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.
Hey there!
Im a beginner from mexico, i’d like to try this, but i dont understand it yet, so, would you like, please to tell me how can i chose one of these routines.? The routines are one per day or all per hour or ?, so sorry if i sound like a dumb i will apreciate your coment
Hey bro,
I don’t believe in dumb questions, so props to you for aaking them!
Check out the 6 month training plan to get your questions answered!
You can find it on the website!
Beast mode ON!
HI, I start to use the madbarz android aplication a few days and i like very much to consume my energy, but i have a quest, would be wrong to train more than one time a day? For exemple to train in the morning one time and in the evening another time!
The first thing i would like to obtain is a good athletic shape, but obviously i would like to grow my muscle mass.
Thank
Hey bro,
You can train 100 times a day if you want, it depends on what you body and mind are able to handle.
Start of slow and as you go increase the amount of training! Most people fail, because they exhaust themselves mentally by wanting fast results within a short period of time. Make sure you don’t make that mistake!
I’m sure you won’t!
Beast mode ON!
Hey, I’m really intrested in doing your routines and everything but the only problem is I have school, sports, and I don’t have any workout parks around where I live! All I have at the moment is a goldsgym bench press set, some dumbells,and a curling bar! What do I need to do until I get the things I need to do y’all’s workouts?
I also live in the country so it would be really hard going to a gym or anything and honestly I don’t think I’m old enough! I’m 13 so I can’t do anything such as drive and I still live with my parents and they don’t have time to take me places like a gym! I told my dad I want a pull up bar an he said use what I got! He said go in the barn, throw some rope over some posts and tie a bar to the ropes and he said now I have a pull up bar! I told him I want a dip bar and pull up bars like I see in your videos! So again, how do I do workouts without having the right things to do them! I also saw a video on how to get ready for calisthenics and it said that you need to do these 4 things (pull-ups, push-ups, dips, and squats.) I can’t do the dips or pull ups! It said after about 2 months i should have masterd those 4 things and I could move on too more advanced stuff! Please help me out?
Thanks!
Hey Logan,
First of all welcome to the movement!
Well in your situation you would require some creative thinking. With regard to the dips, just use a chair or multiple chairs, it’s a perfect alternative to dip bars! Check out this blog: http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/8-calisthenic-workouts/
With regard to the pull ups…what you can do is replace those with decline push ups. Which means you put your feet on a higher place, so your head is leaning down. Let’s say a chair for example. The higher your feet, the more difficult it is. Check this blog for tips on execution: http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/calisthenic-chest-workout-routine/ (Decline push ups). While it’s not exactly the same as a pull up, you will train the required muscles such as back, shoulders and chest. Other than that, eventually you will need a pull up bar regardless, there is just no way around it ;).
Hope this helps!
Beast Mode ON!
Hey Logan,
Welcome to the movement first of all!
All you need is ‘a body’ and a ‘creative mind’ ;).
Most dip exercises can be done by using a chair:
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/8-calisthenic-workouts/
And with regard to pull ups:
http://www.barbrothersgroningen.com/?s=chest&submit=Go
Other than that, you just have to start doing the routines. That’s the fun thing about most calisthenics exercises, you don’t need any equipment ;).
Hope this helps!
Beast Mode ON!
GREAT BLOG!!
Im ready to start.
Do you have any training calendar suggestion for the week or month? in order to work correctly every muscle.
Could it be recomendable mix the training Bar-Gym? ( 1 day Bar training / 1 Day Gym Training)
Best regards from México City.
Hey Ness,
Welcome to the movement! And thanks for the comment, appreciate it! 😀
I personally don’t believe you need extra weights if you can’t control your own body weight. However, if you prefer training muscle groups in an isolated way, weights are really useful. So the question is what is your goal?
Secondly, check out the 6 month training plan which I will send to you as soon as you subscribe. It has a clear training schedule for the coming six months, which will help you prepare for the requirements to become a Bar Brother.
Beast Mode ON!
Hey, it’s logan again!
I was wondering if this website is the only way to communicate with yall? I have many questions! Are all the members of the bar brothers around where you live ? If not how do y’all communicate! I might be asking a lot of questions so I’m sorry if they get outta hand! Just really intrested in getting fit and pushing my limits!
BEAST MODE ON!!! no PAIN no GAIN!!!
Sorry! I would be talking to you on the bar brother forums… I made an account but it was never made active… I went back to the main screen and never received a message! So what do I do now?
Hi,
I would like to say thanks for putting this web site on the www. It has helped me a great deal in deciding what to do, and where to start. I am doing the Beginner Workout thing with some additions for little over 2 weeks, and I already feel a lot fitter. The progress already made over this short timespan is amazing!
I am also changing some habits regarding my everyday diet; 4 kgs gone without much of an effort. And it even seems to improve my MTB cycling; I felt Iike I was flying, this afternoon.
Getting prepared to start the 6 month program… warm greetings from an ex-Groninger.
Hey Raymond!
Thanks for the reply! I’m happy to read that your are making progress, that’s what Bar Brothers is all about!
Helping each other in becoming our best selves :D. Goodluck with the 6 month plan, als je vragen hebt hoor ik het!
Beast Mode ON!
I´m eager to start my training!!!
But, one simple question: When I get enough strong to do the muscle up and I am like an advanced guy… Do I still have to do two routines a day? I mean, is it always two routines?
-Thanks-
Hi man i just want to ask thati am going to start my workout and i am thinking of doing 7days workout on 7 different body parts like legs abs upper body but not full body routines.So should i do it? I would be really happy if u answer my question…….. Thanks for reading!
Sorry not 7 day 6 days andat sunday it will be my rest day
Hey Sonu,
Good question!
The difficult thing with questions such as your is that there is no right answer, it’s highly individualistic. What are your goals? How often are you training right now? Why do you want to work out 7 groups 7 days? Do you think it’s more efficient?
Beast mode on!
i like chris body on bar brother and first time i watch chris on bar brother workout and know i am started bar brother workout of chris
Hey bro,
That’s awesome! Time to get yourself a body like his!
Beast mode ON!