Calisthenics is a unique and versatile form of training. Unlike many sports that adhere to strict goals and rigid rules, calisthenics is a blend of creativity and structure, offering a wide range of training styles for athletes of all levels. Whether your focus is on building muscle, improving flexibility, or mastering impressive skills, there’s a calisthenics style that fits your goals.
In this article, we’ll explore the six major styles of calisthenics, their benefits, and how you can incorporate them into your training routine to reach your fitness goals.
What you will learn in this article:
Aesthetic Calisthenics: Bodyweight Bodybuilding
Aesthetic calisthenics focuses on building a lean, muscular physique. It’s often called bodyweight bodybuilding, with the goal being to look athletic rather than bulky.
Key elements include compound movements like Push-Ups and Pull-Ups.
With some isolation exercises to target weak points.
Weighted basics are often added to increase difficulty without needing advanced progressions. Generally speaking this style avoids exercises that are too challenging in terms of technique (Free Handstand Push Ups etc.) because with such movements it’s way harder to focus on the targeted muscle or reach muscular fatigue.
To build muscle, it’s important to follow the principle of progressive overload (gradually increasing intensity) and ensure that you’re hitting each muscle group at least twice a week.
Skill-Based Calisthenics: Static and Dynamic Strength
This style focuses on learning new exercises and progressing to harder variations, often involving strength elements from gymnastics.
It includes static holds like the Planche and Front Lever, along with dynamic but strength-based movements.
When we talk about dynamic exercises in skill-based calisthenics, we’re not referring to momentum-driven movements. Instead, these are strength-based exercises that often include elements of balance or mobility, requiring control and stability throughout the movement.
Calisthenics skill training is flexible. You can practice on bars, rings, or the ground.
Train frequently, but avoid going to failure. Progress is faster if you focus on 2-3 skills at a time instead of trying to master everything at once.
Freestyle Calisthenics: Dynamic Combinations
Freestyle calisthenics is about combining movements into flowing routines, often set to music. It involves a mix of gymnastics and breakdancing, with a focus on momentum-based moves.
Due to the dynamic nature of freestyle, the risk of injury is high.
To improve, you need to practice the same moves repeatedly while ensuring you recover well. Don’t just work on combinations or complete Freestyle sets, but also practice the individual elements on it’s own.
Mobility Calisthenics: Flexibility and Movement
Mobility training aims to improve your range of motion and joint health, combining elements of gymnastics, yoga, and calisthenics-specific drills.
The goal of this style is to mobilize every joint to its full potential and learn different mobility but also flexibility focused moves you couldn’t do before.
Unlike strength training, mobility work doesn’t leave you fatigued, making it easy to combine with other sports or training styles.
It offers numerous benefits, including injury prevention and improved movement efficiency, making it useful for everyone—from athletes to those wanting better everyday mobility.
For the best results, aim for short, frequent Full Body Mobility sessions (around 20-40 minutes, 4-6 times per week). Consistency is key to unlocking your body’s full potential and improving overall well-being.
Sets & Reps: Calisthenics Endurance Training
Sets and Reps calisthenics emphasizes high-repetition training to build muscular endurance. Athletes in this style perform large volumes of basic movements like Push-Ups, Pull-Ups, and Squats. There are several approaches to Sets & Reps training. You can:
Focus on one movement and perform multiple high-rep sets with short breaks in between.
Combine exercises back-to-back in a circuit with little to no rest.
Create endurance sets by linking several exercises without leaving the bar.
To improve in this style, you’ll need to focus on higher rep ranges and short breaks between the sets.
Street Lifting: Calisthenics Meets Powerlifting
Street Lifting is a unique and slightly controversial style, often described as powerlifting with calisthenics. It combines weighted versions of classic calisthenics moves like Muscle-Ups, Pull-Ups, Chin-Ups, Dips, and Squats. While it involves added weights and isn’t pure bodyweight training, Street Lifting has its roots in calisthenics and is still considered part of the discipline.
There are two main categories in Street Lifting: In the Muliti Lift you perform as many reps as possible with a set weight. And in the 1RM Lift (One-Rep Max.) you lift the maximum weight possible for a single repetition.
Training for Street Lifting requires a structured approach, focusing on the main lifts and alternating between heavy and light days. Incorporating support and compensatory exercises is also essential for balanced strength development.
Final Thoughts: Choosing Your Calisthenics Path
These six calisthenics styles offer a broad range of approaches. While each style has more depth than we can cover here, remember that you don’t have to stick to just one. Most people naturally combine styles, which often complement each other.
For example:
Mobility can help you master certain skills.
Street Lifting boosts your strength for certain Skills and Sets & Reps.
Training for Skills, Set N Reps and Street Lifting also builds muscle and this helps you to achieve an aesthetic physique.
However, you’ll progress fastest if you focus on a single style. The best in one style won’t outclass the best in another, but you can still enjoy blending styles for a well-rounded approach.
If you’re ready to start your calisthenics journey or refine your current practice, check out our tailored programs at Cali Move. Whether you want to build muscle, master advanced skills, or increase flexibility, we have the perfect plan for you.
Watch the video: The 6 Types of Calisthenics Explained
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