10 Calisthenics Exercises To Add To Your Workout Routine

Calisthenics is a type of exercise where you use your body weight as resistance to get fit. No fancy equipment is needed, just you and a little bit of space. Some examples include push-ups, squats, lunges, dips, and crunches.

If this is your first time, then don't try to do too much too soon. Begin with basic exercises like squats and lunges, and gradually add more as you get stronger.
Focus on form. It's more important to do the exercises correctly than to do a lot of repetitions.

Calisthenics is all about working out with your body weight. It's like making your backpack heavier by putting more stuff inside it.

You can adjust the weight by adding more or less stuff, just like you can adjust the difficulty of calisthenics exercises. Here is what makes calisthenics different from other exercises:

• Calisthenics exercises typically work for multiple muscle groups at once
• It can be done anywhere—at home, at the park, on vacation
• It also helps improve your coordination, flexibility, and balance

Here is a list of 10 calisthenic exercises to add to your workout routine.

This simple yet effective exercise is a great way to strengthen your upper-body muscles while engaging your core. This exercise targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps.

With many variations, incline push ups are one of the best workouts to add to your routine. Here is how to do it:

• Start in a plank position.
• Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows.
• Push back up to the starting position.

Pull-ups are the undisputed champions of calisthenics exercises. These upper back workouts involve hanging from a bar and pulling yourself up until your chin reaches above it.

It hit your back, biceps, forearms, shoulders, and even your core, making you a lean, mean, pulling machine. To perform"

• Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip.
• Pull your body up until your chin clears the bar.
• Lower yourself back down with control.

Bodyweight squats, the king of calisthenics exercises, are like mini superhero workouts for your lower body. They use your own weight as resistance to sculpt strong legs and a chiseled core, all without needing any fancy equipment.

This is the best exercise for the glutes. To perform:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lower your hips by bending your knees.
• Keep your back straight and your chest up.
• Return to the starting position.

The Hollow Body Hold is a deceptively simple yet incredibly effective calisthenics exercise that targets your core like no other. It might look easy—lying on your back with your arms and legs extended—but this exercise targets the core, similar to crunches.

Both of which are easy gym exercises for beginners. To perform:

• Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms overhead.
• Lift your legs and upper body off the ground.
• Hold the position, keeping your lower back pressed into the floor.

The muscle-up is an explosive exercise that combines a pull-up with a dip. Here, you propel yourself up and over a bar using your entire upper body in one fluid motion.

If you're looking for a calisthenics exercise that's both challenging and rewarding, the muscle-up is worth adding to your workout routine. Here is how to do it:

• Perform a pull-up.
• Transition into a dip position.
• Push up to complete the muscle-up.

The pistol squat challenges balance and strength like no other exercise.  This home workout demands focus, control, and serious leg power.

As you lower yourself down on one leg, keeping the other extended out front, your core fires up like a furnace to stabilize you. To perform:

• Stand on one leg with the other extended in front.
• Lower your body into a squat position on the single leg.
• Push back up to the starting position

The L-sit is a challenging but rewarding calisthenics exercise that targets your core, shoulders, and hips. In this position, you balance your body weight with your hands on the ground, keeping your legs straight and raised parallel to the floor, forming an "L" shape with your body.

To perform:

• Sit on the ground with your legs extended.
• Place your hands beside your hips and lift your body off the ground.
• Keep your legs straight, forming an "L" shape with your body.

Box jumps are an explosive exercise that packs a powerful punch when it comes to calisthenic workouts. This exercise demonstrates that the best way to develop lower-body power is by jumping.

They can also be used as a substitute for the leg press exercise. To perform:

• Stand in front of a sturdy box or platform.
• Jump onto the box, landing with both feet.
• Stand tall on the box, then step back down.

The mountain climber exercise is a true calisthenic powerhouse, packing a full-body workout into a simple movement. It primarily targets your core, especially the abs and obliques, for rock-solid stability.

But they also engage your shoulders, chest, triceps, quads, hamstrings, and calves, giving you a well-rounded workout. To perform this belly fat burner exercise:

• Engages multiple muscle groups.
• Elevates heart rate for cardio benefits.
• Improves agility and coordination.

The dragon flag is an advanced calisthenics exercise that resembles, well, a mythical dragon soaring through the air. It's a full-body challenge that requires immense core strength, shoulder stability, and coordination.

Here is a step-by-step guide to doing it:

• Lie on your back, holding onto a stable surface above your head.
• Lift your legs and lower your back off the ground.
• Lower your legs back down with control.