Calisthenics Workout Plan for Beginners: 4 Weeks to Your First Strict Pull-Up
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A beginner calisthenics workout plan should do three things: teach the four basic patterns (push, pull, squat, core), get you to a strict pull-up, and be short enough that you actually do it. This one is three sessions a week for four weeks, 25 to 35 minutes each, and needs only a pull-up bar and a resistance band.
The weekly layout
- Day 1 — Pull and core
- Day 2 — Push and legs
- Day 3 — Full-body circuit (timed)
Leave at least one rest day between sessions. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday works for most people.
Day 1: Pull and core
| Exercise | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dead hang | 3 × 20 s | 3 × 30 s | 3 × 40 s | 3 × 45 s |
| Scapular pull-ups | 3 × 6 | 3 × 8 | 3 × 10 | 3 × 10 |
| Band-assisted pull-ups | 4 × 4 | 4 × 5 | 4 × 6 | 4 × 6 (lighter band) |
| Negative pull-ups (jump up, lower for 5 s) | 3 × 3 | 3 × 4 | 3 × 5 | 3 × 5 |
| Hanging knee raises | 3 × 6 | 3 × 8 | 3 × 10 | 3 × 12 |
| Plank | 3 × 30 s | 3 × 40 s | 3 × 50 s | 3 × 60 s |
Day 2: Push and legs
| Exercise | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push-ups (incline if needed) | 4 × 6 | 4 × 8 | 4 × 10 | 4 × 12 |
| Bench dips | 3 × 8 | 3 × 10 | 3 × 12 | 3 × 15 |
| Pike push-ups | 3 × 5 | 3 × 6 | 3 × 8 | 3 × 8 |
| Air squats | 3 × 15 | 3 × 20 | 3 × 20 | 3 × 25 |
| Reverse lunges | 3 × 8 each leg | 3 × 10 | 3 × 12 | 3 × 12 |
| Glute bridges | 3 × 12 | 3 × 15 | 3 × 15 | 3 × 20 |
Day 3: Timed full-body circuit
Three rounds, rest 90 seconds between rounds, record your time. Week 1: 4 band pull-ups, 8 push-ups, 12 squats, 5 burpees, 200 m run. Add one rep to each movement every week. By week 4 you're at 7, 11, 15, 8 and 200 m. Our military calisthenics circuit is the next step once this feels easy.
The movement standards
- Band pull-up: band over the bar, one foot in the loop, dead hang to chin over bar. Use the lightest band that lets you finish every set.
- Negative pull-up: jump or step to chin over bar, then take five full seconds to lower. These are what build your first strict rep.
- Push-up: chest to a fist from the floor, elbows locked out. Hands on a bench if you can't yet hold that standard on the floor.
- Squat: hips below the knees, heels down, chest up.
Testing your pull-up
At the end of week 4, after your warm-up on Day 1, try one strict pull-up with no band: dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick. Most people who hit every session get it. If you don't, repeat week 4 with a lighter band for two more weeks and test again.
Warm-up
Five minutes: easy jog or skipping, 10 arm circles each way, 10 squats, 10 scapular pull-ups, 5 easy push-ups. Don't skip it when it's cold.
After the four weeks
Keep the Day 1 and Day 2 structure and move Day 3 to a proper circuit. That's what our weekly circuits are for: one brand-new circuit every week, never repeated, each with Foundation, Standard and Certified editions so you can keep progressing on the same movements. See this week's circuit, or join the Members Club for every one. In Manchester? Train with us in Cringle Park on Saturday mornings.
FAQ
How many days a week should a beginner do calisthenics?
Three. Enough to progress, with recovery days between sessions so you can keep the standards high.
Do I need equipment for a calisthenics workout plan?
A pull-up bar and a resistance band. A bench or step helps with incline push-ups and dips. Nothing else.
How long does it take a beginner to do a pull-up?
With three sessions a week of band-assisted and negative pull-ups, most beginners get a first strict rep in four to eight weeks.