The 6 Most Important Movements in Calisthenics!

Today, I want to discuss the essential movements you need to do to when training calisthenics. 

Lately, I've been frequently asked about the best exercises for specific muscles or how to isolate and work on certain areas like the biceps or shoulders. These questions are more common in traditional bodybuilding and weightlifting, where muscle isolation is emphasized. However, in calisthenics, we focus on full-body workouts that engage multiple muscles and develop a chain of movements rather than isolating individual muscles.

The purpose of this post is to highlight the foundational movements that everyone should master with proper form before attempting more complex and advanced exercises. These foundational calisthenics movements serve as building blocks for more challenging skills and routines in the future. I'll be discussing the main movements that you should focus on before progressing to harder exercises.

It's important to note th...

Today, we're going to discuss how to improve your pull-ups and overall calisthenics skills.

The key to enhancing your pull-up performance and overall calisthenics strength lies in developing better grip strength. Throughout this blog post I'll explain how to achieve a stronger false grip. So let's get started.

We'll begin with understanding what false gripping is. False gripping involves keeping your wrists up while pulling. Many beginners make the mistake of pulling straight from their biceps without engaging their forearm enough. It's important to remember that stronger forearms enhance all pulling and pushing exercises, as well as static holds like levers, back levers, and handstands. So, let's start with the beginner version of false grip training.

Find a bar that's not too high, like a parallel bar at hip level. Lie under the bar and keep your wrists up, activating your forearms. From this position, try to pull yourself up, using a little help from your legs. The secret to a so...

How To Start Calisthenics: Make Your Beginner Calisthenics Workout Program

Today, we're going to discuss how to build your own calisthenics workout routine. 

Lately, I've been asked this question quite often. 

It's crucial to know how to create a calisthenics workout plan when you have to take your health into your own hands. So, I'm here to provide you with some tips for scheduling and planning your weeks to achieve the best results, whether you're a beginner or intermediate.

But before we dive into it, I want to mention that you can download my free workout here. It's a valuable resource that includes the intermediate template we'll be discussing today, along with other helpful tools like a one-day meal plan and a monthly healthy habits schedule. Feel free to make use of these resources to build healthy habits and develop a strong body through calisthenics.

Now, let's focus on the intermediate template in this document. Keep in mind that you can always adjust it if you're a begi...

The Best Calisthenics Movements To Boost Strength and Mass!

Today, we're going to discuss four of the best movements to build strength and mass through calisthenics and bodyweight training.

With just a few adjustments to your foundational movements, you can take your training to the next level and achieve incredible strength gains.

Consistency is key when performing these movements, so let's dive right in.

Let's start with wide pull-ups. 

The pull-up is already a highly effective exercise for building strength, but by making a simple adjustment and widening your grip, you open up new possibilities for enhancing your strength, technique, and overall abilities. This adjustment places greater emphasis on your lat muscles, allowing them to grow and become stronger. By incorporating wide pull-ups into your routine, you'll notice improvements not only in your pull-up game but also in other exercises like muscle-ups, the human flag, handstands, and overhead presses. I highly recommend go...

Unlock the Fountain of Youth with these Calisthenics Secrets!

Let's talk about the key to longevity and how to unleash your workout potential through calisthenics and speed training.

Today, I want to share my two all-time favorite exercises for crafting mind-blowing speed and unparalleled eye-hand coordination.

1 - Sprinting

Did you know that 75% of the population never sprints ever again after turning 30?

That’s right! It is an insane number when you realize it.

So you’d better make sure you don’t fall into that category, ever!

Sprinting will boost your cardio strength, testosterone levels and build strong resilient legs.

How to sprint properly?

When sprinting focus on the following:

• Hitting the ground right in front of you (about one foot forward) and avoid reaching out too far in front of you.
• Lifting your knees high on each step
• Never hitting the ground with your heels
• Hitting the ground hard with the front of your foot to generate as much power as possible on each s
...

My Favorite Calisthenics Ab Workout!

Let's make something clear: while abs are also made in the kitchen, you definitely must train them during your workouts!

Today I'm going over some of my favorite calisthenics ab workouts. 

They all involve leg lifting because they are the heaviest thing your abs can lift.

Lifting your legs triggers ALL ab layers, including the transverse (the deepest layer), rectus abdominis and transverse muscles.

Use the following routine to feel the burn:

Hanging knee raises

• Don't swing while lifting your knees up and focus on the way down. This is actually the hard part.
• Lift your knees to your chest or try to get there on every rep!
• Use straight leg raises instead if you are advanced.
• Go anywhere 10-20 reps x 3-5 sets.

Floor Holds and Flutter Kicks

• Keep a strict form while holding your legs off the ground.
• Do NOT bend your knees when performing the flutter kicks!
• Mix vertical and horizontal flutter kicks.
• Aim to perform 1+ minute hold and 1
...

3 Moves for a Killer Calisthenics Leg Workout!

You really don’t need much to get a great calisthenics workout.

Today we are going to focus on getting your legs on fire with calisthenics.

All you need is two resistance bands: a thin one and a slightly thicker one. 

1. Overhead squats

- How to do it:

• Use the thicker band for this exercise.
• Place the band under your feet and extend the band over your head as if you were holding a barbel.
• Keep you pelvis tilted in, straight back and keep your hands up both on the way down and up.
• Go slow on the down, fast on the way up!

- How to adjust difficulty:

• You can use a thicker or thinner band to add or reduce the difficulty depending on your level.
• Repeat 10+ reps x 3-5 sets.

Watch the video here.

2. Deadlifts

- How to do it:

• Step on the band and grab each end.
• Go slow on the way down, fast on the way up!
• Keep your back straight on the way down.
• Do not over reach forward with your hips when coming back up straight.
• Co
...

The Expensive Hoax of Supplements, Shakes, and Alkaline Waters!

I was watching the Lakers in the NBA play-offs and saw a ridiculous ad for Muscle Milk during the game.

So let’s re-address an outrageously common things that should never been used: workout supplements, diet waters and protein shakes.

All energy drinks, protein shakes and other pre-post workouts beverages and pills belong to the garbage.

These are basically bad tasting sodas (Gatorades, Monster drinks, Vitamin waters etc...), with bad side effects for an exorbitant cost.

Alkaline water is also a scam, but sells at premium price. 

You don’t need alkaline water.

You should avoid all fitness drinks without exception. 

You could Instead focus on your holistic diet, adaptogens (ashwagandha, turmeric), stick to coconut water (not from concentrate), and basic filtered water of course!

Add a bit of lemon and/or coconut sugar to your water if needed, for a tough calisthenics workout!

Nicolas

PS: Join Online Calisthenics...

Calisthenics, when will I see results?

Everybody has their own idea of what progress is when starting their calisthenics journey.

For some it may be weight loss, gaining more muscle, becoming more athletic or learning a new calisthenics skill.

These are all excellent goals and more often than not come all together eventually to those who stay consistent.

It’s crucial to remember what progress looks like and how long it takes in most cases. Indeed, it’s not always easy to perceive something that is not there yet while we put lots of effort in reaching those goals.

So here is an overall progress timeframe to better visualize the progress path.

In a nutshell, progress is a lot faster when you are just getting started. It gets harder to level up as you become better! The curve can look like a logarithmic graph for those who studied maths: it goes up quick and starts to plateau after.

This following timeline is an estimate that may vary greatly depending on people, training consisten...

5 Calisthenics Training Rules for Great Results!

Last we week we spoke about the best calisthenics training patterns.

In a nutshell, how many sets and reps to do, to get results when you workout.

In addition to how many reps to do, the "What and How" we do these sets and reps matters just as much.

So here are the 5 calisthenics training rules to follow for optimum workouts.

1 - Use full body training as a staple method

Combine pulling and pushing, legs work front and back. Also apply high intensity for each repetition and deep, long muscle contraction to optimize your training. 

2 - Train your core everyday

For 5 to 10 min with intensity.

3 - Train antagonist movements

Train muscles that work together. Aim for pushing after pulling for example. Start with the hardest exercises and sets of your training. Start with pull up sets before your push ups, or muscle ups before pull ups, for example.

4 - Use rather short rest time

Rest time plays a crucial role in training results. ...