Calisthenics for beginners: a free 4-week plan
This beginner calisthenics plan uses two full-body bodyweight workouts, A and B, three days a week for four weeks. Each session takes 25–35 minutes, needs no equipment beyond a sturdy chair and a door frame, and gets a little harder every week.
By the MuscleOG team · Updated October 28, 2026
How the plan works
- Three sessions a week on non-consecutive days, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Your muscles get stronger in the rest days between.
- Two workouts that alternate: A, B, A one week, then B, A, B the next. Between them they train every major muscle group, which matches the WHO and CDC advice to do muscle-strengthening work at least twice a week.
- Circuits: do each exercise once, move straight to the next, and rest 60–90 seconds after the last one. That is one round.
- Effort: end every set with 1–2 good reps still in the tank. If your form breaks down, the set is over.
Warm-up (every session, 5 minutes)
March on the spot for 1 minute, then 30 seconds each of arm circles, hip circles, cat-cow and jumping jacks (or a fast march), and finish with 5 slow bodyweight squats.
Workout A
| Exercise | Reps or time | Too hard? Use |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight squat | 10–15 | Sit-to-stand |
| Knee push-up | 8–12 | Incline push-up |
| Glute bridge | 12–15 | Smaller range |
| Plank | 20–30 seconds | Plank on your knees |
| Bird dog | 8 per side | Arm only, then leg only |
Workout B
| Exercise | Reps or time | Too hard? Use |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse lunge | 8 per leg | Hold a wall for balance |
| Door-frame row | 8–12 | Stand more upright |
| Chair dip | 6–10 | Bend your knees more, go less deep |
| Dead bug | 8 per side | Keep the knees bent |
| Superman hold | 20 seconds | Lift arms only, then legs only |
For the door-frame row, hold both sides of a sturdy door frame at chest height, walk your feet close to the frame and lean back with straight arms. Pull your chest toward the frame by squeezing your shoulder blades together, then lower slowly. The more upright you stand, the easier it is.
The 4 weeks
| Week | Sessions | Rounds | Rest between rounds | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A, B, A | 2 | 90 seconds | Learn the moves; stay at the bottom of each range |
| 2 | B, A, B | 3 | 90 seconds | Same reps, one more round |
| 3 | A, B, A | 3 | 60–75 seconds | Aim for the top of each rep range |
| 4 | B, A, B | 3 | 60 seconds | Try one harder version per exercise (below) |
Harder versions for week 4
- Knee push-up → Push-up (or a few full push-ups, then finish on your knees)
- Bodyweight squat → slow 3-second squats or jump squats
- Glute bridge → Single-leg glute bridge
- Plank → add 20 seconds of Side plank per side
- Reverse lunge → slower lowering, or Bulgarian split squats if lunges feel easy
Cool-down (3–5 minutes)
Hold each stretch for 20–30 seconds, breathing slowly: child’s pose, a hamstring stretch, a standing quad stretch, a chest stretch in a door frame, and a cobra stretch.
How to tell if you picked the right version
The last 2 reps of each set should feel hard but stay clean. If you could do 5 more, choose the harder version next time; if your form breaks before the bottom of the range, choose the easier one. Picking the right level every week is what makes progress steady, and it is exactly what the MuscleOG app does for you after each session.
Is some soreness normal?
Mild muscle soreness for a day or two after the first sessions is normal and fades as you adapt. Sharp pain, joint pain or pain that gets worse during an exercise is not: stop that exercise and use an easier version, or check with a doctor or physiotherapist.
After 4 weeks
Keep the same structure and keep moving up: add reps, then switch to harder versions, such as full push-ups toward diamond and pike push-ups, and start working toward your first pull-up with our pull-up guide. If you also want to lose weight, our calorie calculator gives you a daily target.
Common questions
Can I do this plan every day?
Not at this intensity. Muscles grow stronger during rest. On the days in between, walking, easy cycling or stretching is a good choice.
I am over 50 or very out of shape. Can I start here?
Yes, with the easier version of every exercise and 2 rounds for the first two weeks. If you have a heart condition, joint problems or another health issue, ask your doctor first.
Will I build muscle with this plan?
Beginners usually get noticeably stronger in the first month, and visible muscle follows over the next 2–3 months if you keep progressing and eat enough protein.
General fitness information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant, and stop if an exercise causes pain.