A Calisthenics Workout That Will Build Strength in Your Entire Body

Whether you know it or not, you’ve probably done a calisthenics workout before. The term “calisthenics” just refers to bodyweight resistance training, so it’s any workout that uses repetitive bodyweight exercises to build strength, increase flexibility, and get your heart rate up.

Calisthenics is ideal for the at-home environment because you can do it anywhere, it doesn’t take up too much space, and all you need is a mat. It’s also great for beginners: You can take your time to really focus on form, without having to worry about loading moves up with extra resistance in the form of dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells—which, if you take on too much too soon, can lead to injury.

“Not only does calisthenics build strength, but it builds more physically functional strength, which consists of compound moves that reflect our everyday movement and give us a higher quality of life,” Alicia Jamison, C.P.T., trainer at Bodyspace Fitness in New York City, tells SELF. “With enough push-ups, pull-ups, squats, hip bridges, and other basic bodyweight moves, you’ll be able to perform manual labor tasks—like picking things up, carrying heavy items, and playing with kids—much easier.”

And yes, you can build strength and muscle with just your bodyweight—you don’t need to lift weights to do that. “Calisthenics accomplishes the same muscle growth as weights,” explains Jamison.

Depending on your fitness level, calisthenics will work your body a bit differently. “For beginners, people who are maxing out at 10–12 reps [of each move], the work is lending more toward muscular hypertrophy, or the enlargement of the muscle,” says Jamison. “But as you get more advanced and you can do 15–20 reps, then calisthenics helps build muscular endurance—training the muscles to work harder for longer.”

Jamison created this strength-focused calisthenics workout to challenge your whole body. Every other exercise is a core move, and in between are some challenging lower body and upper body moves, like the curtsy lunge to squat and the Superman pulldown. You’ll be feeling it in your big muscles—your chest, glutes, hamstrings, and quads—and your smaller, stabilizing muscles too.

You can do calisthenics moves as a standalone routine (like the calisthenics workout Jamison created below), or you can also mix in the moves to your regular workout routine. For instance, Jamison likes to add high-intensity calisthenic exercises to the beginning of her strength training, to serve as an extra core and power boost. She also suggests using a quick calisthenics circuit as a finisher to end your workout on a breathless note before you cool down.

Whether you’re an exercise pro or are just getting started, a good calisthenics workout can leave you sweaty, out of breath, and feeling strong. Ready to give this full-body, no-equipment workout a go? Here’s everything you’ll need.

The Workout

What you’ll need: An exercise mat for extra cushioning.

The Exercises

Circuit 1

Circuit 2

• Single-Leg Glute Bridge

• Alternating V-Up

• Push-Up

Directions

• Perform 12–15 reps of each exercise in Circuit 1 without resting. For the single-leg moves, you’ll do 12–15 reps per side. After all four exercises are done, rest for 45 seconds. Complete 2–3 rounds total.

• Perform 12–15 reps for each exercise in Circuit 2 without resting. For the single-leg moves, you’ll do 12–15 reps per side. After all three exercises are done, rest for 45 seconds, Complete 2–3 rounds total.

• Beginners can start with between 12 and 13 reps, while more advanced exercisers can go up to 15.

Demoing the moves below are Angie Coleman (GIF 1), a holistic wellness coach in Oakland;  Shauna Harrison (GIF 2), a Bay Area–based trainer, yogi, public health academic, advocate, and columnist for SELF; Cookie Janee, (GIFs 3–4, 6–7), a background investigator and security forces specialist in the Air Force Reserve; and Grace Pulliam (GIF 5), who teaches aerial yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and a fall prevention class for senior citizens.