Contents
- List of Best Calisthenics Exercises
- 1. Push-up and Variations
- 2. Pull-up and Variations
- 3. Parallel Bar Dips And Variations
- 4. Handstand Push-ups And Variations
- 5. Wall Walk
- 6. Front Lever Pull-up
- 7. Swing 360
- 8. L-sit
- 9. Dragon Flag And Variations
- 10. Planche Push-up And Variations
- 11. Hanging Windshield Wiper
- 12. Bodyweight Squat And Variations
- 13. Bulgarian Split Squats And Variations
- 14. Glute Bridge And Variations
- 15. Lunge And Variations
- 16. Single-Leg Deadlifts
- 17. Box jumps
Calisthenics exercises, also known as bodyweight exercises, are a fantastic way to improve strength, flexibility, and overall fitness without the need for expensive equipment or a gym membership.
These exercises engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously and often require core stability and control. Calisthenics can be tailored to suit different fitness levels, from beginners to advanced athletes, by adjusting the difficulty, intensity, and variations of the exercises. By mastering the foundational movements, progressing to advanced variations, and designing a well-rounded calisthenics workout routine, you can experience the transformative power of calisthenics.
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced athlete, this list will help you expand your exercise repertoire and create diverse workout routines. Here are some exercise examples categorized by beginner, intermediate, and advanced:
List of Best Calisthenics Exercises
These are just a few examples of calisthenics exercises that target various muscle groups in your body. Remember to warm up before exercising and to listen to your body, adjusting the intensity and difficulty level to suit your fitness level.
1. Push-up and Variations
The push-up is a calisthenics exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles and is just as effective as the bench press (1). They can be performed anywhere and require no equipment, making them a convenient and effective exercise for building upper body strength and endurance. (The Complete Guide to Push-ups)
These are just a few examples of push-up variations by difficulty. You can experiment with different hand positions, elevations, and other modifications to make the exercise easier or more challenging based on your fitness level and goals. Here are push-up variations categorized by difficulty, starting from easier to more advanced.
Push-up variations by Difficulty:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
WALL PUSH-UP | DIAMOND PUSH-UP | SINGLE ARM PUSH-UP |
KNEELING PUSH-UP | ARCHER PUSH-UP | CROSS ARM PUSH-UP |
INCLINE PUSH-UP | WEIGHTED PUSH-UP | FINGER PUSH-UP |
2. Pull-up and Variations
Pull-ups are a classic calisthenics exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the upper back, including the latissimus dorsi (lats), as well as the biceps, shoulders, and core. They are an excellent compound exercise for building upper body strength and developing a well-rounded physique. (The Complete Guide To Pull-up)
Pull-ups can be challenging for beginners, but with proper progressions and consistent practice, you can work your way up to performing full pull-ups. Here are some beginner-friendly variations and exercises to help you build the necessary strength and technique for pull-ups:
Pull-up variations according to difficulty:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
DEAD HANG | COMMANDO PULL-UP | MUSCLE-UP |
ASSISTED PULL-UP | ARCHER PULL-UP | WEIGHTED PULL-UP |
BRACHIALIS PULL-UP | L-SIT PULL-UP | ONE ARM PULL-UP |
3. Parallel Bar Dips And Variations
Dips are often recommended for four reasons. These are for Triceps training, pectoralis training, increase upper body thrust and heal upper extremity injury (2).
Parallel bar dips are a popular calisthenic exercise that targets the upper body muscles, particularly the triceps, shoulders, and chest. They are performed using parallel bars, which are sturdy bars positioned parallel to each other. Additionally, parallel bar dips engage stabilizer muscles such as the serratus anterior, rhomboids, and core muscles. These stabilizers help maintain proper body alignment and control.
As you become more comfortable with parallel bar dips, you can try different variations to increase the challenge and target specific muscles. Here are the dip types according to difficulty:
| Beginners: | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
CHAIR DIPS | STRAIGHT BAR DIP | IMPOSSIBLE DIPS |
BENCH DIPS | KOREAN DIPS | RING DIPS |
4. Handstand Push-ups And Variations
Handstand push-ups are an advanced calisthenics exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, triceps, and upper back muscles. They provide a challenging yet effective way to build upper body strength and shoulder stability.
It’s crucial to have a solid foundation of shoulder and upper body strength, as well as proper technique and body control, before attempting this advanced exercise. If you’re unable to perform full handstand push-ups initially, you can try the following progressions:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
DECLINE PUSH-UP | BENCH PIKE PUSH-UP | SUPPORTED PUSH-UPS |
PIKE PUSH-UP | Push-up BETWEEN BENCHES | KIPPING HANDSTAND |
5. Wall Walk
The wall walk is a challenging calisthenics exercise that targets the upper body, core, and shoulder stability. It involves walking your feet up a wall while maintaining a plank position, engaging your core and shoulder muscles.
Wall walks engage and strengthen the muscles of the upper body, including the shoulders, chest, arms, and back. The exercise requires significant strength in the shoulders and core to support the body in the plank position and to walk the feet up and down the wall.
6. Front Lever Pull-up
The front lever pull-up is an advanced calisthenics exercise that requires significant upper body and core strength. However, there are several variations and progressions that beginners can work on to build the necessary strength and technique. Here are some front lever pull-up variations for beginners:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
DOORWAY ROW | INVERTED ROW | UPSIDE DOWN |
TABLE INVERTED ROW | RING INVERTED ROW | BACK LEVER |
7. Swing 360
The swing 360 is an advanced calisthenics exercise that combines elements of gymnastics, strength, and coordination. It involves swinging around a bar in a full 360-degree rotation. Please note that this exercise requires a high level of upper body and core strength, as well as experience with hanging and swinging movements.
8. L-sit
The L-sit is a challenging calisthenic exercise that targets the core, hip flexors, and upper body strength. It involves holding a position where your body forms an “L” shape. Incorporating conditioning exercises that target the muscles involved in the L-sit can help improve your strength, stability, and overall performance.
9. Dragon Flag And Variations
The Dragon Flag is an advanced calisthenic exercise that targets the core muscles, particularly the rectus abdominis and the hip flexors. It was popularized by legendary martial artist Bruce Lee, who showcased his impressive core strength by performing this exercise.
The exercise challenges the muscles responsible for stabilizing the spine, including the deep core muscles and the muscles along the back. Dragon Flags demand a high degree of control and coordination. By learning to control the movement of your body while maintaining a straight line, you enhance your overall body awareness and proprioception.
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
HANDS IN AIR DEAD BUG | LEG RAISE | HOLLOW HOLD |
LYING KNEE RAISE | INCLINE LEG HIP RAISE | DUMBBELL FLOOR WIPERS |
BENCH LEG PULL-IN | SCISSOR KICK | HIGH LEG RAISE |
10. Planche Push-up And Variations
The planche push-up is a remarkable calisthenic exercise that showcases tremendous upper body strength and control. It targets the shoulders, chest, triceps, and core muscles.
Mastering the planche push-up is a challenging but rewarding journey that demands dedication, consistency, and patience. Focus on progressively building strength, improving your body positioning, and gradually advancing through the planche progressions. With time and effort, you’ll develop the exceptional upper body strength necessary to perform the impressive planche push-up.
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
PLANK ARM and LEG LIFT  | SINGLE ARM RAISE PUSH-UP | FROG STAND |
FRONT TO SIDE PLANK | FOREARM PUSH-UP | STRADDLE PLANCHE |
11. Hanging Windshield Wiper
The windshield wiper is an advanced calisthenic exercise that targets the core, particularly the obliques and lower abdominals. It involves controlled rotational movement of the legs while keeping the upper body stable. Ensure that you have a strong and stable core before attempting this exercise.
If you’re unable to perform the full windshield wiper initially, there are several progressions and modifications you can work on:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
CAPTAINS CHAIR LEG RAISE | TOES TO BAR | STRAPS LEG RAISE |
HANGING KNEE RAISES | SIDE KNEE RAISES | Weighted KNEE RAISES |
12. Bodyweight Squat And Variations
The bodyweight squat is a fundamental exercise that targets the muscles of the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Once you have mastered the bodyweight squat, you can incorporate additional challenges to further progress:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
SQUAT MOBILITY COMPLEX | CURTSY SQUAT | BODYWEIGHT BOX SQUAT |
BODYWEIGHT SUMO SQUAT | COSSACK SQUAT | JUMP SQUATS |
13. Bulgarian Split Squats And Variations
Bulgarian split squats, also known as rear-foot elevated split squats, are a highly effective unilateral lower body exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and stabilizer muscles. This exercise requires balance and stability while working each leg independently.
Bulgarian split squats can be modified to suit your fitness level and goals. Here are a few variations to consider:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
WALKING LUNGE | SPLIT SQUAT | SHRIMP SQUAT |
ATG SPLIT SQUAT | SPLIT SQUAT JUMP | HAWAIIAN SQUAT |
14. Glute Bridge And Variations
The glute bridge is a popular calisthenic exercise that primarily targets the gluteal muscles (glutes) and helps to improve hip stability, strengthen the posterior chain, and enhance overall lower body strength. Here are some glute bridge variations and progressions you can incorporate to challenge yourself and continue progressing:
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
PELVIC TILT | UNILATERAL BRIDGE | BRIDGE HIP ABDUCTION |
GLUTE BRIDGE ON BENCH | ONE LEG ON BENCH | SINGLE LEG BRIDGE |
HIP THRUST | FROG PUMP | HIP THRUST JUMP |
15. Lunge And Variations
Bodyweight lunges are a simple yet effective exercise that can significantly contribute to building strong and powerful legs. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, an athlete, or someone looking to improve their lower body strength, incorporating bodyweight lunges into your workout routine can yield numerous benefits. Bodyweight lunges are highly versatile and can be modified in several ways to suit different fitness levels and goals.
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| WALKING LUNGE | LUNGE KNEE LIFT | HIGH KNEE LUNGES |
SIDE LUNGE | REVERSE LUNGE | BANDED LUNGE |
16. Single-Leg Deadlifts
Single-leg deadlifts are a fantastic calisthenic exercise that primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles. It also improves balance, stability, and hip mobility.
Single-leg deadlifts are a challenging exercise that requires stability and control. Start with proper form and gradually progress as you build strength and improve balance. Incorporate them into your lower body or full-body workout routine to target the hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles.
17. Box jumps
Box jumps are an explosive calisthenic exercise that targets the lower body, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. The explosive nature of the movement engages these muscles in a dynamic way, helping to strengthen and tone them over time. This helps to develop and improve your lower body power, enabling you to generate force quickly.
| Beginners | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
TUCK JUMP | BOX JUMP 1 TO 2 | SINGLE LEG BOX JUMP |
Conclusion:
With this comprehensive list of calisthenics exercises, you have a plethora of options to create varied and challenging workouts that target different muscle groups and enhance your overall fitness. Remember to start with exercises that suit your fitness level and gradually move on to more advanced variations as you get stronger with the movements. Mix and match exercises from this list, experiment with different combinations, and have fun exploring the world of calisthenics.
