Doing calisthenics exercises at home is a great way to build muscle and get in shape without the need for a gym membership. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing 7 calisthenics exercises that you can do at home to gain muscle fast.
Calisthenics exercises are a great way to build muscle and get in shape, and they’re especially convenient if you’re looking to work out at home. With just your body weight and a little bit of space, you can perform a variety of exercises that will help you gain muscle and strength in no time.
In this blog post, we’ll be discussing the 7 essential calisthenics exercises that you can do at home to gain muscle fast.
You will find the best options if you have no equipment as well as a few options if you have gymnastics rings or a pull up bar (NOT NEEDED).
This post is all about: How To Gain Muscle Fast With 7 Calisthenics Exercises AT HOME (Or Anywhere You Are).
Let’s dive right in…
Table of Contents
Equipment (Or No Equipment) When Doing Calisthenics Exercises At Home
When it comes to calisthenics exercises, you don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to get a great workout. In fact, many exercises can be done with NO EQUIPMENT at all or with “everyday furniture” which allow you to hit every main muscle group in your body. However, there are a few pieces of equipment that can be helpful for certain exercises and can add an extra challenge to your workout.
Pull Up Bar (Optional But Recommended)
One popular piece of equipment for calisthenics is a pull-up bar. This can be mounted on a door frame or a wall and is great for exercises like pull-ups and chin-ups. These Exercises are extremely effective for building a bigger and stronger back and well as developing your biceps.
And you can progress to much harder variations which will help you continue to develop these muscle groups as you get stronger.
For example, you can start with negative pull ups and work your way up to one arm pull ups with just a pull up bar. Spending around $30 for a possible 3+ years of back training seems like a good investment, at least in my opinion.
Gymnastic Rings (Optional But HIGHLY Recommended)
Another amazing option is a pair of gymnastic rings, which can be used for exercises like rows and dips. As long as you have somewhere to hang them and a little bit of space, these are extremely helpful.
By the way, they are the #1 piece of equipment we recommend.
Gymnastic rings can be extremely useful to train in different intensity. There can usually hold about 400-600 lbs in weight but only weight a few pound, making them extremely easy to carry around.
Different exercise variations (for your full body) include: push ups, australian pull ups at different levels, bulgarian split squats, pike push ups, dips, and variations of all of these.
Resistance Bands (Optional But Can Be Helpful)
Another great option for calisthenics exercises at home is bodyweight resistance bands. They are lightweight, easy to store and you can use them to add resistance to your exercise.
These can be helpful for making exercises easier or harder. For example, you can attach a band to a pull up bar and use it to assist you on the way up, or you can tie it under you and use it to pull you down as you pull up, making the exercise harder. This can be done for multiple exercises.
You can also use them as “weight replacements,” such as stepping on one end and curling at the other, or using them to do lateral raises.
However, keep in mind that you can purchase these at different resistance levels. The thicker band will pull harder than the thinner ones.
No Equipment & "Everyday Furniture"
For those who don’t have access to any of these pieces of equipment, there are still plenty of options.
There are options whether you can’t anything AT ALL. And there are options if you can use a chair, a kitchen counter, or a table, which can all be used to do these calisthenics exercises at home.
You can also use household items like towels, bottles of water, a broomstick, chairs, a table or even books to add resistance to your exercises.
In short, with a little creativity, you can use what you already have around the house to create a challenging and effective workout using (the following) calisthenics exercises at home.
The 7 "Must-Do" Calisthenics Exercises To Build Muscle Fast At Home
One of the best things about calisthenics exercises is that they can be adjusted to suit any fitness level.
Too easy or too hard? There are variations under each exercise for different levels.
No equipment? There are no equipment variations for any exercise example that requires equipment.
Whether you’re a beginner just starting out or an experienced athlete looking to take your training to the next level, there’s a calisthenics exercise that’s right for you.
Push Ups
Push ups are a very commonly know exercise, which target your chest, triceps, and front delts (shoulders).
To preform the standard push up, start in a plank position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your body down towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line. Push back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
It’s important to keep your core engaged and your body in a straight line throughout the exercise to ensure proper form and target the intended muscles.
Easier Variations: Incline Push Ups, Knee Push Ups
Harder Variations: Side To Side Push Ups, Clap Push Ups
Pull Ups
Pull-ups are a great calisthenics exercise that primarily target the back and biceps.
To perform a pull up, grab onto a pull up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar until your chin is above it. Slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
Easier Variations: Australian Pull Ups (you can also do this with a table or by using chairs and a broomstick or even just two chairs, as you can see in these australian pull up examples), Reverse Supermans
Harder Variations: Side To Side Pull Ups, Archer Pull Ups
No Equipment Options: Sliding Lat Pulldown by Athlean-X
Pike Push Ups
Doing pike push ups might feel a little awkward to do at first, but they are amazing for building your shoulders and triceps.
To perform a pike push up, start in a downward dog position with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your body down by bending your arms and slightly leaning forward, keeping your hips lifted. Push back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Your body should be in an inverted “V” shape through the entire movement.
Easier Variations: Place hands on an elevated surface, place your feet farther from your hands
Harder Variations: Place feet on an elevated surface, bring your feet closer to you hands, Wall Handstand Push Ups
Reverse Supermans
Reverse Supermans are a great no-equipment options for targeting your back from the upper back, lats, and lower back.
To perform a reverse superman, start by lying face down on the floor with your legs fully extended and your arms extended behind you. Lift your back while focusing on externally rotating at the shoulder and pull your elbows up behind your body.
Harder Variation: Use a water bottle on each hand or small weights to make the exercise harder
Squats
Squats are a compound exercise that mainly targets the quads and glutes.
To perform a squat, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward or slightly outwards. Lower your body down as if you were sitting back into a chair, keeping your weight in center of your feet, and your back straight. Push back up to the starting position, fully extending your legs.
Easier Variation: Bodyweight Box Squats
Harder Variations: Bulgarian Split Squats, Pistol Squats
Dips
Dips are a great exercise for targeting the lower chest, triceps, and shoulders.
To perform a dip, you can use two chairs, or kitchen corner, or even a regular kitchen counter. Start by grasping the edges of the surface with your hands, and lower your body down by bending your elbows behind your body. Push back up to the starting position, and fully extend your arms. Keep your shoulders down and lean slightly forward as you go down to ensure proper form and target the intended muscles.
Easier Variations: Bench dips (can be done on the edge of a bed or chairs), Negative Dips
Harder Variations: Weighted (with backpack or weights), Ring Dips
Hip Thrusts
Hip Thrusts, also known as Glute Bridges, target the glutes, hamstrings, and a bit of your lower back.
To perform a hip thrust, start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Push through your heels to raise your hips off the ground, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement. Lower your hips back down to the starting position.
Easier Variation: Romanian Deadlift (bodyweight or weighted by holding something on your hands, you can also do single leg)
Harder Variations: Extend legs out more, Single Leg Glute Bridge
