This programme takes you from zero to your first pull-ups and your first dips in eight weeks. Three sessions a week, two sessions that alternate, four exercises each time. You don't need to be able to do a single pull-up to start.
The programme in brief
- Length: 8 weeks, 3 sessions a week.
- Session: 35 to 45 minutes, warm-up included.
- Level: complete beginner. Pull-ups are done with a resistance band.
- Equipment: a pull-up bar, a resistance band, dip bars or parallettes.
No equipment yet? See what equipment to start with. A pull-up and dip station replaces the bar and the dip bars.
A typical week
Two sessions, A and B, that you alternate, with a rest day in between.
The days can change, not the rule: never two sessions two days in a row.
The warm-up
Five minutes before each session, in this order:
- Shoulder and wrist circles, 10 in each direction.
- 10 slow squats.
- 10 easy push-ups, hands raised.
- 20 seconds hanging from the bar, shoulders active.
Session A
Rest: 90 seconds between sets.
| Exercise | Weeks 1 and 2 | Weeks 3 and 4 | Weeks 5 and 6 | Weeks 7 and 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inverted row | 3 × 6 | 3 × 8 | 3 × 10, body flatter | 4 × 10 |
| Push-up | 3 × 6, hands raised | 3 × 8, hands raised | 3 × 10, on the floor | 4 × 10, on the floor |
| Squat | 3 × 12 | 3 × 15 | 3 × 20 | 4 × 20 |
| Plank | 3 × 20 s | 3 × 30 s | 3 × 40 s | 4 × 40 s |
Session B
Rest: 2 minutes on pull-ups, 90 seconds on the rest.
| Exercise | Weeks 1 and 2 | Weeks 3 and 4 | Weeks 5 and 6 | Weeks 7 and 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band-assisted pull-up | 3 × 3 | 3 × 5 | 3 × 5, lowering in 3 seconds | 4 × 5 |
| Dips | 3 × 6, feet on the floor | 3 × 8, feet on the floor | 3 × 4 slow negatives, on the bars | 4 × 3 to 5 full dips |
| Lunge | 3 × 6 per leg | 3 × 8 per leg | 3 × 10 per leg | 4 × 10 per leg |
| Knee raise, supported on the bars | 3 × 6 | 3 × 8 | 3 × 10 | 4 × 10 |
No band? Replace them with slow negatives: step up on a chair, chin above the bar, then lower yourself in five seconds. To choose the right band, see what resistance to choose.
TipKeep the same hand height and the same band for two weeks. If you change everything at every session, you no longer know whether you're progressing.
The 4 rules of the programme
- Did you get all the reps? You move on to the next column at the end of the two weeks.
- Some are missing? You repeat a week at the same level. It's not a failure, it's the programme.
- You stop one rep short of failure. A failed set tires you more than it helps you progress.
- You write down every session. Exercise, sets, reps, in your phone or a notebook.
Common mistakeAdding exercises because the session seems short. The first two weeks are easy on purpose: they teach your joints the movements. The difficulty arrives in week 5.
The week 8 test
Replace the last session with four attempts, with three minutes' rest between each:
- as many strict pull-ups as you can, without a band;
- as many push-ups on the floor as you can;
- as many dips as you can;
- the longest plank.
Rough figures after eight consistent weeks: 1 to 3 pull-ups, 12 to 15 push-ups, 4 to 6 dips, a one-minute plank. If the pull-up isn't there yet, that's normal: it takes 4 to 12 weeks depending on your weight and your starting point. The full method is in how to get your first pull-up.
What next?
| Your test result | What comes next |
|---|---|
| No pull-up yet | Repeat weeks 5 to 8 with a lighter band |
| 1 to 4 pull-ups | Full-body bodyweight programme |
| 5 pull-ups or more | Pull-up programme, from 5 to 15 reps |
| You want to write your own plan | Build your own programme |
Stuck on dips? The step-by-step progression is in dips for beginners. For pacing and rest, see the guide to calisthenics for beginners.
Mentioned in this guide
Resistance Band for Assisted Pull UpsFrom 2 to 79 kg depending on the colour · 208 cm · LatexFrom 13,90 €
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