They also provide a cardiovascular workout. When done correctly, burpees can be an effective calorie burner and muscle builder. Beginners may need to modify the movement to decrease difficulty. Advanced variations include adding push-ups or a jump at the end of the movement.
To perform a basic burpee:
Mountain climbers are a dynamic full-body exercise that targets the core, arms, and legs. They also provide a cardio workout and can be done at high intensity to increase heart rate and calorie burn. Those with knee issues may need to modify the movement by stepping slower.
To perform mountain climbers:
Doorway face pulls are an upper body exercise that targets the rear deltoids, rotator cuff muscles, and upper back. It also engages the core for stability. This exercise can be done at home using a resistance band and a sturdy door frame. For safety, make sure the door is securely closed and locked.
To perform doorway face pulls:
Advanced variations can include standing further away from the door or using a heavier resistance band. This exercise is mainly a corrective exercise that helps improve posture and balance out the muscles in the upper body.
Our previous post – Calisthenics for Beginners at Home provides tips on how to workout from the comfort of your home to build strength while preventing injuries.
The best calisthenic workout is one that suits your fitness level, goals, and preferences. It should also include a variety of exercises to engage different muscle groups and provide a well-rounded workout. Some factors to consider when designing a calisthenics workout plan include:
Ultimately, the best calisthenic workout is one that you can stick with consistently and progress in over time. Don’t be afraid to adjust your routine as needed and continue challenging yourself to see results.
Read more: Calisthenics Shoulder Exercises: Techniques and Workouts
A push up is an example of calisthenics. Other common examples include squats, lunges, pull-ups, and planks.
Calisthenics and gym workouts both have their own benefits. Calisthenics is more convenient, can be done anywhere, and often requires little to no equipment (1). On the other hand, a gym may offer a wider variety of equipment and weights for a more targeted muscle-building approach. It ultimately depends on personal preference and goals.
You shouldn’t do the same calisthenics routine daily, as your muscles need time to rest and recover for proper growth and progress (5). However, you can incorporate calisthenics exercises into your daily routine by focusing on different muscle groups each day or including active recovery days with low-intensity calisthenics movements.
Find more about the benefits of this exercise in our previous blog – Calisthenics Body Type: 6 Real-Life Benefits You Need to Know.
The 3 3 3 workout is a form of calisthenics where you perform three sets of three different exercises, with each set increasing in intensity.
For example, you could do three sets of push-ups, squats, and lunges, starting with 10 reps for the first set, 15 reps for the second set, and 20 reps for the third set. This workout can be modified and customized to fit your fitness level and goals.
Beginners should master the foundational calisthenics exercises before progressing to more advanced movements. This ensures proper form and reduces the risk of injury. As you progress, add variations and modifications to keep challenging your muscles and continue seeing results.
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