Starting my Calisthenic journey

GiraffePencils

GiraffePencils

GiraffePencils

Soldato
Joined
15 Feb 2013
Posts
3,089
Location
Edinburgh
Hey all,

I've been gymming for a while now and I've decided to take my exercise in a different direction and thought I'd write up as I go :D

I recently got into going to a Chinese pole class, and seeing some of the people there I thought they are on the right track to getting fit!
Now I don't have the time for 6hrs gymnastics a day, but I can change my daily exercise to be something more, rounded?

I'm not sure, but I'm definitely feeling that doing exercise that's more about moving the body around, against its own weight, will help develop that overall fitness I'd like.

First day will be today, I'll give an update later :)

I'm not sure if I should include a log of food? As nutrition is just as important as exercise, but I'll see if I get any feedback on yay or nay.

Just as a 'progress bar':|

Weight: 65kg
Height: 5ft 9
 
Last edited:
Tuesday: 30/08/2016

I know posts are dated, but I'm going to title them anyway :p

So, I started with this today, and I'll admit it wasn't the best of starts!

I decided to use a workout routine from 'MadBarz' and used their app to track it.

I used to do back on Tuesday's, and thought I'd continue with that. I'm unsure whether this is the best way to approach Calisthenic training.... maybe I should do more 'full body' variations, but I can work that out in time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I started with the 'Devils mix' back exercise circuit:

Wide Pull ups: 6 reps
Close grip chin ups: 8 reps
Chin ups: 6 reps

Wide Pull ups: 6 reps
Close grip chin ups: 4 reps
Chin ups: 1 reps

Wide Pull ups: 4 reps
Close grip chin ups: 0 reps
Chin ups: 0 reps

I was meant to do 3 rounds like the first, I did not have it in me.

Undeterred I decided to make up my own routine (Note to self, plan better next time!) I had not looked at the 'Madbarz' routines enough and didn't realise they only seem to be 15-20 (if you do them right) so will need to plan tomorrow better.

So, moving on to what I made up:

Hyperextentions (roman chair): 3 x 10 reps with 20 second rests

Inclined chin ups: 3 x 10 reps with 10 seconds rest

Supermans (A type of hyperextention): 3 x 10 with 20 second rests

Hyperextentions (legs lifted with chest down on bench): 3 x 10 with 20 second rests

Handstand pushups: 5 reps (Decided that was more shoulder than back)

Wide Pull ups: 2 x 5 reps 20 second rests

Close grip chin ups: 5 reps

Inclined chin ups: 3 x 10 reps with 10 seconds rest

Hyperextentions (roman chair): 3 x 10 reps with 20 second rests

Diamond Push ups 3 x 10 reps with 20 second rests


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Food Diary:

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana and a teaspoon of honey: 327 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel: 400 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
4 Brazil nuts: 105 cals
14g of Almonds: 80 cals

Dinner:
(I won't really know cals, as I don't make the dinner :p )
Quinoa and hallumi salad with sweet potato.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, first day!
Defiantly need to plan things better, know what i'm really going to do the whole time, and what to move on to if I struggle.

This is a learning process though :)
Maybe you can learn from my mistakes hahaha
 
Last edited:
wozza2k said:
Following. Been interested in calisthenics for the longest time but always thought to get myself stronger and leaner first not sure why.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the follow,
Well I'd have to say my first try was an eye opener as to how hard some of these exercises are, and I would have considered myself of alright fitness.

There are lots of variations and ways to start out easier. I'm going to try and choose my next routine better, focusing reps of the 'easier' moves, so that might give you a couple exercises you could try.

Leaner's a nice goal, I've pursued it for a while, dieting etc. You can be strong and healthy without being lean :) I just let narcissism/Vanity pull me to my goal haha
 
So,
Due to the way my first day went, I've spent the last couple hours reading haha
So I'm going to adopt a more 'full body every day' rather than dedicated 'chest/back/legs' days.

While the exercises will vary the muscle groups they're heavy on, each day will target a number of areas.
Also there will be far more cardio and warm up than I'm used to on a gym day, but it seems these bodyweight focused exercises are more likened to gymnastics, so I'll go with their suggestions.
I'm an injury prone person haha, I've hurt too many muscles in the past.
 
Wednesday 31/08/2016

Right, day 2.
Done my research, got a plan.
It says 6 months, well, we'll see how it goes :p

This has a good mix of:
Warm up
Stretch
Exercise

So I'm hoping it does me well :D

----------------------------------------

Warm up:
Skipping: 5 mins
(man skipping's hard)

Stretch:

1 Minute Wrist Mobilization In Alignment

1 Minute Wrist Mobilization Out Of Alignment

(basic wrist stretches)

3 Minutes of crawling on hands and balls of feet.
(Felt a bit silly in the gym, but meh)

Exercise:

Chin ups: 3 reps
Wall sit: 30 seconds
Tricep Dips: 12 reps
Squats: 8 reps
Push ups: 8 reps
Pull ups: 2 reps
Hanging leg raises: 3 reps
Decline Push ups: 7 reps

2 min break

Chin ups: 3 reps
Wall sit: 30 seconds
Tricep Dips: 12 reps
Squats: 8 reps
Push ups: 8 reps
Pull ups: 2 reps
Hanging leg raises: 3 reps
Decline Push ups: 7 reps

2 min break
At this point I was comfortable with the exercises, so decided last round I should push it a bit

Chin ups: 11 reps
Wall sit: 94 seconds
Tricep Dips: 25 reps
Squats: 30 reps
Push ups: 20 reps
Pull ups: 5 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 11 reps

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana and a teaspoon of honey: 327 cals

Lunch:
50g portion of huel: 200 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
4 Brazil nuts: 105 cals
14g of Almonds: 80 cals

Dinner:
Bean & pasta stew with meatballs (Dunno cals)

----------------------------------------

So day 2, defiantly feel happier with the routine.
I'll adjust their reps, a bit easy to begin. If I hadn't ramped at the end I would have finished disappointed.
Tomorrow is leg heavy, we'll see how that goes :p
 
Thursday 1/09/2016

Day 3!
Legs, fun....
This plan has legs twice a week, might need to adjust it as I've got other stuff to do Mondays, but I'll see how it goes.

----------------------------------------

Warm up:
Skipping: 5 mins

Stretch:

1 Minute Wrist Mobilization In Alignment

1 Minute Wrist Mobilization Out Of Alignment

Exercise:

Lunges (Each Leg): 10 reps
Squats: 8 reps
Bulgarian Split Squats (Each Leg): 5 reps
Squat Jumps: 12 reps
Wall Sit: 31 seconds

X 4 Rounds, 90s pause between rounds

After the 4 rounds, it's 'push as much as you can' same exercises:

Lunges (Each Leg): 50 reps
Squats: 50 reps
Bulgarian Split Squats (Each Leg): 25 reps
Squat Jumps: 25 reps
Wall Sit: 64 seconds

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana and a teaspoon of honey: 327 cals

Lunch:
50g portion of huel: 200 cals
Leftover pasta bean stuff from last night

Snack to nibble through the day:
4 Brazil nuts: 105 cals
14g of Almonds: 80 cals

Dinner:
Tacos made with quorn mince (Dunno cals)
Chicken breast with a side salad (I had 2 dinners.....not my fault, I was just served it and wanted to be Fat polite)

----------------------------------------


Well that leg day was hard haha
pushing it at the end was a killer exercise, I'm going to use those 'max values' to adjust the earlier workout rounds.
To build up the 'grind' before the exhaust at the end.
Till tomorrow!
 
Last edited:
Yeah, part of the reason I wanted to start writing it down was to help my diet.

Since I pretty much gave up running I dropped a lot of my meals, I was doing the whole 'eating 5 meals a day' on the build up to a marathon.
And now I don't run 5 times a week I didn't feel I needed the energy.
Also I like being thin, just need to keep it from effecting my repair & growth.

I'm not sure on eating plans, people talk of bulk then trim...
A number of Calisthenic groups seem to push the Paleo diet, which I thing is full of ****

But yeah, I was noticing when it was added up it was falling a bit short.
 
Friday 02/09/2016

God I'm feeling those leg exercises from yesterday.
Cycling into work was dire.

Time for round 2 of some full body:
----------------------------------------

Warm up:
Skipping: 5 mins

Stretch:

I completely forgot to stretch......

Exercise:

Chin ups: 3 reps
Wall sit: 30 seconds
Tricep Dips: 12 reps
Squats: 8 reps
Push ups: 8 reps
Pull ups: 2 reps
Hanging leg raises: 3 reps
Decline Push ups: 7 reps

1 min 30 break

Chin ups: 3 reps
Wall sit: 30 seconds
Tricep Dips: 12 reps
Squats: 8 reps
Push ups: 8 reps
Pull ups: 2 reps
Hanging leg raises: 3 reps
Decline Push ups: 7 reps

1 min 30 break
Now for the 'Push as hard as you can'

Chin ups: 12 reps
Wall sit: 93 seconds
Tricep Dips: 20 reps
Squats: 30 reps
Push ups: 18 reps
Pull ups: 6 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 9 reps

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana and a teaspoon of honey: 327 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel: 400 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
8 Brazil nuts: 210 cals
28g of Almonds: 160 cals

Dinner:
TBC(Dunno cals)

----------------------------------------

So, still getting started with this plan, Second run at those exercises not quite as good as the first but still good.
I don't really like the difference between my final round and my start sets, so might build gradually or flat increase the earlier sets.

I'll see how it goes.

I'm gonna take wozza's note on board and keep an eye on my intake, try and think out what I'm needing
 
I've been using huel for a couple of weeks now, it's good I find.
A 100g portion makes a thick shake, and if you mix it with milk it's really thick and filling.
Not the best tasting shake tbh, but it's got a decent amount of protein and other nutrients which it can't hurt to get.
Also it's in my drawer at work, no need to worry about prep in the morning
 
Monday 05/09/2016

So I thought I'd update this at my usual time, regardless of not doing proper exercise haha.
On Mondays I spend and hour practicing handstands/cartwheels and doing flexibility stretches, I plan to do my Monday workout in the evening, so will update it then.

----------------------------------------
-1 hour mixed floor things.

Exercise:

Decided to up the reps, didn't want to be pushing out too much on the last circuit and not getting the most out the exercises.

Chin ups: 6 reps
Wall sit: 45 seconds
Tricep Dips: 20 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Push ups: 16 reps
Pull ups: 4 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 14 reps

1 min 30 break

Chin ups: 6 reps
Wall sit: 45 seconds
Tricep Dips: 20 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Push ups: 16 reps
Pull ups: 4 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 14 reps

1 min 30 break
Now for the 'Push as hard as you can'

Chin ups: 9 reps
Wall sit: 67 seconds
Tricep Dips: 27 reps
Squats: 24 reps
Push ups: 11 reps
Pull ups: 4 reps
Hanging leg raises: 7 reps
Decline Push ups: 9 reps

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana and a teaspoon of honey: 327 cals

Lunch:
50g portion of huel: 200 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
8 Brazil nuts: 210 cals
28g of Almonds: 160 cals

Dinner:
Fillet of fish with peas and mash(Dunno cals)

----------------------------------------

Felt that went better, doing more on the previous sets made it a lot harder to squeeze more out in the 'all out' cycle, I'll keep these reps to see how it goes!!
 
Last edited:
Updated workout, I'm liking the upped reps!

I might try out the heavy triplet on wed, when I'm back to this circuit.
Tomorrow's a leg set, but I've signed up for a 10km with work, so I'll be going for a run.
Cardio can't hurt :p
 
Tuesday 06/09/2016

So like I've said I signed up for a 10km, dunno why, I have grown to hate running.
But hey ho, today was meant to be a leg heavy day, so running can help.

----------------------------------------

Exercise:
20 min run with colleague.

In the gym:

Squats: 16 reps
Lunges (Each Leg): 10 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Wall Sit: 45 secs

90s rest

Squats: 16 reps
Lunges (Each Leg): 10 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Wall Sit: 45 secs

90s rest

Squats: 20 reps
Lunges (Each Leg): 20 reps
Squats: 20 reps
Wall Sit: 60 secs

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana and a teaspoon of honey: 327 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel: 400 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
8 Brazil nuts: 210 cals
28g of Almonds: 160 cals

Dinner:
Quorn chilli wraps(Dunno cals)

----------------------------------------

Weight: 10st 8.4lbs
(I'm gonna add my weight, maybe graph it)

----------------------------------------

Felt alright to have a run again,
Should be good to try the new 'heavy set start' tomorrow.
 
Last edited:
Wednesday 07/09/2016

Ok, so day 2 of the 'upped reps' routine, also first day trying out the suggestion by mrthingyx

----------------------------------------
Warm up:
Skipping: 5 Mins
Followed by wrist stretches

Exercise:

Dumb bell Press (30kg): 3 x 3 reps

Chin ups: 6 reps
Wall sit: 45 seconds
Tricep Dips: 20 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Push ups: 16 reps
Pull ups: 4 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 14 reps

1 min 30 break

Chin ups: 6 reps
Wall sit: 45 seconds
Tricep Dips: 20 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Push ups: 16 reps
Pull ups: 4 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 10 reps

1 min 30 break
Now for the 'Push as hard as you can'

Chin ups: 9 reps
Wall sit: 90 seconds
Tricep Dips: 35 reps
Squats: 30 reps
Push ups: 14 reps
Pull ups: 5 reps
Hanging leg raises: 7 reps
Decline Push ups: 6 reps

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana: 307 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel (With Milk): 640 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
2 x Breakaway bar (there was a meeting, snacks provided): 198 cals
I also ate some nuts ~200 cals

Dinner:
vegetable noodles(Dunno cals)
----------------------------------------

Weight: 10st 8.6lbs
(I need to get a set for home, these are 'just walked in the gym' weight measurements)

----------------------------------------

Well damn that was hard going today!
Don't know if it was the change in reps, the third day in a row, or the 'heavy set' at the start!
Too early to tell though, I'll stick with the reps etc for now, especially as I started flagging in the second round today! Keep going till it's feeling easy, then adjust :)
 
Last edited:
Thursday 08/09/2016

Back to runs, leg days will start with runs
Until 10km over, then only one run a week.

Not doing the 'heavy set' I'll do them Mon, Wed and Fri.

----------------------------------------

Exercise:
20 min 5km, I've still got it ;) .

In the gym:

Squats: 16 reps
Lunges (Each Leg): 10 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Wall Sit: 45 secs

90s rest

Squats: 20 reps
Lunges (Each Leg): 20 reps
Squats: 20 reps
Wall Sit: 45 secs

90s rest

Squats: 32 reps
Lunges (Each Leg): 30 reps
Squats: 32 reps
Wall Sit: 60 secs

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana: 327 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel (With Milk): 640 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
8 Brazil nuts: 210 cals
28g of Almonds: 160 cals

Dinner:
Curry Takeaway :D (Dunno cals, or care ;) )

----------------------------------------

Weight: 10st 8.6lbs
(148.6lb, dam app doesn't do .6 so best round up eh?)

----------------------------------------

That run was tiring, feeling good though.
I'm tempted to adjust the 'freebody exercises' but probably best to stick with it a bit longer, it's still a challenge
 
Last edited:
Friday 09/09/2016

----------------------------------------
Warm up:
Skipping: 5 Mins
Followed by wrist stretches

Exercise:
Now I was a bit wary of my form here, so started light
Dumb bell Romanian Deadlift (15kg): 3 reps
(20kg): 3 reps
(25kg): 3 reps

Chin ups: 6 reps
Wall sit: 45 seconds
Tricep Dips: 20 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Push ups: 16 reps
Pull ups: 4 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 14 reps

1 min 30 break

Chin ups: 6 reps
Wall sit: 45 seconds
Tricep Dips: 20 reps
Squats: 16 reps
Push ups: 16 reps
Pull ups: 4 reps
Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
Decline Push ups: 10 reps

1 min 30 break
Now for the 'Push as hard as you can'

Chin ups: 9 reps
Wall sit: 107 seconds
Tricep Dips: 30 reps
Squats: 40 reps
Push ups: 17 reps
Pull ups: 5 reps
Hanging leg raises: 10 reps
Decline Push ups: 10 reps

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with 2 bananas: 396 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel (With Milk): 640 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
6 Brazil nuts: 155 cals
28g of Almonds: 160 cals

Dinner:
TBD(Dunno cals)
----------------------------------------

Weight: 10st 11lbs
(too much takeaway :p )

----------------------------------------

Need to get more comfortable with these opening exercises.
Overall today I dropped off some Tricep Dips, but that might have been lack of motivation rather than pushing as hard as I can.
I improved in some other areas, so onward and upwards
 
Monday 12/09/2016

Hey hey,

Well weekend of birthdays so cakes and takeaways galore.
Probably ate ALL the calories.
Also, seem to have hurt my back/shoulder. Bottom of my scapula, not a great deal of pain, but annoying when I breath/lean certain ways :(

As a result, no handstand/acrobatics. Also will probably skip the exercise in the evening.

Because it's legs tomorrow, that's almost more rest and I'll be ok for wed (I hope)
---------------------------------------

Food Diary:

Breakfast:
Porridge (I ran out of bananas): 207 cals

Lunch:
Leftover chinese food: all the calories

Snack to nibble through the day:
4 Brazil nuts: 105 cals
14g of Almonds: 80 cals

Dinner:
TBD, I'll try and sway to something light.
It was patatas bravas

-----------------------------------------

Bit of a disappointing Monday, but really, all Mondays are disappointing
 
Last edited:
Tuesday 13/09/2016

Shoulder still a bit sore this morning, hopefully I'll be fine by tomorrow

----------------------------------------

Exercise:
Run: 9.7km (I screwed up the route) 43mins.

In the gym:
No time for extra legs due to the long run, I might keep one long run a week in the routine.
It's good cardio, and gets you outside :)

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana: 307 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel (With Milk): 640 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
8 Brazil nuts: 210 cals
28g of Almonds: 160 cals

Dinner:
Homemade curry(Dunno cals)

----------------------------------------

Runs are boring, but I've a 10km on the 25th, so I'll be off that training soon.
Hopefully shoulders fine for tomorrow :D
 
Last edited:
Wednesday 14/09/2016

My back/shoulder was still niggling me this morning, but I decided to push ahead

----------------------------------------
Warm up:
Skipping: 5 Mins
Followed by wrist stretches

Exercise:

Dumb bell Press (30kg): 3 x 3 reps
I tried the 35kgs, but couldn't push it, damn this ill equipped gym! :p

I'm going to change my notation, I'll list the 'core cycle' then my total reps and how they compare to last time:

Core Cycle: 3 x:
-----Chin ups: 6 reps
-----Wall sit: 45 seconds
-----Tricep Dips: 20 reps
-----Squats: 16 reps
-----Push ups: 16 reps
-----Pull ups: 4 reps
-----Hanging leg raises: 6 reps
-----Decline Push ups: 14 reps
--------
-----1 min 30 break


Totals:
Chin ups: 17 reps ▼ 4
Wall sit: 195 seconds ▼ 2
Tricep Dips: 75 reps ▲ 5
Squats: 76 reps ▲ 4
Push ups: 47 reps ▼ 2
Pull ups: 14 reps ▲ 1
Hanging leg raises: 23 reps ▲ 1
Decline Push ups: 31 reps ▼ 7

----------------------------------------

Food Diary

Breakfast:
Porridge with a banana: 307 cals

Lunch:
100g portion of huel (With Milk): 640 cals

Snack to nibble through the day:
Protien Brownie: 287 cals

Dinner:
Chicken and quinoa (Dunno cals)
----------------------------------------

Weight: 10st 9.8lbs

----------------------------------------

Meh, disappointed that I've declined reps today.
But was a quite hard run yesterday, so I'm blaming that :D

I'm going to stick with the current 'core cycle' reps, until I find it easy haha
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom