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.
can i ask how can i replace some routines with anther like if i need to work more hard on ABS or Chest or that not passable, because i see that now place to doing chest routine or back or biceps triceps in the schedule for the all four levels
Can i increase vertical with this types of workouts?
Hey Tasos,
Your length is genetically fixed. As long as you consume adequate amounts of nutrients, you will achieve a certain height.
General training will not increase your length. You have to accept it as it is and the great news? If you are a little shorter, you will have a big advantage when it comes to developing calisthenics skills ;). Lucky you.
*Fist bump*
Bonjour,
Tout d’abord, merci pour vos conseils, qui m’ont permis de voir que j’avais brûlé des étapes. J’ai donc décidé de prendre le temps de progresser et de reprendre en mode frère bar débutant pour construire de solides fondations.
Hey Gaëtan,
Merci pour votre message honnête. Faire de petits pas dépasse généralement les niveaux de saut, cela vous évite les blessures et vous donnera une meilleure base à long terme. Profitez de votre formation mon ami.
*Fist bump*
Hey Barbrothers! What is the secret for strength?
How often should I workout to gain strength much faster?
Hey Varun,
The first thing you need to know, is that there is no secret and the second thing you need to know is that there are no shortcuts to a place worth going.
With those things out of the way, you need to find a plan that you can stick to (Routines). That’s the starting point, from there things will become clear as you start putting in the time.
No easy answers here my friend, but honest answers.
*Fist bump*
I started bar brothers last year, did it for a few months and saw results, but I fell off with it and never came back to it but I am ready to restart now and achieve my goals but this all seems confusing. Where should I start and where can I find something to show me the way as I go along?
Hey Matt,
That’s great to read! It happens ;).
I understand that the amount of information can be overwhelming.
I would recommend you to start here: http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/calisthenics-basics/
If you have any other questions, let me know!
*Fist bump*
I have a pretty active lifestyle. I lift weights 3-6x per week and I’m relatively strong. I wanted to begin doing more functional training, so I decided to try your routines. I was just wondering, am I supposed to follow one routine for the days that I workout or should I mix the routines together? For example, if I want to train upper body one day, would I only do the “Let’s Go” routine and finish or should I add one of the other upper body routine circuits?
Hey Anthony,
Great stuff! You are already on track.
You can definitely mix up the routines depending on your goals and need for variety of course. It depends on your current level of strength and recovery.
If you feel like it’s too easy, either add more routines or move up in ‘difficulty’ by checking out the intermediate routines too.
Keep up the good work!
*Fist bump*
Hello, quick question.
What’s a “minimum” break, 15 seconds, five breaths, or straight up?
I’m 3 months into it and a little bit rotating with the beginning exercises on medium level. for example HOME – FULL BODY
great work ty! *fist bmp*
Hey Harun,
The ‘shortest break is 0 sec’, but if you need some time for ATP recovery start with 60-90 sec.
*Fist bump*
I did my last exercise maybe years ago. Full body is rusted and need to focus on it and get in better shape during this lockdown. As i can do whatever possible only at home without any equipment. Can you please suggest which plan to follow as i never did any exercise before.
Hey Aditya,
Thank you for your question!
Great that you are taking the first step, so start with these beginner routines ;).
The only way to go anywhere is to start somewhere.
*Fist bump*
Can a older person do bar brothers I’m 63 this year let my self go a bit want to try and get into shape a lot what’s my chances. Ron
Hey Ronald,
Great question!
Definitely, you can keep developing until your last day. In your case the key is in doing the basics slow and enjoying the process. It’s all in the dosages and context. To get in shape, make sure you put value into your nutrition too.
A good way to start calisthenics is: walking (20 min daily) & hanging from a bar (3-5 min accumulated), those two modalities will already give you a lot in terms of general grip strength, spine health and development.
An inspiring story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPG94VMWPww
If you have any question, let me know!
*Fist bump*
Is it possible to email me a work ont set and diet plan would be very much appreciated yours ron
hi brother, i’m a beginner and i just want to ask how long i must do each level, i mean how many months? or it depends on my progress to change to higher level?
Hey Ismail,
Great question! It really depends (6-8 weeks is reasonable), but I would highly recommend you to check out the 6 month plan for beginners:
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/calisthenics-workout-plan/
*Fist bump*