Intermediate Calisthenics Workout Plan: All You Need to Know

Calisthenics is a form of exercise where body weight is primarily used as a source for exercise. It is used to build strength, flexibility, and fitness. Calisthenics workouts can be chiefly carried out on body weight but still require a little bit of equipment to perform many of the exercises like a bar, some rings, or a strong object for chin-ups. Intermediate calisthenics workout plan offer versatile workouts suitable for individuals of all fitness levels, requiring no special tools and allowing them to perform exercises at any time and place.

Though there are alternatives for every skill level, calisthenics is primarily known for its difficult and intricate full-body motions, such as muscle ups. In this article we will explain the different intermediate calisthenics workout plan require for upper body, lower body and full body strength.

How can you determine if you’re ready for an intermediate calisthenics workout plan or program?

Intermediate Calisthenics workout plan focus on building strength and movement. Studying foundations is crucial for faster progress. Understanding progressions, movements, and current position is essential for a successful workout, enhancing endurance rather than physical gain.

Therefore, your first option should be to attempt switching to more difficult activities. However, mastering that would be extremely difficult and time-consuming. Please take caution not to go in too soon as you could damage yourself. You will be able to unlock new skill levels by combining these particular drills with a solid foundation. Which category do you fit into? To assess your appropriate training level, it would be ideal if you were realistic about your degree of fitness.

As you gain experience, it’s important to acknowledge the need for suitable progression.

Calisthenics for Upper Body Strength

Following are the different calisthenics workout exercises required for upper body strength:

Push-ups

Primary Muscle Targets: Chest, shoulders, and triceps

Starting Position:

Begin in a plank position.
Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Ensure your body forms a straight line from head to heels.

Execution:

Bend your elbows to bring your body closer to the ground.
Keep your elbows close to your body.
Lower until your chest nearly touches the ground.
Push yourself back up to the starting position by extending your arms.

Focus Points:

Maintain proper form throughout the movement.
Keep your core engaged.
Ensure your body remains in a straight line.

Pull-Ups

Muscles Targeted: Upper back, biceps, and forearms.

Starting Position: Grasp an overhead bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Execution:

Hang freely with your arms fully extended.
Engage your back muscles and bend your elbows.
Pull your body upwards until your chin is above the bar.
Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner.

Focus: Maintain proper form throughout the movement, avoiding swinging or using momentum.

Dips:

Primary Muscle Targets: Chest, shoulders, and triceps

Starting Position:

Grip parallel bars or use a sturdy elevated surface.
Arms fully extended, body upright.

Execution:

Lower your body by bending your elbows.
Lower until upper arms are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
Keep elbows close to the body.
Push yourself back up by extending your arms.

Focus Points:

Maintain proper form throughout the movement.
Keep shoulders stable and avoid excessive forward lean.

Inverted Rows:

Primary Muscle Targets: Upper back, biceps, and shoulders

Starting Position:

Lie underneath a horizontal bar, such as a Smith machine bar or a sturdy table.
Grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Extend your arms fully while keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.

Execution:

Pull your chest towards the bar by bending your elbows and retracting your shoulder blades.
Keep your body in a straight line throughout the movement.
Pause briefly at the top of the movement, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner, fully extending your arms.

Focus Points:

Maintain proper form throughout the movement.
Keep your core engaged to stabilize your body.
Avoid swinging or using momentum to pull yourself up.

Calisthenics Workout for Lower Body and Core

Following are the calisthenics exercises required to an intermediate starter for the strength of lower body and core.

Pistol Squats

Primary Muscle Targets: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core

Starting Position:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Extend one leg out in front of you, keeping it straight.
Keep your arms extended in front of you for balance.

Execution:

Lower your body down into a squat position on one leg.
Keep your chest upright and your back straight.
Lower until your thigh is parallel to the ground or as low as you can comfortably go.
Push through your heel to return to the starting position.

Focus Points:

Maintain balance and control throughout the movement.
Keep your knee tracking over your toes to prevent injury.
Engage your core to stabilize your body.

Glute Bridges

Primary Muscle Targets: Glutes (gluteus maximus), hamstrings, and lower back

Starting Position:

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
Keep your arms relaxed by your sides with palms facing down.

Execution:

Engage your core and press your heels into the ground to lift your hips off the floor.
Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement to maximize contraction.
Maintain a straight line from your shoulders to your knees, avoiding overarching your lower back.
Lower your hips back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.

Focus Points:

Keep your core engaged throughout the movement to protect your lower back.
Avoid pushing your hips too high, as this can strain your lower back.
Focus on squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement for maximum activation.

Hanging Leg Raises

Primary Muscle Targets: Abdominals (especially lower abs), hip flexors, and core stabilizers

Starting Position:

Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keep your arms fully extended and engage your shoulder blades to stabilize your upper body.

Execution:

Engage your core and raise your legs by lifting them towards your chest.
Keep your legs straight and avoid swinging as much as possible.
Aim to lift your legs until they are parallel to the ground or as high as you can comfortably go.
Lower your legs back down in a controlled manner to return to the starting position.

Focus Points:

Maintain control throughout the movement to avoid swinging or momentum.
Focus on using your abdominal muscles to lift your legs, rather than relying solely on momentum.
Keep your body still and avoid excessive swinging of the legs.

Plank Variations

Primary Muscle Targets: Core muscles (rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques), shoulders, and lower back

Starting Position:

Begin in a plank position with your forearms on the ground, and elbows directly below your shoulders.
Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, with your core engaged and your hips level.

Execution: Several variations can be performed from the plank position, including:

Side Plank:

Rotate your body to one side, stacking your feet on top of each other or placing one foot in front of the other.
Lift your hips off the ground, supporting your body weight on one forearm and the side of one foot.
Keep your body in a straight line and hold the position, engaging your obliques.

Plank with Leg Lifts:

From the plank position, lift one leg off the ground while keeping your hips level and your core engaged.
Hold the lifted position briefly before lowering your leg back down.
Repeat on the other side, alternating legs.

Focus Points:

Maintain proper alignment and form throughout each variation, keeping your body in a straight line.
Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body and prevent your hips from hanging.

Intermediate Calisthenics Workouts Plan for Full Body Strength

These are the intermediate calisthenics workout exercises for full body strength.

Handstand Push-Ups

Primary Muscle Targets: Shoulders (deltoids), triceps, upper chest, and core stabilizers

Starting Position:

Begin in a handstand position against a wall, with your hands shoulder-width apart and arms fully extended.
Keep your body in a straight line from wrists to ankles, with your core engaged and your feet resting against the wall for stability.

Execution:

Bend your elbows to lower your head towards the ground, maintaining control and stability throughout the movement.
Lower until your head nearly touches the ground or as low as your flexibility allows.
Push through your palms to press yourself back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.

Focus Points:

Maintain proper alignment and form throughout the movement, keeping your body in a straight line.
Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body and prevent arching or sagging.
Keep your elbows tucked in close to your body to target the shoulders and triceps effectively.

L-Sit Pull-Ups

Primary Muscle Targets: Upper back (latissimus dorsi), biceps, shoulders, and core

Starting Position:

Hang from an overhead bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keep your legs straight and raise them in front of you until they are parallel to the ground, forming an “L” shape with your body.

Execution:

Engage your core and pull your body upwards by bending your elbows, aiming to bring your chest towards the bar.
Keep your legs raised in the L-sit position throughout the movement, maintaining stability and control.
Pause briefly at the top of the movement, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner, fully extending your arms and keeping your legs raised.

Focus Points:

Maintain proper form throughout the movement, keeping your body in an L-sit position and avoiding swinging or kipping.
Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body and support the L-sit position.
Keep your shoulders pulled down and back to engage the upper back muscles efficiently.

Dips with Leg Raises

Primary Muscle Targets: Chest, triceps, shoulders, and core

Starting Position:

Begin by gripping parallel bars or using a sturdy elevated surface for support.
Position your hands shoulder-width apart and extend your arms fully.
Raise yourself so that your arms are supporting your body weight, with your feet off the ground.

Execution:

Perform a dip by bending your elbows and lowering your body downwards.
Simultaneously, lift your legs straight out in front of you, raising them to a horizontal position.
Keep your core engaged to maintain stability and control throughout the movement.
Push yourself back up to the starting position while lowering your legs back down to the initial position.

Focus Points:

Maintain proper form throughout the exercise, keeping your body in a straight line and avoiding excessive swinging.
Engage your core muscles to stabilize your body during both the dip and leg raise portions of the movement.
Keep your elbows close to your body to target the triceps effectively during the dip.

Single Leg Deadlifts

Primary Muscle Targets: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and core

Starting Position:

Stand on one leg with a slight bend in the knee.
Keep your back straight and core engaged.
Extend your arms in front of you for balance.

Execution:

Hinge at your hips and lower your torso forward while simultaneously lifting your non-standing leg straight back.
Keep your back straight and avoid rounding or arching your spine.
Lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground or until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, then return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings.

Focus Points:

Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement, avoiding rounding or arching.
Keep your core engaged to stabilize your torso and prevent rotation.
Focus on balance and stability on the standing leg throughout the exercise.

To sum up, calisthenics provides a dynamic and efficient method of strength training that makes use of the body’s natural weight and requires nothing in the way of equipment to yield outstanding results. There is a wide variety of intermediate calisthenics workout plans to accommodate every fitness level, whether you’re a beginner trying to build a strong foundation or an intermediate practitioner prepared to push yourself with more advanced motions. People can increase their strength, flexibility, and general fitness by gradually learning basic exercises and adding increasingly difficult variations. To reduce the chance of damage and optimize the advantages of each workout, calisthenics requires a patient, focused approach with an emphasis on good form.

Intermediate Calisthenics Workout Plan: All You Need to Know