ExercisesProgramsPricing RU

Calisthenics Workout Plan

Calisthenics routine for 3 days a week: pull-up bar and dip bars, bar only or no equipment, beginner or experienced. Pick where you train and your level. You get a week plan with exercises, sets, reps and rest times. Below are exercises for these muscles with video and technique.

In short

A calisthenics workout splits the week into three full body workouts on a pull-up bar and dip bars: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Each has 5 exercises: a vertical pull, a push, legs, triceps and core. Workout A is strength, workout B is volume, and next week the order is B, A, B. One workout takes from 35 to 50 minutes with the warm-up.

Workout settings

Where do you train

With no equipment there is no pulling: the back works with the Superman (beginner) and the Prone Press-Up on Forearms (experienced). Pull-ups appear with a pull-up bar.

Level

Time is an estimate: warm-up, sets and rest between them

Your workout

Pull-up bar and dip bars · Beginner

AtletIQ · Calisthenics Workout Plan · Pull-up bar and dip bars · Beginner · atletiq.com/en/exercises/calisthenics/

Schedule

3 daysa week

35 minutes per workout with the warm-up.

  • Sets per week 45
  • Rest Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
  • Next week B, A, B

Go down the list from top to bottom. In “3 × 10–12” the first number is sets and the second is reps per set. Rest between sets for the time shown.

Warm-up of about 5 minutes

Mon Workout A — strength · Full bodyabout 35 min · 5 exercises

  1. 1 Chin-UpVertical pull · Latsa resistance band helps 3 × 3–8rest 90 sec
  2. 2 PushupsPush · Chestknees down is fine 3 × 8–15rest 90 sec
  3. 3 Bodyweight SquatLegs · Quads 3 × 15–20rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Bench DipsTricepsoff a chair or bench 3 × 8–12rest 90 sec
  5. 5 PlankCore · Abs 3 × 20–30 secrest 60 sec

Wed Workout B — volume · Full bodyabout 35 min · 5 exercises

  1. 1 Chin-UpVertical pull · Latsa resistance band helps 3 × 3–8rest 90 sec
  2. 2 Push-Up WidePush · Chestknees down is fine 3 × 8–12rest 90 sec
  3. 3 Reverse LungeLegs · Quadseach side 3 × 10–12rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Dips — Triceps VersionTricepsa resistance band helps 3 × 3–8rest 90 sec
  5. 5 Tuck CrunchCore · Abs 3 × 12–15rest 60 sec

Fri Workout A — strength · Full bodyabout 35 min · 5 exercises

  1. 1 Chin-UpVertical pull · Latsa resistance band helps 3 × 3–8rest 90 sec
  2. 2 PushupsPush · Chestknees down is fine 3 × 8–15rest 90 sec
  3. 3 Bodyweight SquatLegs · Quads 3 × 15–20rest 60 sec
  4. 4 Bench DipsTricepsoff a chair or bench 3 × 8–12rest 90 sec
  5. 5 PlankCore · Abs 3 × 20–30 secrest 60 sec
Log weights and sets in the AtletIQ appThe diary saves every workout and shows your progress

Calisthenics exercises by muscle

Back and lats26 exercises

Pull-ups, rows and bodyweight back work

Chest60 exercises

Push-ups and presses, from knees down to plyometrics

Triceps53 exercises

Dips, close-grip push-ups and bench dips

Quads86 exercises

Squats, lunges and the pistol squat

Abs64 exercises

Plank, crunches and hanging leg raises

Shoulders72 exercises

Presses and push-ups that load the shoulders

No equipment: more workouts

Popular calisthenics exercises

24 exercises

How to train

How the week is built

Monday, Wednesday and Friday are full body workouts, and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday are free. Workout A is strength: a beginner does the pull, push and triceps for 3 sets with 90 seconds of rest, and an experienced lifter for 4 sets with 120 seconds of rest. Workout B is volume: an experienced lifter does all five exercises for 3 sets with 75 seconds of rest, and a beginner keeps the set scheme of workout A. Some exercises in B are different and some repeat those of A. Next week the order switches to B, A, B, so both workouts get an equal number of sessions.

Every workout has five slots in the same order: a vertical pull, a push, legs, triceps and core. With a pull-up bar the pull is a pull-up, and on dip bars the triceps work in dips. With only a bar the triceps take bench dips and close-grip push-ups. With no equipment the pull slot becomes “Back”: the Superman for a beginner and the Prone Press-Up on Forearms for an experienced lifter.

Progression: from push-ups to dips

Every slot has a ladder of steps. Pull: chin-ups, then pull-ups. Back with no bar: the Superman, then the Prone Press-Up on Forearms. Push: push-ups and wide push-ups, then push-ups with feet elevated, then plyometric push-ups.

Legs: bodyweight squats, reverse lunges, Bulgarian split squats, the pistol squat. Triceps: floor reverse push-ups, bench dips, close-grip push-ups, dips. Core: the plank, tuck crunches, hanging leg raises, the hanging pike.

When you reach the top of the rep range in every set for two workouts in a row, move to the next step of the ladder. If you cannot do a pull-up yet, use a resistance band or lower yourself slowly over three to five seconds.

Sets, reps and rest

A beginner does 3 sets of every exercise. Rest is 90 seconds after the pull, push and triceps and 60 seconds after legs and core. Holds in the plank and the Superman last 20–30 seconds.

With experience, in workout A the pull, push and triceps get 4 sets with 120 seconds of rest, and legs and core get 3 sets with 75 seconds of rest. In workout B every exercise is 3 sets with 75 seconds of rest. An exercise done on each side takes twice as long: a set of about 40 seconds per leg.

The estimated time includes a warm-up of about 5 minutes and rest between sets. A beginner trains about 35 minutes, with experience from 35 to 50 minutes: workout A is longer than workout B.

What you need

The best option is a pull-up bar and dip bars at a playground or at home. With only a bar, replace dips with close-grip push-ups, bench dips and reverse push-ups. A chair works for bench dips. With no equipment the back, push, legs, triceps and core slots stay with bodyweight moves. A resistance band helps with pull-ups but is optional.

AtletIQ app

Log reps and sets in the AtletIQ app

AtletIQ saves the reps of every set and shows your progress on each exercise, so you see when it is time for the next step.

  • Working weight for your goal and fitness level
  • Sets, reps and rest in your workout log
  • Progress for every exercise
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play
GeneratorUpper body workoutPresses and rows in one day, at the gym, with dumbbells and at homeGeneratorLeg workoutThe lower day on its own: at home, with dumbbells and at the gymGeneratorBack workoutAt home, with a band, with dumbbells and at the gymGeneratorPush pull legs workout planA week plan for 3 or 6 days, at the gym and at home with dumbbellsGeneratorHome workout planA week plan with no equipment or dumbbells: 2, 3 or 4 days

FAQ

How do I start calisthenics as a beginner?

Choose “Beginner” and a place with a pull-up bar. Train three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Start with chin-ups and push-ups with knees down, and move to the next step when you hit the top of the rep range in every set for two sessions in a row.

How many days a week should I do calisthenics?

Three: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There is a day of rest between workouts, and Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend are left for recovery. A beginner does not need more than three full body workouts a week.

Can I do calisthenics at home?

Yes: choose “No equipment”, or “Pull-up bar” if you have a bar in a doorway. With no equipment the back works with the Superman for a beginner and the Prone Press-Up on Forearms for an experienced lifter, push and legs use bodyweight, and triceps work from the floor and a chair. There are no pull-ups without a bar.

The plan with no equipment

Can you build muscle with calisthenics?

Yes, if the load keeps growing. The ladders give a harder version of each move: from push-ups to dips, from squats to the pistol squat. The difficulty grows, and the muscles get enough stimulus at 3–20 reps per set with one or two reps in reserve.

What if I can’t do a pull-up?

Start with chin-ups using a resistance band, which takes part of your weight. Then train the lowering phase: jump to the top and lower yourself over three to five seconds. When you manage 8 reps in three sets, remove the band.

Does calisthenics train biceps?

Yes, the biceps work hard in chin-ups and pull-ups as the helpers of the back. There is no separate biceps slot in the plan. For more arm work see the arm workout.

Arm workout

Is calisthenics good for women?

Yes. Choose “Beginner” and the band for pull-ups. Push-ups can be done with knees down, and squats, lunges and the plank need no equipment. The progression is the same for everyone.

AtletIQ app

A workout log with working weight calculation: program, sets and progress on your phone.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play