Ready to master pull-ups?

This is your ultimate pull-up workout plan, designed to take you from 0 pull-ups to 20+ clean reps step by step.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn:

✅ How to get your very first pull-up

✅ The best pull-up equipment for beginners

✅ How to build strength and add more reps

✅ Progressions to double your numbers once you hit 5

✅ And how to unlock the muscle-up after you’ve built a solid pull-up base

Pull-ups are one of the best exercises for building a strong back, powerful arms, and unstoppable calisthenics strength.

Whether you’re a beginner or already doing a few reps, this video gives you the exact workout plan to keep progressing.

Watch the full video here and get your full pull up training roadmap!

Nicolas

PS: Join the Online Calisthenics Academy and train with me here!

How to build strength, burn fat, and save time, all without spending hours at the gym?

In my new video, I’ll show you exactly how to do it with calisthenics.

Whether you’re short on time or just want results without wasting hours, this is for you.

🔗 Watch the full video here and start training smarter.

Let’s get stronger, leaner, and more efficient!

PS: Train with me here!

Forget Size Goals, Train For Strength (Especially if You're a Beginner)

If you’re chasing size in your training without focusing on strength, it’s time to rethink about your goals.

Here’s the truth: if you’re training naturally, without performance-enhancing drugs, or having some prime genetic talent, building real, long-lasting muscle comes from getting strong.

Not from pumping out endless sets of curls or chasing the pump with high reps and light weights.

This isn’t just about opinion.

It’s about how the human body works. So if you’re trying to build muscle, improve your physique, and stay athletic over the long haul, strength training is the foundation you need.

Strength First, Always

As a natural athlete, your body responds to stress that demands adaptation.

That means your muscles grow when they’re challenged with intensity, heavier loads, harder movements, real resistance.

Think less about “looking big” and more about getting strong. Because when you train for strength, ...

3 Calisthenics Back Exercises You’re Probably Not Doing (But Should Be)

Let’s talk about your back.

Not metaphorically, your actual back.

That glorious, often-overlooked collection of muscles that keeps you upright, strong, and mobile.

If you’ve been hammering pull-ups like a champ, that’s great.

But if that’s all you’re doing, you’re missing out on serious gains.

Here’s the truth: a strong, healthy back is non-negotiable if you care about performance, posture, and staying injury-free. 

And no, pull-ups alone won’t cut it.

Calisthenics is all about balance, control, and body awareness. That means you need to train your back from different angles, not just the vertical plane.

So if you're doing pull-ups on repeat and wondering why your progress is stalling, this blog is for you.

Let’s upgrade your routine with three back exercises that go beyond the basics.

These are movements I use in my programs, and they work.

Whether you're a calisthenics beginner or already knocking...

How I Keep Body Fat Low Without Counting Calories!

Let’s talk about something that’s been around for centuries, gets hyped on social media every January, and still confuses a ton of people: fasting.

Is it healthy? Will it help with calisthenics? Does it mean starving yourself and being miserable all day?

Yes, yes and no.

If you're new to calisthenics and curious about intermittent fasting, or just looking for a way to reset your body, without going on some weird juice cleanse, keep reading!

Step One: Chill. Start Simple.

If you're new to fitness, carrying extra weight, or still figuring out what a push-up really feels like, don't worry.

You don’t need to jump into a 24-hour fast tomorrow and workout while dreaming about pancakes.

Start with a 12-hour eating window.

Example: Eat between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM. That’s it. You’re fasting the other 12 hours (mostly while sleeping).

Do this consistently for a couple of weeks, and your body will start adapting naturally. Once it f...

Should You Do 100 Reps All at Once or Throughout the Day?

If your goal is to build strength and muscle with calisthenics, you need to get real about how you train, and when.

A question that a lot of people ask me is: Should I do 100 reps in one go, or spread them out throughout the day?

The answer is simple. If you’re training for hypertrophy, muscle growth, you need to concentrate your effort.

That means doing your reps in a dedicated workout window, not scattered across 12 hours.

Let’s break down exactly why this matters, and what you should be doing instead.

For Hypertrophy, Timing Matters

Muscle growth thrives on intensity, fatigue, and focused effort.

The stimulus needs to be strong enough to signal your body to adapt. That’s what triggers hypertrophy.

When you perform 100 reps across multiple sessions in the day, you're not creating enough mechanical tension or fatigue.

You’re staying fresh, and that’s the problem.

Training like this is better suited for general mo...

Still Can't Do One Clean Push Up? Try This!

This is how to get your first clean push up!

The humble push up is one of the foundation of calisthenics.

It is the most universal training movement around the world.

However, a LOT of people do them wrong or can't do them at all!

Just like for any other calisthenics training movements, there is a good progression to work towards good technique and full range of motion.

There are 5 main steps to achieve your first push up.

Watch the full video here!

Nicolas

PS: Train with me here!

I Couldn’t Stand Up. Now I’m Back!

I’ve been MIA for the past couple of months, 8 weeks to be exact.

The reason? An injury that took me out harder than expected.

For context, since 2015, I’ve only taken two real one-week holidays.

Even when I’m traveling, I keep my training consistent, even if I do less, I still go at it every day.

I’m a firm believer that momentum matters.

It’s easier to keep going than it is to start over. That mindset has guided me since 2008.

But in summer 2024, I made a mistake.

I spent three months obsessively training for a one-arm pull-up.

My right side was cruising, but I overworked my weaker left arm.

By November, I had developed tendonitis in my left forearm. So I pivoted my training.

I shifted focus to lower body work, 3 sessions per week, blending volume days and biomechanics sessions.

I paid special attention to hip internal rotation and adduction, aiming to improve my mechanics for running and overall performance.

I also increased my run...

Still Can't Do a Pull Up, Try This!

Pull ups are the gold standard of upper body strength.

They’re challenging, humbling, and wildly rewarding.

Whether you’re already training or just getting started, mastering the pull up is a must.

Your back is the biggest muscle group in your upper body. Ignoring it isn’t an option.

And nothing targets it better than a well-executed pull up.

But most people don’t know how to actually train for one.

So here’s a clear, progressive path that works, if you follow it with consistency.

Let's get your first pull up, step-by-step.

Watch the full video here!

Nicolas

You Don't Need Creatine, Here is Why!

Let’s get this out of the way: creatine isn’t evil.

It’s not poison.

It’s not going to instantly ruin your life.

But if you’re just starting out in fitness and diving into beginner calisthenics, it’s definitely time to rethink why you’re even reaching for that creatine tub in the first place.

Creatine is found naturally in foods like meat and fish. Your body also makes it on its own.

That’s right, your liver, kidneys, and pancreas are already hard at work turning it into creatine phosphate, which your muscles use for quick energy.

It’s basically your body’s own little energy booster when you’re sprinting or doing short bursts of intense effort.

So why are you taking creatine again?

Oh right, to get bigger. To look ripped. To be stronger.

Cool. But… why? Are you a professional athlete getting paid to perform?

Or are you just trying to look good in the mirror?

If the answer is vanity, you’re heading down the wrong road.

Here’s the th...