Exercise Library

Browse calisthenics exercises with tutorials, progressions, and equipment requirements.

Upper BodyLower BodyFull BodyPushPullLegsWarmupSupplementalFlexibilityRehab

Found 199 exercises

Pancake
Sit on the floor in a wide straddle with your legs straight and knees facing upwards.
  • Setup: Sit tall on your sit bones, keeping your spine neutral and your core engaged.
  • Hinging: Initiate the movement by tilting your pelvis forward (anterior pelvic tilt) and hinging at the hips.
  • Descent: Walk your hands forward while maintaining an extended spine and straight knees. Lower your chest toward the floor.
  • Hold: Hold the deepest position you can reach without excessively rounding your back. Breathe steadily.
Tip: If your pelvis tilts backwards when sitting, elevate your hips on a yoga block or folded mat.
Isometric
Intermediate
Wall Assisted Handstand Press
The wall-assisted handstand press is an advanced strength drill designed to build the necessary power and coordination for a freestanding press to handstand. Stand facing away from a wall or with your back to it. Place your hands on the floor shoulder-width apart. Lean your weight forward into your shoulders until your hips start to lift. Use the wall to lean your back or hips against for stability as you focus on pressing through the floor, keeping your elbows locked, and slowly raising your legs into a vertical handstand position. Control the descent to maximize strength gains.
Dynamic
Intermediate
90/90 Hip Rotation
Sit on the floor with both knees bent at 90-degree angles, one leg positioned in front of you and the other leg to the side. Keep your torso upright and core engaged. Rotate your hips to switch your leg positions to the opposite side while keeping your heels grounded. Perform the movement in a slow, controlled manner, focusing on expanding hip internal and external rotation.
Dynamic
Beginner
Side Lying Internal Rotation
  1. Lie on a firm, flat surface on the side of your target arm. Place a pillow under your head to keep your spine straight.
  2. Hold your target arm against your side with the elbow bent at a 90-degree angle.
  3. Holding a light weight, slowly rotate your arm at the shoulder, raising the weight toward your stomach until it is in a vertical position.
  4. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Do not let your body roll backward as you raise the weight.
Dynamic
Beginner
Hollow Body Hold
A fundamental gymnastics position where the body forms a slightly curved shape with the lower back pressed into the floor and limbs extended, developing total core tension.
Isometric
Beginner
Tiger Bend Pushups
Tiger Bend Pushups are an advanced variation of the traditional pushup that primarily targets the triceps, shoulders, and chest. To perform this exercise, start in a forearm plank position with your forearms and toes on the ground. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels. Engage your core and keep your elbows close to your body. Push through your palms to lift your body up into a pushup position, transitioning from your forearms to your hands. Lower back down to the starting position by bending your elbows and returning to the forearm plank. This movement requires significant upper body strength and stability.
Dynamic
Intermediate
Abdominal Compressions
Sit on the floor with your legs fully extended in front of you. Place your hands on the ground between your hips and knees; the further forward you place your hands, the harder the exercise becomes. Keeping your legs straight and toes pointed, engage your core and hip flexors to lift your feet off the ground. Lower them back down with control. Ensure your back remains slightly rounded to maximize abdominal engagement and focus on pulling your quads toward your chest.
Dynamic
Beginner
Dead Hang
Reach up and grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip (palms facing away). Hang with your arms fully extended and your feet off the ground. Relax your shoulders and body, letting gravity stretch your spine and shoulders. Maintain a firm grip and keep your core slightly engaged to prevent excessive swinging and keep your shoulders away from your ears.
Isometric
Beginner
Crow Pose
  1. Begin in a deep squat with your feet close together and hands placed firmly on the floor in front of you, shoulder-width apart.
  2. Spread your fingers wide and press through your palms to create a stable base.
  3. Lift your hips high and place your knees on the back of your triceps, as close to your armpits as possible.
  4. Lean forward, shifting your center of gravity over your hands. Keep your gaze forward rather than straight down to help with balance.
  5. Gently lift one foot off the floor, then the other, bringing your big toes to touch.
  6. Engage your core and push the floor away, rounding your upper back slightly. Hold for as long as possible while maintaining steady breath.
Isometric
Intermediate
Skill
Planche Lean
The Planche Lean is an exercise that helps build strength and balance, primarily targeting the shoulders, chest, and core. To perform this exercise, start in a push-up position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart. Lean your body forward, shifting your weight onto your hands while keeping your arms straight. Your shoulders should move past your wrists, and your body should form a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position, engaging your core and maintaining balance. The further you lean, the more challenging the exercise becomes. It's important to keep your elbows locked and avoid sagging your hips.
Isometric
Intermediate
Shoulder Press
The unilateral shoulder press with dumbbells is a dynamic exercise that targets the shoulder muscles, particularly the deltoids. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder height with your palm facing forward. Engage your core to maintain stability. Press the dumbbell overhead until your arm is fully extended, then slowly lower it back to the starting position. Keep your movements controlled and avoid using momentum. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching to the other arm.
Dynamic
Intermediate
Ring Pullups
Ring pullups are a challenging variation of the traditional pullup, performed using gymnastic rings. This exercise not only targets the back and arms but also engages stabilizer muscles due to the instability of the rings. To perform a ring pullup, start by gripping the rings with a neutral grip, palms facing each other. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight. Pull yourself up by engaging your back and arm muscles, bringing your chest towards the rings. Keep your core tight to maintain stability. Lower yourself back to the starting position with control.
Dynamic
Intermediate
Calf Raises
An isolation exercise for the calf muscles, performed by raising the heels off the ground while standing.
Dynamic
Beginner
Bent-Over Horizontal Abduction
Lie face down on a table or bed with your arm hanging over the side. Keeping your arm straight, slowly raise it up until it is level with your eye. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blade towards the center of your back at the top of the movement. Lower the weight back down slowly and with control. This exercise is highly effective for improving shoulder stability and targeting the posterior chain of the shoulder complex.
Dynamic
Beginner
Tiger Bend Handstand Pushups
Start in a solid handstand position. Slowly lower your forearms toward the ground by bending at the elbows and shifting your weight slightly backward until your elbows and forearms rest on the floor (entering a forearm stand). From this position, lean forward and explosively push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting handstand position. Ensure your core remains tight throughout the entire movement to maintain balance and prevent arching in the lower back.
Dynamic
Advanced
Skill
L-Sit Chinups
Hang from the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you) at shoulder-width. Lift your legs until they are parallel to the floor, forming an 'L' shape with your body. Ensure your knees are locked and toes pointed. Keeping your legs perfectly horizontal throughout the entire range of motion, pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar. Lower yourself back down with control to a full dead hang while maintaining the L-sit position. Avoid swinging or dropping your legs as you fatigue.
Dynamic
Intermediate
Front Lever Negativ
Start in an inverted hang position with your arms completely locked. Keep your body in a perfectly straight line from head to toe. Slowly lower your body while maintaining total body tension, focusing on the descent through the horizontal plane. Control the movement using your lats and core to resist gravity. Aim for a slow, consistent tempo until you reach a dead hang.
Dynamic
Advanced
Skill
Front Lever
The Front Lever is an advanced static hold exercise where the body is suspended horizontally with the back facing the ground. To perform this exercise, grip a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and back muscles to lift your body into a horizontal position, keeping your arms straight and your body parallel to the ground. Maintain a tight core and straight legs throughout the hold. This exercise primarily targets the core and back muscles, requiring significant strength and control.
Isometric
Advanced
Skill
Chin Ups
A pullup variation with an underhand grip, targeting the biceps and back muscles.
Dynamic
Intermediate
Side-Lying Hip Abduction
  1. Lie on your side on the floor with your legs fully extended and stacked on top of each other.
  2. Support your head with your lower arm and place your upper hand on the floor in front of you for stability.
  3. Keep your top leg straight and toes pointed slightly downward or forward.
  4. Slowly raise your top leg upward while keeping your hips stacked and your core engaged.
  5. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then control the descent back to the starting position.
Dynamic
Beginner