If you only had time to do 5 exercises, do these:
- Push-Ups
- Pull-Ups
- Squats
- Plank
- Handstand holds (with progressions)
You don't need a gym, you don’t need more than 1hr per session, you don't need anything but a bar (your local fitness corner would probably have one), a floor, a wall, and yourself to show up.
The best part? You can achieve a top 10% physique and build muscle with just these exercises. No I'm not crazy nor am I trying to sell you a lie. Myself and hundreds of thousands Calisthenics are living proof of this. As long as you have a solid diet and remain consistent to a training regime that WORKS of course.
Push-Up Variations
Push-ups, the bedrock of calisthenics training, offer a powerful means to tone your chest, shoulders, and arms. Spice up your regimen with an array of push-up types like standard push-ups, diamond push-ups, and wide push-ups.
Each variant targets distinct muscle groups, making the push-up into a comprehensive exercise. The result? A stronger and more muscular upper body (chest and shoulder).
Pull-Ups for a Sculpted Back, Arms, and Shoulders
Pull-ups is the KING of all Pull exercises. For those equipped with a home pull-up bar or have access to your local fitness corner, this is a must-do. This exercise amplifies the strength of your back, arms, and shoulders. Remember, always keep your body straight, tighten your core muscles, and pull up until your chin goes over the bar. If you don't have time to train different back exercises, just do this one.
Bodyweight Squats for Lower Body
Squats hold a top spot in calisthenics exercises for honing your lower body, particularly your thighs, glutes, and legs. Proper form is vital here: ensure your back remains straight and your knees hover over your toes as you squat. This exercise makes sure that you never skip leg day.
Personally, I like to perform explosive squat variations such as the tucked jump, or alternate split jumps. These increase your overall athleticism, develop a muscular lower body, and strengthens your legs.
Plank Variations for Core
Planks help to strengthen and stabilize your body by training the core muscles. It is important to have a strong core as it is involved in almost every movement of your body. Regular planks, side planks, and straight-arm planks are all effective exercises to building a healthy and strong core. The key to a good Plank form is maintaining a straight body line from shoulder to feet and activating the posterior pelvic tilt position.
Handstand Holds
This will for sure set you up to get the top 10% of the shoulder, arms, and core physique. The Handstand trains your confidence in maintaining an upside down position and your overall sense of balance.
This makes the Handstand an extremely functional skill while sculpting your dream physique Keep your body straight and aspire to hold the position for several seconds. Try to maintain the posterior pelvic tilt position as well when holding a free handstand.
To start, find a wall that you are not afraid to dirty. Walk up the wall, into a handstand position, with your chest facing the wall. Slowly release your legs from the wall and balance by pushing your finger tips into the ground. See a tutorial video here!
Bonus: Weighted Vest for Progress
"What if I get too strong and Push-Ups start to feel easy?" , "These beginner exercises don't help me gain muscle fast enough!"
These claims are all reasonable. I couldn't bring myself to simply tell you to perform more repetitions and I get it, it gets boring. The solution to this monotony and plateau is the Weighted Vest. Even adding 1kgs or 2.2lbs will feel a whole LOT harder performing these 5 basic exercises.
The Weighted Vest is especially valuable for those without much time to workout or go to the gym. Get the same, if not MORE benefits from 6 challenging reps versus 20 easy reps. With the weighted vest, you essentially bring the gym to wherever you are and ensure that you never stagnate, even when you are busy.
Always remember to Warm-Up
Lastly, remember the importance of warming up before embarking on these exercises and cooling down afterward cannot be overstated in any effective home workout routine. So, are you prepared to elevate your home fitness journey with these top calisthenics exercises? Happy exercising!