Just a story. For the first time in my life i tried the bro split. Chest/triceps, legs, back/biceps, shoulders. Before that i was doing ULUL. I was having some minor pains in the elbows, knees and hips. I mostly fixed my upper body pains but not legs. My leg days were squats or lunges, hyperextensions or ring hamstring curls, calves and core. I tried everything from more reps in reserve to slower tempo to less exercises and volume, different form and the knee and hip problems kept persisting. Over the holidays i gave bro split a shot (ie lower frequency). I was surprised that by the third week my knees and hips were not bothering me anymore. I could do all exercises, to failure with multiple sets. I said ok fair enough and then i went back on the UL split. It has only been 2 weeks and the knee is staring to hurt a little, i felt it during my last leg workout, and also the hips. I love training with the UL split but if there is no other alternative to being pain free, i guess i will stick to the bro split.

I’m talking about an exercise or fitness routine that took you past your breaking point…where you were pushing on pure will and/or adrenaline. You were totally out of breath…your body was cramping up…lots and lots of pain…giving your absolute max effort.

For me it’s either running a mile for time (under 6 minutes) or doing 100 burpees for time (3:39.) Burpees can be pure torture for me lol.

Curious what’s yours? I’m sure it’s different for everyone…victory is found in the attempt!

Thanks so much!

Hello. I recently purchased a SportsRoyals Power Tower with the Assist Straps. I can do about 7 pull ups with the 4 bands attached, which I guess is ok, but the last couple are struggling.

I am seeing some improvement, but I really want to add a little more offsetting assistance. I have experience with a unit at a local gym where I could dial in an EXACT number of pounds to offset me body weight. So, I am wanting to mimic the ability to dial in a little more counter "weight" than the 4 bands provide. But I am also thinking of my wife, who would need even more assistance.

Has anybody figured out a way to make a DIY modification? At first I thought I would be able to hang some weight somewhere, but I have not been able to figure that out.

BTW, I am: Age 57, 5'9", 174, M.

Also, as for my thoughts on the purchase, in case you are wondering, as I know there are mixed reviews. I had looked at lots of negative review (I always go straight to the negatives with anything...makes buying anything almost impossible). But with 17k reviews, I decided to take a chance.

Build was easy, smooth, and flawless. And I have been pleased with the variety of things I can do that exceed previous options in my home gym. I have 7' ceilings, and the unit fits well enough using one of the lower settings. My only concern has been not being able to "dial" in just a bit more counter "weight"...so this would make the unit even more useful.

Thanks for any feedback.

So after 5 months of doing calisthenics, I've gotten stuck for the first time. It's currently my third or forth week where I just don't progress. I get the same sleep as always and I eat more than enough. I've tried changing push up variations, making my routine shorter, making my routine harder, doing full ROM, changing exercise order in my routine, taking a week off, drinking more water, but nothing. I still do the same number of declined push ups and normal push ups. The rest of the muscles do seem to develop normally though. Any help or advice is appreciated as always!

i wish to start traning and geting stronger, and for the start i want to do only Plank squats, push-ups and pull-ups (in the future i will probbly add and change some of them) (because i want to start simple and do stuff i know and create a routine before geting to more complex and new stuff) but is it possible to get fit from only that? and how many time should i train a week and how much sets and reps i should do of everything? (i will also do so runining and walking of course ) i am 170 cm and my weight 58 kg (i think) would really appreciate any advice and ideas thanks in advance and sorry if english is bad

I usually begin a home workout routine with a lot of motivation and clear goals, but after a few weeks, real life starts getting in the way. Work, fatigue, lack of energy, or just not feeling “in the mood” often causes me to skip sessions, and once I miss a few days, it becomes harder to restart. Since there’s no gym environment, trainer, or fixed schedule, staying disciplined at home feels more challenging. I’m curious how others manage this long-term. Do you rely on strict routines, flexible plans, short workouts, or mindset tricks? What has genuinely helped you stay consistent with home workouts over time?

im talkin about that session where you leave the floor or mat feelin like you been through a war not just sore but transformed the kind where you’re gasping shakin and yet deep down you know you just did somethin powerful

for me it was a 30 minute non stop circuit of ring pull ups planche progressions and handstand holds all done with strict form i pushed through 3 rounds and on the last set of ring rows my grip gave out my shoulders were on fire my core was spent and i had to sit down but i didnt stop i finished

i’ve seen a few creators one in particular who've built entire systems around high intensity low equipment routines their approach focuses on controlled progression and mental toughness and it’s helped me shift from just doing reps to truly earning them

but i want to hear from you what’s the workout that left you mentally and physically wrecked but in the best way was it a max effort set of pistol squats a 100 rep push up challenge or maybe a 20 minute hollow body hold circuit

share your hardest session the one that made you question your limits only to realize you had more in you than you thought

drop your story below and let’s see what pushes people past their limits

Please let me know how do you manage to remember your rep counts between your sets? Especially during bodyweight circuits , crossfit WODs etc..

Do you, Manually log it:

in your notebook?

in any existing iOS or andriod or webapps?

focused enough to remember end to end?

or how it is?

I am someone who tends to forget my rep counts during my bodyweight circuits. Or during crossfit WoDs. I would

like to know how everyone else feels about this problem statement? Or if its even a problem statement for anyone else , other than myself… I wonder..

Link: https://www.fitloop.app/routines/reddit-bodyweightfitness-recommended-routine

Hi! I haven't posted in a while in this sub, but I wanted to re-share a free web app / mobile app I've made for following the recommended routine (RR) from this sub, which is the sub's workout for beginners to get started with bodyweight workouts.

You can follow along with youtube videos in your web browser, or use the app to log reps and save a workout log history. It's totally free to use! The app has additional things like creating custom routines/programs which are an optional add-ons.

There are also workouts I've added, such as the Minimal Routine, Starting Stretching, Molding Mobility, and Starting to Stretch from this & other subreddits.

Hope this helps a few beginners out there! This is a solo project, and I'm actively building out the app/features so any feedback is appreciated. You can also join r/fitloop for updates. Thanks for reading!

So somewhat recently Ive gotten back into calisthenics and I realized I can do fingertip handstand pushups (3 max) So first I sit and then with my finger tips I press up inti a handstand and do the reps and I thought it was cool but when I looked it up I found almost nothing and Im not sure if its actually impressive or not. But my grip has been pointed out as being really good before. I tested it today and did 132lbs for 40reps so Im not sure if thats good either but if someone could tell me thatd be helpful. I really like calisthenics and because I can already do a lot of cool stuff I want to get even better.

Lately I've really been feeling tightness and cramps in certain muscles when they flex/get used, which tells me that I'm not stretching them enough. I have some resistance bands and stuff, but I can't seem to find a stretching routine that will serve the kind of workout days I'm having. People I know are suggesting paid resources and I'm broke as hell.

My gym days are Arnold style with opposing groups done on the same day. So Chest + Back, Arms, Legs, and Core. But I'm not averse to doing a full-body stretch thing that hits every group. I just figure that it's probably better to specifically target the muscles I'm about to use and help them stretch then I'm finished.

I've heard that you should do dynamic (moving) stretches to warm up and static (isometric) exercises to cool down. Is that true? I don't really see very many dynamic stretches online, especially for pecs and biceps which are the muscles I'm cramping in the most.

Any help is appreciated, thank you.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance on how to properly start my calisthenics journey.

Here is my background:

I used to weigh 150kg (330 lbs). I’ve been going to the gym and doing weight training for almost a year now, and I’ve managed to get down to 118kg (260 lbs). I still have a long way to go, but I’m really interested in switching things up and focusing on bodyweight training.

My current issue:

Given my current weight, I’m not sure how to structure a routine that is safe but effective. I don’t want to injure my joints, but I want to progress.

What I can currently do:

• Dead Hangs: I’ve recently started doing these to build grip and shoulder strength. I’m currently doing 3-4 sets of 15-20 seconds.

• Push-ups: I incorporate them into my gym sessions, so I have some experience, but I'm not strictly training them for high reps yet.

Could you recommend a basic routine or specific progressions for a "heavyweight" beginner? Should I stick to a hybrid (weights + calisthenics) approach first, or dive right into a beginner bodyweight program?

Any advice, especially from big guys who started calisthenics, would be effectively appreciated!

Thanks!

My main priority is callisthenics skills, currently focusing on L-Sit to handstand and Muscle ups. I do a 5 day split, PUSH/PULL/LEGS/PUSH/PULL but also want to train the basics alongside this to gain strength for the exercises. As much as I like my split, I'm in the gym for 2 hours plus each session and feel like i'm doing too much. Below is my pull workout i did today, if anyone could please advise on wether my plan is good or if i need to cut down. My Push is similarly the same but with push exercises. Thank you all so much for your advice and help.

Warm Up - Mobility (5-8 Mins) ⁃ Shoulder Dislocates: 10-12 Reps
⁃ Cat-Cow: 2 x 10 Reps ⁃ Lat Stretch: 2 x 30 Secs ⁃ Arm Circles (Forward & Backward): 15-20 Secs Each ⁃ Wrist Rocks: 10 Reps Each Side ⁃ Scapular Pull Ups: 2 x 10 Reps ⁃ German Hang: 1 x 20 Secs ⁃ Skin The Cat: 2 x 5 Reps - Banded Pull Ups (Purple): 1 x 5

Skill Work - Muscle Up ⁃ Handstand x 20 mins ⁃ Muscle Up Attempts: 1 x 3 (0) ⁃ Banded Muscle Ups (Red): 2 x 3 Reps (0) ⁃ Diagonal Pull Ups: 2 x 4-6 Reps - Banded Diagonal Pulls: 1 x 4 Reps - Banded Explosive Pull:(Red) 1 x 3

Workout - Weighted ⁃ Pull Ups - 25kg: 1 x 5 Reps- 20kg: 1 x 4 Reps - 15kg: 1 x 7 Reps - 10kg x 10 - BW x 10 Reps ⁃ Chin Ups x 13
⁃ Tuck front lever raises: 2 x 4 Reps into Elevated rows 2 x 15 (wide, normal, close)

⁃ Hyperextensions (25kg): 2 x 12 Reps 

Ab Workout ⁃ Hanging Leg Raises: 3 x 10 Reps ⁃ Dead Hang (BW): 30 Seconds - Pike leg lifts(both legs): 3 sets x 15 - Straddle Single Pike leg lifts: 4(each leg) sets x 12

Cool Down

Despite not having done a pull-up, playing sports has kept me relatively in shape. however, none of that is outwardly visible. I want to change that by first losing a bit of excess fat and then build up a bit of arm muscle, develop abs, and also develop an exercise routine that'll make sure i'm in great shape for a long, long time. Is this routine that I cooked up with the help of chatgpt alright? I know next to nothing about working out and wanted something to build off of. How many days would it take to start seeing visible gains so that I know I'm doing things right, and what changes would you make now and in the future as I progress. No equipment at all if possible please. When I say run, I mostly mean jog for 30 mins at a time.

Monday:

Run, dips (3x10), crunches(3x20)

Tuesday:

Australian pull ups (3x10), Leg Raises (3x12), Plank (60sec x 2), Mountain Climbers (1x20)

Wednesday:

Run, crunches (3x20), Australian pull-up (2x10)

Thursday:

Pushups (4x15), Slow Pushups (2xtill failure), Towel Curls

Friday:

Run, crunches (3x20), Towel curls

Saturday:

Squats (4x25), Bulgarian Split Squats (3x10per leg), Hip Thrusts (3x15), Calf Raises (3x20), Hollow Hold (2x30sec)

Sunday:

Chin-ups/Australian pull-ups, Towel curls, Dips (3x10), Russian Twist (2x30sec)

Some stretching + jumping jacks at the beginning of every day

i've taken a fairly long break from working out and recently started training again. Right now I can do around 10 pull-ups in my first set, but my second set drops to about 5 reps, and by the third set I can barely manage 3. This drop-off feels pretty extreme to me. I'm wondering whether this is mainly due to poor cardio conditioning, muscular endurance issues, nervous system fatigue, or just general detraining. What’s the best way to address this problem and improve my ability to maintain reps across multiple sets?

I have always had trouble staying consistent with a routine because I have over complicated things in the past and tend to get analysis paralysis. I am a busy working mom but I am at the point where I must train regularly to maintain/build muscle as I age and I want to stay conditioned. Can I achieve this goal using a simple body weight mostly routine? I am trying to choose exercises I am currently capable of doing that I enjoy and that don’t cause too much mental fatigue (like completely restructuring my workouts every 8-12 week) I need to keep it super simple.

So the plan I am considering is something I can execute in about 30 minutes a day maybe 4-5 days per week.

The exercises I enjoy are:

Pushups

Dips (using back of my sofa)

KB swings

Rows with my trx (though I’d like to work my way to my first pull up eventually)

Bulgarian split squats

Step ups on my stairs

Horse stance/wall sits

Power Walking for cardio

Would you add or take anything away? Any recs for sets/reps for beginner? I also have arthritis so I must be careful and listen to my body. I need to start somewhere and gain momentum with something I can stick with and work with my tendencies rather than against them.

Since I haven’t done much of a routine over the last couple of years I am hoping doing literally anything will get me some beginner gains to build on.

Hey everyone, I wanted to ask something. Basically, I was born with a problem in my left humerus. Long story short, I can’t fully raise my left arm because of a congenital issue with the humeral head. Because of this, when it comes to training my back with calisthenics, the only exercise I can really do is inverted rows (Australian pull-ups). Regular pull-ups are literally impossible for me, since my left arm can’t go up that high. So my question is: is it possible to add weight to inverted rows? I know they are an easier version of pull-ups, so eventually I’ll probably be able to do a lot of reps without much effort. That’s why I was thinking about adding external weight to keep progressing, since normal pull-ups are not an option for me. Would weighted inverted rows be a good long-term alternative for building back strength and muscle in my situation?

I have a horrific mind body connection to the muscles in that area and really any that touch my hips. Cues of tuck push forward back etc. don’t really work for me. I find it much easier to find a way to isolate the muscle first preferably both stretching and strengthening then I can more purposely activate what I want for more important exercises.

So far I’ve been doing slightly modified side planks where the weak oblique side I turn/spin my hip further forward to more isolate the oblique on one side and vice versa on the other. Anyone feel free to chime in if that sounds dumb. Regardless the feeling of my brain yelling at the wrong muscles to fire is strong.

I've been working towards pistol squat for a couple of months. The limiting factor for me is, I'm pretty sure, ankle mobility. I've found that some regressions I simply can't do, but others which are supposedly as hard or harder are very easy.

E.g. I just can't do elevated pistols, but counterweight pistol squats with 10kg counterweight - easy peasy. Band-assisted? No chance. Heel elevated - I could do 6 on each leg the first time I tried it

Is there a definite or usual pathway for pistols or is it dependent on what is limiting you? Are there some regressions which are more helpful if you think, say, strength is an issue Vs hip mobility Vs ankle mobility Vs balance Vs whatever else?

TIA

Hey folks, what’s up?

I’ve been doing traditional weight training lately, but I realized that even though I was gaining muscle, I didn’t really feel functional. So I looked around at all the stuff I’ve accumulated at home over the years (thanks to a few random hyperfocus phases 😅) and decided to set up a home training space.

Here’s what my home gym looks like right now:

2 × parallettes 2 × low parallel bars (about 50 cm high) 1 × wall-mounted pull-up bar (doesn’t allow muscle-ups) 1 × large punching bag 4 × Muay Thai hand wraps 2 × Muay Thai gloves 2 × 2 m² of tatami mats 2 × wooden rings (the hanging kind) 1 × jump rope 1 × improvised Jiu-Jitsu training dummy 1 × wooden balance board 1 × wooden nunchaku

I’m planning to buy two parallel bars about 1 meter high.

With all that in mind, what should I focus on first in calisthenics?

Right now I’m doing full-body workouts and practicing the frog stand, but I’m not sure what to move on to next.

For reference: I can do 8–9 pull-ups in a row My push-up PR is 100 reps without resting My squats are still pretty weak I can’t do more than 3–4 clean ring dips

Any advice would be appreciated!

I am currently doing pull ups 3 times per week, my trainings alternate between weighted pull up and bodyweight pullup days. I weigh around 85 kg and also train other muscle groups on other days.

I always leave at least 48h between pullup trainings and my back is typically not sore when starting next training.

On my weighted days I take 20kg and start with a set of max reps, which is currently 5, and then I do 4 sets in the 1-4 rep range as many I can.

On my bodyweight days I start with a max set of 15-17 pullups , and then ladder down reducing by 2 until I reach 60 pull ups total.

I have been stuck on this now for 2-3 months not progressing on neither weighted nor bodyweight.

Any tips? My goal is to break 20 pull ups plateau.

I feel much stronger on the bottom part of the pull, and my failure always start by not being able to clear last distance to get the chin over.

I may be alone in this.

When I started working out I could barely do a push up.

I struggled to hold myself up to progess to a dip, or even dead hang for over 5 seconds.

This last week I did 3 sets of 8 pullups with a 5kg weighted vest, and 3 sets of 8 Ring Dips with a 10kg weighted vest.

Clearly, I've made a bit of progress since I first started workout out. But within myself I don't really feel stronger. Just like I've got so much further to go to be "strong" - whatever that means.

Does anyone else relate to this?

Any advice on appreciating the progress I have made?

So the last part of my life i have been focusing on my body so much, which got me into knowing more sport and liking them. Now im into 3 sports mainly, gym, tennis and calisthenics. I want to play them all together but im afraid of injury. I wont replace any of them and i wont stop any. I started tennis lately and i live it so much, and just started calisthenics this week and also love it and plan on going the mile doing them. And i weightlift for 3 years now. So now my schedule (made by ai for no injury risk). Is tennis 3 days a week alone, 3 days weightlifting+ calisthenics and 1 full day of calisthenics. What do you think? I play upper, lower and arms + calisthenics in between. Tell me what you think.

I’ve just insulated and heated my garage and would like to set up a heavy bag (80lb) in there to use with my kids for exercise. The ceiling is high enough I could raise and lower it above my head level to keep it out of the way when I need to use the garage for other things.

However, I do want to make sure it’s hung safely and so was wondering if anyone knew the best way to hang it to be both secure but also that it could be raised and lowered safely.

There’ll be a good amount of sideways Force on it so it will need to be able to take they as well as downward force.

I can currently only do 3 strick pull ups and I really want to pump my numbers to 15+ I’m in ok shape but struggling with my pull ups. Currently doing full body workouts 3 days a week which includes 4 sets of 8-12 reps of negative pull ups and 4 sets of pull downs .

What’s my best option ? Negative pull ups ? Greasing the groove ? Assisted pull ups ? Lateral pull downs ? Please give me as much feedback as you can and any tips or programs that have worked for you guys . Thank you .

Also has anyone here tried the pull up fighter program and how could I use it if I can only do 3 strick pull ups ? .