The Best Beginner Mini Parallettes Exercises for Calisthenics

If you're new to calisthenics and looking for effective ways to level up your strength and skill, mini parallettes are an excellent tool to get started with. Compact and easy to use, parallettes are perfect for enhancing upper body strength, alignment, and control.

Whether you're practicing calisthenics at home or looking to add new exercises to your workout routine, these beginner-friendly exercises will help you build foundational strength for more advanced calisthenics moves.

Below, we’ll cover five beginner parallettes exercises that are perfect for building strength, flexibility, and body control.

Exercise 1: Parallettes Push-Ups

Push-ups are a classic bodyweight exercise, and using parallettes takes them to the next level. With parallettes, your wrists are in a straighter alignment, which reduces strain on your wrists and shoulders while allowing a deeper range of motion.

Benefits:

• Improved wrist alignment and reduced joint strain

• Enhanced muscle engagement and a deeper stretch in the chest

• Greater strength gains due to an increased range of motion

How to Do It:

1. Place the parallettes shoulder-width apart.

2. Grip the handles and extend your legs behind you in a high plank position.

3. Lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows, keeping your body aligned.

4. Press up until your arms are fully extended, engaging your core throughout.

This exercise is essential for anyone starting a calisthenics journey, helping to build a strong chest, shoulders, and triceps.

Exercise 2: Alternating Compressions

Compression strength is a foundational skill in calisthenics, especially if you're working toward advanced moves like the L-sit or strict toes-to-bar. Alternative compressions on parallettes will activate your core, hip flexors, and quads.

Benefits:

• Develops core and hip strength critical for advanced calisthenics moves

• Improves flexibility in the hamstrings and hip flexors

• Builds endurance for longer static holds

How to Do It:

1. Sit between the parallettes with your legs extended in front of you.

2. Place your hands on the parallettes by your sides, lifting one leg at a time, and hold for a second.

3. Alternate legs slowly, focusing on engaging your core and maintaining an upright posture.

Incorporating compression holds will improve your core strength and prepare you for moves like the L-sit, an iconic skill in calisthenics.

Exercise 3: Pike Push-Ups

If handstands and handstand push-ups are part of your calisthenics goals, pike push-ups are a fantastic exercise to build the necessary strength and stability. This move on mini parallettes will help you develop shoulder stability and control, which are essential for handstand work.

Benefits:

• Strengthens shoulders and triceps for handstand preparation

• Builds overhead pressing strength and stability

• Enhances balance and body awareness

How to Do It:

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands on the parallettes.

2. Lift your hips into a pike position, forming an upside-down "V" shape.

3. Lower your head toward the parallettes, bending your elbows while keeping your hips lifted.

4. Push back up to the starting position, keeping control throughout.

Pike push-ups help you work up to handstands by strengthening the shoulders, a key muscle group in calisthenics.

Exercise 4: Reverse Plank March

The reverse plank march is an effective exercise to target your posterior chain—strengthening the muscles along the back of your body, including the hamstrings, glutes, and shoulders. Using mini parallettes in this movement also helps to stretch and mobilize the shoulders, improving overall flexibility and control.

Benefits:

• Builds posterior chain strength, especially in the hamstrings and glutes

• Improves shoulder and chest flexibility

• Activates the core, helping with stabilization

How to Do It:

1. Sit on the floor between the parallettes with your hands gripping the bars behind you.

2. Lift your hips into a reverse plank position, forming a straight line from head to toe.

3. March by lifting one leg at a time, keeping your hips up and your core tight.

4. Alternate legs, ensuring you maintain control and stability in your upper body.

This exercise builds strength and flexibility in the shoulders, hamstrings, and core, providing a great foundation for more complex movements in calisthenics.

Exercise 5: Planche Mountain Climbers

Planche mountain climbers are a dynamic exercise that introduces the concept of protraction—a key movement in planche training. This exercise involves rounding the upper back and shifting forward to engage the shoulders and core, making it an excellent way to develop planche strength.

Benefits:

• Strengthens shoulder stability and upper back muscles

• Builds the foundation for planche progressions

• Activates the core and improves body control

How to Do It:

1. Place your hands on the parallettes in a high plank position.

2. Protract your shoulders by rounding the upper back and leaning forward slightly.

3. Bring one knee toward your chest, then switch legs in a controlled manner.

4. Continue alternating knees, focusing on maintaining shoulder protraction and stability.

Planche mountain climbers are ideal for anyone looking to build strength for planche training, one of the hallmark skills in advanced calisthenics.

Ready to Try These Mini Parallettes Exercises?

If you’re excited to put these beginner mini parallettes exercises to the test, I’ve got a free follow-along workout video on my YouTube channel. It’s designed to guide you through each of these moves step-by-step, so you can build strength, improve flexibility, and master calisthenics at home.

These beginner-friendly exercises provide an excellent foundation for anyone interested in calisthenics with parallettes. With regular practice, you’ll see improvements in strength, balance, and mobility, setting you up for more advanced skills down the line. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to add variety to your calisthenics routine, mini parallettes are a fantastic tool for home workouts.

WHICH PARALLETTES SHOULD I GET?

The parallettes I’m using in these photo demonstrations and the follow along workout are made by Gravity Fitness who supply stylish and affordable Calisthenics equipment. I’ve been using them since 2019 and was pleased when they reach out in 2024 to collaborate on the follow along video linke above. If you want a sturdy, affordable and stylish pair check our their range via the affiliate link below.