25 Best Exercises to Master Calisthenics

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” — Fred Devito

Calisthenics are a great way to master your body while building lean functional muscle.

I need fast, effective workouts.

And I want to be able to work out anytime, anywhere, without relying on equipment.

I’ve experimented with bodyweight exercises and tried various routines that I could start my day before work at Microsoft.

I like building lean functional muscle and I prefer exercising at home so I don’t have any logistics or travel or crowds to worry about.

I never felt like I got a proper walkthrough of the world of calisthenics.

Until now.

Brothers Yannick Scheibler and Michael Scheibler from the Calisthenics Family put together an incredible walkthrough of the 25 best calisthenics exercises, along with a high level roadmap.

What are Calisthenics?

Calisthenics are a form of exercise that involves using your own body weight for resistance to build strength, flexibility, and endurance.

These exercises do not typically require any special equipment and can be performed anywhere.

Common calisthenics exercises include push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, planks, and jumping jacks.

With calisthenics, the focus is on natural movements and improving overall physical fitness through functional exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Can You Build Muscle with Calisthenics?

Yes.  Muscles grow when you create muscle hypertrophy.

Muscle hypertrophy is the enlargement of your muscle fibers from resistance training and exercise, leading to increased muscle mass and strength.

You can create resistance and tension through machines, barbells, free weights or your bodyweight.

With free weights, it can be easier because you can just add weight.

With your bodyweight, you add resistance by changing the position, the height, the angle, or the depth of range to make it more challenging.

A benefit of calisthenics is you are training your body as a unit through holds and movements, while building lean, functional muscle.

Watch Experts Share the 25 Best Calisthenics Exercises

Here’s a walkthrough by brothers Yannick and Michael on the 25 best calisthenics exercises to master:

Yannick and Michael founded Calisthenics Family in 2017.

Their passion for Calisthenics started at the beginning of 2016 and they switched completely from fitness to the challenging sport Calisthenics.

They no longer found bodybuilding and weightlifting challenging.

25 Best Calisthenics Exercises to Master

Here are notes and highlights of the 25 best calisthenics to master:

#1. Horizontal Pulling Exercise

First engage your scapula before initiating the pulling movement.

Complete beginners can start with the Standing Row as an easier variation.

If the regular row is too easy, you can challenge yourself by starting with Australian Elevated Pull-Ups.

The goal: 15 clean, just to bar reps.

#2. Bodyweight Squats

The Bodyweight Squat is the fundamental lower body exercise every beginner should master.

If you struggle with the bodyweight squat, you can do the Assisted Squat where you hold on to a stable support or use resistance bands to help you with balance and stability.

If you can do 15 Bodyweight Squats, you can challenge yourself by doing deep squats, which prepares you for the Pistol Squats in a later stage of your calisthenics journey.

#3. Push Up

It’s the classic bodyweight exercise that strengthens the chest, the shoulders, the triceps and the core.

Although it’s a very important horizontal pushing exercise, they don’t say it’s the most important basic push exercise to master calisthenics.

Master good Push Up form first, meaning a straight body and full range of motion.

Ultra beginners can start with knee push ups and once you’ve reached 15 regular Push Ups, you should put weights on your back to make it harder.

But don’t simply put weights on your back, increate the range of motion by doing Deep Push Ups with push up stands, for example.

This is much more effective for unlocking more advanced exercises in later stages.

#4. Leg Raise

The Leg Raise is one of the most fundamental core exercises in calisthenics.

Next to strengthening the core and targeting the lower abs, you will also train your grip strength, which is key in calisthenics.

One key tip to this exercise is to control the movement of the way down, making sure you always have your eyes on your toes.

This prevents you from swaying all over the place.

Beginners usually can’t hang on the bar for too long, that’s why they can start with Knee Raises using parallel bars or Leg Raises on the floor.

With this exercise, always aim for 10 controlled reps before attempting the next progression which is the Toe to Bar.

This requires some core compression strength which you will soon learn with the L-sit.

#5. Parallel Bar Dip

The Parallel Bar Dip is a compound upper body exercise that strengthens and grows the triceps, the chest, and the shoulders.

But most beginners can’t do Bodyweight Dips with proper form.

Start with Band Assisted Dips to learn the proper technique and to improve mind muscle connection.

Once you feel comfortable with bands and can do 10 good reps, you can move on to Bodyweight Dips.

From their experience, you can never train the basics enough.

So once you can do about 15 Parallel Bar Dips, start incorporating Weighted Dips, which will significantly increase your relative strength and makes your bodyweight feel like feather weight.

#6. Chin Ups

Chin Ups are your gateway to your first stage of vertical pulling.

Vertical Pulling is when you pull yourself up in a straight line.

They bridge the gap between Bodyweight Rows and Pull Ups.

Chin Ups are easier than Pull Ups because the underhand grip position engages the biceps more, and allows for stronger contraction, making it easier to lift your body up.

When learning your first Chin Up, you should use bends in order to learn, you should use bends in order to learn the right technique and do negatives to get used to holder your own bodyweight.

Once yo master your first Chin Up, work up to 10 reps.

Always make sure your chin clears the bar with each rep, and fully extend your arms on the way down.

Once you reach the 10 rep mark, you can start with weighted chin ups.

#7. Hollow Body Hold

Do you want to get the strongest core in the room?

Then start doing the Hollow Body Hold.

This core exercise was a game changer for them.

It emphasizes full body tension and teaches you the right core activation for almost all calisthenics skills such as the handstand, the back lever, and the front lever which we will dive in really soon.

This exercise is done wrong so many times.

What cue should beginners remember?

Always keep your lower back in contact with the floor.

So, when you notice that you arch your lower back, you should start with the tucked Hollow Body Hold and slowly progress by extending 1 or 2 legs.

With each progression, work up to a 60 second hold.

If you want to bring your core strength to the next level, then start using ankle weights.

#8. Skin the Cat

Skin the Cat is a valuable exercise every beginner should master.

It improves shoulder mobility, strength, and flexibility.

It engages the core a lot and develops grip strength and coordination.

Why is this exercise so important for calisthenics?

Because it is a foundational movement for advanced skills like Front Levers and Back Levers.

It can be quite uncomfortable to start with this move, so you can always start on a lower bar and do half Skin the Cats.

Once you get more comfortable, progress to a higher bar and do full rotations.

At first, you can bend your arms to get yourself up and finally try to do this move with completely straight arms and zero swinging and aiming for full body control.

#9. Pull Up

The Pull Up is a classic upper body exercise that targets the back, the biceps, and the shoulders and ultimately is the foundation for all pulling movements in calisthenics.

A common question is should a beginner use bands?

The answer is yes.

So for learning the right technique, you should actually already learn the Chin Up.

At this stage, Yannick and Michael encourage you to mainly work with your own bodyweight.

So master the scapula, the Negative Pull Up, and the regular Pull Up.

Work up to 12 reps minimum to get yourself ready for the next stage in calisthenics.

#10. Straight Bar Dip

The Straight Bar Dip is a variation of the regular Dip, performed on a straight bar.

It mainly works the shoulders and triceps and is an important exercise to master.

And this exercise is also the second half of the Muscle Up.

It is the foundational move for the iconic exercise.

When learning this exercise, you can do straight bar jumps using your legs as an assistance.

You can also do Assisted Straight Bar Dips with a resistance band.

Your goal is to progress through various bands for 8 reps until you can perform them with your bodyweight only.

When you master this exercise, you can even add weights which is a common way to progress for people trying to unlock and improve the Muscle Up.

#11. Pike Push-Up

This is the most fundamental push exercise in calisthenics.

The Pike Push-Up is essential for moves such as the Wall Handstand Push-Up.

It’s also essential for ultimately the Handstand Push-Up.

You can perform the Pike Push-Up with your bodyweight only until you master the movement.

Then you can add weights for progression.

This is a go to move for people trying to unlock and improve the Muscle Up.

This exercise is an overhead push movement.

And since the brothers have seen this exercise can already be a challenge for beginners, you can start with Half Pike Push-Ups, or Negative Pike Push-Ups.

From there, work your way up to the regular Pike Push-Up.

Progressions include the Elevated Pike Push-Up and the Pike Push-Up.

So, you can increase the intensity by using a higher elevation, or performing them deeper, or even both.

Aim for ten reps on each progression to move on to the next.

#12.  Frog Stand

The Frog Stand is an extremely important exercise to master before you try to learn any other balancing requiring exercise, such as the Handstand.

The Frog Stand improves balance and wrist strength, and even works the same muscle group as the Handstand itself.

Practice this exercise at an early stage.

A lot of people get pain in their wrist when trying this exercise.

That’s why you can start with Frog Stand Taps to get your wrist used to this move.

Once you feel comfortable, you can try to balance unassisted.

And if you can hold it to 45 seconds, you can progress to the Advanced Frog Stand.

In the Advanced Frog Stand, your knees are on your elbows and your hips are in a higher position.

#13. Wall Handstand Push-Up

This is probably the exercise the brothers practiced the most out of all exercises after mastering the Pike Push-Up.

They both have the ultimate goal of Free Standing Handstand Push-Up.

The Wall Handstand Push-Up is so important, since it’s the first progression that enables you to push your complete bodyweight, which is a hard requirement for the Free Standing Handstand Push-Up.

So, when starting with this exercise, you should first do back to wall Handstand Push-Ups, and do a partial range of motion.

And the next step is to do a full range of motions.

And when you can do six reps of the Wall Handstand Push-Ups, you should move on to the belly to wall handstand push ups, using the same progressions.

#14. L-Sit

The L-Sit is a crucial move to unlock during your calisthenics journey

It works on key areas you will thank yourself for later.

The first area is isometric core strength, which is necessary for all static calisthenic skills.

Static skills are also known as holds, because you try to hold a certain position.

For example, the Dragon Flag, the Human Flag, or the Front Lever.

The second work area with the L-Sit is the scapular depression strength which will work all the downward pushing movements ranging from dips to the mighty planche.

To get started with the L-Sit, as a beginner, you can perform them with tucked knees or with alternating straight legs.

For each progression, tucked knees or with alternating straight legs, aim for a 20 second hold.

Once you master the L-Sit holds, you can even practice the V-Sit.

#15. Pistol Squat

The Pistol Squat is an exercise everyone should have on their goal list, after mastering the regular squat.

Besides that it’s an impressive move to unlock, it has many benefits because it’s a unilateral way of leg training, which enables you to increase your training load by two.

It’s called a Pistol Squat because you look like a pistol when performing the move.

It improves balance, coordination, hip and ankle mobility, and overall leg flexibility.

So, to get started with this move as a beginner, start with bar assisted Pistol Squats, then band assisted Pistol Squats, then elevated Pistol Squats.

Once you can do eight reps of each progression, you can ultimately move on to the full bodyweight Pistol Squat.

And once you mastered these, you can even challenge yourself by doing weighted or balancing Pistol Squats.

#16. Handstand

You might be surprised the Handstand is in the intermediate class.

It’s actually pretty doable and everyone can learn it, since it doesn’t require much strength, only frequent practice.

The brothers learned this skill in about 3 weeks by practicing every day for 20 minutes.

So, when starting this exercise, we would recommend achieving a 30 second Wall Handstand first.

And from there, start practicing free standing only.

First, you want to practice falling over comfortably.

And once that’s no big deal anymore, it’s just a matter of consistency, and time, until you’ve mastered the Handstand.

Progressions for the Handstand are High Bar Handstands, or even One Arm Handstands.

#17. Explosive Pull-Up

The Explosive Pull-Up is the first vertical pulling exercise, after mastering the regular Pull-Up, that you want to master after mastering the regular Pull-Up.

The goal of this exercise is to increase explosive strength, which is the number one requirement to achieve the Muscle Up.

This exercise is often confused with High Pull-Ups.

With the Explosive Pull-Up, the aim is to Pull-Up as fast as you can.

With the High Pull-Up, the goal is to pull yourself up as high as you can, for example, chest to bar, or even hips to bar.

The higher and faster you can pull up, the easier the Muscle Up will be.

So, to start with the Explosive Pull-Up, the brothers recommend using a resistance band first to master the technique since it’s pretty different from the regular Pull-Up.

Once you can do five reps with each band, you can practice it with bodyweight only.

And your focus on this exercise is not more reps, but faster and eventually higher reps.

So, to progress further, you can practice this exercise with weights.

#18. Back Lever

It’s the easiest one to unlock first.

It’s a skill that requires straight arm strength, a strong core, especially the lower back, and good shoulder mobility.

So when first starting with this exercise, you should practice the Tucked Back Lever for up to a 20 second hold, together with Tucked Back Lever Raises to strengthen your shoulders.

Next, you should do the same for the advanced Tucked Back Lever.

And when progressing through the single let, the straddle, and the full Back Lever, you should practice holds together with pulses and negatives

For each progression, you want to aim for a ten second hold before moving on to the next one.

#19. Pseudo Push-Up

The Pseudo Push-Up is a variation of the regular Push-Up, also known as the Forward Lean Push-Up, since the goal of this exercise is to keep your hands at waist height instead of chest height.

So, this exercise is one of the best exercises to increase waistline pushing strength, which is required for the 90 degree Handstand Push-Ups, and even the Planche.

One of the brothers says he did this exercise 1,000 times before unlocking the 90 degree Handstand Push-Up.

Getting started with this exercise is simple.

You just start with the Push-Up and then lean forward for a fixed amount of distance at each progression.

You goal would be to do six reps at each progression until your hands are at your waistline.

And you can even make this exercise harder by doing assisted Planche Push-Ups.

#20. Muscle Up

The Muscle Up is probably the most iconic advanced calisthenic exercise.

Mastering straight Bar Dips and Explosive Pull-Ups are required to unlock this skill.

It also requires quite a bit of technique.

When starting, to learn this move, you should practice the swing first to gain momentum.

An excellent exercise for this is the Tucked Pulls.

Once you get this down, you can start practicing the Muscle Up, with a resistance band aiming for five reps at each band.

Beside assisted Muscle Ups, you should also do negative Muscle Ups and jumping Muscle Ups to gain specific Muscle Up strength, using your own bodyweight.

Once you’ve mastered the Muscle Up, you can progress to ring Muscle Ups, straight Muscle Ups, or even weighted Muscle Ups.

#21. Dragon Flag

We’ve come to the Dragon Flag, an exercise that you’ve probably seen.

It’s something Bruce Lee was famous for.

The Dragon Flag requires a lot of core strength, but also pull strength.

Once you’ve reached an advanced level in calisthenics, this exercise should probably never disappear from your workout plan, since it has benefits for all static skills such as the Human Flag and the Front Lever.

So, as a beginner, you can start practicing this in an accessible way.

Start with a Dragon Flag with half range of motion, until you can do the full range of motion.

The same goes for the one leg Dragon Flag.

And when mastering a progression for six reps, you can move on to the next one until you can do six full Dragon Flags.

It doesn’t stop there.

You can even attempt the single arm Dragon Flags.

#22. Free Standing Handstand Push-Up

Once you’ve mastered the Wall Handstand Push-Up and the Free Standing Handstand, you are totally ready to tackle the Free Standing Handstand Push-Up, which is a skill that screams calisthenics mastery.

How long should you be able to do a Handstand to start practicing the Handstand Push-up?

The brothers recommend that when you can do a 30 second Handstand, you can start practicing this move by doing small Handstand Push-Up pulses, aiming for about six reps.

At the same time, you want to get used to the full range of the motion of the Handstand Push-Up by doing negative Handstand Push-Ups.

So, once you can do the negative more and more controlled, you can make the pulses into smaller repetitions, until you’ve achieved a Handstand Push-Up with elbows bent to 90 degrees.

Further progressions are deep handstand pushups and even a 90 degree Handstand Push-Up.

The Handstand and Handstand Push-Ups are easier to learn on parallettes.

#23. Human Flag

The Human Flag is a jaw dropping exercise that for many people looks truly impossible.

It’s actually pretty doable to learn once you’ve built up to good basic strength and know the right steps to take.

What makes this exercise unique is that it’s both a pushing and pulling movement, forcing all your upper body muscles to work.

How should you start with this move?

The best way to get started with this skill on a foundational level is by doing Human Flag Side Planks, building up your core strength and good shoulder mobility.

Next up, you should do the Vertical Flag down hold and Hanging Flag presses to get your body used to the pushing and pulling movement.

One key exercise to master before attempting the various progressions is the Vertical Flag Up hold.

Do this by climbing up the ladder and hold your body vertically up.

From here, you can progress through the tucked, the one leg, the straddle, and ultimately the full human flag.

#24. Front Lever

The Front Level is a brutal display of pulling strength, and it’s a must skill you need to have in your pocket when mastering calisthenics.

Although it may not seem as impressive as, for example, the human flag, it’s a lot harder.

Don’t overtrain this one, otherwise you’ll injure yourself.

First make sure you are ready for it.

Start with the Tucked Front Lever holds and band assisted holds to build straight arm pulling strength and for learning the right technique.

The brothers found that the Tucked and Advanced Tucked Front Lever Raises, Dragon Flag bottom holds and simply heavy weighted Pull-Ups were the most effective to help them build the required strength.

If you become strong in the basics, it’s only a matter of technique and specific strength training to get this skill down.

#25. Planche

The Planche exercise is, for most people, the dream goal in the world of calisthenics.

Achieving the Planche showcases extraordinary power and the complete mastery of your own bodyweight, earning respect among most calisthenics athletes.

The brothers have only gotten as far as the Straddle Planche, as it requires years of specific dedication, especially with a relatively higher body weight.

Beginners dreaming of the Planche should start with Tucked Holds, followed by the L-Sit and Tucked Planches.

Focus on pressing the floor away as you protract and depress your scapula, creating that rounded turtle upper back.

To build up your straight arm pushing strength, you should do band assisted presses and Planche leans.

Progress by doing advanced Tucked Blanches, single leg Planches, and ultimately, the full Planche.

Get Your Equipment to Get Started

I try to avoid equipment, simply so that I can exercise wherever I am, wherever I go.

But I found that a few pieces of equipment open up a wider range of exercises and make better progress.

I optimize for what I can put in my living room for a “home gym” that doesn’t take much room.

Parallettes

Parellettes are like mini dip bars.

They open up exercises like L-Sits, planche training, handstand training, handstand presses, deep push-ups and more.

I like the brand PULLUP & DIP:

PULLUP & DIP Wooden Parallettes (Amazon)

Adjustable Dumbbells

Adjustable dumbbells are perhaps the most important piece of equipment for my home gym.

They make it easy to very quickly add weight to an exercise, such as hold a dumbbell while doing a Pistol Squat.

The Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbells are like magic to me.

They are compact and adjustable up to 50 lbs and I’ve had mine for more than a decade.

Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells (Amazon)

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