The Calisthenics Program by PrimalFitness is a comprehensive workout plan designed for beginners to intermediate trainees, focusing on bodyweight exercises. It includes structured routines for strength development, flexibility, and advanced calisthenics skills. With minimal equipment required, it’s both convenient and adaptable. For more details, visit the The Calisthenics Program by PRIMALFITNESS.
Table of Contents
General explanations of the program
The Calisthenics Program by PrimalFitness is a comprehensive routine designed for beginner to intermediate trainees, structured to be performed three times a week with rest days in between.
Example of weekly schedule:
- Monday: Workout
- Tuesday: Rest
- Wednesday: Workout
- Thursday: Rest
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: Workout
- Sunday: Rest
You can do skill work or practice other sports on rest days, you don’t need to be a couch potato on rest days😉.
Progressions:
You should adjust exercise difficulty as you progress. Start with a progression where you can perform at least 3 sets of 5 reps. Move to a harder progression once you can do 3 sets of 12 reps in the current progression.
For a full list of progressions check out the spreadsheet!
Reps in Reserve (RIR):
RIR is a concept to gauge exercise intensity. For example, RIR = 2,1,0 means stopping with 2 reps in reserve on the first set, 1 on the second, and going to failure on the third (ie. 0 reps in reserve).
For more details, including FAQs, visit PrimalFitness’s Calisthenics Program.
Hold times and sets for strength skills:
Credit to Steven Low for making the chart
Max hold = Test your max hold for a given position -> perform holds in the “hold time range” & sets that match with your max hold.
When you can hold a position for around 16-20 seconds, then you are ready to move on to a harder progression.
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
The calisthenics program by PRIMALFITNESS
Warm up:
- Jumping jacks: 2 min
- Arm circles: 12 each way
- Easy push progression: 10+ reps
- Scapula pull ups 8+ reps
- BW squats 10+ reps
- Handstand practice 5-10 min (optional)
Main workout:
| Superset | Excercise | Reps | Sets | RIR |
| 1 | Pull up prog. | 5-12 | 3 | 2,1,0 |
| 1 | Dip/Hspu prog. | 5-12 | 3 | 2,1,0 |
| 2 | Row prog. | 5-12 | 3 | 2,1,1 |
| 2 | Push up prog. | 5-12 | 3 | 2,1,1 |
| 2 | Squat prog. | 5-12 | 3 | 2,1,0 |
Strength skills or Core and isolation:
In this section of the workout, you either choose to train A. Strength skills or B. Core and isolation depending on your goals, but do not do both!
A. Strength skills
- Back lever or Planche
- Front lever
- Muscle up (optional)
Check the chart at the top of the page for hold times and sets
B. Core and isolation
| Exercise | Reps | Sets | RIR |
| Bicep curls | 8-15 | 2 | 1,0 |
| Tricep extensions | 8-15 | 2 | 1,0 |
| Leg raises | 6-12 | 2 | 1,0 |
Cool down aka flexibility (optional):
1. Pike/Jefferson curl: 30-60 sec
2. Couch stretch: 30-60 sec each leg
3. Back bridge: As long as possible (if you can’t get into a back bridge yet, check out how to here)
4. Pigeon stretch: 30-60 sec each side
5. Middle split/pancake stretch: 60-90 sec
You can find the spreadsheet version of the workout here →
And video demonstrations of the exercises and progressions here →
Related posts:
Free Calisthenics Programs💪
Anton has been training calisthenics for many years and has experience coaching calisthenics. As a calisthenics nerd, I enjoy diving deep into various topics related to calisthenics.