Simple Full Body Beginner-Intermediate Calisthenics Workout

Simple Full Body Beginner-Intermediate Calisthenics Workout.

In this post I want to focus on a simple full body Calisthenics Workout for beginners and intermediates.

Here are three exercises that will make you feel more agile, stronger, faster, and overall enhance your "human" skills. 

Let's get started!

•  Crawling: Crawling is an essential primal movement that we used to do as kids, and it's important to maintain that ability as adults to keep our mobility intact. Start by getting down on all fours and crawl forward. Keep your hips and chest low while maintaining a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. Avoid piking up or arching your back. Alternate bringing your knee to the corresponding elbow on each side. When crawling backward, maintain the same momentum and reverse the pattern. This exercise challenges your coordination, agility, and engages your core, triceps, and chest.

Go for 10 crawling (down and back), adjust distance depending on level. Minimum rest in between sets.

•  Inverted Hang: For this exercise, find a high bar and hang upside down. This movement targets your lats, back, forearms, and the entire back chain. Tilt your pelvis back, point your toes, protract your shoulders, and grip the bar with a false grip. Try to hold this position for as long as possible without touching the bar with your legs. It's a static exercise that complements the mobility drills from the previous exercise. As you get stronger, also add a negative front lever descent at the end of each of your holds!

Go for 10+ holds, adjust depending on level. Rest 15-90 sec between sets depending on your level. Add more reps/sets as needed.

•  Double Unders (or singles for beginners): Jump rope with a focus on performing double unders. This means passing the rope under your body twice in one jump. Jumping rope at high speed is a fantastic cardio and leg-focused exercise. Maintain a straight body position and avoid lifting your legs too high. Activate your shoulders and wrists twice as fast as you would for a regular jump. This exercise challenges your cardiovascular system and provides a great full-body workout.

Go for 10+ double unders x 5-10+ sets. Adjust as needed.

Remember, if you're new to jumping rope, start by mastering the basic form and gradually increase your speed. Double unders will come with practice. 

Go for 3–5 minutes. Adjust as needed.

These three exercises will improve your agility, strength, and speed.

I hope you enjoy incorporating these exercises into your routine. Keep challenging yourself and pushing your limits!

Access ALL programs and get coaching if you are new here!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the goal of this beginner-intermediate full-body workout? The goal is to enhance overall $"human"\mathbf{skills}$ by making the trainee feel more $\mathbf{agile}$, $\mathbf{stronger}$, and $\mathbf{faster}$.

2. Why is Crawling recommended, and how should it be performed? Crawling is an $\mathbf{essential}\mathbf{primal}\mathbf{movement}$ important for maintaining $\mathbf{mobility}$. It should be performed on all fours while keeping $\mathbf{hips}\mathbf{and}\mathbf{chest}\mathbf{low}$ and a $\mathbf{straight}\mathbf{line}$ (avoiding piking or arching the back). You should $\mathbf{alternate}\mathbf{bringing}\mathbf{your}\mathbf{knee}\mathbf{to}\mathbf{the}\mathbf{corresponding}\mathbf{elbow}$ and maintain the momentum when crawling backward.

3. Which muscle groups does the Crawling exercise engage? Crawling challenges $\mathbf{coordination}\mathbf{and}\mathbf{agility}$ while engaging the $\mathbf{core}$, $\mathbf{triceps}$, and $\mathbf{chest}$.

4. What is the Inverted Hang, and which muscles does it target? The Inverted Hang is an exercise where you $\mathbf{hang}\mathbf{upside}\mathbf{down}\mathbf{from}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{high}\mathbf{bar}$. It targets your $\mathbf{lats}$, $\mathbf{back}$, $\mathbf{forearms}$, and the $\mathbf{entire}\mathbf{back}\mathbf{chain}$.

5. How should the Inverted Hang be performed, and how can it be progressed? To perform it, you must $\mathbf{tilt}\mathbf{your}\mathbf{pelvis}\mathbf{back}$, $\mathbf{point}\mathbf{your}\mathbf{toes}$, $\mathbf{protract}\mathbf{your}\mathbf{shoulders}$, and use a $\mathbf{false}\mathbf{grip}$. As you get stronger, you can $\mathbf{add}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{negative}\mathbf{front}\mathbf{lever}\mathbf{descent}$ at the end of each hold.

6. What are Double Unders, and what is the key to performing them? Double Unders are a jump rope exercise where you pass the rope $\mathbf{under}\mathbf{your}\mathbf{body}\mathbf{twice}\mathbf{in}\mathbf{one}\mathbf{jump}$. The key is to $\mathbf{maintain}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{straight}\mathbf{body}$ and $\mathbf{activate}\mathbf{your}\mathbf{shoulders}\mathbf{and}\mathbf{wrists}\mathbf{twice}\mathbf{as}\mathbf{fast}$ as a regular jump.

7. What is the recommended volume for the three exercises?

• Crawling: $10\mathbf{crawling}$ (down and back), with minimal rest.

• Inverted Hang: $10+\mathbf{holds}$, resting $15-90\mathbf{seconds}$ between sets.

• Double Unders: $10+\mathbf{double}\mathbf{unders}\times 5-10+\mathbf{sets}$, or $3-5\mathbf{minutes}$ for beginners doing singles.