I am 42 and have had chronic instabilities and weaknesses in my right shoulder since I was 20.

This is due to years of tennis over-training in my early days, coupled with the lack of proper prehab and conditioning at the time.

I am a great believer that without good healthy shoulders you can't achieve any proper workout results in the long term, no matter how strong you are.

Calisthenics is a great vehicle for mobility training as it requires to keep all joints at their optimal capacity.

The videos I am sharing here are a game changer. All you need is a wood stick.

Click below to check them out!

1. Shoulder/deltoid and arm/tricep stretch
2. Standing external shoulder rotation hold
3. Front shoulder release

As you know, mobility is key, so practice daily.

Let's go!

Nicolas

If you are new, click here to join the best calisthenics coaching program!

Working out is quite simple once you know the rules of the game.

Today, I wanted to talk about the 4 key elements that will make you better at working out, and get you results immediately.

1. Speed

There is no power without speed. You can have the most massive body, if there is no speed associated with it, the overall performance will suffer greatly.

Solution: always practice speed when you train. For example, go fast up on your pull ups and slower on the way down. Same for pretty much every movement.

Add plyometric exercises like sprints, jump lunges, wide jumps etc… to your leg day.

2. Mobility

This is what allows you to train with full range of motion, hence developing your full muscle mass.

Be able to move optimally is key to proper muscle development.

Solution: Daily focus on hips and shoulders first, then work on your smaller joints (wrists, knees, ankles). It takes 5 minutes per day.

I post mobility drills every week on my blog and social media. 

...

Have you ever heard of the fascia?

This is the most complex fabric ever explored!

And we are ALL made entirely of it.

Knowing more about it is a crucial way to understand how your body mechanics work and get more results with your calisthenics workouts.

Check out this great 30 min video to dive into your own body through microscope videos.

Click here to watch the video!

Nicolas

Start your calisthenics trial here if you are new.

Have you ever asked yourself how many times you have to do an exercise? For how long? Which exercise?

A LOT of clients always wonder how to build a workout with calisthenics.

Today I am going to give you an easy way to figure it out.

Design your workouts around compound movements: pull ups, push ups, dips, squats and core hinges.

All variations of those moves are also compound movements.

Set the proper total amount of reps per day:

• Beginner: 100 reps
• Intermediate: 200 reps
• Advanced: 300 reps
• Master: 400+

Divide this amount equally between each exercise, each day.

Don’t train the same thing every day. 

Here is an example:

• Day 1: pull ups, push ups, core
  • Beginner: 30+ of each 
  • Intermediate: 60+ of each 
  • Advanced: 100+ of each 
• Day 2: pull ups, dips, core
• Day 3: Push ups, squats, core

The Online Calisthenics programs are made to save you time and directly give you access to more detailed programs, schedules and nuanced progressions, not...

Wether your goal is losing fat or building muscle, learning and understanding what you eat is the simplest, easiest and best way to get long term results.

The overall goal is to be in a calorie deficit for fat loss or calorie surplus to build muscle. You can also be in a calorie maintenance to maintain your current stats.

We ALL know when we eat too much or too little.

We just don't stop eating too much, while KNOWINGLY doing so!

Here is an easy method to estimate your daily calorie intake and see where you are compared to what you actually spend in a day.

1. Know how to differentiate macros and calories

There are 3 types of macro nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Some macros contain a different amount of calories:

• Proteins: 4 calories per gram
• Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram
• Fats: 9 calories per gram

Here is an ideal average split that you can use for your meal reference:

• 30% Proteins: they are the building blocks
• 20% Fats: they are essential to vital...

David is a great example to follow.

He's strong, humble, and puts the work in, CONSISTENTLY.

He moved to L.A to learn calisthenics in December 2021.

Here is 6 months of back lever progress.

He's been training with me and following the Online Calisthenics course DAILY.

Click here to watch the video!

Nicolas

PS: If you are not able to do a full back lever yet, sign up for your Online Calisthenics trial here!

Here is a picture of myself, that I snapped right after a good effort. As you can see I am sweating heavily.

It's clear that I did produce an effort, that my metabolism is going to speed up and that my body will benefit from that process.

The problem is that a vast majority of people who "workout" don't actually produce much effort while working out.

They get little to no progress as a result.

Getting actual results requires 3 things:

1. Producing an intense effort to stimulate muscle growth

You HAVE to sweat AND BREATHE heavy during your training session. This is the ONLY way to burn fat.

This does not mean you have to be drenched in sweat at the end of every workout but you should definitely see some water drops on your forehead at some point in your training.

2. Being consistent with it

Training for a few weeks or months is simply not going to work. Make a plan for years to come and follow a plan that will STRUCTURE your discipline and consistency.

3. Staying...

You might not be aware of it, but Calisthenics is the best hormone booster on the planet!

Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of how calisthenics makes our lives better overall.

1. Endorphins

Endorphins are responsible for that great post workout feeling. They are the chemicals in your brain that help you cope with pain and feel good overall. 

Below is a list of some of the many benefits of endorphins.

• Reduced depression
• Reduced anxiety
• Improved self-esteem
• Regulation or modulation of appetite
• An enhanced immune response
• Reduced pain

Training daily calisthenics is a great physical challenge where NO WORKOUT IS EASY. It is an amazing endorphins booster!

2. Dopamine

Dopamine a mind boosting neurotransmitter that is released after we reach a goal.

Since calisthenics is nothing but a succession of small goals, this is the perfect practice to release dopamine on a daily basis.

Higher endorphins can actually lead to higher dopamine production; in this way, endorphins and dopamine are...

The standard goals, for anyone who takes calisthenics training seriously, is to be able to perform as follow:

• 1+ clean muscle up
• 20+ clean pull ups
• 40+ clean push ups

The Muscle Up

This move is calisthenics in a nutshell. It requires lots of skills and strength to achieve.

So performing this movement with clean form will prove a few things: you have great pulling strength, mobile and strong shoulders, great pelvic strength and overall proprioceptive skills.

Pull Ups

Pull ups are the staple calisthenics exercise. This is where it all starts. Everyone should be a master at pull ups. 

Anyone who can achieve 20+ clean pull ups shows great athleticism.

This requires endurance, full back and grip strength, core strength, shoulder mobility, and coordination.

Make it your standard.

Push ups 

The humble push up is the most popular fitness movement in the world. Everyone has done them at least once in their lives.

Busting 40+ clean "hollow body" push ups...

When Dave came to Los Angeles from Sydney, to specifically train with me, he was not even close to perform any calisthenics skills.

After 6 months of work, here is what he can do.

Check the video here!

If you are in Los Angeles, click here to purchase your intro workout session and schedule a time directly with me at [email protected].

Let's go!

Nicolas