The Only 4 Calisthenics Exercises You Need for Life

If I could only pick 4 calisthenics exercises for the rest of my life, what would it be?

I had this question circle back around many times and that's a tough one!

But these would be my picks:

1. Wide Pull-Ups – The king of pulling exercise.

2. Pike Push-Ups – The go-to for overhead pressing strength.

3. Bulgarian Split Squats – The best single-leg lower-body builder.

4. Hanging Leg Raises – The king of core exercises.

These four movements cover every major muscle group, maximizing strength and control with just your bodyweight.

Whether you’re building muscle, improving mobility, or mastering body control, these exercises form a rock-solid foundation for your calisthenics workout.

Let’s break down why they should be staples in your training routine.

1. Wide Pull-Ups

Why They Work

Wide pull-ups are the gold standard for upper-body pulling strength.

By using a grip wider than shoulder-width, you put greater em...

The Power Move You Didn’t Know You Needed!

If you’re diving into calisthenics, let’s start with something foundational—no, not flashy handstands or flips—just hanging around.

Yes, literally hanging.

The deadhang is probably the simplest-looking move in calisthenics for beginners, but don’t underestimate it!

This move is a lot more than it looks and will boost your journey toward a stronger grip, bulletproof shoulders, and that first pull-up you’ve been dreaming about.

Think you can already hang from a bar? Hold up—most people can’t last 10 seconds! This move is crucial because it sets up everything else in calisthenics.

Here’s why the deadhang should be your new best friend, how to nail it, and a quick guide on adding it to your training so you can actually get somewhere with your goals.

Why Start with the Deadhang?

In calisthenics, we’re building full-body strength, and that includes everything from your fingertips down to your toes.

The deadhang activates your entire muscle ...

How to Build Strong Back Muscles and Fix Imbalances.

My One-Arm Pull-Up Journey

The calisthenics journey is all about grit, discipline, and hard work.

I’ve spent countless hours pushing myself to master the moves that seemed impossible at first.

Muscle-ups, front levers, back levers, the human flag, handstands—these are the milestones I worked towards.

I broke through personal limits, completing 25 pull-ups in one set, 100 push-ups in another.

But there is one move that I haven't tackled, one that’s undebatably one of the hardest in calisthenics: the one-arm pull-up.

It wasn’t on my radar until recently.

But I decided it was time to confront this challenge. If you're serious about building a strong back and fixing imbalances, it’s time to add this into your calisthenics workout routine too.

Why the One-Arm Pull-Up?

The one-arm pull-up is a beast of a move. The best thing about it is that it doesn't look anywhere close to how hard it actually is.

It tests more than just stren...

Boost Your Pull-Up Strength with Assisted One-Arm Pull-Ups

Increasing your pull-up strength is a key component of any effective calisthenics workout plan.

One of the most challenging and rewarding exercises to master is the one-arm pull-up. It not only builds immense upper body strength but also improves grip and coordination.

If you're looking to elevate your pull-up game, incorporating assisted one-arm pull-ups into your routine is a great way to progress towards this advanced move.

Why Focus on One-Arm Pull-Ups?

The one-arm pull-up is a pinnacle of calisthenics training. It requires significant strength, stability, and technique, making it a coveted skill among calisthenics enthusiasts.

However, jumping straight into one-arm pull-ups without proper preparation can lead to frustration and potential injury. That’s where assisted one-arm pull-ups come in—they allow you to gradually build the necessary strength and control in a safe and effective manner.

The Technique: Finger-Ass...

Pull ups: 5 Proven Strategies for More Reps (or get your first one!)

The pull-up. It's a rite of passage in the fitness world, a test of upper body strength, and a gateway to a sculpted physique.

But what if you're stuck at a plateau, unable to add reps or feeling miles away from that elusive first pull-up?

Don't worry, whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, these 5 strategies will help you break through plateaus and achieve new personal records. If you can't do a pull up yet, apply the same strategies with assisted pull up variations, such as those mentioned at the end of the article!

1 - The High Volume Approach: Quantity Meets Quality

For those serious about mastering pull-ups, the high volume approach is a game-changer. Here's how to implement it:

• Train pull-ups 3 times a week
• Aim for 100-200 reps per session. Use combinations that challenge you.
• Push yourself to failure (not every set, but most). If needed, once fatigue starts to make a real impact and you
...

How to Start Calisthenics: Pull ups

7 Steps To Pull Ups

Pull ups are part of the Calisthenics "Big 5": Pull ups, push ups, dips, squats, hinges.

Pull ups are the king of upper body movements, a challenge for everyone, even when you are good at it.

If you are getting started on your calisthenics training journey, here are 7 steps to achieve your first pull up:

1. Standing pull ups
2. Australian pull ups
3. Deadhang
4. Hanging shrugs
5. Negative jump pull ups
6. Band assisted pull ups
7. Full Pull ups

Key pointers:

• Start with the movement you can currently do and implement it in your workouts.
• Do 5-10+ reps x 3-5 sets until you get good at that movement.
• Then continue your way up with the next harder variation and do the same.
• Follow that process until you reach the full pull up.
• Make sure to also work on your push ups and legs during your sessions!
• The key is: CONSISTENCY.

Get day by day, calisthenics training programs and personal coaching here!

-----------------------------

Ca...

My First 2024 Pull Up Workout!

I had to step back a bit from training my upper body for the last 4 weeks of 2023.

This was due to different minor injuries, some tendonitis and chronic fatigue, after a full 2023 year of constant, non-stop work and workouts.

I stayed active everyday and arranged my workouts around legs, running and core during the month of December.

I also did some rehab work with bands and active mobility (wrists, shoulders, hips, knees and feet).

Today was my first “real” pull-push day in a month. It was great to be back at it!

I used an additional gripping tool that you simply wrap up around the pull up bar to make the bar thicker and harder to grip.

It makes it almost impossible to wrap your thumb around the bar making the forearms and the entire pulling muscle chain work much harder.

The "fat grip" pull ups are a great tool if you want to build strong forearms and increase your pull ups. They make pull ups twice as hard!

Here is what my full workout looks l...

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 adjust accordi...

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 minutes between each set to...

The Best Pull Ups For Strength!

If you can already to 15-20 clean pull ups, this is for you.

One of the best way to train weighted calisthenics is the drop set method.

This is a technique where you start with the hardest repetitions.

Do as many as you can.

Then you lower the weight, just a little, and try to add more repetitions than during the previous set.

And so on.

Rest 3-5 minutes between sets.

Here is the pull ups drop set I did last week while training with my friends in Venice Beach.

It took us about an hour to complete.

• + 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 rows x 23

Our backs felt good after this one!

Get 1-1 online calisthenics coaching here to get started!