Calisthenics Skills Progression Program

Overview

This program is for lifters who can already do pull-ups, push-ups, and dips and want to progress to advanced bodyweight skills. Over 12 weeks, you will build toward muscle-ups, handstand push-ups, pistol squats, and L-sits.

The training is structured as skill practice (low fatigue, high focus) followed by strength work (higher volume for muscle and strength development).

Train 4 days per week.

Schedule

• •Monday: Upper Body Push Skills
• •Tuesday: Upper Body Pull Skills
• •Wednesday: Rest
• •Thursday: Lower Body Skills
• •Friday: Full Body Strength
• •Saturday: Rest
• •Sunday: Rest

Monday: Upper Body Push Skills

Skill Practice (10 min):

• •Wall Handstand Hold: 5x20-30s (60s rest)
• •Handstand Kick-Up Practice: 10 attempts

Strength:

• •Pike Push-Ups (feet elevated): 4x8 (60s rest)
• •Dips: 4x8 (90s rest)
• •Diamond Push-Ups: 3x12 (45s rest)
• •Pseudo Planche Lean: 3x15s (45s rest)
• •Plank: 3x45s (30s rest)

Tuesday: Upper Body Pull Skills

Skill Practice (10 min):

• •High Pull-Ups (pull to chest, not chin): 5x3 (90s rest)
• •Muscle-Up Negatives (jump to top, lower slowly): 3x3 (90s rest)

Strength:

• •Pull-Ups: 4x6-8 (90s rest)
• •Chin-Ups: 3x8 (60s rest)
• •Inverted Row (feet elevated): 3x10 (60s rest)
• •Dead Hang: 3x30-45s (30s rest)
• •Bodyweight Bicep Curl (rings or TRX): 3x10 (45s rest)

Thursday: Lower Body Skills

Skill Practice (10 min):

• •Assisted Pistol Squat (hold a doorframe or pole): 5x3 per leg (60s rest)
• •Cossack Squat: 3x5 per side (45s rest)

Strength:

• •Bulgarian Split Squat: 4x8 per leg (60s rest)
• •Nordic Curl Negative (lower slowly): 3x5 (90s rest)
• •Single-Leg Glute Bridge: 3x12 per side (45s rest)
• •L-Sit Progression (knees bent to straight): 5x10-20s (45s rest)
• •Calf Raise (slow tempo): 3x20 (30s rest)

Friday: Full Body Strength

• •Pull-Ups: 3x8 (60s rest)
• •Push-Ups: 3x15 (45s rest)
• •Pistol Squat Progression: 3x5 per leg (60s rest)
• •Dips: 3x10 (60s rest)
• •Hanging Leg Raise: 3x10 (45s rest)
• •Superman Hold: 3x15s (30s rest)

12-Week Progression

Weeks 1-4: Foundation

• •Handstand: wall-assisted holds
• •Muscle-up: high pull-ups and negatives
• •Pistol: assisted with support
• •L-sit: knees bent, feet on floor

Weeks 5-8: Transition

• •Handstand: kick-ups with brief free holds
• •Muscle-up: banded muscle-ups or kipping
• •Pistol: unassisted with slow tempo
• •L-sit: one leg extended, then both

Weeks 9-12: Skill Acquisition

• •Handstand push-up: wall-assisted reps
• •Muscle-up: first strict attempts
• •Pistol: clean reps with pause at bottom
• •L-sit: full hold for 10-15 seconds

Key Principle

Skill work is practice, not exercise. Stay fresh, focus on quality, and never grind reps. If your form breaks down, rest longer or reduce reps.