Thank you @richard for adding a Calisthenics sub-forum.
Hey there, if your new to body weight resistance/calisthenics I put this topic in place to help you out.
Background on why I chose Calisthenics
I used to lift weights heavy as a young man, to the point I could bench press over 300 pounds and probably had around 10% body fat. I stopped working out and all that muscle turned to fat. I started to feel good again on Keto and wanted to start working out again. I worked out roughly 6 months and noticed injury after injury from free weights. Tennis elbow, rotator cuff, etc. It sucked all part of getting old right? Maybe, but I came across a book called Convict Conditioning where part of the premise was that your joints and ligaments would grow stronger by using these compound movement body resistance exercises. So, I got hooked from that angle and find now that although my elbows make a popping sound now and then still, it’s not nearly as bad or often as it used to be.
I recommend starting Calisthenics with the convict conditioning program. You don’t have to do this, there are plenty of calisthenics youtubers out there, but I think this program builds your foundation to move into more advanced stuff.
Here’s an example of my work out schedule now, to give you an idea how it might be. I didn’t start out with this, there are progressions, and you may not be able to do push ups or pull ups yet, but you do progressions like the Australian pull up, and push ups on your knees till you get there.
Day 1
Diamond Pushups 2 sets of 20
Regular Pushups 3 sets of Max
Side to Side Pushups 3 sets of Max
Leaning downward on a bar standing skull crushers 3 sets of Max
Kneeling plank tricep extensions 3 sets of Max
Dips 3 sets of Max
Bar hanging exercises to increase my scapula muscle strength for pullups
Day 2
Use the Cybex Machine which is elliptical on steroids and or jump rope
Day 3
Pull ups, I am doing 25 pull ups regardless how many sets or rests it takes to try to increase my max number.
Australian pull ups 3 sets of Max
Bar Dips on the Smith Machine 3 sets of Max
Day 4
Cybex Machine and or jump rope
Day 5
Crow Stands - for 1 minute time. This is to gain balance for handstands. I am finding my core is failing me with cramping before I get to the minute currently, so core strength is very important.
Pike Pushups - 3 sets of 10
Handstand Walk up and walk down against wall 3 sets
Jump Rope or Cybex remaining time
Day 6
Single Leg Assisted Squats 3 sets of Max
Wall Sit for Max
Bar Hang scapula exercises
Jump Rope and or Cybex remaining time
Day 7
Hanging from Bar frog raises 2 sets of 15
Mountain Climbers 3 sets of 40
V-ups 3 sets of 12
Russian Twists 3 sets of 20
Plank ShoulderTaps 3 sets of 15
Pull ups with dead hang last rep 1 set of Max
Table Bridges 3 sets of 40
