Calisthenics exercises: the 6 basic movements

Calisthenics has hundreds of exercises, but six movements do most of the work. They cover the whole body: pulling, pushing, legs and core. For each one, here's what it's for, where to start, the benchmark to reach and what comes next.

The 6 movements at a glance

Two movements for pulling, two for pushing, one for the legs, one for the core. Everything else, skills included, is built on these six.

1. The pull-up

You hang from a bar and pull yourself up until your chin clears it. It's the king of calisthenics movements: it builds your back and biceps, and it leads to the muscle-up.

• To start: with a resistance band under your feet, or by doing only the lowering phase, slowly.
• The benchmark: 5 strict pull-ups in a row, with no swinging.
• To make it harder: wide grip, then added weight on a belt.

Everything is in the pull-up guide. If you can't do a single one yet, start by getting your first pull-up.

2. The inverted row (Australian pull-up)

The same movement, done horizontally. You get under a low bar, body braced, heels on the floor, and you pull your chest towards the bar. It strengthens your mid-back and the back of your shoulders, and it prepares you for the standard pull-up.

• To start: torso more upright. The closer you are to standing, the easier it is.
• The benchmark: 3 sets of 10, body almost flat.
• To make it harder: feet raised on a bench.

You need a bar at hip height: rings set low or dip bars do the job very well.

3. The push-up

Hands on the floor, body in a straight line from heels to head, you lower your chest to just above the floor and push back up. It works your chest, triceps and shoulders, with core work as a bonus.

• To start: hands raised on a bench or a table.
• The benchmark: 3 sets of 15 on the floor.
• To make it harder: feet raised, diamond push-up, archer push-up.

No equipment. If your wrists ache, push-up bars or parallettes keep them straight. The variations are ranked in the types of push-up.

4. Dips

Supported on two parallel bars, arms straight, you lower yourself by bending your elbows to a right angle, then you push back up. Triceps, chest, shoulders: it's the heaviest bodyweight push.

• To start: feet on the floor to take some of your weight, or only the lowering phase.
• The benchmark: 3 sets of 8.
• To make it harder: added weight on a belt, then ring dips.

You need dip bars, a pull-up and dip station or rings. The full progression is in dips for beginners.

5. The squat

Feet shoulder-width apart, you lower your hips as if to sit down, thighs at least parallel to the floor, then you stand back up. It works your thighs and glutes. Calisthenics has a reputation for forgetting the legs: don't skip them.

• To start: squat down to a chair, then without it.
• The benchmark: 3 sets of 20.
• To make it harder: lunge, Bulgarian split squat, then single-leg squat.

No equipment. A weighted vest adds load when bodyweight is no longer enough.

6. The knee raise

Hanging from the bar, you raise your knees towards your chest without swinging. It works your abs and hip flexors, and it strengthens your grip along the way.

• To start: the forearm plank, then the knee raise supported on dip bars.
• The benchmark: 3 sets of 10 hanging, with no swinging.
• To make it harder: straight legs, then L-sit.

More core exercises in power tower exercises and the ab wheel progression.

From easiest to hardest

The rule is the same for all six: when you can hold the benchmark for three clean sets, move on to the next version. Adding reps endlessly doesn't make you stronger, changing version does.

Common mistake

Skipping the middle column. Working on the muscle-up without solid strict pull-ups is the best way to hurt your shoulder or your elbow. Skills come after the basics, not instead of them.

Putting them together in a session

A complete session takes one movement from each family:

• a pull: pull-up or inverted row;
• a push: push-up or dips;
• legs: squat;
• core: knee raise or plank.

Three sets per movement, one to two minutes' rest, three sessions a week. The first session, with its numbers, is in the guide to calisthenics for beginners, and a full plan is in the full-body bodyweight programme.

Tip

Alternate the two pulls and the two pushes from one session to the next: pull-up and dips one day, inverted row and push-up the next. You work everything, without making the session longer.

Other useful exercises

Once the six movements are in place, here are the ones that come next, by family.

To find out what to buy first, see what equipment to start with.

Mentioned in this guide Adjustable Dip Bars, 200 kg200 kg · 80 to 93.5 cm, 4 positions · 5 positions90,90 € View product View product