Elite Calisthenics Training Program

Please read this before continuing with the program.

• Warm-Up (15 min):

  • Similar to Tuesday – dynamic hang and pull prep.

  • Do 2×5 slow skin-the-cats (German hang rotations) on rings or bar to mobilize shoulders (only if you have the prerequisite flexibility; otherwise skip). Light band biceps curls and triceps extensions (2×20 each) to warm elbow joints.

  • A couple of scapular pull-up sets (10 reps) to activate lower traps.

• • Skill – Planche Isometrics:

    • 4–5 sets of planche hold in your hardest progression for 6–10 seconds each. Example progression: straddle planche on parallettes (or advanced tuck planche if full not yet achieved). Use a resistance band around hips for assistance if needed to hit at least ~6s per hold.

    • Rest ~2-3 min

• 5 sets of handstand push-ups or Pike push-ups in the 3–5 rep range.

  • Tempo: 2 seconds down, brief pause, explode up.

  • Rest: 2-3 min.

• Strength – Planche Push-Up Progression:

  • 3–4 sets of Pseudo Planche Push-Ups (PPPU), 5 reps per set.

  • Rest: ~2 min

• Accessory Strength:

  • 3 sets of Ring Dips × 8–10 reps.

  • Superset with 3 sets of Pull-Ups × 8

• Auxiliary / Prehab:

  • 3×15 Serratus Anterior Slide-outs (e.g. slide plank or wall protraction push-ups)

  • 3×15 External Rotation (dumbbell or band) for rotator cuff.

  • Also include 2×10 scapular wall slides focusing on lower traps.

• Core:

  • Follow the video instructions.

  • Start with hollow body hold for beginners.

  • You can perform L-sits, leg raises, toe-to-bar, or any movement targeting the core by maneuvering the lower body, while hanging on a bar.

  • 3×10 Dragon Flags (or progressions) Start with the easiest progression and determine your level where you can confidently perform with proper technique.

  • If fatigued, do 3×20s hollow body hold instead.

• Cool-Down (5-10 min): Light chest and shoulder stretching (e.g. doorway pec stretch, shoulder extension stretch) and wrist stretches (forearm flexors/extensors). Foam-roll shoulders and triceps.

  • Note: Monitor your wrists and shoulders for any discomfort – planche work is very demanding on joints. If experiencing pain, scale back leverages or volume next session.

• Warm-Up (15 min):

  • Dynamic pulls and shoulder prep.

  • Do band lat pull-aparts, scapular pull-ups (hang and retract shoulder blades for 10–15 reps),

  • ring scapular depressions, and

  • light bicep curls (15 reps with empty bar or band) to warm the elbows.

  • Include thoracic spine mobility (cat-cow, arm swings) to prep back muscles.

• Skill – Front Lever Isometrics:

  • 4–5 sets of front lever holds for 6–10 seconds each. Use the hardest progression you can hold with good form. If needed, use a resistance band around waist or perform negatives (lowering slowly from inverted hang to horizontal) for time under tension.

  • For beginners, follow the Dragon Flag Core routine from DAY 1 lesson, starting with the easiest progression. Dragon Flag is essentially a dynamic front lever.

  • Rest ~2-3 min.

• Strength – One-Arm Pull-Up Progressions:

  • 5 sets of a one-arm pull-up (OAP) progression for 3–5 reps per arm.

  • Assisted One-Arm Pull-Ups using a band or by holding the pull-up bar with one hand and a lower strap with the other hand for assistance.

  • Alternatively, do One-Arm Negatives: jump or assist to chin above bar and lower eccentrically on one arm (~3-4 seconds down) for 3 reps each arm.

  • Or Archer Pull-Ups.

  • Rest: 2-3 min

• Strength – Weighted Pull-Ups:

  • Beginners should focus on perfecting basics: pull-ups.

  • 4×5 Weighted Pull-Ups (2-arm)

  • Rest: ~2 min.

Accessory Strength:

• 3×8 each arm Dumbbell or Barbell Rows (heavy) to target mid-back and biceps further (e.g. single-arm bent-over rows).

• Also 3×10 Hammer Curls

• Auxiliary / Prehab:

  • 3×12 Scapular Pull-Ups (dead hang, then depress and retract scapulae to lift body slightly)

  • 3×15 Face Pulls (with band or cable) for rear delts and rotator cuffs,

  • Forearm care: Gently stretch forearms and consider light extensor exercises (reverse wrist curls 2×15) to counteract heavy gripping and prevent elbow tendinopathies.

• Core:

  • 3×10 Ab Wheel Rollouts (or progressive front lever raises) to strengthen core and anterior chain used in front lever.

  • Also 2×20s L-sit hold on parallettes to hit hip flexors and abs.

• Cool-Down:

  • Easy hanging from bar (30s hangs × 2) to stretch lats and decompress spine.

  • Biceps/triceps stretches, doorway chest stretch (to open shoulders after pulling). If elbows are sore, ice or use light massage.

  • Recovery tip: soft tissue massage to forearms can reduce next-day soreness from heavy OAP work.

• Active Recovery:

  • Perform 30–45 minutes of low-intensity cardio of your choice: brisk walking, easy jogging, swimming, or cycling. Keep effort light (you should be able to hold a conversation). This increases circulation to help flush out metabolic waste and deliver nutrients to muscles without causing further fatigue. For example, a 5 km easy bike ride or a 20-minute swim is ideal.

• Full-Body Mobility Routine:

  • Thoracic Spine: Cat-camel (10 reps), thoracic rotations on all fours (10 each side).

  • Hips & Legs: Deep squat sit (hold 30s x 2), hip flexor lunge stretches (3×20s each), hamstring stretches. Cossack squats (2×10 each side).

  • Wrists: Wrist stretches. Also do wrist push-ups on knees (3×10) to strengthen wrists for planche/handstands.

  • Ankles: Ankle circles and calf stretches

  • Core activation: light bird-dogs and dead-bugs (2×10 each)

• Optional Skill Work: If you feel fresh and want to practice technique without straining, you can do handstand balance practice (e.g. 5 minutes of freestanding handstand play or practice a new transition) or light flexibility work (splits, bridge) depending on personal goals. Keep volume low – this should feel easy and not interfere with recovery.

• Prehab Exercises: Take 15 minutes for preha exercises:

  • Perform a rotator cuff circuit: 2×15 external rotations per arm with light band, 2×15 internal rotations, 2×10 prone I-Y-T raises for lower traps.

  • Scapular control: 2×10 serratus wall slides (focus on protraction at top), 2×10 slow scapular push-ups.

  • Elbow and Wrist care: If elbows are feeling tender, do high-rep eccentric wrist curls (2×20 each direction with light weight) or massage forearms (lacrosse ball rolling on forearm muscles).

• Rest and Relax: The remainder of the day, prioritize relaxation. This is a good time for a sports massage or using a foam roller on any tight areas (legs, back). Gentle yoga or a sauna session can also aid recovery.

  • Ensure you are hydrating well today and eating nutrient-dense foods to facilitate muscle repair.

  • Aim for 8+ hours of quality sleep tonight to maximize recovery.

• Warm-Up (15 min):

  • Similar to Monday – thorough dynamic warm-up for shoulders, chest, and wrists.

  • Include a few planche lean drills: 3×10s leaning in push-up position, to re-groove planche form and warm wrists.

  • Do a set of easy pike push-ups (10 reps) and band pull-aparts (20 reps) to activate shoulders and upper back.

• Skill – Planche Isometrics:

  • 3 sets of planche holds at a slightly easier progression or assistance than Monday, aiming for 10–12 seconds per hold. For example, if Monday was straddle planche 6s, today use a band assist or drop to advanced tuck and aim for longer holds.

  • Rest: ~2 min.

• Strength – Planche Lean Push-Ups:

  • 3–4 sets of Pseudo Planche Push-Ups, this time 8–12 reps per set. Use a bit less forward lean or keep feet on floor (as opposed to elevated) to target a higher rep range than Monday’s heavy 5s. If you achieved 5 reps with a certain lean Monday, reduce the lean to hit ~8-10 reps today. Focus on a controlled tempo and feel the pump in shoulders and chest.

  • Rest: ~2 min.

• Strength – Pike/Handstand Push-Up Volume:

  • 4 sets of Pike Push-Ups (feet elevated on a box to mimic HSPU angle) for 10–15 reps.

  • If capable, you can do handstand push-ups against a wall for max reps (shoot for 8–12). Use a range or assistance that allows at least 8 reps each set.

  • Rest: ~2 min.

• Accessory Push:

  • 3×12 Deep Dips on parallel bars (focus on full range stretch at bottom) – this opens the shoulders and builds chest/shoulder mass.

  • 3×15 Push-Ups (standard or decline) at the end to flush the muscles (aim for near-failure in this high rep range). You can superset push-ups with dips on the last sets for a burnout.

• Auxiliary / Stabilizers:

  • 3×20 Scapula Push-Ups (in push-up position, only move scapulae: retract down and protract up) to hit serratus anterior endurance.

  • 3×20 Band Triceps Pushdowns – high-rep triceps work to strengthen elbow extensors for lockout endurance.

  • 2×15 Reverse Flies (light dumbbells or bands) to target rear delts and maintain shoulder balance after so much pushing.

• Core:

  • 3×15 Hollow Rocks (rock in hollow body position) or Plank to Pike lifts (from elbow plank, pike hips up) to engage core and hip flexors, which support planche and HSPU stability.

• Cool-Down:

  • Gentle shoulder stretches (e.g. child’s pose with arms forward, thread-the-needle stretch for rear delts) and chest stretches.

  • Do wrist rotations and stretches to loosen forearms.

  • Focus on optimal recovery.

• Warm-Up (15 min):

  • Similar to Tuesday – dynamic hang and pull prep.

  • Do 2×5 slow skin-the-cats (German hang rotations) on rings or bar to mobilize shoulders (only if you have the prerequisite flexibility; otherwise skip). Light band biceps curls and triceps extensions (2×20 each) to warm elbow joints.

  • A couple of scapular pull-up sets (10 reps) to activate lower traps.

• Skill – Front Lever Isometrics:

  • 3 sets of front lever hold at a slightly easier progression than Tuesday, aiming for 10+ seconds per hold. For example, if Tuesday was one-leg, today use a tucked front lever or one-leg with a bend, to accumulate longer hold times.

  • Alternatively, do front lever raises (from hanging, pull up to an angled front lever and hold briefly, for 3–5 reps a set) if static holds are failing early.

  • Rest: ~2 min.

• Strength – Assisted Front Lever Pulls:

  • 3×8 Front Lever Pulls or Ice Cream Makers (pull from dead hang to front lever, then lower). Use an easier progression or band assistance such that ~8 quality reps are possible. These dynamic movements train the lats through the full range used in a front lever and build muscle.

  • Rest: ~2 min.

• Strength – Australian Pull-Ups (Body Rows):

  • 4×12 Bodyweight Rows (aka Australian pull-ups) using a low bar or rings at about hip height. Feet on ground, body inclined under bar. Pull chest to bar, squeeze shoulder blades; 12 reps each set (adjust foot position to make easier/harder).

  • Tempo: 2-1-2 (controlled).

  • Rest: ~1-2 min.

• Accessory Pull:

  • 3×12 Chin-Ups (underhand grip) focusing on biceps engagement – if fatigued, use band assist to hit the rep count. This emphasizes biceps to help hypertrophy those elbow flexors after lats are pre-fatigued.

  • 3×15 Hammer Curl to Reverse Curl superset:

Introduce your lesson with an optional, short summary. You can edit this excerpt in lesson settings.

• Core:

  • 3 sets of Toe-to-Bar Leg Raises × 10-12 reps. Hang from bar, raise straight legs up to touch the bar if possible. Go as high as control allows (at least to hip height). This builds strong abs and hip flexors, and the active hang builds shoulder stability – highly useful for front lever and OAP strength.

• Cool-Down:

• • Stretch lats (e.g. one arm overhead side bends), do gentle spinal twists to relax back muscles.

  • Forearm care: 5-10 minutes of forearm self-massage or use a massage gun lightly on forearms and biceps – after a week of heavy pulling, this helps reduce tightness. If any elbow twinges, apply ice for 10 min.

  • Congratulations – the hard work of the week is done! Now for the fun and restorative sessions.

• Warm-Up (15 min): Full-body warm-up since this is a mixed session.

  • Light jog in place or jump rope 5 minutes to raise body temperature.

  • Dynamic leg swings (10 each side), hip circles, and ankle hops to prep lower body.

  • Arm circles and some scapular work (e.g. 10 push-ups + 10 pull-ups easy) to ensure upper body is warm for flag practice.

Skill – Human Flag Practice:

• 4–5 sets of Human Flag holds, aiming for 5–8 seconds each. Use a pole or stall bars. Practice both sides, but prioritize your stronger side for longer holds (do extra set on that side).

• If you cannot hold a full flag yet, practice straddle human flag or tuck flag positions, or use a spotter/band for assist.

• Another effective method is flag negatives: kick up to a flag with assist, then remove assistance and lower slowly from horizontal to hanging.

• Rest (2-3 min)

• Strength – Human Flag Accessory:

  • After isometric practice, do 3 sets per side of Human Flag Raises (if capable): from hanging lateral position, initiate the flag raise and go as high as you can for 3-5 controlled reps.

  • If full raises are not yet possible, substitute side plank lateral lifts (mimicking the side chain engagement of a flag) for 8-10 reps each side.

  • Also include 2×10 each side of Windshield Wipers (hanging leg twist: lift legs and twist side-to-side)

• Leg Strength:

  • 4 sets of Pistol Squats (single-leg squats) × 5–8 reps each leg. If pistols are easy, hold a weight or do a tempo (3s down). If they’re too hard, do assisted pistols to a box or do 8-10 reps of Bulgarian split squats each leg.

  • Superset with 4 sets of Natural Leg Curls (Nordic hamstring curl negatives) × 5 reps to ensure hamstring strength (or do hamstring sliders 2×10 if Nordics are too hard).

IntroConditioning Circuit: Perform a Calisthenics Conditioning Circuit to build endurance:

• 3 rounds of: 10 Burpees, 15 Box Jumps (or Tuck Jumps), 15 Push-Ups, 15 Bodyweight Squats, 20 Mountain Climbers (each leg = 1).

• Rest 2 min

• Over the weeks, try to complete the circuit faster or add one more round as conditioning improves.duce your lesson with an optional, short summary. You can edit this excerpt in lesson settings.

• Flexibility & Cool-Down: Conclude with dedicated flexibility work:

  • Bridge stretch 2×20s to open shoulders and spine (important counter-movement after a week of forward pushing).

  • Pancake stretch or seated forward fold to stretch hamstrings and back.

  • Side bends to stretch obliques (after flag training).

  • Light quadriceps and calf stretches after the leg work.

  • Deep breathing exercises to down-regulate (5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing or meditation).

Introduce your lesson with an optional, short summary. You can edit this excerpt in lesson settings.

Restart the 7-Day program until you reach Elite level in calisthenics.

Follow the Deload instructions in this lesson for Week 4.