Frequently Asked Questions

A repetition is a single time you perform an exercise.

A set is a group of repetitions (an example would be 3 sets of 12 repetitions). Usually done without stopping.

For isometric holds and static exercises, “reps” and “sets” are essentially the same thing. Progress is instead measured by time, usually.

Calisthenics warm-ups can be done in many ways.

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A sample warm-up:

1.) Run in place and do some jumping jacks for 30-60 seconds. The idea is just to increase the temperature in your muscles. Their ability to perform is hindered when they are too cold.

2.) Do an easier variation of the exercise you do during your sets.

For example, if you’re working on Full Pushups, warm up with Wall Pushups.

Do 1-2 sets of about 50% of your maximum repetitions. For example, if you feel like you can do 100 Wall Pushups, do 50.

If you’re currently working on the easiest listed version of an exercise, simply do fewer repetitions of that exercise.

For example, if you’re doing Wall Pushups, warm up with the jumping jacks and a few reps of Wall Pushups, but not near your limit.

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That’s it! Experiment with this process to find one that makes your workout better but does not hinder your numbers.

Short Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLw1cMYHX0

Longer Full-body Warmup (Follow Along): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQSLrDQezsA

Current research seems to indicate that static stretching before an intense workout is usually not recommended. It can reduce performance and safety.

Instead, one can perform dynamic stretches before their workout. An example is given in the Warm Up section above.

Static and passive stretching can be done AFTER your workout, if you want.

1.) Make your own gym rings. You can do this at home, and you can hang them from any stable place, like rafters or a sturdy tree branch. Here’s a quick DIY tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFGWH4iK-AA

2.) Use a stable table or railing to do horizontal pullups. You can grab from underneath. See below if you have trouble visualizing this.

3.) Make your own horizontal pullup setup: https://youtube.com/shorts/ZmnNTBS_5tg?feature=share

4.) Do "Pullup Negatives." While not my favorite method, so people build up to a pullup using only this method.

5.) Invest in a pullup bar setup - this is the simplest and probably the most long-term solution. $50 can get you a great one from Amazon in many countries. Sometimes even as low as $30. We’ll soon carry Pullup Bars in our store as well.

I don’t currently offer personal coaching at the moment. I’m really sorry.

I’d love to personally help each and every one of you. However, at our current scale, this isn’t feasible unless I spent all my time on this OR charged astronomically high prices - neither of which I want to do.

My friend Ben Patrick @kneesovertoesguy has a great online coaching program called ATG. His full-body method strengthens the body and protects it from future injury. Like my method, he offers regressions to adapt his exercises to any fitness level.

It’s also one of the most affordable programs that offer support and form coaching that I’ve ever seen.

I don’t have any kind of endorsement deal or anything. I’m just recommending them based on the NUMEROUS positive testimonies I’ve heard: https://www.atgonlinecoaching.com/

This is taken from my answer to a wonderful community member:

I could talk about this for hours... but the upshot is that I think progression > variety in almost all cases.

One of my qualms with the modern fitness culture is the over-segmentation of exercises. There are hundreds of muscles, but the body is designed to move together.

Focusing on a few scalable KEY movements develops strength and muscle across the body in a functional and aesthetically pleasing way.

Progressive calisthenics is just one way to do this. If someone wanted to use barbells or isometrics, it could also be done with something like... overhead press, bench press, squats, deadlifts, weighted pullups, and... well I'd retain hanging leg raises for ab work. They're hard to beat.

Any further segmentation can be done, but as a supplement to the current exercise routine. You can see "in-progress" sections on the routine that allude to this. For example, human flag work can be used to supplement leg raises. Calf raises can be used to supplement squats.

Why do I think it's better than variety? Well, time for one thing. One of the biggest barriers to fitness is "not enough time." Focusing on key movements saves time. Additionally, intensity. The MORE exercises we have in a workout session, the less intensity we can really focus into them. All else equal, this would mean less strength and muscle development.

I think the key point is the crossover of ability. I'll use myself as an example of someone who focused on progression. By simply building up to one-arm pullups, I'm able to do multiple wide pullups, narrow pullups, underhand pullups, commando pullups, or what have you. While slightly different movement patterns, the muscles worked are similar enough that overall strength just dominates segmentation of exercise.

However, the opposite would not be true. Someone who spent more time on variety would make less and slower progress towards one-arm pullups (because of the intensity factors I mentioned above), and is UNLIKELY to be able to do them at all unless they focused on progression.

This is just one example.

To use your examples, one arm pushups will put much more intensity through your triceps, shoulders, and chest than diamond, wide, and pike pushups. Overhead pressing (handstand pushups) are coming though.

Now specialization absolutely has it's place. Some advanced athletes or bodybuilders may want to target a specific body part, for example. Once again, they're free to do so by supplementing the routine that already exists.

Additionally, variety is already built in! It'd be a slightly different discussion if we only added weight to one movement.

Plus I enjoy variety. It's good to change things up every few months, in my opinion.

But I'll conclude by saying that, while I understand how the routine seems "one dimensional," the simplicity of the routine is a result of MORE research and experience, not less. I fully respect if people want to follow a different routine that involves more variety, but I'm also fully expecting those that work through the routine to have more athletic ability and resistance to injury.

Hope that makes sense! Once again, people can do whatever they choose! I just wanted to show the research and thought that went into it.

Yes.