These are the best workout routines for beginners.
So if you want to:
- Build real muscle.
- Begin your training based on your level.
- And become stronger than you've ever been.
Then you’ll love these 14 calisthenics beginner routines for Bar Brothers.
Let’s get started.
Introduction:
Preparing For Your Calisthenics Training
It doesn't matter if you are beginning your calisthenics journey...
...at home, at a park or in the gym...
When it comes to body weight training, your body is the BIGGEST tool.
But somehow a lot of beginners are afraid they will not build muscle.
Afraid that they NEED weights.
For example, a quick look at Reddit shows that most people are surprised that calisthenics training can build muscle:
And it's not the only place where people are afraid they will NOT get any results.
The same questions are asked on Quora:
So just to quickly remove your doubts...
...which you most likely will have as a beginner.
According to the well-respected Journal for Strength and Conditioning, calisthenics push-up training can increase muscle thickness and strength similar to weight training.
So:
"YES, you can build muscle with calisthenics."
Which also means you can get injured if you start too heavy.
Jumping into any of these routines can lead to pretty sore muscles.
(Which is a mistake we made back in the day.)
Instead, make sure:
- you warm up for your calisthenics training;
- bring plenty of water for better performance;
- and give yourself a few breaks if this is your first time.
Sorry about that, I know you came for the routines.
But I'm responsible for making sure you don't get injured.
So you can still do and enjoy calisthenics 10+ years from now.
Hopefully until you are old and grey.
(That is, if you aren't yet.)
Chapter 1:
Full Body Routines
Being a beginner doesn't mean that you shouldn't work hard.
But it means that you should work SMART.
Going from sitting on a couch or behind a computer to actually doing muscle ups is like shifting from riding your bike with training wheels to jumping into a racing car.
That's something you wouldn't recommend to any beginner.
Would you?
Let's take a good look at the routines first and design a plan that allows you to slowly transition from training wheels to racing speed.
The Routines
The Routines
The Routine
The Routines
The Routine
Chapter 6:
7 Day Workout Plans For Bar Brother Beginners
So what do you need to do now?
You have the routines.
But I'm sure you'd like to know when to use what routine and how to use them in a balanced way.
I've written a few 7 day plans based upon what you believe your current level of strength is right now.
But first a few questions:
Is this your first time starting calisthenics? Start at level 1.
Have you done Bar Brother training before? Start at level 2.
Have you done this type of workout before? And do you have an active life in general? Start at level 3.
Have you done this before? Do you have an active life? Are you crazy? Start at level 4.
In all honesty, I'd rather have you be a little conservative in your choice and feel like you could have done more after your first workout.
Than to have you lay on bed for the entire day, because you are completely destroyed.
As with everything, too much of a good thing can also be a bad thing.
It's all about the right dosages.
Don't be afraid to be a 'Rookie' or a 'Beginner', before you become a 'Master' or a 'Beast'.
Level 1: Bar Brother Rookie
You are new to this calisthenics thing.
You want to be a Bar Brother, but aren't sure yet about how to start.
You need a simple plan to begin in a safe and well constructed way.
You are willing and realize that training at least 3 days a week is necessary to make consistent progress.
Day | Routine |
|---|---|
Monday | No equipment |
Tuesday | Rest |
Wednesday | Leg Routine |
Thursday | Rest |
Friday | Let's Go |
Saturday | Rest |
Sunday | Rest |
Level 2: Bar Brother Beginner
You are just getting started, but want to challenge yourself with a bit of intensity.
Your rate of recovery requires you to have rest days in between workouts.
Motivation comes quite easily, but you need a bit of a jump start every now and then.
An extra day of cardio will help your overall recovery of the past week.
Keep in mind that on your body still needs time to adapt.
Day | Routine |
|---|---|
Monday | No equipment |
Tuesday | Rest |
Wednesday | Leg Routine |
Thursday | Rest |
Friday | Let's Go |
Saturday | Fat Removal |
Sunday | Rest |
Level 3: Bar Brother Master
You are beyond the level of a beginner, who has just dipped his feet into the water for the first time.
You are ready to jump in and submerge yourself into calisthenics.
You will need less rest, because the recovery rate of your body is significantly higher than that of a beginner due to a history of training.
6 days of training followed by 1 day of rest.
Day | Routine |
|---|---|
Monday | No equipment |
Tuesday | Leg Routine |
Wednesday | Let's Go |
Thursday | Leg Routine |
Friday | Let's Go |
Saturday | Fat Removal |
Sunday | Rest |
Level 4: Bar Brother BEAST
You don't make any concessions when it comes to training.
You like to lean beyond your edge and your friends probably think you are nuts for doing so.
You have a high drive and don't need to be motivated.
This plan will suit you well.
Just make sure you focus on your recovery.
Proper sleep for calisthenics and high quality calisthenics nutrition are essential.
6 days of hardcore training followed by 1 day of deep rest.
Day | Routine |
|---|---|
Monday | No Equipment |
Tuesday | Let's Go + Leg Routine |
Wednesday | Fat Removal |
Thursday | Let's Go + Leg Routine |
Friday | No Equipment |
Saturday | Let's Go + Leg Routine |
Sunday | Rest |
Bonus: Bar Brother Video Routines
While these routines and the subsequent plans are great, feel free to customize them to your own specific needs.
Want to use a certain routine instead of another?
Go for it!
View this plan as a blueprint of a house.
Stick to the foundation, but what you put into the house is up to you.
Beyond these 7 days you can transition into:
Be A Beginner With A Plan
You have a goal.
What do you think you need to have to make that goal a reality?
Riding your 'bike with training wheels' won't cut it.
You've tried and you know, that's why you came to this post in the first place.
Throw away the 'training wheels'. Start using a plan.
A plan with routines that are customized to your personal needs.
A plan that maintains its quality for longer than a day.
A plan that takes time to come to completion, but once completed leads to a complete transformation.
From plan to reality, it takes 6 months to build a Rolls Royce and only 13 hours to build a Toyota.
What plan would you rather have?
*Fist bump*
Now I’d like to hear from you:
Are you going to try any of these 14 routines?
Or maybe you have a question.
Either way, make sure you get your download and leave a quick comment below right now.
PS. Special thanks to www.madbarz.com for the high quality routines.
me parece un entrenamiento genial me gustaria aprender mas!!! ….. ya empeze probando con algunas rutinas de aki y estan buenas..algunos ejercicios no me salen ppero es cuestion de tiempo je..saludos!
Muchas gracias!
Hey bro!
I kinda have the same problem, which is, I’m too skinny. I’ve started doing calisthenics for now. And so, I do it two times a day. One in the morning and one at night. So in the morning I follow these routines. So basically what I wanted to ask is, can I divide the routine cycles in different days? And can you give me a brief explanation for my mass gain?. Or I just have to he really dependent on the diet? Thank you very much. BarBrothers salute!
Hey Roshail,
First of all great dedication! 2 times a day takes a whole lot of motivation.
Gaining mass is both training and dieting. If your hormones are not working along you can train all you want, but your mass will keep on disappointing you.
1) You can definitely divide it over different days, depening on what your goals are. Honestly, 3-4 cycles is the minimum amount required, so doing less is going to yield you less results.
With regard to diet, make sure you check out the renegade diet on the website, it has all you need. The blog I wrote about it is for free and contains a lot of tips!
This should get you going 😉
Beast Mode ON!
All these routines, are you supposed to do them all in one day?!
Hey Dennis,
Haha, no man! That would be pretty crazy to remember and execute.
Check out the 6 month plan or join the 7 day beast mode challenge.
I’ll tell you what to do exactly.
Beast mode ON!
Hey I’m skinny and I need help I’ve been doing the work out right and I have got a little comments that I look better but I keep doing the routine but nothing is happening
Hey Edwardo,
Great job on working out.
First of all only working out is not enough, you diet needs to be in check too. You can find it here: http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/calisthenics-meal-plan/
Secondly, time…don’t expect overnight results. Building a body requires not weeks, not months, but years of dedication.
Beast mode ON!
Dude two times a day is too much. If you want to train in this way use a good buffer, that means if you can do maximum 6 pullups, stop a 3 in this way you can prevent injuries. For me it’s better to do schedule like, one day workout, one day rest. Also you have to hear your body for example if one day you don’t feel really great, take another day of rest.
About alimentation I don’t like the classic GYM diets or in other way eat too much protein (meat, fish, protein drink, etc.).
Eat healthy, maybe add snacks one in the morning and one in the afternoon and you’ll be ok.
Try to focus on your athletic skills not on your aesthetic.
Esthetic will be a consequence
Hey Daniele,
Awesome advice!
Again, it’s all about individualization here, I can easily train 2 times a day…and my results are better. But then again it’s not sustainable for everyone. In addition, to your gym diet comment, I completely agree…somehow the marketing of what is good has become more valuable than what actually is good.
Dope, wise words, of course…we all want aesthetics, but aesthetics are a by-product of great training, but for most people it takes some time to grasp this concept.
Beast Mode ON!
yakalakalai..amomien supron gedeng2..beramput gedeng2..nyengelok nyengelak nyengelik ngenyeluk..saiya sukhaporn..kapkap iteu leheng nyengeluk.
Read with ur heart. it helps
Im having trouble setting up a routine for my self… Is there anyway you can send a list of exercises more than just the beginner. I max out at 25 pullups, 50 pushups and 10 dips. I would need a routine i could do daily that do different body parts. Like chest and tri one day and back and biceps another. If you could i would be very thankful!
Btw im a big fan of your guys accomplishments.
BarBrothers Salute
Hey Osiris,
Welcome to the movement!
Here you go:
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/advanced-bar-brother-routines/
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/calisthenics-workout/
These will definitely be a bit more of a challenge ;).
Beast Mode ON!
Hey Mia,
Well, that means you are an exception ;).
Time to make those chin ups better too.
Beast mode ON!
For me too, chinups are easier than pullups. Currently I can do about 5 chinups, but only 2 pullups.
can i gain muscle using “No EQuipment – 8” routine? i’m following that routine for about 3months now but it looks like i’m just loosing fat which is good but not gaining muscle. and some said that i look thin like I’ve been sick. need some advice pls. thanks!
Hey bro,
I might give you some surprising information, but try it out!
1) You need to up your protein intake. Most people need around 1-1.25 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. That means that if you have 10% body fat and weigh 150 pounds, your need 135 pounds times 1-1.25 grams of protein.
2) More you need to up your carbs, think about potatoes, just add a portion of potatoes to your meals.
3) And now for the contradictory information. What you really need to gain muscle is more testosteron. Think about prisoners, they eat less than most body builders, but what has been shown is that they have significantly higher levels of testosteron, due to the hostile enevironment. Now I am not telling you to go to prison. What this teaches us is that, putting your muscles under a high enough amount of stress through training is more important in muscular growth, than eating more than necessary. Progressive overload, and doing things that increase your testosteron, such as eating nuts and seeds and using fasting and feasting in your diet (This is key btw). Check this blog http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/build-muscle-and-lose-fat-how-to-get-a-bar-brother-lean-body-naturally/
4) Make your routine more difficult or vary in routines. If you have been doing the exact same routine for 3 months, including the exact amount of reps, you are probably not pushing your muscles enough. Your muscles get used to your training at a certain point, so you need to keep surprising them. Start doing more difficult routines or other routines. To up those testosteron levels.
So take these four things in mind, eat more, but remember that training harder and upping your testosteron is more important than eating more. Doing both is even better!
Beast Mode On!
i am an absolute beginner and i joined a gym a couple of weeks back. But that has made me feel all stiff and slow. I have always thought calisthenics as the best option but now i am 100% dedicated to follow it. I am leaving the gym and starting on calisthenics TOMORROW . on a side note, i would like to tell you that I am a basketball player so crunches and pushups and squats have always been a part of my life. But it has been almost a year and half since the last time I did those in a routine or seriously.
MY question is this- can i straight away start with the full body home workout for beginners ? ( the first one on the above list ).
Huge fan of yours btw, will try to become a Bar Brother and bring your work to my city !
Hey bro,
Welcome to the movement!
These routines are specifically designed for beginners, so you can definitely start with the full body home workout!
Make sure you subscribe to the e-mail list so I can send you some more free info and a 6 month training plan, which I’m sure you’ll like!
Beast Mode ON!
Hey bro !
I’ve started with the full body home workout and I am comfortably doing it. But I was wondering what would give me better gains – doing one routine for a month or two or mixing the routines up like doing full body routine on monday , chest on tuesday, legs on wednesday and so on ?
Appreciate your contribution to the society !
fellow, your body needs you to change the exercises, to work other muscular groups, so I sugget you to search for new exercises and change them each 2 or 3 months. about you looking like sick, you might look for good and healthy food, specially the macronutrients, carbo+protein+fat, about me, I am vegan. wish you go thru. cya!!
Hey Felipe,
Thanks for the comment bro!
That’s exactly what the goal is of the 6 month training plan.
Beast Mode ON!
Dear You have increase your protein intake . Have some proper rest.
Barbrothers/Allday/Everyday
Nice! Thanks a lot! I’ll follow everything you said.
Can i take protein shake with my body weight workout ? It will make muscle mass or ripped muscles .. is this 14 workout is divided on each day or the whole 14 is everyday ? I need the link of the advanced workout .. and please i need my mad braz code to download this amazing application .. im waiting for your reply !
Hey bro,
You can always take protein shakes, but I personally don’t advise it because most protein shakes contain a fair amount of sugar.
This means in addition to gaining muscle you will also gain fat.
Read these blogs for information on getting ripped and lean:
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/calistenics-nutrition-get-below-body-fat/
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/the-guide-to-ultimate-health-the-renegade
No not 14 every day, that would be quite a lot. These workouts are here to give you some inspiration as to how you can set up your own routine.
If you can do these workouts you can start looking for the advanced ones.
You can start training for the official exam for instance.
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/bar-brother-requirements-beginner-advanced-videos/
Unfortunately I don’t have that code, they are testing the beta version right now, so we’ll have to wait a little longer!
BEAST MODE ON!
Hey there,
one question
I just want to know, should i do a day for arms routine and upper body and a day for legs and abs routine, how many routines in a day should I do?
Hey bro,
Good question!
It really depends on your goals.
What are you aiming for?
Usually 1 to 2 routines a day would be sufficient to make enough progress, but again it depends on your goals.
As for the routines, even if you do and arm routine, most calisthenic exercises are compound movements, which mean that you always train multiple muscle groups.
This makes your training more efficient regardless.
To give you something to hold on to:
Train a minimum of 3 times a week and do 1 to 2 routines a day depending on your goals.
BEAST MODE ON!
Alright Ill do that
Thx for responding bruh !!!!
Hi! I have a simple question 🙂 Should i train fullbody workout two times by day? and of course i´m training like one day train and other day rest…thx for answer
Hey Peter,
You can definitely train twice a day, you can even train every single day. What’s important is that you give your body the time to adapt and become aware of where you need to add adjustments to your training. If your time schedule allows you to train twice a day, by all means do so ;).
Beast Mode ON!
Como organizarÃas una semana de entreno de Lunes a Viernes?
De manera que se haga todo el cuerpo.
Gracias
Hey bro,
I used google translate to know what you are saying, so I’m not quite sure what you are exactly meaning.
Just make sure you train at least 3 times a week, choose one routine first and master that one.
If you want to add variety, you can use different routines for different days.
BEAST MODE ON!
Hi bros.
Do you have videos to demonstrate the routines and the exercises?
I’m new and don’t really know what to do.
Thanks
Hey Omer,
You can find some good demonstrations on youtube if you type in the exercise, unfortunately there are no videos for the different routines yet as far as I know.
That’s something for the future.
How long do you do the beginner routine?? And is their a workout plan? Thank you
Hey bro,
You do the beginner routine until you are strong enough to do a more difficult one, there is no fixed time limit. It depends on your own development, you will notice when things get too easy and when it’s time to step it up. With regard to a workout plan do the following:
1) Set one goal which you want to achieve, for example the muscle up.
2) Train a minimum of 3 times a week for at least 45 minutes.
3) Do 2 routines of 3 sets every training. Make your first or second routine one that focuses on your goal (in this case the muscle up).
This would for example mean you would train on:
Monday (Muscle up routine + ab routine), wednesday (Muscle up routine + full body routine) and friday (Muscle up routine + leg routine). This is an example of what your training could look like.
This should give you something to start working with.
Okay thanks bro, Beast Mode On!!! 🙂
Great work love what i read so far…
which routine is “Muscle up routine”
and how much is to much? i play hockey 4 times peer week, i want to build big arms and flat abs
Hey bro,
You can find the muscle up routine here:
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/16-intermediate-calisthenic-workouts-bar-brother-routines/
Try training at least 3 times a week, for a more elaborate explanation check this here:
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/the-quick-guide-to-bar-brother-training-resistance/
BEAST MODE ON!
What does the muscle-up routine consist of?
Hey Sam,
Welcome to the movement first of all!
I can recommend you to check out this link: http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Intermediate-Muscle-Up-Hunt.jpg
It contains all you need!
Beast Mode ON!
For figures must be done before or after the training and if possible I can have some figure
Hey bro,
I’m not sure about your question. Could you rephrase it?
Beast mode ON!
Hey bro..i jst wanna ask that can yoga be done along with ur routine??
and another still ur on ur path…wanna have one latest videos of urs..to see ur further achivements…
jai ho.
Hey bro,
You can definitely do yoga along with any of these routines either to relax to warm up or in between exercises, whatever you prefer.
Instructional videos will be available in the near future.
Beast Mode ON!
1. should we go to failure every workout?
Hey bro,
Going to failure is always a good thing.
It forces your muscles to go into overdrive, increasing the muscle tissue and strength.
Just make sure you do it with the right exercises, when you do exercise which might cause injuries, focus on control first (Such as the muscle up, or back lever or skin the cat etc.)
Push ups, pull ups, dips, leg workouts and ab workouts can all be done until failure. But when you start doing more advanced moves, technique comes first.
However, you have to be aware of the reaction of your body to prevent injuries.
Beast Mode ON!