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.
Calisthenics are exercises that rely on your body weight (and gravity) to create resistance. Research into this kind of exercise shows that calisthenics can help improve your strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and body composition (1, 2).
Despite calisthenics relying largely on body weight to complete the movements and create resistance, sometimes, adding some tools and accessories to your routine can help enhance said routine and give you better results.
But which kinds of calisthenics equipment are the best to get you started on this journey? Read on to learn more about the best kinds of calisthenics equipment for beginners and how to incorporate them into your workout sessions for fantastic results.
The best type of calisthenic equipment for home or outdoor use is something versatile (i.e., can be used during multiple workouts) and of high quality that you can use for a long time. Because calisthenics involves a number of different exercises, we honestly cannot pick just one piece of equipment and dub it the best.
Please note that while you don’t necessarily need to buy the most expensive things out there, make sure you do not get something so cheap that will break on you after a couple of months.
Not only is this a waste of your hard-earned money, but if the equipment breaks while you are using it, it could cause injury.
Yes, you can. Calisthenics are simply bodyweight exercises, so you do not necessarily need the gym or any equipment to do them.
You should also note that a lot of calisthenics workouts mimic what you do at the gym using free weights and machinery for added resistance – only this time you simply use your bodyweight for resistance.
Check out our article on, how to start calisthenics at home to see how easy it is to do these exercises without ever needing to step foot in a gym.
Yes, you can. The mastery of calisthenics does not require a trainer to show you the ropes. With patience and dedication you can become a master, just like those experts you see online.
Here are some tips for calisthenics for beginners that can help make this journey more seamless for you:
Jumping into a new routine is always a little exciting and daunting. Instead of jumping head first, we advise you to exercise caution. Caution allows you to be more careful with your body which prevents injury.
Caution also helps you perfect your form and technique which enables you to build a solid foundation of strength and flexibility. This will come in handy later when you want to advance from the beginner to the intermediate level.
Sure, what you see online looks really cool and easy enough, but this surely does not mean that you should start with them. A fact you may be ignoring is that they look easy because those doing them took months or even years to perfect them.
Starting with the basics helps you build the muscle strength and endurance needed to accomplish those impressive tricks you see others doing. Calisthenics basics include squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, pull-ups and dips. Work on becoming really good at these before attempting any advanced moves.
Your routine will not work if you do not work at it. Come up with a workout routine that fits your lifestyle – this should ensure that you have no excuse to miss a workout. When working out, do not do it half heartedly. Always try to give your best as this will have the best results in the long run.
What you eat while training plays a huge role on how well you are able to complete whatever activity/sport/workout routine you are participating in. Several studies done on athletes have shown that nutrition plays a huge role not only in their athletic performance but also their risk of injury and post exercise recovery (3, 4, 5).
Whether you are using calisthenics to lose weight, maintain it or to grow muscle, the exercises will not give you the desired result if you do not eat right. Make sure that not only is your diet balanced but that you are also eating within your recommended calorie intake.
When it comes to weight loss, progress is made by inches, not miles, so it’s much harder to track and a lot easier to give up. The BetterMe: Health Coaching app is your personal trainer, nutritionist, and support system all in one. Start using our app to stay on track and hold yourself accountable!
As stated above, calisthenics relies on your body weight and gravity and thus equipment/accessories are generally not needed to complete a routine. However, having some tools will help you do some workouts more effectively. These accessories can also help you move from the beginner to the intermediate stage of your routine.
Here are some accessories that anyone starting their calisthenics journey can consider investing in
While the hype around resistance bands may have died down from what it was a few years ago, the benefits of these bands still reign supreme. Not only are these bands versatile enough to be used in a number of workouts, but they are also compact enough not to take up a ton of space in your home or bag.
In fact, resistance bands make the perfect calisthenic equipment for outdoor and indoor workouts. Some exercises that can be done using the help of these bands include banded push-ups, assisted pull ups, banded squats and lunges, band pull apart, donkey kicks, crab walk, and much more.
Research also shows that training with resistance bands promotes similar strength gains as training with conventional devices (i.e., weight machines and dumbbells), so do not look down on these simple accessories (6).
Check out our article on, bicep calisthenics with no equipment to learn how you can grow enviable bicep gains without gym weights.
Weighted vests are often associated with walking exercises but the tool can be used in all kinds of resistance training workouts. Using such a vest adds weight to you which adds to the workload and helps burn more calories.
One study published in The Journal of Frailty & Aging stated that this accessory can help with improving lean mass and lower extremity strength in older adults. The study also found that when older adults wore these vests during exercise, they were able to lose weight in a safe manner (7).
While the above study shows effects on older adults, similar benefits may occur for you if you choose to use a weighted vest during your workout.
Pull ups are one of the basic calisthenic exercises. When doing calisthenics outdoors, people use pullup bar alternatives like tree branches or monkey bars to do this exercise. However, if you largely workout in your house, garage or backyard, investing in a pull up bar can be a good idea.
Doorway pull up bars are the most common type used for at home calisthenic workouts. Make sure to buy a quality one that can handle your weight – you really do not want it falling off the wall mid pullup.
Aside from traditional pull ups and all other variations of this workout, the pull up can be used for other advanced exercises like chin ups, hanging raises and windshield wipers.
Read more: Calisthenics Back Workout: Sculpt a Stronger Back
No calisthenic routine is complete without tricep dips. For at home workouts, tricep dips can be easily done using two sturdy boxes, the couch or any other sturdy chair. So why invest in tricep bars? Because these bars allow you to do more than simple tricep dips.
You can also do other beginner exercises like leg raises, supported pistol squats, beginner rows and elevated push-ups using this tool. Those more advanced in calisthenics can also use this equipment to do handstands, shoulder and elbow stands, L-sits, front levers and more.
Yoga mats can be used optionally to provide some extra padding and a clean surface to perform certain exercises on. This extra padding can make floor exercises and things like lunges, where your knee may come in contact with the ground, much more comfortable. It also keeps you from having to lie directly on the floor and provides a surface that can be easily sanitized after each use.
With these 5 pieces of calisthenic equipment you can start your calisthenic journey with ease. Anything else can come later after you have familiarized yourself with the workouts and have a better understanding of what you need.
If you wish to free yourself from all the extra pounds that have been weighing you down for way too long, start using the BetterMe: Health Coaching app and overhaul your entire life!
Absolutely. Calisthenics are made to be done without equipment. The above mentioned equipment are simply addons. You do not need them, but they can be nice to have at hand.
According to Britannica, calisthenics exercises use motions as bending, stretching, twisting, swinging, kicking, and jumping, as well as such specialized movements as push-ups, sit-ups, and chin-ups to complete (1). A well organized calisthenic exercise session can train both your cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. This makes it a rather good and well rounded workout routine. It is impossible to say what form of training is the “healthiest” because that is dependent on your goals and other individual factors.
With calisthenics being a very broad mode of exercise, there’s no form of exercise that is inherently better or worse. The effectiveness of your program, regardless of which form of exercise you choose, depends on how your routine is structured and how it fits into your goals and abilities.
Yes, it is. Studies on the effect of calisthenics on persons of different ages shows that this form of exercise helps improve your body composition, muscle endurance and strength as well as dynamic balance (2, 8, 9).
There is far too much variability between individuals and within calisthenics training itself to answer this question specifically. The physique you attain while performing calisthenics will depend on your genetics and body type, diet, lifestyle factors, and structure of your training program.
For instance, a calisthenics program that involves a series of very challenging compound exercises for low reps and high muscle fiber recruitment is more likely to help an individual achieve increased muscle mass. However, this does not mean the same thing for everyone. Depending on your genetics, diet, and other lifestyle factors, two people performing the same program can look completely different. This is true of any form of exercise. With that said, by focusing on proper diet, lifestyle, and training structure, calisthenics can certainly be a very effective mode of exercise to help you achieve your goals.
When it comes to the best calisthenic equipment, your body is the best equipment that you have. However the above listed accessories will help increase resistance and make the workouts that much easier and more effective for you.
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