Can Calisthenics Burn Fat?

This is a common beginner calisthenics question!

First the short answer is: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

Here is how to get started and make your own beginner calisthenics workout!

Second, the long answer:
Beyond burning fat and building muscle, calisthenics will speed up your overall metabolism, allowing to burn fat 24/7.

It is also about muscle quality and composition. And you get prime muscle quality with calisthenics.

Calisthenics isn't just about packing on muscle and burning fat; it's about cultivating muscle quality and a toned physique reminiscent of athletes in gymnastics and martial arts.

And achieving this goes beyond just the exercises – it's about how much and how well you eat.

In the end, your muscle mass attributes and qualities are shaped by your nutrition and the type of training you undertake, guided by your unique fitness goals, be it strength, power, function, endurance, skills, or speed.

Third, the longer answer:

The path to shaping your body...

Muscle Growth with Push-Ups

Today, let's dive into one of the most underrated exercises.

Many mistakenly see push-ups as beginner's exercises, since anyone can do a push up.

Or sort of!

But I'm here to challenge that!

Push-ups are not just for beginners; they are, in fact, one of the most frequently butchered exercises out there (with pull ups).

It's time to rethink your approach and discover the muscle-building magic hidden within this seemingly simple movement.

Here the 3 most important types of push ups!

Mindset Shift:
First things first – let's reshape our mindset around push-ups.

Instead of fixating on rep counts, shift your focus to extracting the most from each repetition. Think of it as a full body workout, where your body tenses from head to toe.

Push-ups, when executed with precision, are far from easy. They are an amazing tool for enhancing overall fitness and sculpting the upper body. It's not only about how many you can do; it's about how much you can get from each...

How Pull Ups Increase!

These methods are great if you can already 12-15 solid pull ups.

Schedule 3 pull up sessions per week for 8-12 weeks.

Here is what each day-session looks like:

Day 1 - Pull Up Emom

• Emom stand for "every minute on the minute". 
• The rule is simple: you do as many reps as you can every minute, including rest.
• You set a timer 5-10 minutes (sets).
• Every minute is a set.

Day 2 - Weighted pull ups

A great way to train weighted pull ups is drop sets.

This is where you lower the weight set after set.

The trick is to start at you max weight-max reps and increase the amount of reps, for each set (every time you lower the weight).

Here is an example of what I do (6’1 - 177 lbs):

• 115 lbs x 1 
• 90 x 3 x 2 
• 85 x 3
• 70 x 3
• 60 x 5
• 55 x 5
• 45 x 6
• 35 x 6
• 25 x 10
• 10 x 10
• 0 x 13
• Bodyweight Australian rows x 23

If you don’t have that many weight options, then simply triple the amount of sets you do for each weight.

Test your max first and...

12 Weeks To Double Your Pull Ups

Earlier I covered how to get started with pull ups.

Today I want to share a tested plan to boost your max pull-ups. 

Whether you're a beginner or a pull-up enthusiast, this three-day-per-week pull up program is designed to take you to the next level. 

Let's dive in and double that max of yours!

this plan works great for anyone currently able to do 4-12 pull ups. 

It still works if you are above that but I’ll write another article to cover this in depth.

You would use that pull up program every other day.

Day 1 - Max reps Sets

This is the day where we run our max sets.

This time we go for 5 sets of your maximum repetitions. 

This mean you have to keep good form through all the reps and not kip for it to count!

Note that you can use a light band during set 4 and 5 if your strength starts to be low. You can also stop after set 3 or 4 if you can’t get any repetition.

The goal is progress to 5 sets overtime.

Rest 3-5...

Calisthenics when overweight?

I have sometimes heard: “I think I need to lose weight before I can start calisthenics”.

This is because people think they need to be able to do pull ups and hard push ups right away.

And this isn’t the case at all!

In fact, it’s the opposite!

Starting and doing calisthenics will make you lose weight.

You will also then become stronger and able to achieve the harder moves that you once thought was impossible!

Watch my client Antal’s transformation, from calisthenics beginner to achieving the muscle up in 2 years!

If you are a beginner and/or need to lose weight here are some useful substitutions for the movements you can’t do yet:

Push ups: 

• Start in a plank, do the negative repetition all the way to do get your chest to the floor, then use your knees to come back up. 
• If you can’t do that yet, start with standing push ups against a wall or elevated push ups with hands on a bench or chairs.

Pull ups:...

Can Calisthenics Build Muscle?

Have you ever wondered if calisthenics, with its bodyweight-focused approach, can truly help you build muscle?

Let's break it down and explore why calisthenics is the muscle-building secret you've been searching for, with insights from a seasoned calisthenics coach.

Understanding Calisthenics:

Calisthenics, a workout method emphasizing bodyweight exercises, introduces a unique dimension to muscle building.

This dynamic training, consisting of push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and dips, relies on your body weight as resistance, setting the stage for a comprehensive strength-building experience.

•  Bodyweight Resistance and Functional Strength:

The power of calisthenics lies in utilizing your body as resistance. This holistic approach engages every muscle group, fostering not just hypertrophy but also functional strength – the kind that makes daily activities a breeze.

•  Progressive Overload for Growth:

Calisthenics offers a progressive...

Best Push Ups For Chest and Triceps

Are you looking to hit your chest and triceps with calisthenics?

Look no further!

These are by far the best push ups you can do to get a great chest and triceps pump.

If you haven't guessed yet, I am talking about the narrow grip push ups.

Here I am doing them on a narrow wall, which also increases core engagement and balance work.

These push ups require good shoulder mobility!

Focus on form and tempo when doing them, as it's easy to lose form and the benefits that go with it!

Go for 5-10 reps x 5-10 sets. 

I recommend to hold the last rep down for 5-10 seconds on each set, to maximize your overall time under tension.

Adapt the volume and intensity as needed.

Here is how to get started with push ups if you can't do the narrow grip ones yet!

If you need more guidance overall, get all my calisthenics programs and personal coaching here!

Here is your updated, Free Calisthenics Toolkit.

Wether you are a beginner or more advanced calisthenics athlete, you will find practical information to make progress and thrive with calisthenics.

The posts are sorted out by topic:

• Full body workouts
• Upper body
• Lower body
• Push ups
• Pull ups
• Core
• Skills
• Nutrition
• Stretching and mobility
• Cardio
• Mindset
• Workout tips

Here is the full list, including links to each post.

Let's go!

Here is my updated Calisthenics blog posts list!

Wether you are a beginner or more advanced, you will find practical information for you to thrive with calisthenics.

The posts are sorted out by topic:

• Full body workouts
• Upper body
• Lower body
• Push ups
• Pull ups
• Core
• Skills
• Nutrition
• Stretching and mobility
• Cardio
• Mindset
• Workout tips

Here is the full list, including links to each post.

Let's go!

I use this as a calisthenics workout finisher.

This is a great move that will fire your entire body (lats, serratus, core, glutes, legs).

Lie in a hollow body position on the floor. Place a resistance band under your lower back/glutes and pull both ends up with your arms straight up, palms facing up! 

Lift your legs up, straight, pointing your toes in front of you a few inches from the floor.

Hold from there.

Alternate hollow body holds and leg flutters. Go for 5 rounds of 30 sec to 1 min each.

Use a resistance band that challenges you enough so you can hold it for 30 seconds.

Hold a water bottle in each hand or any weighted object if you don't have bands.

Increase resistance, reps, time as you progress.

Pair this exercise with some superman holds and/or scorpio raises.

Your abs are going to burn!

Get ALL calisthenics workout programs and coaching here if you are new!