Today you are going to learn EXACTLY how you can start your calisthenics training as a beginner.
This calisthenics workout plan has been used successfully by 1000+ people from around the world.
Here is what you will get:
- Effective routines to build muscle and burn fat.
- Life lessons to become the best version of yourself.
- And the best possible start as a calisthenics beginner.
This workout plan will give you a complete breakdown.
You can begin your calisthenics training TODAY!
Contents
Chapter 1:
What Is Calisthenics Workout?
If you want to know what calisthenics is about, you need to know what it means first.
When you do know, you will say: "That sounds obvious!".
The question is:
Where do you start?
Use the definition, history and link in this chapter to get a better idea.
Calisthenics Definition
According to Wikipedia, Calisthenics (also known as 'street workout') is a form of bodyweight training.
Or more precise, it is the art of using your body weight as resistance to develop your physique.
Here is a snippet of the exact definition:
Calisthenics training uses minimal equipment and is intended to increase strength, fitness and flexibility through different exercises.
Common exercises are:
- chin ups,
- push ups,
- squats,
- dips;
- and leg raises.
The beautiful thing about calisthenics?
You can do it anywhere. Anytime.
The entire world becomes your gym. How exciting is that?
And you aren't the first one.
For example, a quick Google search shows that calisthenics has gotten quite popular:

Just look at the sharp increase from 2013 to 2014 of more than 109%:

But before you become one of those people, you need to be prepared.
Why?
Because although you only use your own body weight.
It does not mean that you cannot get injured.
In the ultimate calisthenics guide for beginners, you will find an entire chapter dedicated to:
- injuries;
- recovery from injuries;
- and prevention of injuries.
The good news?
With the tips and workout plans in this post, you should be up and running in no time.
Ready for an adventure?
The Best Calisthenics Goals
You will NEVER arrive anywhere if you don't know where you are going.
So the first question you need to ask yourself is:
"Where do I want to go?"
A quick Reddit search for example shows that a lot of beginners struggle with that question:
In fact, there are tons and tons of topics on goal setting:
So, it's clearly something you will struggle with as a beginner.
And here is the key to crush your goals THIS year:
An implementation intention.
According to the British Journal of Health and Psychology, people who use implementation intentions increase their chances of following up on a new habit by 200%.
What is it?
A simple 1 sentence statement:
I want to (WHAT), at (WHEN) in the (WHERE).
For example:
"I want to do 3 full body circuits (what), at 11:30 on Wednesdays and Fridays (when) in the garage (where)."
It's clear, either you do 3 circuits or not.
And because it's clear you are more likely to ACTUALLY do it.
Write Down 1-3 Implementation Intentions
Grab a notebook or a piece of paper and write down 1-3 implementation intentions.
Even if you change them after reading this post, you'll be practicing the skill of setting goals.
So what is the best goal for calisthenics beginners?
"A goal that states, what, where and when you are going to do what you intend to do."
That wasn't hard, right?
And take some time to notice what setting goals does to your emotions.
You feel excitement, because it SUPERCHARGES your brain.
That is...
...if it's clearly defined.
Now, it's time for the fun part.
Chapter 2:
The Requirements For Your Calisthenics Workout Plan
In this chapter you will get a list of the most common injuries...
...a link to 7 effective warming up routines that you can use to prevent those injuries.
And a basic workout plan to make sure you are ready for the coming 6 months.
So if you want to avoid getting hurt and make sure you make it to the end, this chapter is for you.
Warming Up
In the coming months, you will make some amazing progress.
Especially if you are consistent.
But what you need first, is a basic level of strength.
Warm up and use rest intelligently
To start safely, you need to be prepared and use these 7 effective routines to warm up before your training.
What do you want to focus on during your warm up?
- your wrists (18,6% of injuries);
- and shoulders (41,9% of injuries).
Both will need some extra attention.
Especially if you completely new to this.
Here is a list of the 5 most common injuries:
Injury prevention = is making sure you warm up AND use the right amount of rest between cycles and exercises:
- 30-60 seconds of rest between your exercises.
- more important: 60-180 seconds of rest between cycles.
Why use these numbers?
According to the European Journal of Physiology, your body needs about 180 seconds to fully recover.
For example:
- 30 seconds means ≈ 50% of your energy is restored
- 60-90 seconds means ≈ 75-90% of your energy is restored
- 180 seconds means ≈ 98% of your energy is restored
The amount of rest you need depends on your goal and your level of development, but here are the general rules of thumb:
- strength: rest 3-5 min
- muscle growth: 60-90 sec
- endurance: minimum rest
As you become stronger you can minimise the rest between exercises.
So what are the strength requirements?
To get the best possible start for the six month workout schedule, you need to be able to complete the 'get ready' routine:

Workout Explainer
Follow the workout diagram from left to right.
Like reading:
Next to the arrows you see the name of the exercise, the number of reps and an illustration:
Above you see the number of cycles:
And the rest time after 1 full cycle:
One cycle means doing all the exercises for the given amount of reps.
Lacking the strength for these exercises?
Need to start from scratch?
Don't worry about it.
If you don't have the basics down yet, you can use regressions to work on those first.
What are regressions?
"Regressions are easier versions of the same exercise."
You can use the 'almost there! routine' below for 4-6 weeks until you can move on to the get ready routine:

- Your pulling strength/back: chin ups.
- Your pushing strength/chest: dips and push ups.
- Lower body/legs: squats.
- Or your core/abs: leg raises.
Finally, make sure you get the FREE starter guide for beginners.
(You will get 1 extremely powerful tip to stay motivated.)
I will send you links to multiple posts that will BOOST your motivation and results in ways you cannot imagine yet.
Can you do the requirements for the given amount of cycles?
You are ready to start your six months of bodyweight training.
Is this plan perfect for everyone?
NO.
It's a foundation that you can use for a new body.
But you can always customise it to your needs.
That's your responsibility.
The Harsh Truth About Your Calisthenics Progress
How fast do you think you will see progress?
One day?
One week?
One month?
Here is the harsh truth:
Progress does not work the way you think it does.
And you will see progress depends on a million different factors.
But if you stick to this plan, your training routine will not be holding you back.
There will be periods however, where you expect to improve exponentially.
Unfortunately, there will be a lot of days where you feel like you are going nowhere.
But if you are patient and consistent.
Your progress will look like this:
Knowing what you can expect will keep you motivated.
Hit a flatline or a small dip?
Keep working.
You are about to reach a new peak.
Do NOT forget this.
Focus on the long-term progress. The red dotted line.
Why?
It will set you apart from 99% of beginners who quit after their first month.
Let's move on to the first month!
Chapter 3:
Month 1 - Essential Full Body Workout Plan
Is calisthenics really "the best way to train for me"?
Yup!
(of course that's my answer.)
In fact, as you've already read more and more people are getting into it.
And most of your progress comes from being a beginner.
So if you are serious about starting - or want to double down on your health and results - this chapter is for you.
In fact, this chapter could be the start of a life-changing journey.
The Workout Plan

Month 1 - Training Schedule
If you start on a Monday, aim to have 1 day of rest in between your workout days.
Each day of rest will give you enough time to recover.
Remember:
This is the bare minimum amount of calisthenics training to get results as a beginner.
Training Tip - Focus On Making Calisthenics Part Of Your Life
Don't expect too many visible changes.
Focus on making training part of your life.
Go from doing calisthenics.
To being someone who does calisthenics.
It becomes part of your identity.
When that happens, it does not matter how long it takes.
You will get those results.
Because you become someone who has those results.
It took you many years to develop the body you have right now.
It will take more than a few weeks to transform it.
But, you are on your way.
Reading this is the first result on the road to making calisthenics part of your life.
And you are just getting started...
Training Tip - Use The Power Of Variety
Quickly bored?
I know.
I'm not expecting you to change into a military-style elite level athlete.
Especially not overnight.
But the routine you have, if done consistently will give you HUGE improvements.
The challenge?
Your brain is wired to get a small jump of reward every time you do something new, while keeping things challenging enough.
That's why some people spend more time on playing video games than would be good for them.
Game developers are extremely good at getting you into the flow zone.
In other words:
You can use the flow principle to your advantage by switching your training when you start losing motivation as a result of boredom.
Increase the difficulty once things become too easy.
And find the sweet spot for yourself.
How?
- Be patient;
- make progress;
- and have fun.
So, when you feel unmotivated add more variety during these 6 months.
For example:
Workout Plans for variety
You can find 14 fast bar brother beginner routines or plans.
And make sure you hit those legs hard and squat deep.
Training both your legs and upper body seems to be better for overall muscle growth.
Now that's more than enough variety to keep you going, right?
Let's see where month 2 will take you.
The Nutrition System
Whether it's your priority or not, if you want results you want to make sure your nutrition the BEST it can be.
(The best moment to start was yesterday.)
Remember:
"Abs are made in the kitchen."
This is covered in the Nutrition System by the official Bar Brothers.
Chapter 4:
Month 2 - Ultimate Full Body Workout Plan
Training with PRECISION is a KEY to getting old with calisthenics.
And it's important whether you are 20 or 50 right now.
(In fact, your age is irrelevant.)
And in this chapter, I'll show you a powerful mindset tip and how you can take the next step in your training.
The Workout Plan

Month 2 - Training Schedule
Training Tip - Perform Your Exercises Like A Surgeon
When I first started with calisthenics, I didn't care about how well I was doing the repetitions
All I cared about was how much repetitions I was doing.
But there is a VERY big difference between doing a push up correctly 5 times.
And doing a push up incorrectly 10 times.
You will be way stronger and injury free down the road if you do it the right way.
It's about having the right mindset.
Just like making a pie.
The point I'm trying to make is:
That the way you do something can lead to very different results.
Even if the ingredients are the same.
Fun fact: do you know the world record for most push ups in 1 hour?
Don't get me wrong, it's very impressive.
But how good are those push ups?
If you want to prevent injuries and to get maximum results don't go for world records and focus on the details.
Start doing your workouts with the precision of a brain surgeon.
And ask yourself:
- What do I need to focus on?
- What are the details?
- How can I get maximum results?
Chapter 5:
Month 3 - Level Up Intermediate Workout Plan
In 2021 this Bar Brother post kept showing up in the top results of Google.
With more than 1000+ comments from interested beginners.
Wow...
That's a lot!
How come so many people were excited about this calisthenic workout plan?
Let's jump into the exact strategy and the next workout plan they used in this chapter.
The Workout Plan


Good work!
You have reached the intermediate workout plan.
Time to level up.
Make sure you mark down this peak.
For example, you can start using an achievement book.
Why?
You need to celebrate your victories.
No matter how small.
Here is your weekly workout schedule:
Month 3 - Training Schedule
Month 3 - Higher Intensity Schedule
As with the previous months, you can always add variety with beginner or intermediate routines.
Just make sure you stick to doing the next level routine for 3 days at least.
You are getting prepared for your first muscle up.
It's usually one of the biggest goals for beginners.
And a great starting point.
So, when will you do your first one?
That's up to you.
Training Tip - Plan Your Rest Between Workout Periods
Rest?
I know it sounds weird.
Like the WRONG thing to do.
That is, if you want to make progress, right?
Actually, the opposite is true.
I've written about the 3 fundamental rules of muscle growth before.
The funny part?
Most of your recovery issues will solve themselves if you stick to a good sleep cycle.
How much sleep do you need?
You can discover more about the importance of sleep.
And if you do, you will be stronger than ever.
Why?
Because your rest is the building block that can either make the body you've constructed stand firm.
And get you the results at the top.
Chapter 6:
Month 4 - The Muscle Up Hunt Routine
I’m a BIG fan of muscle ups.
Why?
Because they combine dips with pull ups.
Think about it:
When you do a muscle up you are doing multiple exercises at once, you do double the amount of work in 1 rep.
You aren't there yet, but you are getting pretty close.
In this chapter you will learn EVERY component you need to develop your first muscle up.
Workout Plan


Month 4 - Training Schedule
First, focus on going really low with the straight bar dips.
Second, reduce the amount of jumping with the jump muscle ups.
You need to find a lower bar, that allows you to jump up.
This is going to be the most challenging period yet.
Keep reminding yourself of the tips in month 1 about progress.
Why?
Training Tip - Connect The Dots And Experiment With Progressions And Cycles
Are you seeing how you can progress to something amazing?
Just by taking it one step at a time.
First, you start month 1 with placing dots with the basics:
Didn't expect that...
And you can use this lesson as a reminder:
"Progress is not giving up."
Good luck with this month.
Workout Explainer
You can always increase or decrease the difficulty by going back to the previous month or by maxing out on cycles.
Doing 4-5 instead of 3.
The end is in sight.
Or rather...
...the beginning of something even better.
Chapter 7:
Month 5 - Muscle Up King Plan
Ready to step up your training in 2021?
If you have prepared yourself in the previous months, warmed up properly, rested sufficiently then you might be ready to give this month a go!
And In this chapter, you'll learn a simple rule to keep going when things get tough.
Let's dive right in.
The Workout Plan


Month 5 - Training Schedule
Workout Explainer
You alternate between the routine you did in month 3 and this routine.
Because month 3 will help you deal with weak spots.
Yes, the basics are priceless for everything that you do and want to maintain.
Use the strength you have now to make your repetitions even better.
Surgical precision...
And depending on how your body responds, you can increase the duration of these six months:
Spend more time on month 3 or any of the months you struggle with.
(2-4 weeks should be reasonable.)
And get more ripped:
For example, by giving yourself more time to change your calisthenics diet routines.
In other words:
Use this plan to fit your unique and individual needs.
After all, NOBODY knows you better than you.
That's where the final tip comes into play.
You can find it in the next chapter...
Training Tip - Complete Big Workout Goals By Working On Smaller Ones
Have you ever tried building a wall?
Like the great wall of China?
Sounds like an insane goal to have, doesn't it?
Now what if I told you to lay down 1 brick consistently, every single day?
That sounds easy, right?
Now I'm not telling you that transforming your body is as hard as building the Great Wall of China.
Because it would take you about 100 lives.
But what you need to understand is that the people who build that wall, placed 1 brick at a time.
That's something you can do when building the body you want.
One day at a time.
Imagine what you could become.
If you stick to this simple rule:
"Show up consistently."
It's frightening if you think about it.
And encouraging if you know how to get there.
Which brings us to the final month.
Chapter 8:
Month 6 - The Bar Brother Beginner Challenge
Challenges are a way for you to STAND OUT.
Here is another one:
"the obstacle is the way."
Question is:
What have you been preparing for these past 6 months?
And what is the end goal?
Well, that’s exactly what I plan to cover in this chapter.
The Workout Plan
To end your 6 month journey, you will have to finish your final task.
How?
By completing this challenge:
The Bar Brother Beginner Challenge
Now it's time to finish your journey.
It's a good moment to look back and reflect on all the connections you've made.
All the bricks you have laid.
All the pies, all the patience, all the dots and all the expectations.
Good luck!
Although, I'm sure you won't need it.
Because luck favours the prepared.
Here is your final workout schedule:
Month 6 - Training Schedule
The #1 goal in this month is to test yourself.
Or as the legendary Michael Jordan once said:
"If you do the work, you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life."
In other words, use all the tips and trust yourself.
You'll find a summary of all the tips in the last chapter.
Chapter 9:
A Summary - 7 Tips For Calisthenics Beginners in 2021
So: What did you remember?
Calisthenics ROCKS!
It's so powerful, liberating and eye-catching, that it can't help but get attention.
And in this chapter I'll just quickly remind you of all the powerful lessons life-lessons I got from calisthenics...
...that you can use beyond your training.
A Quick Summary Of Calisthenics Tips
What's After The Beginner Challenge?
You are ready to conquer the world...
...well, almost.
You are not the beginner you were before you started.
And perhaps you are looking for a next challenge.
Try the 12-week workout system by the professional Bar Brothers.
It's not free. But it's well worth the small price of two good meals.
I can tell you from personal experience.
Anyways, it was a fun journey, wasn't it?
Your imagination has brought you here.
Now it's time to take your imagination elsewhere!
And here is why:
I believe you can do better.
*Fist Bump*
I hope you enjoyed the essential workout plan.
Now I'd like to hear from you: what did you learn from this guide?
Did you progress as much as you hoped to?
Or maybe you were surprised by all the tips.
Either way, let me know by leaving a quick comment below now!
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Really important question here.. Should i increase reps while im getting better or stay with 4-6 and increase sets to build strenght? Heard that the second one is the correct way to progression and just increasing reps wont help me doing more advanced moves. Am i right? I have like 5kg i want to loose but i think i can do this without increasing heart rate, just with good diet and 3x a week workout.
Hey Lukas,
With regard to rep ranges. Between 1-5 is pure strength. 5-8 is strength and hyperthrophy. 8-12 is a combination of strength and endurance and more than 12 is usually endurance.
So it depends on your goals. With regard to reps, it’s more complex, especially when you are focusing on a skill on addition to a strength attribute. Let’s say the muscle up. You need strength, but you also need a skill element. This skill element can be practiced 1000s of times, because you need to wire your brain for the movement.
But I don’t want to confuse you, for pure strength 1-5, if you want to do a skill move, much, much more. Yes you can lose weight, without cardio, but only if you get into a caloric deficit.
Goodluck!
Beast mode ON!
Hello brother
I am doing my Let’s Go Routine 5 cycles
I am not tired but I do exercises to increase?
Hey zinou,
You are probably ready to move on to a more difficult month if it’s too easy.
Try doing month 3 for example.
Goodluck and good work!
Beast mode ON!
Thanks for the reply brother
Possible 3 month program?
Hey bro,
Yes, always experiment with more difficult progressions every now and then or if you feel confident to try it. Sometimes you just have to try it to see how ready you are.
Beast mode ON!
Hey Rich, you should also mention to people about the madbarz app has a lot of great workouts and it tracks your results. It’s also nice when you’re trying to spice up your routine
Hey Chris,
Awesome tip!
Definitely worth mentioning ;), hope your training is going well!
Beast mode ON!
Its going fantastic thanks
Hi Barbrothers,
Is the 6 month program enough to get me strong and big legs or it is a must to add a leg routine?
I don’t want to get a stronger and bigger upperbody than a lowerbody, That looks weird.
Keep up the good work!
Peter
Hey Peter,
I can definitely recommend adding leg routines and/or leg exercises as shown in the plan.
Haha, make sure you check out the leg routines and alternate between routines depending on your personal needs.
Thanks for the positive message and keep it up!
Beast mode ON!
Hey Rich,
Thanks, this plan looks great! Would it be ok to start on month 2 or 3 if I’ve had some previous training in basic callisthenics and find the first month too easy?
Hey Adam,
Thanks for the positive message!
Definitely, if you feel like you are ready to take it up at notch by all means do so ;).
Be smart about it and focus on proper execution. It will give huge payoffs down the road.
Beast mode ON!
Hey Bar Brothers thank you so much for these workouts! I just made the switch from heavy lifting in the gym once I found your site. I actually wake up now wanting to workout since the chances of injury are MUCH less now; squatting heavy 3-4 times a week will do that.
Anyway, are these routines more geared towards the strength aspect? Or are the also effective for building a lean muscular body? I’m not really interested in the typical bulky “bodybuilding” look. I have 2 questions left. How much rest should you take during Month 3 when you finish the first routine and are about to start the second? Last question: with regards to dips, I can do chair, bench and straight bar dips since I have everything I need however, I can’t do the dips where you are holding onto two bars side-by-side since I don’t have the tw bars; they are the last exercise in Month 2. What should I do instead? One of the other types of dips?
Thank you again for these workouts! You guys really motivate me on a daily basis :)!
Hey Jack,
Welcome to the movement!
You are definitely more likely to develop a balanced body with healthy joints.
Most of these routines are on the balance between endurance and strenght. It has everything to do with the amount of reps.
Usually between 60-90 seconds between routines. And if you are really focusing on pure strength, the same between exercises, but you will have to find a progression which matches your strength level, meaning you max out at around 5 reps.
If you don’t have parallel bars, you can do chair tricep extensions, these are pretty brutal. Make sure you have a chair with some good stability.
Check out this blog: http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/calisthenics-chair-workout/
Have fun and goodluck!
Beast mode ON!
At the first month, it is possible to change the number of reps in each exercise? or doing a variation of one? maybe instead of normal push ups, diamond push ups? i’m feeling like the Squats are too easy and 3 leg raises: i can’t do full leg raises touching the bar, so i do half leg raises, but doing only 3 maybe is not enough for me.
Thank you
Hey Fran,
Welcome to the movement!
You can definitely shift gears up, just make sure the quality of your exercises remains high. If you move up a strength level without proper quality, it might backfire later on.
If the squats are too easy try a more difficult progression. Like pistols. If the leg raises are too difficult, indeed, doing half leg raises is a great idea, just make sure you up the reps a bit. Instead of doing 3 do 5-8 of a lighter variation. Once that becomes easy, move on to the more difficult variation again.
Good job bro! You are training in an intelligent way. Add what works for you and experiment. There is no 1 size fits all, everyone is different, this plan is purely meant to give you some options to choose from.
Beast mode ON!
I have been doing basic Calisthenics till now. But i was searching for something more! I found this and its so good keep up the good work! I do have two questions though. I started this week with month three what i did is combine the Full Body Routine + Let’s Go Routine. And do all the excersises and then rest then repeat it two more times. Is this a good way to start with month 3? Second question i do cardio on off days thats tuesday,thursday and sometimes saturday i have a good meal plan is this good asswell or should i change my cardio so i can do it after my training on monday/wendsday/friday?
Thanks!!!
Hey Martijn,
Welcome to the movement!
Definitely a good way to start. If it feels good for you and isn’t too easy, but also isn’t too difficult you are exactly where you want to be. Definitely great combination to keep moving also on non-strength focused days.
Not necessarily, you can combine cardio with strength, but you can also do them on seperate days, whatever works best for you. This also depends on your goals, are you bulking, cutting or maintaining?
Beast mode ON!
I’m cutting and trying to get those abs 😛 So i eat healthy and look at my calories.
Hey guys!
In Monday I will begin month 4 and I want to ask you what you recommend to do instead the 12 jumping muscle ups ( because in my village we have only one bar and it’s to high to do this exercise I know no excuses but I can’t do this) what you believe it’s good to do… Try this exercise or do something instead this? (this month will be difficult but never give up)!
Thanks 🙂
Hey Bill,
Awesome stuff first of all! Seems like you have been making some good progress!
With regard to the jumping muscle ups, it’s not only a strength thing, but the muscle up also requires you to develop a neurological pathway, just like walking. It’s a new motion which you need to develop. And the only way you can really develop it, is by going through the motion itself. Just like walking, to learn how to walk you need to walk. So I if you want to learn the muscle up, you really need to develop the skill in addition to the strength.
And there simply isn’t any other way to do it. What you could do, is look for a lower bar somewhere and still get that motion in your head. It might be easier strength wise, but if I’m honest, if you have done month 3 with proper form, you probably already have most of the required muscle up strength ;).
Have fun! And if you have any other questions…ASK!
Beast mode ON!
Another question here! Do i max out on every single cycle or only at the last one? Because i do al the excercises from Full Body Routine + Let’s Go Routine. Then i rest and do another two cycles. The only thing that burns up at cycle two are the chin ups and pull ups but when i can’t do them anymore, i start doing reverse ups and if that doesn’t work anymore i do Reverse Pull Up/ chin ups. Why i ask this is because i can do alot more of the other moves then the workout suggest.
Thanks! And all you guys commenting here keep me going BEAST MODE! (Its fun that alot of people really try there best its motivating for me reading the comments!)
Hey Martijn,
Whether or not you max out has a lot to do with your goals.
Maxing out usually involves doing more than 12 reps, which means you are focusing more on endurance than strength. If you want to stick to developing strength maintain 12 or less reps. For pure strength between 1-5.
If you are capable of doing a lot more, try making some of the moves a bit more difficult. Add a more difficult progression. Instead of regular push ups, do diamonds for example. In terms of strength it’s better to do 5 difficult push ups with correct form than 12 easy push ups with correct form.
I hope you get the point. So try adding more difficult progressions if it’s too easy and if you feel like maxing out and burning some extra bodyfat by all means go for it!
Haha, we are all on the same path bro! That’s what makes it awesome! Check out the forum for more cool stories!
Beast mode ON!