If you want to unlock your true potential in calisthenics, you first have to master the basics. But what if you’re already beyond that point? Should you jump right into advanced moves and simply try them? No, of course not. Doing too hard things too early is like begging for an injury. Sure, in some cases, it can work, but you can reach your goals much more quickly and safely if you learn these 10 intermediate exercises first.
What you will learn in this article:
Explosive Pull Ups
Explosive Pull Ups are essential for learning the Muscle Up, as they help you pull yourself above the bar and switch the grip. Besides that, they also enable you to do many other exercises that require explosive pulling strength. To improve your explosiveness in Pull Ups, start by achieving at least 10 very clean Regular Pull Ups.
Once you are able to do that start with chest to bar pull ups. Here you try to pull yourself as high and as quickly as possible. Also make sure to keep the reps low and stop your set once you lose explosiveness. The goal is to only do a few very powerful reps without coming anywhere close to failure. When you get better you can try to pull yourself to your waist or even to your hip, but this requires a more curved movement rather than just pulling yourself up in a straight line.
Weighted Pull Ups can also help to improve your explosiveness but make sure they’re just an addition rather than the main focus of your training.
Pull Over
The Pull Over combines pulling and abdominal strength and is an excellent way to get above the bar if you can’t yet do Muscle Ups.
To perform it correctly, bring your waist to the bar and your legs behind the bar while leaning your shoulders back.
Practice on a low bar or use a box to get closer to a high bar, and use momentum to get over the bar.
You can also learn this exercise by doing negative Pull Overs or having a training buddy support you at the sticky point.
Handstand
The Handstand is fundamental for many advanced calisthenics skills.
Without a solid Handstand, you won’t be able to learn Handstand Presses, Handstand Push Ups, Tiger Bend Push Ups, 90-degree Push Ups, and so on. Handstands don’t require much strength and can be learned by nearly everyone, but they do require patience.
Start with a solid Pike Stand.
Then work on your Kick Ups and Wall Handstands.
Progress to Wall Handstands with foot releases. This is the last and hardest step and it can take a while to build the necessary balance.
If you have a training buddy, you can practice without the wall. Practice Handstands regularly, preferably in every workout. I like to practice for 15-20 minutes right after my warm up.
Bent Arm Handstand
The Bent Arm Handstand is easier in terms of balance but harder in terms of strength compared to the normal Handstand.
Your body remains straight but not in a complete vertical line.
Begin with a Tucked Bent Arm Handstand on parallettes and rest your shoulders on the bars until you gain strength.
Gradually release your shoulders and extend one leg, then both legs, as you get stronger.
Similar to the Handstand you can also practice this exercise with a partner.
L-Sit
The L-Sit improves mobility and static strength and also leads to harder exercises:
Like the V-Sit or Toes-to-Bar.
Start with tucked knees on parallettes, then add short single leg extensions and progress to L-Sit Kicks with both legs. Focus on holding the extended leg position for longer periods.
The final goal is to perform the L-Sit on the ground, which requires greater mobility and supporting strength.
Straddle Sit
The Straddle Sit builds foundational strength for:
The Planche and Stalder Press while improving hip mobility.
It focuses more on Front Deltoid and Serratus Anterior strength than the L-Sit and enhances the Straddle Position.
Similar to the previous exercises you should start on parallettes or parallel bars and support yourself on your forearms until you are strong enough to lift yourself up.
The stronger you get the more you can lift your legs up and with that progress to the harder skills mentioned before.
If you get cramps in your quads or hip flexors, you can start with bent legs and extend them once you’re getting used to this position.
Skin the Cat
Skin the Cat builds the foundation for the Front and Back Lever and other straight arm variations.
If it’s challenging, start with your feet on the ground and jump into the movement until you get used to it.
Once comfortable, extend your legs more and more.
Using rings can help as they allow free arm movement and easier height adjustment.
High Step Up
High Step Ups are great for improving:
Knee Stability, Hip and Ankle mobility.
To do it right you need a bench, a chair, a box or any other stable object with the correct height.
Too low and it’s not challenging enough, too high and you won’t be able to do it without using momentum or breaking good form.
To get the right center of gravity, shift your weight a bit forward, release the rear leg slowly and try to get up as controlled as possible.
Box or High Jumps
Box Jumps are a plyometric exercise that builds explosive lower body strength while targeting calves, glutes, and quads.
Box Jumps can also be a bit scary so if you want to make them as safe as possible start doing high jumps on the ground first or choose a very low object and increase the height ýou’re jumping on step by step.
To reduce the impact for your joints I also have 2 more important tips you should follow:
Never land flat footed. Instead try to land softly with the balls of your feet and let your calves act as stabilizers.
Only jump up and not down. Jumping down has a much higher impact on your joints and it’s also harder to coordinate it properly, because you’re jumping backwards. Instead step down or use your hands as a support.
Back Bridge
The Back Bridge requires a mix of strength and mobility,
The Back Bridge will hit your complete posterior chain while opening up your anterior chain.
It challenges you in terms of spine but even more shoulder and wrist mobility.
If you’ve never tried it before, it’s not unusual that you can’t push yourself up. In this case you can try to hold the Back Bridge with bent arms or even use your head for support.
Conclusion
These intermediate exercises are the crucial bridge between basic and advanced calisthenics skills. Make sure to include or at least try these movements in your training routine. For a comprehensive step-by-step calisthenics guide, head over to calimove.com and pick the complete calisthenics program. You’re ready to take your training to the next level!
Watch the video: TOP 10 Calisthenics Exercises to Learn (Once You Pass Beginners Level)
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