Want a no-frills routine that improves functional strength, increases flexibility, and helps you stay fit using nothing more than your own bodyweight?
Calisthenics is the way to go.
The cherry on top is that it’s not hard to get into basic calisthenics.
Here’s a well-rounded calisthenics workout for beginners to try at home. The structure you’ll follow is a 50-second on, 10-second off.
Negative Push-Ups
Let’s get the ball rolling with a push-up variation that targets the shoulders, triceps, and chest.
The whole point of this negative exercise is to exaggerate the descent part of the push-up. So, go nice and slow.
How to perform:
- Start in a plank position on your tiptoes.
- Lower your upper body until your chest touches the mat.
- Drop your knees to the floor.
- Reverse your movements (lift your chest, then knees) and repeat.
Bear Hold + Knee Taps
Now we’ll take things to the next level. Rather than the traditional plank, we’re going for a bear hold. It’s a total core and quad burner!
How to perform:
- Get on all fours with an engaged core. Your knees and hips should be in line. So should your hands and shoulders.
- Lift your knees off the floor and hold.
- Touch your left knee with your right hand.
- Alternate sides and repeat.
Pike Push-Ups
Next, we’re targeting the pecs and anterior delts with yet another push-up variation.
How to perform:
- Begin in downward-facing dog on tiptoes.
- Brace your core and grip the mat with your fingers spread wide.
- Bend your elbows to lower your body. Your head should almost touch the floor.
- Exhale as you push back and repeat.
Superwoman Pull Down
This exercise will help sculpt your back, improve your posture, and work your posterior chain.
How to perform:
- Lie face down with toe tips touching the mat and arms stretched out.
- Bend your elbows and pull back using your lats. Imagine there’s a pencil between your shoulder blades that you’re trying to squeeze.
- Reverse and repeat.
Seated Alternating Leg Lifts
No true full-body calisthenics workout plan is complete without an exercise that targets the lower abs. So, suck your core back to your spine and let’s get to it.
How to perform:
- Sit upright with your legs extended in front of you. Set your fingertips on the mat for stability.
- Squeeze your abs as you lift one leg.
- Pause briefly before lowering your leg.
- Switch legs and repeat.
Reverse Plank Climbers
Reverse planks are already a full-body exercise. They put glutes, chest, shoulders, and even hamstrings to work.
Add a mountain-climber component, and you’ve got this absolute monster of an exercise!
How to perform:
- Assume the starting position from the leg lift exercise. This time, place your hands behind your body, with your fingertips pointing towards your feet.
- Contract your glutes to lift your hips. Your drawn-down shoulders and heels should be in line.
- Lifting from your core, bring one knee toward your chest.
- Lower your leg, switch sides, and repeat.
Side Plank Hold
Ready for some unilateral planks?
This one activates the obliques. And since you’re working one side at a time, this is a great chance to minimize imbalances between sides.
How to perform:
- Lie on your side, with your torso straight and legs stacked.
- Extend your bottom arm to prop yourself up on your palm.
- Draw your belly button to your spine and hold for 50 seconds. Don’t forget to breathe!
Side Plank + Reach Combo
Catch your breath and get back into that side plank.
We’re amping it up with a dual reach—an arm reach-under and reaching to the ceiling with your leg.
How to perform:
- Get in the side plank position and hold.
- Bend your top arm at the elbow.
- Twist your upper body and do a reach-under with your bent arm.
- Return to the starting position and lift your top leg.
- Lower your leg and repeat.
Lunge Pulses
Your core must be on fire right now. Let’s give it a rest and focus on your lower body for a bit.
Lunge pulses should get those hamstrings, quads, glutes, and inner thighs working.
How to perform:
- Start in a split stance with a tucked pelvis and shoulders slightly ahead of your hips.
- Lift the heel of your right (rear) foot off the floor and firmly plant your left foot into the ground.
- Place your hands on your hips.
- Bend at the knees, hips, and ankles to lower your body. Stop when your left knee is at 90°.
- Maintain a slight bend at the knees and push yourself up a couple of inches.
- Repeat the previous two steps until the 50 seconds are up.
Deadlift to Lunge
Balance is the name of the game for this exercise. It’ll be tricky at first, but you’ll nail it after a few tries.
How to perform:
- Assume the starting position from exercise #9.
- Drop into a lunge.
- As you get up, shift your weight to your left leg and lift the right off the floor.
- While your leg goes in the air, your upper body should drop down. Imagine you’re trying to grab a pair of dumbbells from the ground.
- Grab those invisible dumbbells, get back to position, and repeat.
Deep Lunge Hold
Your glutes still got a little fight in them? Go for a hold.
How to perform:
- Get in the lunge position.
- Drop down deep.
- Hold for 50 seconds (this will REALLY burn!).
Squat to Frogstand
For the next exercise, we’re putting a calisthenics twist to the good ol’ squat.
Muster all the grip and finger strength you have. You’re about to balance your weight on your palms.
How to perform:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Drop into a deep squat.
- At the bottom, place your hands on the floor. Spread your fingers and grip the mat.
- Rest your knees on the back of your upper arms.
- Maintain a bend in your elbow as you slowly lean and shift your weight forward.
- Keep your toe tips touching the ground initially and lift them gradually.
- Hold the position for 3–5 seconds before leaning back into a squat.
- Push your body up and repeat.
Low Plank Hold
Low planking—simple and effective, but never easy!
How to perform:
- Get into a forearm plank position.
- Keep your core tight and hold for 50 seconds.
Hollow Hold + Kicks
For a hint of pilates, go for a hollow-hold-kick combo. This move will target your abs, pelvis, and lower back all in one go.
How to perform:
- Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs lifted.
- Bend one knee to bring your leg closer to your chest. Hold for 2–3 seconds.
- Extend your leg.
- Repeat, alternating sides as you go.
Knee Hug to Hollow Hold
We’re still doing hollow holds. This time, we want more stretch in our glutes.
How to perform:
- Lie flat, with both knees bent over your chest. Your arms should reach under your knees.
- In slow and controlled motion, extend your arms and legs simultaneously. You’ll end up in a hollow-hold position.
- Return and repeat.
Flutter Kicks
Good news for those who want to tone their lower abs but hate crunches. Next in line is a simple ab-builder: the flutter kick.
How to perform:
- Lie on your back.
- Lift your legs off the floor.
- Keep your legs straight as you flutter up and down.
Hollow Hold
We know your abs are most likely screaming by now. But this part wasn’t called the “core finisher” for no reason.
So, toughen up and push through one more hollow hold!
How to perform:
- You know the drill—lie on your back with extended arms and legs.
- Hold the position for 50 seconds.
Pat Yourself on the Back!
Don’t forget to cool down before wrapping up the calisthenics routine. Puppy poses, cobra stretches, and deep lunges will do the trick.
Article Medically reviewed by
I’m fitness coach Ashley Castleberry, an NASM-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, as well as a coach on an established YouTube Channel with over 1 million followers. With certifications from major fitness brands, I specialize in athletic, HIIT, and strength training. Leveraging my experience coaching clients on lifestyle changes, I provide customized exercise and nutrition guidance to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that be weight loss, muscle gain or overall health improvement.
