What is a gym to you?
For some, this place may be a sanctuary for the fitness devoted:
A pseudo-religious experience where your barbell lift MUST be executed with perfect form. Your rest MUST precisely be 30-second intervals. You MUST run on the treadmill for a minimum of one hour. And don’t you dare try to strike up a conversation with someone plugged into their Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones… lest you receive the death glare.
For others, it’s more of an anthropological adventure. Think about it – when else can you enter a public space where people give each other unspoken, socially accepted permission to be in ridiculous body positions. I can’t think of too many.
Maybe you think that going to the gym is the only way to become truly healthy and improve biometrics like Heart Rate Variability and Oxygen Saturation. But that is far from the truth! You don’t have to sacrifice fun for fit. As a matter of fact…You can have both:
You can train like a ninja!
Yes, you heard me right. Calisthenics is ninja training.
What is Calisthenics?
Calisthenics is bodyweight training. Any movement that ONLY utilizes your bodyweight can technically be considered calisthenics.
According to the Centers for Disease for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 21.7% of adults 18 years of age or older met the Physical Activity Guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. Most fitness activities tend to lean toward aerobic or anaerobic exercise. Calisthenics, on the other hand, are a balanced combination of both.
So why should you do calisthenics? Here are a few reasons why:
Become stronger & leaner
It’s fun!
No gym membership costs
No fancy equipment required
Choose WHEN + WHERE to exercise
If you’re like most fitness beginners, you haven’t worked out in ages. And if you’re the type of person who hates learning complex things, you probably avoid the gym like the plague. The beauty of calisthenics is that it’s straight-forward. But don’t let the ‘easy-to-understand’ movements fool you. Calisthenics will kick your butt.
So how should a beginner start calisthenics training?
With the help of Madbarz, we’ve put together the ultimate beginner calisthenics workout plan you can start immediately:
1. MONDAY: No Equipment Day
4 Rounds:
Max Plank (Hold plank for 30 seconds if you’re a complete beginner)
8 Squats
8 Lunges (each leg)
8 Push Ups
8 Laying Down Leg Raises
Max Mountain Climbers (Do 20 each leg if you’re just starting)
8 Pike Push Ups
This routine is the BEST WAY to start calisthenics because it doesn’t require a single equipment. You can do these in your living room, bedroom, office, in the park – wherever! These foundational exercises will help build up your strength and endurance to perform advanced movements in the future. Think of these as your calisthenic building blocks.
2. TUESDAY: Basic Beginner Day
4 Rounds:
7 Close Hands Chin Ups
5 Pull Ups
6 Dips
15 Push Ups
5 Leg Raises
9 Jump Squats
15 Australian Pull Ups
This workout introduces you to calisthenic exercises that require some sort of bar to hang from. Pull up bars are cheap & you can easily get one online or pick one up at a sporting goods store. Most of them will fit your door-frame without causing damage. If you’re feeling outdoorsy, find a park near you that has bars or a playground!
3. WEDNESDAY: Rest Day!
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4. THURSDAY: On-The-Go Day
4 Rounds:
20 Wide Push Ups
20 Mountain Climbers
60 Seconds of Wall Sit
15 Clap Push Ups
30 Seconds of Superman Hold
30 Squats
60 Seconds of Plank
5. FRIDAY: Fat Removal Day
4 Rounds:
100 Meter Run
5 Dips
45 Seconds of Jumping Jacks
8 Push Ups
30 Seconds of Alternating High Knees
30 Seconds of Mountain Climbers
15 Seconds of Plank
6. SATURDAY: Beginner HIIT DAY
We’re throwing in a beginner’s high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout because it’ll really boost your cardio & calisthenic stamina. HIIT sessions are also proven to be incredibly effective when it comes to fat loss.
4 Rounds:
15-second sprint (Run as fast as you can!)
45-second walk (Don’t stop in place. Keep walking)
1 Round:
30-second sprint (Run as fast as you can!)
1:30 seconds walk + recovery
4 Rounds:
15-second sprint (Run as fast as you can!)
45-second walk (Don’t stop in place. Keep walking)
1 Round:
30-second sprint (Run as fast as you can!)
1:30 seconds walk + recovery
7. SUNDAY: Rest Day!
Don’t forget to wear your Biostrap and share your calisthenics progress with the Biostrap community! We want to see you transform yourself into the strongest & healthiest version of you.
