Calisthenics Advice

I've been very interested in a lot of the upper body control and overall strength calisthenics workouts offer. After a year of improved exercise and diet I've lost 80lbs and feel confident I can start taking bigger steps into more calisthenics style workouts.

I'm curious if anyone has any good weekly programs built around this style of workout? Currently I've been doing pullups/pushups/dips in 3-4 set circuits about twice per week. I go to the gym 5-8 times per week depending on how I feel, but I want to my more progress in pullups.

The goals:
15 consecutive pullups
Accomplish a Muscle up
Lose another 20lbs (currently 210)
20 consecutive dips

Replies

  • mgtwhire
    mgtwhire Posts: 1 Member
    edited April 2019
    Search for recommended routine on reddit/bodyweight fitness subreddit.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
    I highly recommend GMB's programs. They can be tailored to 3-5x/week depending on what works for your schedule. I've done their Foundation One course and started the Parallettes One course at the beginning of the year. I had to stop that one though because my shoulder couldn't take it. Foundation One and Two work towards straddle planche, front lever, side lever, manna, single leg squat, hollow back press and rope climb.

    Here's a good tutorial from them on the muscle up. That's one of my goals this year as well.

    https://gmb.io/muscle-up/

    I've been using Chris Heria's guide for bar muscle up. He's another great resource.

    https://thenx.com/blog/2017/03/02/how-to-muscle-up/
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    Just saying, muscle ups really aren't that great of an exercise or something that should be done routinely; yes, it looks like an impressive exercise/showy but is mainly deceptive as looking very difficult simply from being a rather skillful movement (transition part between pull-up and dip).

    Try doing a front level & hold if you want a difficult challenge (takes massive amounts of static strength in the lats & hamstrings/glutes). I've been doing bodyweight Glute-Hamstring Raises much lately to work on the lower body demands/control that front lever holds require
  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,231 Member
    edited April 2019
    @jeffs1337, there was a time about 13 years ago when I trained exclusively doing bodyweight-only exercises and pullups were the core of what I did. I would do volume-oriented pullup workouts of over 100 reps often. I too had a goal like yours. Mine was to perform 20 pullups in a single set. Never achieved it but did so with chinups. The highest I got with pullups was 18 reps. I also played around with weighted single rep pullups and did well there too. Never did a muscle-up. Besides strength, there's a lot of technique involved and I never put the time into figuring it out.

    I also did dips too and probably got as high as 30 reps for a single set. Pullups and dips, in my opinion, is a complete upper-body workout and you can built nice muscles doing just them. And, if you trim the excess weight, those muscles will show well. I believe for every push there should be a pull. Therefore, pullups and dips are a nice combination.

    In my current journey, I've gotten back to doing both. My best is 11 reps for pullups. Haven't done a test of dips but I"m probably good for 12-15 reps on a good day. I'm older now so I've got to be more realistic about things like this. I have nothing to prove at my age besides general fitness and wellness which isn't that difficult for me now that I've chiseled the lard.

    If you're looking for programs, you shouldn't have too hard a time finding some good ones. One that I followed was the Armstrong pullup program. Here's info about it:

    http://armstrongpullupprogram.com/

    Based on my experience, I don't necessarily think it's the best but, it's a program. What I've learned is that more isn't always better so don't underestimate the value of rest and recovery in helping you inch forward towards your goals. Losing weight will definitely help.

    Here's proof of what pullups did for me when I was a pullup junkie. I was 51 years old in this photo taken about 13 years ago.

    1c5ipzq6g2v7.jpg

    Train smart, be safe and chase your goals. Wishing you the best.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,023 Member