Calisthenics Workout Exercises


An inexpensive way to maintain your physique


Calisthenics or bodyweight exercises are great for people that don't have equipment at home to workout with. These exercises should not be the focus of your workout plan but more to supplement your weight lifting workout. Bodyweight may be too much weight to use for some which makes it hard for some to complete these exercises. If this is the case, we recommend you purchase exercise bands.

Exercises

PictureName of Exercise
Twisting CrunchesTwisting Crunches
Start with lying on your back with your knees at a ninety degree angle and your hands by your side or behind your head for support. Now slowly lift your torso in a diagonal fas...
CrunchesCrunches Crunches are taught many different ways, but there is a consistant element. Start with lying on your back with your knees at a ninety degree angle and your hands by your side or b...
Weighted Cable Ball CrunchWeighted Cable Ball Crunch Start by leaning backward on the ball and grabbing a cable. Now with your body firmly planted on the ground for support, raise the weight and complete a crunch (as shown). Breath...
Ball CrunchesBall Crunches Lie back on a big ball with your shoulder blades on the ball, with your hips level with the ball slowly roll up contracting your abs (as shown). Slowly return to the starting posi...
Side BridgeSide Bridge Start by lying on a mat with your legs straight out. Turn sideways holding your body up with one bent arm parallel to the floor. Keep your abs tight until 30-60 seconds. A great...

Ball RolloutBall Rollout Start with the ball infront of you and with your hands on the ball. Now lower your body by rolling the ball out keeping your abs tight and as stabilizers so you dont fall. Once y...
Pelvic ThrustPelvic Thrust Start by lying down on a mat and raising your legs to 90 degrees. Now with your arms at your side raise your pelvis up while trying to keep your legs perfectly vertical. This is ...
Abdominal Barbell RolloutsAbdominal Barbell Rollouts To begin Abdominal Barbell Rollouts kneel in a pushup position with your hands shoulder width (or wider) on a barbell. With your arms almost locked out on the bar push the bar ahe...
V-UpV-Up Start the V-Up by lying flat on a mat and then raise both your legs and arms together while keeping them as straight as possible. Keep your lower back as straight as possible as w...
Jack KnivesJack Knives This exercise can be performed with your knees bent or kept straight. Lie on the ground (beginner) or a bench (advanced) with your lower body not on the bench. Complete a crunch ...
Air BikeAir Bike Start with your back flat on the ground. Now raise your opposite arm and leg together (as shown). Repeat side to side until a complete set is finished.

Spotter Informat...
Butt or Gluteus Maximus KickbacksButt or Gluteus Maximus Kickbacks This butt kickback can be performed as shown by kneeling down with one leg behind your body slightly raised and bent in a 90 degree position. Now raise the leg as high as you can ...
Medicine Ball Chest PushupsMedicine Ball Chest Pushups Begin this the medicine ball pushups by lying face down in a pushup position with your butt parallel to the floor. Now try to use one hand to grasp the medicine ball and then the o...
Wall Push UpWall Push Up This exercise is great for people who are not able to do a regular push up. To begin, start standing up and then lean against a wall with your hands out. Now with your hands at s...
Exercise Ball PushupsExercise Ball Pushups These exercise ball pushups are much harder than ground pushups because you are doing them on an exercise ball which throws your balance off significantly. To begin, lie face firs...
Double Medicine Ball PushupsDouble Medicine Ball Pushups This alternate chest pushup exercise can be performed by having two medicine balls in each hand in a pushup position. With your hips flat with your body (see picture) lower your u...
Push UpPush Up To complete a pushup start by lying face down on the ground with your hands out to the side (a bit wider than shoulder width). Now with your arms slightly bent, and your knees str...
Knee Push Up (Modified Push Up)Knee Push Up (Modified Push Up) Start with your knees on the floor and your feet up (facing the mat). Place your hands parallel with your shoulders and a bit wider than shoulder width apart. Without touching th...
DipsDips To perform the dip exercise, extend yourself at arms length above the bars, then lower yourself slowly until ninety degrees then back to the top. The more forward you lean, the mo...
Push Ups Between Benches (Push Up)Push Ups Between Benches (Push Up) Pushups between benches are performed as shown by placing your body between a bench in a push-up position having hands and feet on opposite benches and then lowering your body as l...
Back Hyper-ExtensionsBack Hyper-Extensions Start by lying face down, then raise your arm and head with the opposite leg. If done properly you should feel a stretch in your lower back. Finally, lower your leg, arm, and hea...
Back ExtensionsBack Extensions
Place yourself face down on a hyperextension bench with your feet hooked under the rear pads. Place your hand across your chest and bend at the waist until your upper body is ...
Exercise Ball Leg LiftsExercise Ball Leg Lifts This exercise should only be performed by advanced exercisers and should begin by having your hands firmly on the floor with your lower body as shown. Now begin to raise one leg ...
Twisting Leg RaisesTwisting Leg Raises
Hang from a chin-up bar or some gyms have benches specifically made for hanging leg raises. Raise your knees up as high as you can in a diagonal fashion (bringing one knee towa...
Ball Knee CrunchesBall Knee Crunches Start with your body cradled over the ball and then roll your body out with your hands. Have your knees (or feet to make it harder) on the ball. Now bring the ball in using your ...
Abdominal Dragon FlagsAbdominal Dragon Flags Begin abdominal dragon flags by lying down on a bench as shown with your arms above your head holding onto the bench. Now bring your entire lower body up towards the ceiling until ...
Roman ChairRoman Chair
Hang from a chin-up bar or some gyms have benches specifically made for hanging leg raises. Raise your knees up as high as you can, curling your pelvis forward. Hold the posi...
Exercise Ball Lower Back ExtensionsExercise Ball Lower Back Extensions To perform the calisthenics exercise: exercise ball lower back extensions begin lying on an exercise ball with your arms out in front of you and your feet stable on the floor behin...
Ball Side Crunches or BendsBall Side Crunches or Bends Start by draping yourself over the ball front first. Then slowly staggar your legs front to back as shown while putting your obliques on the ball and trying to put your hands over...
Calisthenics Elbow Instep LungeCalisthenics Elbow Instep Lunge The calisthenic elbow instep lunge is performed like an ordinary lunge with the exception of extending your body forward and putting your similar leg and elbow together as shown. ...
Bench DipsBench Dips
Place two benches Parallel to each other. From standing in th middle of them, place your hands on the edge of the back bench and your feet on the front bench. By bending at t...



Forum Discussions


Calisthenics(bodyweight workout.)i was wondering does any one have any ideas for full body work without any equipment. im currently going to the gym 3 times a week but with a change in work arragnements i cant find time to go the gym. can any one give me so some advice please....
Slimness, WeightsI'm 14 and would like to know some stuff. I want to be slimmer (slim and sinewy) not heavily built. Will weights do the thing or calisthenics? I am worried that weights are bad for me. Do they stunt growth? Do they create unnecessary mass? ...
Just got back into Working out!I just recently got back into working out like almost daily,Its kind of hard thou since im currently deployed but I am like not trying to get so big i can't wipe myself but like before i left i did martial arts off and on and back in school i was a m...
Execise suggestion for me.Hi guys I'm new to this forum but I read alot of what most people say here and I can say there's alot of fresh new ideas for me to do. I need help on losing more weight. I am currently enrolled in Bally Total Fitness and do cardio 3-5 times a week fo...
I am stuck and really need some adviceHello, I am 35 years old and recently decided that I am tired of my skinny fat build and need to exercise and try to boost my metabolism and testosterone. For many years I was into cardio sports like jogging and swimming (soccer) which led to kne...
Which Workout best for muscle?Hey Everybody! I have a question about preparing an exercise regimen. I have about three months or so left to lose some weight and get a little toning on my muscles, I've been trying to do body-building, but unfortunately it puts a lot of strain on ...
Calisthenics or Run on treadmill?Hey, I am wondering if I should do calisthenics or just simply jog/run on the treadmill. I am 16 years old, 5'7 and 180 pounds. I've recently watched a video on tips of how a fat person should do calisthenics. What I got out of that is to keep on run...