10 Beginner Calisthenics Exercises to Build Strength
Looking to build strength using only your body weight? These beginner calisthenics exercises will help you develop foundational strength and control across multiple muscle groups. Follow along with each exercise and learn how to perform them safely and effectively.
1. Pike Push-Up
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, Triceps, Upper Chest
Start in a downward-facing dog position, with hips lifted and hands shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows to lower your head toward the floor, then press back up. This exercise targets the shoulders and helps build overhead pressing strength, essential for beginners in calisthenics.
or Negative Pike Push-Up
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, Triceps
The negative Pike push up can be done by only focusing on the lowering (eccentric) portion of the rep and re-setting your top position each time.
2. Alternating Compressions
Muscles Worked: Hip Flexors, Core
Sit on the floor with legs extended. Alternate lifting one leg at a time as high as possible, engaging your hip flexors and core. This exercise helps build control and strength in the core, which is essential for stability in calisthenics.
3. Negative Push-Ups
Muscles Worked: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Start in a high plank and slowly lower yourself to the ground, focusing on a controlled descent. Negative push-ups are excellent for beginners because they build the eccentric strength needed to perform a full push-up.
4. Prone Y Raises
Muscles Worked: Upper Back, Shoulders
Lie face down with arms extended in a “Y” shape. Lift your arms off the floor, engaging your upper back and shoulders. This move helps improve shoulder stability and strengthens the muscles around the scapula, essential for safe, effective calisthenics.
5. Half Hollow Hold
Muscles Worked: Core
Lie on your back with knees bent, then lift your shoulders and feet slightly off the floor, holding this position. The half hollow hold builds core strength, a crucial foundation for almost all bodyweight exercises.
6. Negative Chin-Ups
Muscles Worked: Biceps, Back
Start with your chin above a bar, then slowly lower yourself down with control. Negative chin-ups allow you to work on the eccentric phase of the chin-up, helping to build the necessary back and bicep strength for a full chin-up.
7. Narrow Split Squat
Muscles Worked: Quads, Glutes
In a split stance, lower yourself into a squat, keeping your feet close together. The narrow split squat is excellent for targeting the quads and improving balance and stability in the lower body.
8. Hanging Reverse Crunch
Muscles Worked: Core, Hip Flexors
Hang from a bar and bring your knees towards your chest in a controlled movement. This exercise is an excellent core workout, focusing on the lower abs and hip flexors while improving grip strength.
or Floor Reverse Crunch
Muscles Worked: Lower Abs
Lie on your back with knees bent. Lift your hips off the floor as you bring your knees toward your chest. Floor reverse crunches target the lower abs, helping you build core control without needing a bar.
9. Scapula Push-Ups
Muscles Worked: Shoulders, Scapular Stabilizers
In a high plank position, focus on moving only your shoulder blades up and down, keeping your arms straight. This movement strengthens the scapular stabilizers, essential for shoulder health and stability in calisthenics.
10. Banded Reverse Nordic
Muscles Worked: Quads, Hip Flexors
Kneel with a band providing support, lean back to engage the quads, and return to the starting position. This exercise stretches and strengthens the quads and hip flexors, building mobility and flexibility in the lower body.
Ready for the next step?
These beginner exercises will help you build foundational strength, stability, and control. Check out with my full video guide for tips on perfecting each move. Ready for more? Join my membership area at TomPetoTraining.com for exclusive content and a structured training plan to take your calisthenics skills to the next level!