Calisthenics Challenges: 3 Monthly Progress Programs to Keep You Motivated

Calisthenics is one of the best workouts around. Requiring very little space or equipment, you can do calisthenic workouts anywhere and anytime, making them ideal for time and resource-pressed exercisers.

In most cases, all you need for calisthenics is a pull-up bar and maybe somewhere to do dips. Apart from that, the floor is your gym. And contrary to what many people think, calisthenic exercises can be just as effective as lifting weights for building muscle and strength (1).

I’m a long-time fan of calisthenics and despite my history of powerlifting and bodybuilding, bodyweight training is my go-to workout method most of the time. I just love the convenience of being able to work out wherever and whenever I want, which is an important consideration when building a sustainable fitness routine.

That said, as a veteran personal trainer with more than 30 years of experience, I also recognize that doing the same calisthenics exercises and workouts repeatedly can become boring. Worse than that, if you never vary your exercises or the intensity of your workouts, you could find yourself trapped in a progress rut.

To avoid this problem, I often incorporate monthly calisthenic challenges into my training routines. These challenges increase focus and motivation as well as being effective plateau busters.

In this article, I share three calisthenic challenge programs designed to help keep you motivated over the coming months.

How to Use the Monthly Challenge Programs

My monthly challenge programs are designed to be added to an existing calisthenic training routine. Each one is a specialization program for developing a specific aspect of your fitness. So, if you only do the challenge programs, you could find yourself neglecting the rest of your body, which won’t do much for your strength or appearance.

Therefore, before you go any further, stop and create a balanced weekly calisthenics plan. This can be a full-body or split routine as preferred. Build your workout plan around basic calisthenic exercises, such as:

• Push-ups
• Inverted rows
• Pull-ups
• Air squats
• Lunges
• Planks
• Leg raises

Once you’ve got your training routine established, you’re going to replace some of it with a different challenge routine each month. The challenge routines can be done once or twice a week for four weeks. At the end of the month simply transition to the next challenge routine and start over.

Feel free to make changes to your base program as the months pass. However, avoid making too many big alterations as you’ll already be getting plenty of variety from the challenge routines.  

Finally, as a personal trainer, I feel I must remind you to warm up before all your calisthenic workouts by doing 5-10 minutes of easy cardio followed by dynamic flexibility and mobility exercises for your major muscles and joints. A thorough warm-up will help reduce your risk of injury and will enhance subsequent exercise performance.

Month 1: Mastering Pull-Ups

Pull-ups are one of the most challenging yet important calisthenic exercises. Mastering the pull-up will develop your back and biceps while providing you with the strength you need to unlock skill-based calisthenics exercises, such as muscle-ups and front levers.

Getting better at pull-ups requires time and commitment, but after a month of focusing on them, your pull-up performance is guaranteed to improve.

Perform the following pull-up challenge program 1-2 times per week instead of your usual pull-up sets and reps.

Exercise 1: Ascending Pull-Up Ladders

To do a pull-up ladder, you do one rep, release the bar and rest for 10-15 seconds, and then do two reps. Rest again and then jump up and do three reps. Continue until you are unable to complete the next rep “rung.”

For example:

• 1 pull-up
• Rest 10-15 seconds
• 2 pull-ups
• Rest 10-15 seconds
• 3 pull-ups
• Rest 10-15 seconds
• 4 pull-ups
• Rest 10-15 seconds
• 5 pull-ups (can’t do 6)
• Rest for 2-3 minutes and repeat as specified below

Week 1	2 ladders
Week 2	3 ladders
Week 3	4 ladders
Week 4	5 ladders

Exercise 2: Eccentric Pull-Ups

For this exercise, use your legs and pump up so your chin is above the bar. Then, using just your back and biceps, slowly lower yourself down to a full stretch. Take 7-10 seconds to descend, climb back up, and repeat.

Follow the monthly progression outlined below:

	Sets	Reps	Rest
Week 1	2	5	90 seconds
Week 2	3	5	75 seconds
Week 3	3	6	60 seconds
Week 4	4	6	45 seconds

Exercise 3: Isometric Pull-Up Hold

Your final exercise is a single do-or-die set where you hold the top position of a pull-up for as long as you can. This is a form of isometric training, which is not only an effective way to build strength but also ensures that your muscles are fully exhausted by the end of the challenge.

Simply grab your pull-up bar, climb up, and then hold your chin above the bar for as long as possible. Try to increase the duration of the hold over the coming months.

Remember; you’re just doing one set of this exercise, so give it all you’ve got!

Month 2: Pulling the Trigger on Pistol Squats

If there is one thing lacking from most calisthenics programs, it’s lower body training. After all, body weight exercises like air squats and lunges are not very demanding, which may explain why some calisthenic athletes have underdeveloped legs.  

This challenge program is designed to beef up your quads, glutes, and hamstrings and help you master the infamous pistol squat.

Perform the following challenge program 1-2 times per week instead of your usual leg workout.   

Exercise 1: Box Pistol Squats

Just because you aren’t quite ready for full pistol squats yet doesn’t mean you can’t do this fabulous exercise. Box pistol squats provide support while preventing you from descending too far and getting stuck at the bottom.

Start with a knee-high box or chair, progressing to a lower platform over the next few weeks. Make sure you descend under control and don’t bounce off the box, which will do very little for your strength but could bruise your tailbone.

Follow the monthly progression outlined below:

	Sets	Reps	Rest
Week 1	2	8 per leg	90 seconds
Week 2	3	8 per leg	75 seconds
Week 3	3	10 per leg	60 seconds
Week 4	4	10 per leg	60 seconds

Exercise 2: Kickstand Squats

Kickstand squats are a great gateway exercise for pistols. With this exercise you use one leg to assist the other, essentially spotting yourself toward a full single-leg squat. Simply shift your weight over onto one leg and use the other limb for balance and support.

Follow the monthly progression outlined below:

	Sets	Reps	Rest
Week 1	2	10 per leg	90 seconds
Week 2	3	10 per leg	75 seconds
Week 3	3	12 per leg	60 seconds
Week 4	4	12 per leg	45 seconds

Exercise 3: Single-Leg Wall Squats

For most people, the hardest part of pistol squats is getting up and out of the bottom. Isometric wall squats will build the strength you need to overcome this common sticking point. You’ll also be rewarded with a satisfying pump and burn in your quads during and immediately after doing this exercise.

Follow the monthly progression outlined below:

	Sets	Duration	Rest
Week 1	3	20 seconds per leg	90 seconds
Week 2	3	25 seconds per leg	75 seconds
Week 3	4	25 seconds per leg	60 seconds
Week 4	4	30 seconds per leg	45 seconds

Month 3: Conquering One-Arm Push-Ups

One-arm push-ups are one of the coolest-looking exercises on the planet! Pumping out even a couple of reps will earn admiring looks from your fellow exercisers as they’re a feat that few people ever master. While I can’t promise you’ll be able to do many one-arm push-ups at the end of the month, you should be able to crank out at least a couple of reps.

Perform the following challenge program 1-2 times per week instead of your usual push-up workout.   

Exercise 1: Band-Assisted Single-Arm Push-ups

One of the best ways to learn and master one-arm push-ups is with a resistance band for assistance. Needless to say, the stronger the band is, the easier the exercise will be. Use as strong a band as you need to complete the first week’s sets and reps.

Follow the monthly progression outlined below:

	Sets	Reps	Rest
Week 1	2	6 per arm	90 seconds
Week 2	3	6 per arm	75 seconds
Week 3	3	8 per arm	60 seconds
Week 4	4	8 per arm	45 seconds

Exercise 2: Staggered Hand Push-Ups

Like kickstand squats, the aim of this exercise is to increase the weight on one side of your body while using the other for assistance and balance.

To do this exercise, just set up for push-ups as normal but then move one hand down toward your hip so you can’t be able to use it as strongly. As well as doing more reps and sets per week, try to put more weight on your supporting arm to increase your strength.

Follow the monthly progression outlined below:

	Sets	Reps	Rest
Week 1	2	6 per arm	90 seconds
Week 2	3	8 per arm	75 seconds
Week 3	3	8 per arm	60 seconds
Week 4	4	10 per arm	45 seconds

Exercise 3: Medicine Ball Step Over Push-ups

This is another push-up variation that emphasizes one arm at a time. However, unlike the previous exercise, you’ll be loading each arm alternately.

While you’re meant to do this exercise with a medicine ball, you can also do it using any low platform, such as a couple of yoga blocks or stacked weight plates. Just make sure most of your weight is on the grounded hand, and only use your other arm for assistance.

Follow the monthly progression outlined below:

	Sets	Reps	Rest
Week 1	3	8 per arm	90 seconds
Week 2	3	8 per arm	75 seconds
Week 3	4	10 per arm	60 seconds
Week 4	4	10 per arm	45 seconds

Summary and Closing Thoughts

As convenient and effective as calisthenics are, some exercisers don’t get the results they want. In my professional opinion, this is because they fail to use progressive overload to make their workouts gradually more challenging.

Instead, week after week and month after month, they do the same exercises, sets, and reps they’ve always done.

Unfortunately, your muscles won’t get stronger unless you force them to, and that means your workouts must continually change and increase in difficulty. As I often tell my clients, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll only get what you’ve already got.

One way to ensure that your workouts keep producing results is with monthly challenges. These programs briefly increase training intensity and volume, forcing your muscles to adapt and grow. However, rotating programs month by month will help prevent overtraining and overuse injuries. Talk about a win-win!

I’ve provided you with three one-month challenge programs which, between them, target all your major upper and lower body muscles. Repeat this three-month sequence as many times as you wish, increasing sets, reps, and exercise difficulty as you get stronger.

References:

1. Calatayud J, Borreani S, Colado JC, Martin F, Tella V, Andersen LL. Bench press and push-ups at comparable levels of muscle activity results in similar strength gains. J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Jan;29(1):246-53. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000589. PMID: 24983847.

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