The Best Home Calisthenics Workouts For Beginners

Here’s how to design the most effective calisthenics workouts with just the equipment you’ve got at home.

Calisthenics and advanced bodyweight workouts are hands-down the best way to stay in shape at home. And whilst we’re all locked down and gyms are shut, everyone is looking for workouts that will get them strong without needing to head out to the gym.

Calisthenics equipment for home workouts

Here’s a list of what we like to use. You don’t need all of these (you can get a great workout with just your bodyweight) but this list makes for a dream calisthenics set up!

• wall-mounted pull up bar
• portable pull up rack
• gymnastics rings
• parallettes
• speed rope
• weighted vest

Basic and advanced calisthenics moves to master

Work on these fundamental calisthenics movements and you’ll be able to construct  a killer workout every time.

• Pull ups and chin ups
• Muscle ups (bar and ring)
• Push ups and handstand push ups
• Dips
• Planks
• Air squats and pistol squats
• Sit ups and V ups
• L sit hold
• Hanging leg raises
• Planche
• Front lever

Beginners calisthenics workouts for home

There are numerous ways to design a calisthenics programme with minimal equipment or even just your bodyweight. If you’re stuck at home and want to dedicate your week to calisthenics, try this approach:

Monday: bodyweight training

Max effort plank hold

• 4 sets:
• 8 air squats
• 8 press ups
• 8 leg raises or hanging leg raises from your portable pull up rack
• 8 push ups or handstand push ups
• Max effort mountain climbers

Tuesday: starting skills

3-4 sets of

• 8 strict pull ups
• Max effort muscle up attempts
• 6-8 dips
• 6-8 leg raises or hanging leg raises
• 12 jump squats

Wednesday: light cardio and mobility work

Thursday: building on skills

4 sets of

• 12 wide press ups into 8 close grip press ups
• 30+ second wall sit
• 4+ jumping pull ups with slow eccentric
• 20 air squats
• 60+ second plank hold

Friday: conditioning work 

5 rounds for time:

• 150m sprint or 12 box jumps or 15 burpees
• 30 second hollow hold
• 8 press ups
• 20 air squats

Saturday: skills and mobility 

Work on the components of pull ups, muscle ups, or advanced calisthenics moves (check out our blog posts on muscle ups https://www.gravityfitness.co.uk/blogs/training/reach-new-heights-how-to-master-your-first-pull-up and planche https://www.gravityfitness.co.uk/blogs/training/learn-to-planche-on-parallettes)  and spend 20+ minutes doing fascia and mobility work.

Kit yourself out with a calisthenics home gym – check out our best-selling parallettes, gymnastics rings, and pull up racks here.