Intermediate Calisthenics Workout Plan: Make Your Own Plan with These Tips from Experts

You’ve been at it for a while now – practicing calisthenics, building strength and endurance, and seeing progress in your body. But now you’re reaching a point where your regular workout routine just isn’t cutting it anymore. You need something more challenging, something that will take you to the next level of fitness.

A well-structured intermediate calisthenics workout plan can help you achieve your fitness goals and continue to push yourself beyond your limits. Here are some tips from experts on how to create your own intermediate calisthenics workout plan.

What Is an Intermediate Calisthenics Workout Plan?

An intermediate calisthenics workout plan is designed for individuals who have moved beyond the beginner stage of their fitness journey and are ready to tackle more challenging workouts. This stage is characterized by increased complexity and intensity of exercises, tailored to enhance strength, endurance, and overall athletic performance.

Progression from Beginner to Intermediate Level

Transitioning from beginner to intermediate level involves building upon foundational skills. Beginners typically focus on mastering basic movements, improving form, and building initial strength and stamina. As they become more proficient, they can safely advance to intermediate workouts, which incorporate more challenging variations of these basic exercises.

Read more: Beginner Calisthenics Moves: A Complete Guide to Getting Started

Key Elements of an Intermediate Calisthenics Workout Plan

1. Increased Intensity: Intermediate plans often include exercises that require more strength and control, including advanced push-ups, dips, and pull-up variations.
2. Complex Movements: These plans may introduce compound movements that work multiple muscle groups, offering a more comprehensive workout. Examples include muscle-ups and pistol squats.
3. Focus on Skill Development: Intermediate workouts often emphasize skill-based training, such as handstands or planches, which require both strength and balance.
4. Structured Progression: To continue improving, intermediate plans incorporate a structured progression. This may involve gradually increasing the difficulty of exercises, adjusting the number of sets and reps, or introducing new movements.
5. Variety to Avoid Plateaus: Incorporating a range of exercises and frequently varying the routine helps prevent fitness plateaus. This ensures the body is continuously challenged, promoting consistent growth and adaptation.

Differences from Beginner Plans

While beginner plans focus on establishing a solid fitness base with simple, low-impact exercises, intermediate plans push boundaries with tougher workouts. The goal shifts toward maintaining and enhancing the strength and endurance that was gained in the beginner phase. 

Intermediate workouts demand greater energy expenditure and mental focus, encouraging practitioners to break through their previous limitations.

How to Do Intermediate Calisthenics

To do intermediate calisthenics, ensure you have a good foundation of strength and endurance from your beginner workouts. Familiarize yourself with the exercises in an intermediate plan and watch video tutorials to learn proper form.

Start with lower reps and sets, gradually increasing intensity as you progress. As you master basic movements, challenge yourself by incorporating more advanced variations into your routine.

Recovery is essential for physical growth and injury prevention; make sure to incorporate rest days into your schedule (1). In addition, a balanced diet and proper hydration are essential for maintaining energy and supporting muscle development (2) (3).

Assuming that you’re injury-free, you should attempt exercises that are within your capability and gradually increase the intensity to avoid setbacks.

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What Are Some Intermediate Calisthenics Exercises?

Some intermediate calisthenics exercises include:

Calisthenics push exercises (these mainly target the chest, triceps, and shoulders)

• Archer push-ups
• Dips
• Pike push-ups
• Diamond push-ups

Calisthenics pull exercises (these mainly target the back and biceps)

• Archer pull-ups
• Wide grip pull-ups
• Commando pull-ups
• Australian pull-ups

Calisthenics leg exercises (these mainly target the lower body, including quads, hamstrings, and glutes)

• Assisted pistol squats
• Split squats
• Bulgarian split squats
• Box jumps

Calisthenics core exercises (these engage the core muscles)

• Hanging leg raises
• Leg raises
• L-sit
• Windshield wipers

How to Execute Each Exercise

Archer Push-Ups:

1. Start in a standard push-up position with your hands placed wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Shift your body weight to one side, bending your elbow and keeping the opposite arm straight.
3. Lower your chest to the ground on the bent-arm side, keeping your straight arm extended.
4. Push back up to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Dips:

1. Position yourself between parallel bars, holding your weight up with straight arms.
2. Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your body.
3. Descend until your shoulders are slightly below your elbows.
4. Push back up to the starting position by extending your arms.

Pike Push-Ups:

1. Start in a downward dog position with your hands and feet on the ground and your hips elevated.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your head toward the ground.
3. Aim to touch your head lightly to the floor, elbows flaring out naturally.
4. Push through your hands to return to the starting position.

Diamond Push-Ups:

1. Start in a plank position with your hands placed close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
2. Lower your chest toward your hands, keeping your elbows close to your body.
3. Push back up to the starting position, maintaining core engagement throughout.

Archer Pull-Ups:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with a wide grip.
2. Pull your body up toward one hand while keeping the other arm straight out to the side.
3. Lower back to the starting position and repeat, alternating sides with each rep.

Wide Grip Pull-Ups:

1. Grab the pull-up bar with a grip wider than shoulder-width.
2. Engage your core and pull your body upward until your chin is above the bar.
3. Slowly lower back to the starting position with controlled movement.

Commando Pull-Ups:

1. Position your hands on the bar with your palms facing each other, one hand in front of the other.
2. Pull yourself up until the bar touches one shoulder.
3. Lower back down to the starting position and switch sides for the next rep.

Australian Pull-Ups:

1. Position yourself under a bar, arms fully extended, feet on the ground.
2. Pull your chest toward the bar, keeping your body in a straight line.
3. Lower back to the starting position.

Assisted Pistol Squats:

1. Stand on one leg, the opposite leg extended forward for balance.
2. Lower your body toward the ground while keeping your free leg extended.
3. Use a support such as a pole or chair for balance if needed.
4. Push back up to the starting position.

Split Squats:

1. Stand in a staggered stance with one foot forward.
2. Lower your hips, bending both knees to 90 degrees.
3. Keep your torso upright as you push back to the starting position.

Bulgarian Split Squats:

1. Stand a few feet in front of a bench with one foot resting on it.
2. Lower your body into a lunge, keeping your front knee aligned over your foot.
3. Push through the front heel to return to the starting position.

Box Jumps:

1. Stand a comfortable distance from a sturdy box or platform.
2. Bend your knees and swing your arms for momentum.
3. Explode upward, landing softly on the box with both feet.
4. Stand upright on the box before stepping down.

Hanging Leg Raises:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended.
2. Keep your legs straight and raise them up toward the ceiling.
3. Lower your legs back to the starting position with control.

Leg Raises:

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended.
2. Lift your legs off the ground until they’re vertical.
3. Lower them back down slowly before they touch the ground.

L-Sit:

1. Sit on the ground with your legs stretched in front and your hands placed beside your hips.
2. Lift your body using your hands while keeping your legs straight in an L position.
3. Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down.

Windshield Wipers:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar or lie on your back with your arms outstretched.
2. Lift your legs to a vertical position, then twist your torso to lower legs to one side.
3. Rotate to bring your legs to the opposite side while keeping them together.

What Is the Best Split for Calisthenics for a Beginner?

Beginners should start with a full-body workout routine at least 2 times a week, giving the body ample time to rest and recover between sessions. As you move to intermediate levels, incorporating a split routine can help target specific muscle groups more effectively.

A common split for intermediate calisthenics is a push-pull-legs-core split, where exercises that target the chest, triceps, and shoulders (push) are done on one day, the back and biceps (pull) on another day, and the legs and core on a separate day. This allows for more focused training and can help prevent overtraining.

Read more: Calisthenics Pull Workout: 8 Exercises and Everything Else You Need to Know

A sample intermediate calisthenics workout routine could include a combination of these exercises, as follows:

Monday: Push Day

Warm-Up: 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretches (arm circles, shoulder rolls, light jogging)

Workout:

• Archer push-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Dips: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Pike push-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Diamond push-ups: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Cool-Down: 5 minutes of static stretching focusing on the chest and shoulders

Tuesday: Pull Day

Warm-Up: Jump rope or light cardio for 5 minutes

Workout:

• Archer pull-ups: 3 sets of 5-8 reps
• Wide grip pull-ups: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Commando pull-ups: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Australian pull-ups: 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Cool-Down: 5 minutes of static stretching focusing on the back and arms

Wednesday: Rest or Active Recovery

Light activities such as walking, yoga, or stretching

Thursday: Leg Day

Warm-Up: 5-10 minutes of leg swings, high knees, and body weight squats

Workout:

• Assisted pistol squats: 3 sets of 6-8 reps per leg
• Split squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
• Bulgarian split squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg
• Box jumps: 3 sets of 10 reps

Cool-Down: 5 minutes of static stretching focusing on the quads, hamstrings, and calves

Friday: Core Day

Warm-Up: Plank hold and light core activation exercises for 5 minutes

Workout:

• Hanging leg raises: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Leg raises: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• L-sit: 3 sets of 15-30 seconds hold
• Windshield wipers: 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side

Cool-Down: 5 minutes of static stretching focusing on the core and lower back

Saturday and Sunday: Rest or Active Recovery

Engage in light activities such as cycling, swimming, or walking

This plan focuses on balanced muscle engagement with adequate recovery time. Adjust the sets and reps according to your ability, and always prioritize proper form to avoid injury.

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Can You Get Ripped with Just Calisthenics?

Yes, you can definitely get ripped and build a strong, muscular physique through calisthenics training. Calisthenics exercises use your own body weight as resistance to target multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which can lead to significant gains in strength and muscle mass (4).

To achieve a ripped physique with calisthenics, it’s essential to have a well-rounded workout routine that includes both compound movements (exercises that engage multiple muscles at once) and isolating exercises (exercises that target specific muscles).

In addition, proper nutrition plays a crucial role in building muscle and achieving a lean, shredded look. Consuming enough protein to support muscle growth and following a balanced diet are the keys to seeing results from your calisthenics workouts (5).

Another factor to consider for muscle growth is the ability to progressively overload your workout. This means that you may need to manipulate your workouts using equipment such as resistance bands, weight vests, or gymnastics rings to continue challenging your muscles and prevent plateauing. Consistency is also key – regular training and progressive overload (gradually increasing the difficulty of exercises over time) will help you see results.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the hardest skill for a beginner in calisthenics?

Calisthenics beginners may struggle with certain skills that require a lot of upper-body strength and coordination, such as the muscle-up or one-arm pull-up. However, different people may find different skills more challenging, depending on their individual strengths and weaknesses.

• Is calisthenics better than the gym?

Calisthenics and gym workouts each have their advantages. Calisthenics focuses on body weight exercises, which improve functional strength, flexibility, and coordination (4). Gym workouts can offer more targeted muscle growth with weights and machines (6). The choice depends on personal fitness goals and preferences.

• Is 30 minutes of calisthenics enough?

Yes, 30 minutes of calisthenics can be effective if performed consistently and with intensity. It can provide a full-body workout, improve cardiovascular health, and help build strength and endurance (7) when structured properly.

• Why are calisthenics guys so lean?

Calisthenics athletes tend to be lean because the exercises require lifting your own body weight, which encourages a lower body fat percentage and overall lower body mass. The discipline also often involves high-repetition routines and cardio, which contribute to a lean physique.

• Can calisthenics increase testosterone?

Calisthenics can potentially increase testosterone levels, as physical activity in general promotes hormonal balance (8). Intense and compound movements, which are commonly found in calisthenics, can stimulate testosterone production, particularly when combined with a healthy lifestyle.

The Bottom Line

An intermediate calisthenics workout plan is an important step on your fitness journey. It challenges you to push beyond your limits, builds strength and endurance, and ultimately helps you achieve your desired level of fitness. 

With these tips from experts, you can create a well-structured intermediate calisthenics workout plan that will continue to challenge and transform your body. Remember to always listen to your body, prioritize proper form, and stay consistent in your training.