I’ve shared a 12 week calisthenics program with a PDF in this article to help you improve your overall fitness. This workout program is suitable for all fitness levels and helps you work out efficiently and effectively. So whether you’re a beginner or intermediate, male or female, you can save or download this easy-to-follow workout plan to achieve your desired fitness goal.
The primary goal of calisthenics training is to teach you how to use your own bodyweight to scale up your lean mass, flexibility, mobility, agility, strength, and endurance.
Benefits of Calisthenics Training
- Calisthenics is an inexpensive and effective way to develop strength, balance, flexibility, and overall body composition.1 The effects of a calisthenics training intervention on posture, strength, and body composition – Researchgate.net
- It helps you build lean mass and an aesthetic physique with little to no equipment.
- Calisthenics exercises are fun, challenging, efficient, and adaptable. You can do them anywhere you like, such as at home, in the gym or on the ground.
Who Should Do This Calisthenics Workout Program?
Calisthenics is not for everyone. It is different than Crossfit, gym, and powerlifting. So you must know what goals you want to achieve.
You can follow this program if you:
- want to improve your flexibility, muscle coordination, strength, balance, and body composition.
- Want to learn how to use bodyweight to build lean mass and improve your overall physique.
- Want to burn a good number of calories and boost endurance.
And avoid if you have any injuries, health issues, or if you’re on medication.
Summary and Description
| Program Duration​ | 90 Days​ |
| Workout Type​ | Bodyweight​ |
| Goal​ | Improve Strength, Mobility, and Flexibility​ |
| Routine Type​ | Full Body​ |
| Target Gender​ | Male and Female​ |
| Difficulty Level​ | Beginners to Intermediate​ |
| Duration of a Session​ | 30-75 Minutes​ |
| Frequency​ | 4 Days a Week​ |
| Alternate Plan | Ultimate Calisthenics Weekly Workout Plan |
Here you can find a complete step-by-step guide to performing calisthenics exercises to train your entire body.
You can replace, add or remove any exercise that you can’t perform, either because of fitness level or lack of equipment. For example, if you work out at home and don’t have access to a pull-up bar, you can do other exercises instead of pullups.
The Best Bodyweight 12 Week Calisthenics Program
Week 1
- Training Days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Training Duration: 30 minutes
- Total Rounds: Three (3)
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Muscle Worked | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups | Back | AMRAP |
| Push-ups | Chest | 20 |
| Squats | Legs | 20 |
| Pike pushup | Shoulder | 10 |
| Glute Kickback | Glutes | 20 |
| Plank | Core | 1-min |
| Chair Dips | Triceps | 10 |
- Here AMRAP means As many reps as possible.
Week 2
- Frequency: 4 Days a week (Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri)
- Session of one Duration: 30 minutes
- Number of Rounds: Three
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Muscle Worked | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Burpees | Integrated Full Body | AMRAP |
| Dive Bomber Push-ups | Upper Body | 15 |
| Chin-ups | Back and Biceps | AMRAP |
| Shoulder Tap | Shoulder | 20 |
| Russian Twist | Core | 20 |
| Lunges | Legs | 10/side |
| Standing Calf raises | Calves | 20 |
Week 3
- Frequency: 4 Days a week (Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri)
- Daily Workout Duration: 45 minutes
- Total Rounds: Three
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Muscle Worked | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Wall Sits | Legs | 10 |
| Wide arm push-up | Chest | 15 |
| Floor IYT Raises | Back and Shoulder | 10 |
| L-Sit | Abs | 10-15 sec |
| Reverse Lunges | Legs | 10/side |
| Hollow Body Crunch | Core | 10-15 sec |
| Bird Dog Plank | Core and Back | 20 |
| Glute Bridge | Glute | 10 |
| Lying Windshield Wiper | Core | 10 |
Week 4
- Training Days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Workout Duration: 45 minutes
- Total Rounds: 3
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Rest Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Targeted Muscle | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pull-ups | Back | AMRAP |
| Mountain Climber | Core | 20-30 sec |
| Push-ups | Chest | 20 |
| Single-Leg Squats | Legs | 10/side |
| Hanging Leg Raises | Core | 10 |
| Pike pushup | Shoulder | 10 |
| Glute Kickback | Glutes | 10 |
| Plank | Core | 1-min |
| Side Plank | Core | 10 |
Week 5
- Number of Training Days in a Week: Four (Mon, Tue, Thur, and Fri)
- Daily Workout Session: 45 minutes
- Total Rounds: Three
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Targeted Muscle | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Burpees | Integrated Full Body | AMRAP |
| Bench Dips | Triceps | 20-30 sec |
| Pistol Squats | Legs | 10/side |
| Single-Leg Tuck-up | Legs | 10 |
| Lateral Lunges | Legs | 10 |
| Wall Handstand Pushup | Shoulder | 10 |
| Knuckle pushup | Glutes | 10 |
| Nordic Hamstring Curl | Hamstring | 1-min |
| Shoulder Tap | Shoulder | 10 |
Week 6
- Training Days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Workout Duration: 45 minutes
- Total Rounds: 3
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Rest Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Targeted Muscle | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Staggered Push-Up | Chest | 10 |
| Australian Pull-Ups | Back, Biceps | 10 |
| V Ups | Core | 10 |
| Bird Dog Plank | Core, Lower Back | 10-15 sec |
| Dive Bomber Push-ups | Chest | 10 |
| Hollow Body Crunch | Core | 10 |
| Jump Squats | Legs | 10 |
| Glute Kickback | Glute | 10 |
| Floor IYT Raises | Back and Shoulder | 10 |
| Lying Windshield Wiper | Core | 10 |
Week 7
- Number of Training Days: Five (Except Thursday and Sunday)
- Workout Duration: 45 minutes
- Total Rounds: 3
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Targeted Muscle | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Handstand Push-ups | Shoulder | 10 |
| Shuttle runs | Full Body | 20-30 sec |
| Pseudo planche | Upper Body | 10 |
| Pistol Squat | Legs | 10-15 sec |
| Burpees | Total Body | 10 |
| Single-Leg Tuck-up | Abs | 10 |
| Mountain Climber | Abs | 20-30 sec |
| Plank | Abs | 1-2 min |
| Side Plank | Oblique | 30-45 sec |
| One-leg RDL | Posterior Chain Muscle | 10/side |
Week 8
- Number of Training Days: 5 Days a Week (Except Thur and Sun)
- Workout Duration: 45 minutes
- Total Rounds: 3
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Targeted Muscle | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Knuckle pushup | Chest, Arms | 15 |
| Reverse Lunges | Legs | 10/side |
| Single-Leg Floor Dips | Upper Body | 10/side |
| Reverse Crunches | Abs | 20 |
| One-Arm push-Up | Upper Body | 6/side |
| Dragon Flag | Abs | 6-10 |
| Shoulder Tap | Upper Body | 15-20 sec |
| Plank | Core | 10/side |
Week 9
- Frequency: 5 times a week (Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, and Sat)
- Daily Workout Duration: 60 minutes
- Total Rounds: Three
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Targeted Muscle | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Handstand Push-ups | Shoulder | 10 |
| Hollow Body Crunch | Core | 15 |
| Pseudo planche Push-up | Arms, Chest, Shoulder | 15 |
| Burpees | Total Body | 15 |
| Hanging Leg Raises | Core | 15 |
| Nordic Hamstring Curl | Hamstring | 10 |
| Pistol Squat | Legs | 10/side |
| Negative Pullup | Upper Body | 10 |
Week 10
- Workout Days: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, and Sat
- One Session Duration: 60 minutes
- Total Rounds: Three
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Muscles Worked | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Clap Pushup | Upper Body | 10 |
| Bird Dog Plank | Core | 10-15 sec |
| L Pull-ups | Upper Body | 6-10 |
| Tabletop Dips | Triceps | 15-20 |
| Dragon Flag | Core | 8-12 |
| Side Plank to Reach Under | Core | 8-12 |
| Chin Ups | Back, Biceps | 10-15 |
| Archer Push-up | Upper Body | 15 |
Week 11
- Workout Days: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, and Sat
- One Session Duration: 60 minutes
- Total Rounds: Three
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Interval Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Muscles Worked | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| Toes to Bar | Upper Body | 10 |
| Muscles up | Upper Body | 10 |
| Planche Push-up | Arms, Chest, Shoulder | 10 |
| Front Lever | Total Body | 10 |
| Squat Jump | Leg | 15 |
| Locust Pose | Total Body | 10-15 sec |
| Hanging Windshield Wiper | Core | 10/side |
| Plank | Core | 1-2 min |
Week 12
- Training Days: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, and Sat
- Daily Workout Duration: 60 minutes
- Number of Rounds: Three
- Rest Between Exercises: 30-45 seconds
- Rest Time Between Rounds: 2 minutes
| Exercises | Muscles Worked | Reps/Time |
|---|---|---|
| One-Arm push-Up | Upper Body | 10/side |
| Muscles up | Upper Body | 10 |
| Pistol Squat | Leg | 10-15 |
| Handstand Push-ups | Shoulder | 10-15 |
| Hanging Knee Raises | Core | 15 |
| Burpees | Total Body | 15 |
| Dragon Flag | Core | 8-10 |
| Bird Dog Plank | Core | 30-45 sec |
12 Week Calisthenics Program PDF
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many times a week should you train calisthenics?
Depending on how quickly your muscles recover, how much rest/sleep you get, and how intensely you train, you can do calisthenics exercises three to six times a week. If you’re a beginner, you can do calisthenics training three times a week, and once you develop your overall fitness, you can increase the frequency to four to five days.
Can you build muscle with only calisthenics?
Yes, calisthenics is a comprehensive training program that includes various exercises, from isometric to plyometric. And those exercises help build lean mass and strengthen and tone muscles. However, you won’t build significant mass as weight training does. Nevertheless, calisthenics is excellent for overall fitness. It helps improve strength2Kotarsky CJ, Christensen BK, Miller JS, Hackney KJ. Effect of Progressive Calisthenic Push-up Training on Muscle Strength and Thickness. J Strength Cond Res. 2018 Mar;32(3):651-659. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002345. PMID: 29466268, balance, flexibility, endurance, and overall body composition but won’t make you giant.
Will calisthenics help me lose weight?
Exercise is not the remedy for weight loss, but it positively impacts reducing body fat percentage. In addition, it helps build lean mass, increase strength and improve cardiovascular fitness. And if you restrict your calorie consumption, the calisthenics exercises may help speed up weight loss over time.
You can do more specific calisthenics workouts for weight loss.
Is calisthenics better than weights?
Calisthenics and weight training are unlike, so we cant compare them with each other.
Calisthenics teaches us how to use our own bodyweight to develop lean mass, flexibility, mobility, speed, strength, and endurance with little to no equipment. In contrast, weight training primarily builds muscles and strength using several types of equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, machines, and weight plates.
It depends on your fitness goal; if you want to improve your body movements, you can do calisthenics workouts. And if you’re going to build strength and mass, you can do weight lifting.
References
- 1
- 2Kotarsky CJ, Christensen BK, Miller JS, Hackney KJ. Effect of Progressive Calisthenic Push-up Training on Muscle Strength and Thickness. J Strength Cond Res. 2018 Mar;32(3):651-659. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002345. PMID: 29466268
