Beginner Calisthenics Workout At Home (Full Routine)

Summary

This video script offers a beginner's calisthenics program, detailing a three-day-a-week full-body workout schedule with rest days for recovery. It emphasizes circuit training for simultaneous fat burning and muscle gain, suggesting exercises for pull, push, squat, and hinge movements with progressions. The script also recommends active rest days for cardio, yoga, or skill training and provides a structured workout format, including warm-up, main circuits, and cool-down.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video presents a complete beginner's calisthenics program, covering workout schedules, formats, exercises, and progressions.
• 💪 It is recommended to train three days a week with at least one day off in between for muscle recovery and to prevent overexertion of the central nervous system.
• 🔁 Full body circuit training is suggested for beginners as it allows for simultaneous fat burning and muscle gain, with exercises done in a circuit fashion.
• 🚶‍♂️ On the four non-circuit days, active rest is encouraged, which can include walking, jogging, cardio, yoga, or mobility training.
• 🏋️‍♂️ The four main movements to focus on are pull, push, squat, and hinge, with each targeting different muscle groups effectively.
• 🔄 The workout format involves a warm-up, multiple circuits of the four main movements with minimal rest in between, followed by a cool-down.
• 🛑 It's advised to start with easier variations of exercises and progress to more challenging ones as strength and endurance improve.
• 🤸‍♂️ Examples of progressions include moving from bent leg bodyweight rows to straight leg rows, and from assisted pull-ups to full pull-ups.
• 🏃‍♂️ For squats, progressions start from half squats to full squats, and then to plyometric or explosive versions like hop squats.
• 🤸‍♀️ Push exercises start with wall push-ups and progress to incline, standard, and then to more advanced versions like Diamond or Archer push-ups.
• 🔁 Hinge exercises begin with lying tucks and leg raises, progressing to hanging leg raises, which are more challenging.

Q & A

What is the recommended workout schedule for a complete beginner in calisthenics?

The recommended workout schedule is three days a week for resistance training, with at least one day off in between each workout day. The suggested schedule is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for full body circuit workouts.

Why is it important to have rest days between resistance training sessions?

Rest days are crucial because resistance training causes muscle soreness and exhausts the central nervous system. Having rest days allows the muscles and nervous system to recover and prevents overtraining.

What is the purpose of active rest days in a calisthenics program?

Active rest days are for light activities like walking, jogging, or yoga to keep the body active without causing fatigue. This helps in shedding extra pounds and maintaining overall fitness.

What are the four main movements to focus on in a beginner's calisthenics program?

The four main movements are pull, push, squat, and hinge. These movements target the back, chest, legs, and core muscles, respectively.

How does circuit training benefit a beginner in calisthenics?

Circuit training allows beginners to burn fat and gain muscle simultaneously by working all muscle groups in a circuit fashion with minimal rest between exercises.

What is the recommended order for performing exercises in a calisthenics circuit?

It's recommended to keep upper body exercises (pull and push) separate. An example order could be pull, squat, push, and hinge, but the order can be adjusted as per personal preference.

How should a typical calisthenics workout session be structured?

A typical session should start with a 2-minute warm-up, followed by the main workout circuits, resting between each circuit, and ending with a cooldown period.

What are some progressions for pull exercises recommended for a beginner?

Progressions for pull exercises include bent leg bodyweight rows, straight leg bodyweight rows, pull-up negatives, assisted pull-ups with a resistance band, and eventually, full pull-ups.

How should a beginner approach squat exercises in a calisthenics program?

A beginner should start with half squats, progress to full squats, and then move on to plyometric or explosive versions like hop squats or lunges.

What are some beginner-friendly push exercises recommended in the script?

Beginner-friendly push exercises include wall push-ups, incline push-ups, standard push-ups, and eventually more advanced variations like Diamond or Archer push-ups.

How does the script suggest pacing oneself during a calisthenics circuit?

The script suggests using a fast tempo for reps and taking as much rest as needed between exercises to keep the heart rate up without causing injury, ensuring the workout is challenging but not painful.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Introduction to Calisthenics Program

The speaker expresses excitement about introducing a complete beginner's calisthenics program. They outline the program's content, including a workout schedule, format, exercises, and progressions, and mention that they will demonstrate the exercises. The recommended workout schedule is three days a week with full body circuit training, allowing for muscle recovery and central nervous system rest. Active rest days are suggested for the other days of the week, including activities like walking, jogging, cardio, yoga, and stretching. The speaker emphasizes the unique ability of beginners to burn fat and gain muscle simultaneously through circuit training.

05:02

🏋️‍♂️ Workout Schedule and Exercise Order

The speaker details the workout schedule, recommending a Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine for full body circuits with at least one day off in between. They explain the importance of rest days for muscle recovery and central nervous system recuperation. The four main movements in the circuit workouts are identified as pull, push, squat, and hinge, with exercises varying as the individual progresses. The speaker suggests an order for the exercises, recommending separating upper body exercises (pull and push) and starting with a pull exercise. They also mention that the order can be adjusted as per personal preference.

10:03

🏋️‍♀️ Exercise Demonstrations and Progressions

The speaker demonstrates various exercises for the four main movements, starting with pull exercises like bent leg bodyweight rows and progressing to straight leg rows, pull-up negatives, assisted pull-ups, and eventually to full pull-ups. For squat exercises, they recommend starting with half squats, progressing to full squats, and then to plyometric versions like hop squats. Push exercises start with wall push-ups, moving to incline push-ups, standard push-ups, and advanced variations like Diamond and Archer push-ups. Hinge exercises begin with lying tucks and leg raises, eventually progressing to hanging leg raises. The speaker emphasizes the importance of pacing oneself during the circuit, ensuring the exercises are challenging but not painful, and encourages creativity as one progresses in strength and skill.

Keywords

💡Calisthenics

Calisthenics refers to a form of exercise that primarily uses one's body weight for resistance, typically performed without the use of any special equipment. In the context of the video, the host is introducing a complete beginner's calisthenics program, emphasizing bodyweight exercises that can be done anywhere and require no gym membership. The video aims to educate viewers on how to start their fitness journey with calisthenics, showcasing exercises and progressions that are suitable for beginners.

💡Workout Schedule

A workout schedule is a planned routine that outlines when and how often one should exercise. The video recommends a three-day-a-week schedule for resistance training, with at least one day off in between sessions. This schedule is designed to allow for muscle recovery and to prevent overtraining, which is crucial for beginners to avoid injury and ensure progress. The video also suggests active rest days for additional cardiovascular exercise or mobility training.

💡Resistance Training

Resistance training involves exercises that work against a force to build strength, muscle, and endurance. In the video, the host discusses resistance training as a core component of the beginner's calisthenics program, focusing on full-body circuit training. This type of training is beneficial for beginners as it helps to build a solid foundation of strength and can also aid in fat burning.

💡Circuit Training

Circuit training is a workout routine where exercises are performed in a sequence, one after another, with minimal rest between each. The video describes circuit training as a method for beginners to burn fat and gain muscle simultaneously by working all muscle groups in a sequential manner with short rest periods. This approach is efficient and keeps the heart rate elevated, which is ideal for those new to exercise.

💡Pull Exercises

Pull exercises are a category of strength training that focuses on the muscles of the back, shoulders, and arms. In the script, the host outlines a progression of pull exercises, starting from bent-leg bodyweight rows to assisted pull-ups, which are designed to strengthen the upper body. These exercises are part of the full-body circuit and are crucial for developing a balanced physique.

💡Push Exercises

Push exercises target the chest, shoulders, and triceps, and are essential for upper body strength. The video script mentions a progression from wall push-ups to diamond and archer push-ups, illustrating how beginners can gradually increase the difficulty of their push exercises. These exercises are integral to the circuit training format, ensuring that the upper body is challenged and developed.

💡Squat

Squats are a fundamental exercise that targets the lower body, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. The video script provides a progression from half squats to plyometric or explosive squats, such as hop squats, to increase the intensity and challenge as the beginner progresses. Squats are a key component of the full-body circuit, contributing to overall lower body strength and functional fitness.

💡Hinge

Hinge exercises involve movements that hinge at the hips, primarily working the posterior chain, including the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. The script describes exercises like lying tucks and hanging leg raises, which are part of the hinge category. These exercises are important for core strength and stability, and they are incorporated into the circuit training to ensure a well-rounded workout.

💡Active Rest Days

Active rest days are periods of lower-intensity activity that allow for recovery while still maintaining activity levels. The video suggests using these days for activities like walking, jogging, or yoga, which can aid in recovery and also contribute to overall fitness. This concept is important for beginners to understand the balance between workout intensity and rest for optimal progress and to prevent overtraining.

💡Progressions

Progressions in fitness refer to the gradual increase in difficulty or intensity of exercises as one's strength and endurance improve. The video script provides examples of progressions for various exercises, such as moving from wall push-ups to standard push-ups and eventually to more advanced variations like clapping push-ups. Progressions are essential for continuous improvement and to keep the workouts challenging and effective.

Highlights

Introduction to a complete beginner's calisthenics program

Recommendation for three days a week resistance training with rest days in between

Explanation of the importance of recovery for muscles and the central nervous system

Advocacy for full body circuit training for beginners to burn fat and gain muscle simultaneously

Suggestion of active rest days for additional cardio and mobility training

Description of the four main movements in circuit workouts: pull, push, squat, and hinge

Recommendation to separate upper body exercises in the workout circuit

Outline of the workout format starting with a warm-up and ending with a cool-down

Advice on increasing workout volume with more circuits as strength improves

Demonstration of progressions for pull exercises starting with bent leg bodyweight rows

Introduction to squat exercises with a focus on building strength and flexibility

Guidance on starting push-up exercises with wall push-ups for beginners

Exploration of hinge exercises beginning with lying tucks and progressing to hanging leg raises

Example of a complete workout circuit demonstrating the sequence and tempo of exercises

Emphasis on pacing oneself and the importance of not pushing beyond one's limits

Encouragement to get creative with exercises as strength and endurance build over time

Testimonial on the effectiveness of the beginner routine shared in the video

Invitation to subscribe for more bodyweight fitness and nutrition content

Transcripts

all right everybody I am super happy to

be making this video today because it is

a complete beginners calisthenics

program and I'm going to show you

everything you need to know the workout

schedule the format the exercises and

progressions everything and I'll even

demonstrate it for you all right

so let's dive in alright so let's start

off by looking at the workout schedule

okay I recommend three days a week for

your resistance training the reason why

if you take a look is that you have days

off in between right at least one day

off sometimes two days off on the

weekend if you do a Monday Wednesday

Friday kind of schedule the reason why I

recommend that is because when you do

resistance training your muscles are

gonna get sore especially as a beginner

okay and your central nervous system

which is your brain and your spinal cord

and the pathway where they're sending

neurons down to your muscles to fire

your muscle fibers your central nervous

system also gets exhausted it's taxed by

these workouts so it's important that

you have days off in between to let

everything recover now notice here that

I say full body circuit on these three

days and I'll explain that in more

detail in a little bit but basically

you're gonna be working all your muscle

groups and in circuit fashion meaning

you're gonna do the exercises one after

another and then take a big rest and the

reason why is as a beginner you have

this really unique ability to burn fat

and gain muscle simultaneously and

circuits are great for that now this

doesn't mean that on the other four days

of the week you're just you know sitting

on your butt watching TV playing video

games or whatever I recommend you keep

active I call those active rest days and

I recommend going for a walk or a jog

alright especially if you have extra

weight to lose and you want to shed some

extra pounds do some cardio on those

days I like to jump rope for cardio I

love jumping rope you can do yoga you

can do stretching mobility training I

also like to do a lot of handstand

practice on my off day

alright I practice handstands everyday

but the active rest days I really do a

lot of skill training so this is just an

example the Monday Wednesday Friday for

your full body circuits and the other

four days you know being active rest

days but you can move that around

however you want

if Sunday Tuesday Thursday would work

better for your workouts than that's

cool I mean just make sure to space out

those three days so there's at least one

day off in between each now let's take a

look at the four main movements you're

going to be doing in your circuit

workouts okay and notice I said

movements and not exercises because the

exercises will vary as you make progress

so the four movements are pull push

squat and hinge pulling works primarily

your back your biceps and your rear

deltoids

alright the back of your shoulder

pushing primarily works your chest your

triceps and your anterior deltoids or

the front of your shoulder then you have

squatting and lunging that's gonna work

your lower body your your thighs like

your quads and hamstrings your calves

and then what I call hinging like

hinging at the hips it's gonna work your

core now planking would also be in the

the hinge category as well but really

you just think of these four movements

pull push squat and hinge and that's

really all you need to do when you do

these circuits so in your workout you're

gonna have one exercise for each of

these main movements and you're gonna do

all four of the exercises in a row with

minimal rest and then take a break

that's what circuit training is all

about so you're gonna do a pull exercise

go straight to a push exercise and then

a hinge and then a squat and then take a

breather like one to two minutes of rest

even three minutes if you need it

however much that you need and then you

repeat the circuit one thing I want to

mention real quick about this slide

don't worry about this guy doing

pull-ups right here I know as a beginner

that you can't do pull-ups that's not a

beginner exercise

I'll show you progressions like

bodyweight rows and stuff like that to

build up to pull-ups

okay so what order do I recommend doing

the exercises in truth is it doesn't

really matter you can do them in any

you want but I do have a recommendation

I recommend that you do your pull and

push separate from each other don't do

them one after another so those two

upper body exercises separate them

somehow and in this example I'm saying

do your pull exercise first then your

squat second push third and then core

exercise or hinge fourth but you can

break them up and moving around however

you want I just recommend keeping the

two upper body exercises separate all

right and real quick let me explain just

the overall format of a workout you want

to start off with two minutes of warming

up I like to do jumping jacks because

you're moving your arms and legs you

know warming up your joints but any

cardio would do if you want to jump rope

do burpees mountain climbers whatever

you want after the two minute warm-up

your heart rate will be up and you can

start your main workout that's the

circuits all right so remember I

recommended like pull squat push hinge

but you can do any order you want so you

do your first circuit of four exercises

and then rest one to two minutes or

longer if you need it after the rest you

do your second circuit and then you rest

third circuit rest fourth circuit and

then you cool down now for the cooldown

you can just walk around walk in place

whatever go to the kitchen and make your

post workout you know your breakfast or

whatever anything will work just don't

sit down on the couch okay like you you

want to let your heart rate come down

gradually and safely and last thing I

want to mention is you don't have to do

just four circuits if you want you can

increase the volume you know five six

circuits and a workout I'm not trying to

brag here but I've gone as much as ten

circuits I don't recommend it I mean I'm

sore as hell the next day but I'm just

showing you I mean you can really

increase the volume here if you want to

all right so that's the program in a

nutshell I'm gonna go change and then

demonstrate the exercises and a circuit

for you alright first we're looking at

pull exercises

for the first exercise get underneath

some dip bars and do bent leg bodyweight

rows

notice my knees are bent for less

resistance and I recommend building this

up to 10 reps and then moving on to

straight leg bodyweight rows

straightening the legs will increase the

resistance and make them a little harder

then you'll want to jump up into the top

position of a pull-up and slowly lower

down doing pull-up and negatives if

you're afraid to jump up and you're

afraid you're pull-up bar might come off

your doorway then you can always use a

chair or step stool to get your chin

above the bar once you can do five slow

and controlled negatives per set it's

time to thread a resistance band over

your pull-up bar it through itself like

this and then what you can do is have

your resistance band dangling from the

pull-up bar so you can step in it with

your feet inside the band now you have

some assistance to pull you up and help

you with pull-ups so you're doing

assisted pull-ups build that up to ten

reps and then you should be ready to

move on to the real deal and do legite

pull-ups and once you build up to 10

pull-ups per set you're no longer

beginner at that point okay now for

squat exercises to start things off do a

basic half squat which means going down

so your thighs are almost parallel to

the ground now our thighs are pretty

strong so I recommend building these up

to at least thirty reps per set before

you move on it's a lot different than

pull-ups and push-ups next you want to

work on the full squat which is when

your thighs go below parallel to the

ground so your butt is nearly touching

the floor this is great not only for

building strength in your thighs but

also for improving flexibility now if

you want you can also add in a calf

raise by standing on your tippy toes at

the top of a squat this is a great way

to work your whole leg when you're doing

squats once you can do thirty reps of

the deep full squats then it's time to

move on to a plyometric or explosive

version of squats these hop squats are

great because the explosiveness adds

more resistance and don't forget about

lunges which are another great lower

body exercise lunges are good if you

want to put extra emphasis on your

hamstrings on the back of your thighs

and the gluts in your button

once you build those two about 20 reps

per side it's time to switch to an

explosive or plyometric version of those

as well these switching lunges are a

really good workout I mean

cardiovascularly and for strength and

now moving on to push exercises if

you're an absolute beginner to push-ups

I recommend starting off against the

wall because you're standing in front of

a wall your vertical and gravity is not

really working against you so this will

teach you proper form but with very

little resistance once you can do 10

reps against the wall start finding

elevated platforms like staircases and

couches that you can do incline push-ups

against build up to 10 reps with those

and then move to the floor with standard

push-ups and of course once you're doing

10 reps or more with push-ups you can

move on to Diamond push-ups which I have

an entire tutorial on if you want to

check that out and there's other

advanced variations like these Archer

push-ups which I also have a tutorial

for and lastly let's look at hinge

exercises for starters lay on the floor

and just do lying tucks like this the

legs extended tuck your knees in towards

your chest build that up to 10 or more

reps and then you're ready to start

doing lying leg raises these will be

much harder and they'll take some more

effort to get used to because they're

really engaging the hip flexors but stay

persistent with those and I promise

you'll get them build them up to 10 reps

and then you're ready to move on and

start working on hanging leg raises and

I have an entire tutorial video on

hanging leg raises I highly recommend

you check that out because doing these

movements paying from a bar is a lot

more challenging than doing them on the

floor

now finally let's look at what an

example circuit looks like so I start

off the circuit with a pulling exercise

getting underneath my dip bars and doing

straight leg bodyweight rows now use a

pretty fast tempo for the reps about one

second up one second down and I rep

until failure or until I can get ten or

more reps in the set I complete my ten

reps and then I step out of the

bodyweight rows out from underneath the

dip bars take a quick breather to just

move the dip bars out of frame and

remember to rest as much as you need and

then I go straight into my squats now

remember you can start off with standard

squats half squats full squats whatever

I'm doing hop squats because you know

I've been doing these workouts for a

while and I want to make sure it was

challenging enough for me that you can

see how out of breath I get so I do

these explosive squats as many reps as I

can I think I did somewhere around 15 or

20 and I started to get pretty winded

and just feeling like I was running out

of gas so I stopped take a few deep

breaths and I go straight to the floor

for my push exercise check that I'm in

frame and off I go doing standard

push-ups again remember I'm using a

quick tempo of about one second upwards

and downwards and for upper body and

hinge exercises I aim for 10 reps that's

my goal so once I reach 10 reps or

failure I come out of the push-up

position right down to my back and I'm

ready to do a hinge exercise in this

example I'm doing lying leg raises and

just showing you the tempo I still try

to do it pretty fast like the other

exercises alright and again aiming for

10 reps or the best you can do until you

reach failure one thing I really want to

emphasize is to pace yourself throughout

the circuit so between exercises if you

need to take some extra time like 10 or

15 seconds to catch your breath that's

fine the goal here is to keep your heart

rate up not hurt yourself alright it

should be challenging but never painful

so you should be nice and tired when you

finish the circuit

take a couple minutes I recommend at

least two minutes when you're starting

out to catch your breath and once the

rest is over repeat that circuit and aim

for three more times for a total of four

circuits and then your workouts over

walk it off with a cool-down

and don't forget as you make progress

you'll build strength and endurance and

you can start doing more challenging

exercises like here for my pull exercise

I'm doing tucked front lever pull-ups

and you can do tuck jump squats right

the Tuck jump here really makes it a lot

more explosive and challenging you can

do explosive push-ups like these

clapping push-ups I'm doing right here

and you can even move on from hanging

leg raises to inverted leg raises there

are tons of possibilities and I highly

encourage you to get creative with your

exercises the beginner routine I shared

in this video is exactly what I used to

start my calisthenics journey a couple

years ago and since then I've built a

lot of strength and learned some really

cool exercises so let me assure you that

the program is effective and if you

follow it you'll build up strength and

endurance in no time as you build

strength if you want to learn how to

start doing split training so you can

focus in on specific muscle groups and

movements and start unlocking cool moves

make sure you subscribe to my channel -

the gym because that's what my channel

is all about just bodyweight fitness and

sensible nutrition thanks so much for

watching and if you found this video

helpful please give it a like and share

it that really helps me out whenever you

do that all right talk to you later