- Step 1: Adopt the Right Frame of Mind
- Step 2: Begin with an Easy Calisthenics Workout
- Step 3: Beginner Calisthenics Workouts with No Equipment
- Step 4: Calisthenics Worldwide 12-Week Beginner Calisthenics Workout (No Equipment)
- Improvised Equipment for Beginner Calisthenics
- Step 5: Time to Go Pro with a Complete Calisthenics Program
- Frequently Asked Questions About Calisthenics Workouts with No Equipment
You’re looking for a solid beginner Calisthenics workout but have no equipment? No worries at all, we’ve got your back. Calisthenics is bodyweight exercise after all and Calisthenics equipment is not a strict necessity. In this short article, we’ll show you various beginner Calisthenics workouts needing no equipment at all. We’ll also show you a potential way forward with a professional Calisthenics workout which you can also start immediately. One that requires no equipment, is fit beginners but that can be augmented with optional Calisthenics equipment. We’ll go through the whole concept of bodyweight exercise from a beginner perspective step by step. In these 5 steps, you can begin with Calisthenics without investing in expensive equipment. We’ll also find out that there are excellent beginner Calisthenics programs that require no equipment or even prior preparation from you.
Step 1: Adopt the Right Frame of Mind
Gaining knowledge about Calisthenics is an important part of self-improvement through Calisthenics. That is why reading Calisthenics books is a great mental supplement to your workout. We want to be careful here, because it’s easy to fall into the trap of just reading about it but never taking any action. You won’t get anywhere with just reading about physical fitness, you have to go and do it. That is why we always suggest that the beginner first “blindly” follows the advice of an expert and starts. Just starting is better than doing nothing, after all. This of course leads to a situation where you as a beginner will have to trust that expert — a trust sadly often broken on the internet where a multitude of charlatans peddle unwanted and unneeded products under the guise of being “experts”.
This is why it’s important that you do this simultaneously. Begin somewhere, anywhere is fine as long as it’s a step forward from remaining sedentary. And while doing, you surround yourself with knowledge about Calisthenics and soon enough you’ll recognize the good from the bad.
You should focus on the great many benefits of Calisthenics all the time and regularly remind yourself of both the goals and the path towards those goals. Greater strength and speed, higher mobility, greater mental focus, better mental health and more confidence to name a few are all acquired through Calisthenics. Any beginner can achieve these with a Calisthenics workout with or without equipment. And remember, the end-goal isn’t the most important! It’s about continuous improvement of the self and pursuing the best version of yourself, knowing that this perfect image may never be achieved. This is the paradigm you must adopt; aim to improve every time you work out, do not look back, do not look at others unless it is to learn, ever forwards never backwards.
Step 2: Begin with an Easy Calisthenics Workout
Any beginner can do a Calisthenics workout with no equipment available to them. If you are a complete beginner, that means you have low physical strength or stamina, or you think you’re too heavy for Calisthenics; we have an excellent article on Easy Calisthenics Moves which includes three complete workout routines. These easy routines will prepare you for any full-scale, full-spectrum and professional Calisthenics workout. They will also kickstart your weight-loss program in earnest.
Step 3: Beginner Calisthenics Workouts with No Equipment
Our field of fitness has many beginner-friendly Calisthenics workouts with no need for equipment whatsoever. In that way, Calisthenics is the complete opposite of Weightlifting. Where Weightlifting requires equipment to do any exercise, Calisthenics assumes no equipment (with a caveat we’ll come back to) but where you can add equipment later to augment each exercise. Indeed, weighted Calisthenics is a prime example of how the base exercises are done without equipment. The weighted versions are either straight up with the equipment simply added, or at best slightly altered to allow for the use of the equipment.
Here are 10 beginner Calisthenics exercises with no equipment needed:
Push-Up
The venerable Push-Up has been a staple of bodyweight exercise since at least ancient Greek times. It is a versatile exercise which works out a surprisingly broad range of muscles. Push-Ups focus mainly on the upper shoulders, triceps and chest, but also do their bit on your biceps, back muscles and even your abdomen if you do them right. The best thing is, they are the quintessential beginner Calisthenics workout that require no equipment at all.
Prone Angel
The Prone Angel is a very easy version of the Plank. Lay flat on your belly and keep your head raised off the floor and your hands stretched to the sides. This alone counts as a static hold for your core muscles and neck. Now slowly make back and forth waving motions as if you’re making a snow angel.
Bench Dip
Technically this isn’t a Calisthenics workout that requires no equipment. You need a bench or a staircase for this to work, and since those are things we can hardly imagine missing from your life we decided to include it. Sit on a bench with your knees bent 90-degrees. Grab the edge of the bench on either side of your thighs firmly. Next “walk” forward while keeping your knees bent and while keeping a hold of the bench, until your behind is hovering free. Then you can do dips of various kinds in that position, shallow dips but also just shoulder compressions.
Lunge
There are many variations of the lunge. One of the most effective lunges is just a big step forward with one foot and making a 90-degree knee bend while keeping the back foot in place. You then retract the forward foot back and alternate between your feet like that. This is not only a good squatting exercise for your thighs and glutes, it is also plyometric (e.g., it combines strength with cardio exercise). Remember to put the focus on the front foot, the back foot is there to keep you stable.
Squat
Along with the Push-Up, the Squat is a core exercise of Calisthenics and fitness in general and has been for millennia. Why change things now, when you can do squats with no additional equipment needed? Stand straight with your feet straight underneath your shoulders. Bend your knees to 90-degrees while keeping your upper-body completely straight and then come back up again. It’s that easy but its immensely effective in building those legs and glutes. You can vary the focus of your squats by speeding them up or slowing them down. Faster squads aid in cardio, while slowing down focusses more on stability and muscle strength. Consider combining both fast and slow squats in your routine. A very inexpensive addition to Squats would be Resistance Bands.
Burpee
Burpees will be one of the most challenging Calisthenics exercise you’ll ever do, and they’re super simple. You don’t need any Calisthenics equipment either. A Burpee combines a Squat with a Straight Arm Plank Hold or a Push-Up. From a standing position, squat down until your hands can reach the floor, from there get into a Push-Up position (Straight Arm Plank Hold), then come back up into the original standing position. For extra cardio and strength, perform 1 Push-Up before getting back up.
Hollow Body Hold
Lay flat and straight on the floor on your back, with your arms stretched above you and held together. Keep your feet together too. Raise both your arms and your feet ~1 foot off the floor while keeping them straight and hold that position. You can vary the height at which your raise your limbs for added difficulty.
Wall-Sit
The Wall-Sit is a great core-building exercise that may prepare you even for the eventual Planche. All you need is a sturdy wall you can lean against with your full weight. Stand with your back flush against the wall. Walk forward while you keep your back pressed firmly against the wall, you do this by bending your knees and lowering your stance, until you’re sitting on an “invisible chair”. Hold this position until you can do so no longer.
Planche Lean Hold
The Planche Lean is not for everyone. Planches are some of the most difficult exercises in Calisthenics, ever. They look so easy, but for the human body to assume and hold the Planche position, literally every muscle in our body has to be tensed up. Any weak link will be exposed immediately and cause you to fail. But, Planches can be done with no equipment at all and they look absolutely awesome.
Calf Raise
Never skip leg day again with Calf Raises. These are possibly the easiest exercises from a body mechanics point of view but if you’re not used to them, you’ll feel their effects very soon. Stand straight with your feet together and pointing forward. Raise your body onto your toes and your heels off the floor. Next, lower your heels back towards the floor but without touching the floor. Bring your heels back up. Repeat. This is a very effective way to build up your calves.
Step 4: Calisthenics Worldwide 12-Week Beginner Calisthenics Workout (No Equipment)
Many professional beginner Calisthenics programs have workouts that require no equipment at all. We always recommend that you follow a professional, guided routine. To get you acquainted, here is a quick routine beginner Calisthenics workout needing no equipment using these exercises. Even if you choose to only take this plan for information purposes, you can now determine that there is a right Calisthenics program for you without having to buy equipment.
| PHASE 1: BREAKING IT IN | ||||||
| Mon | Teu | Wen | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | Push-UpsSquats | Rest | Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | Push-UpsSquats |
| Rest | Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | Push-UpsSquats | Rest | Push-UpsSquats | Rest |
| Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | Push-UpsSquats | Rest | Push-UpsSquats | Rest | Push-UpsSquats |
| PHASE 2: GETTING USED TO GAINS | ||||||
| Mon | Teu | Wen | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Push-UpsSquats | Prone AngelHollow Body Hold | Push-UpsLunges | Bench DipsCalf Raises | Push-UpsSquats | Rest | Rest |
| Push-UpsSquats | Prone AngelHollow Body Hold | Push-UpsLunges | Bench DipsCalf Raises | Push-UpsSquats | Rest | Rest |
| Push-UpsSquats | Prone AngelHollow Body Hold | Push-UpsLunges | Bench DipsCalf Raises | Push-UpsSquats | Rest | Rest |
| PHASE 3: PUSHING THROUGH | ||||||
| Mon | Teu | Wen | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | BurpeesCalf Raises | Push-UpsLunges | BurpeesCalf Raises | Rest | Wall Sits |
| Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | BurpeesCalf Raises | Push-UpsLunges | BurpeesCalf Raises | Rest | Wall Sits |
| Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | BurpeesCalf Raises | Push-UpsLunges | BurpeesCalf Raises | Rest | Wall Sits |
| PHASE 4: MIND OVER MATTER | ||||||
| Mon | Teu | Wen | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| BurpeesLunges | Wall-SitHollow Body | Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | BurpeesLunges | Wall-SitHollow Body |
| BurpeesLunges | Wall-SitHollow Body | Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | Planche Lean Hold | BurpeesLunges | Wall-SitHollow Body |
| BurpeesLunges | Wall-SitHollow Body | Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | Rest | Push-UpsSquatsCalf Raises | BurpeesLunges | Planche Lean Hold |
| PHASE 5: READY FOR THE NEXT STEP |
| The Rest of Your Life |
| Choose the Best Calisthenics Program |
Improvised Equipment for Beginner Calisthenics
Some Calisthenics exercises do need some kind of basic equipment to work, while many others can be augmented with added equipment. Here are a few solid ideas for improvised equipment.
First, there might be a Calisthenics Park near you! In that case, most if not all equipment you really need is provided for you, for free. Other Calisthenics workouts can be done with the help of everyday objects:
- A bench or sidewalk can stand in for a set of Dip Bars for your bench dips.
- A wall can be used for Wall-Sits.
- A staircase can be used as an incline Push-Up Bar.
- As a Pull-Up Bar: an open stair case without risers, a handball or soccer goal, or the monkey bars at a playground.
- A backpack filled with books or other objects can stand in for a Dip Belt and to some extent, a Weighted Vest.
Step 5: Time to Go Pro with a Complete Calisthenics Program
You don’t need to do any of the prep-work we mentioned above to dive straight into a great selection of Calisthenics programs. But, you now have a good grasp of the potential of Calisthenics. You know a number of Calisthenics Workouts that need no equipment whatsoever. What’s also in your understanding is that, at its core, Calisthenics relies on your bodyweight to exercise with. That alone makes the need for specialized equipment much less a factor than for instance, with weightlifting. Only exercises requiring you to lift yourself off the ground would necessitate some object, in other words equipment, to suspend yourself from.
If you want to start your Calisthenics path in earnest, you’ll need a repeatable, professional Calisthenics course. There are many Calisthenics Programs available that require minimal to no equipment. Our go-to advice for people in search of an excellent all-round Calisthenics program is Calisthenics Movement. Also called Cali Move, they are the best choice for people looking to get fit, stay fit and build their body to an esthetically pleasing level. Cali Move usually does not require (much) additional equipment and doesn’t lean overboard towards bodybuilding.
In this case, we recommend the Cali Move Home Workout program. It is a solid from-home Calisthenics workout with no equipment required. Very useful are a set of Gymnastic Rings or a Pull-Up Bar, but these are not necessary to participate and make great gains.
Frequently Asked Questions About Calisthenics Workouts with No Equipment
Here are some frequently asked questions about Calisthenics Workouts and doing them with no equipment at your disposal.
Calisthenics is a class of bodyweight exercises and as such, does not need much if any specialized equipment at all. Most Calisthenics workouts can be done without equipment, with the notable exception being those where you lift yourself off the floor. These will need something to hold onto and lift yourself from. Examples of classic Calisthenics workouts with no equipment are: Push-Ups, Squats, Lunges, Wall-Sits, Burpees and Planches.
The short answer is yes. Calisthenics can build muscle just like weightlifting and bodybuilding can. People who build their bodies through Calisthenics tend to look very lean, muscular and athletic.
Jari Dohmen has a B.A. in physiotherapy and has been involved with Calisthenics since 2013. Around the time Calisthenics began to proliferate in the Netherlands, he was already keenly interested in both the physiotherapeutic and general lifestyle benefits Calisthenics possesses. Jari started Calisthenics Worldwide (CWW) in 2016, after numerous internet searches for Calisthenics topics that sparked his interest yielded barely any information. Today, CWW is one of the largest and most widely recognized Calisthenics blogs in the world. Become part of the Calisthenics community by commenting on this article.
