Calisthenics Programming (Part 1) - Introduction

Key Strategies for Building a Calisthenics Program (from Scratch)

• Treat your program like an organized schedule

  • What goes into it depends on your goals and current circumstances.

• Include 7 core elements (required by the speaker):

1. Attribute training (prioritize strength, power, endurance)

   • Strength (max force): train with low reps, high effort
     • Example: 4 weighted pull-ups for 2 sets
   • Power (fast force): train with dynamic/explosive movements
     • Example: explosive push-ups or jump squats
   • Endurance (sustain submax force, delay fatigue)
   • Prioritize one main attribute depending on goals
     • Common method: 80/20 split
       • ~80% training toward the main attribute
       • ~20% maintains the others
     • Example structure:
       • 5 strength exercises + 1 explosive exercise
       • or periodic rep testing (e.g., every 4 weeks test max push-ups)

2. Skill training

   • Practice requires frequent exposure and lower effort
   • Example: practice a skill progression (e.g., handstands) for 10 minutes, 2–3x/day

3. Mobility work

   • Match mobility to the skills (e.g., pistol squats need ankle mobility)
   • Two key mobility priorities:
     • Stretching to gain ROM
     • Strengthening the new ROM with resistance

4. Injury prevention

   • Warm-up: keep it short and efficient (5–10 minutes)
   • Includes preparing the body so training doesn’t create flare-ups

5. Joint and tendon conditioning

   • Train smaller tissues/areas (e.g., rotator cuff, serratus)

6. Structural balance

   • Don’t neglect body parts or sides
     • Use unilateral exercises if one side is stronger or you have imbalances
   • Address posture issues that affect balance
     • Examples: anterior pelvic tilt, forward head posture
   • If pain/injury appears, include rehab time

7. Rehab (when injured or in pain)

   • Rehab resembles strength training, but with the key difference:
     • same exercise patterns, but reduced load

8. Recovery

   • Plan recovery across:
     • Rest between sets, between exercises, between sessions
     • Load weeks (progression/deloading)
     • Sleep (explicitly mentioned)

9. Nutrition

   • Smaller role for skill-focused goals
   • Main driver for fat loss / body composition

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Presenters / Sources

• No presenter or external source is named in the provided subtitles.