COMPLETE GUIDE Body Body transformation transformation Table of contents 1. Realistic assessment of your starting point 4 2. Measurements, body photos, calories tracking app and sheet / notebook 7 3. Set your body and training goals 10 4. Determining the caloric demand and the basic principles of nutrition. 13 5. Workout program 18 - Quantity of workouts 17 - Movement proportions 18 - Number of series, repetitions, and rest time 18 - Selection of exercises 20 - Calisthenics exercises 22 a) Chest 22 b) Back training 25 c) Shoulder training 29 d) Core training 32 e) Leg training 35 - Progressive workout overload 37 - How long you should perform the given program 39 6. Observation and Changes 42 STEP 1 Realistic assessment of your starting point At the very beginning of our journey, the most important thing is to define our starting point. In the context of the body transformation, it simply means where we are now. This is crucial because it determines our next steps. Regardless of the appearance of the physique, each person has a different level of strength. It can be really difficult for beginners to actually assess their strength level and physique. Therefore, let's try to look at ourselves as objectively as possible - is it really as bad as it seems to me? Do 10 repetitions of pull-ups are technically correct or will I only perform 5 in the full range of motion? At this point, it is very important to be honest with yourself. Very often as a trainer, I meet with a situation where people who already had some experience with strength workouts overestimate their current physical form. They compensate the strength regression with cheated repetitions without the correct technique. It usually ends up with injuries or lack of progress in the short term. Let's not be afraid to take a few steps back. This will allow us to build a solid strength base and enjoy constant strength progress. A realistic assessment of your starting point in terms of your body fat levels will also give you a clear idea of how to adjust your nutrition. People who start severely obese should set goals completely different than those who struggle with being underweight all their lives. It seems obvious at first glance, but you can often find cases where men, in particular, want to increase muscle mass by eating too many calories. In the context of building the muscles themselves, this method will work, but it can lead to recomposition at the same time, i.e. burning fat and building muscle mass at the same time. STEP 2 Measurements, body photos, calories tracking app and sheet / notebook After the initial critical assessment of our figure, strength level and definition of training goals, we should move on to the next stage. The second step will be to write down our body measurements on paper. We are talking about weight and circumference of individual parts of the body. I would suggest the circumference of the arm, leg, waist and shoulder. It may seem like an unnecessary action, but take my word for it that it will significantly affect your motivation in the following weeks, months or years of working on your figure. A very good option is also to take pictures of our figure in a neutral light. After a few months, we will see how much has realistically changed. Taking notes of your results will not only allow us to realistically follow our progress and draw conclusions, but also build a habit of consistency. I decided to make your task easier and I prepared sheets for you, which I use when working with my online students. Link: http://bit.ly/354VDvM Another very useful tool in the context of maintaining a set diet is the use of applications such as Myfitnesspal or Fitatu. They are free, so I highly encourage you to use them. We measure the circumference of the figure not more frequently than after 4 weeks. This will give us a real perspective on the changes that don't happen overnight. In the context of the weight measurements themselves, here I would recommend daily fasting measurements. From this let's take the average weights for the week. I immediately want to point out here, that some people make drastic decisions after two days of their weight being lower or higher. The human body is a very complex machine that doesn't work in a binary fashion. For this reason, weight variation may, and in fact usually are, caused by changes in water balance, and not by differences in the level of body fat. STEP 3 Set your body and training goals After realistic assessment of your physique, you should be able to answer the basic question - what would I like to achieve? While most of the cases are quite obvious - lean people usually want to build muscle mass, and overweight people want to lose weight. However, we must take into account that there is also a group of people who have a problem with setting their goals. People with a skinny-fat build, i.e. with low levels of muscle mass and moderate levels of body fat, should start with a low caloric deficit or maintain caloric zero. Too low deficit may slow down strength progress. At this point, I would also like to refer you to an e-book devoted to nutrition, where I describe some mechanisms in more detailed way and what we should suggest when choosing calories and macronutrient distribution in the diet. Another goal to determine is workout fit. Maybe you belong to a group of people who would like to improve their figure, but also care about learning calisthenic elements. If you dream about learning statics and dynamics, and you are just starting your adventure, you should first of all prepare your body for more advanced elements. You do this by building a solid workout base and then gradually implementing regression exercises to the elements. STEP 4 Determining the caloric demand and the basic principles of nutrition. The topic of nutrition is very extensive, despite the fact that I like to talk about it, I would not want to overwhelm you with an excess of unnecessary knowledge. If you are interested - in the description you will find a link to my nutrition guide. However, let's focus on the basics, which in 90% of cases will be enough to achieve the goal. Every person who plans his diet should start with estimating his caloric zero, i.e. the amount of caloric supply when no change in body weight will occur. We should focus on the basic calories estimation for maintaining our body weight in the situation when there is lack of exercise (BMR). To do this, use the following formula: 9.99 x W + 6,25 x H - 4,92 x A + 5 = BMR Mark is 21 years old, weighs 75 kg and is 180 cm tall. 9.99 x 75 + 6,25 x 180 + 4,92 x 21 + 5 = 1775 kcal Having this value, you need to answer the question of how active of a person you are during the day. It is about peri-training activity, not strictly related to calisthenic / strength training. The table below differentiates between three types of lifestyle: Sedentary 1,2 - 1,5 Moderately active 1,5 - 2,0 Very active 2,0 - 2,3 After choosing the lifestyle that fits describes you, you select the multiplier and perform the calculation. For example, we will once again use Mark, who spends most of his time at the university. Assuming that in addition to basic activities, the only physical activity during the day is strength workout, we will assign a multiplier of 1.5. Let's do the calculations below: 1775 x 1,5 = 2663 kcal We can round the following number to 2650 kcal, because at the moment it is only an estimation. It corresponds to the calorific value needed to maintain body weight at the same level, taking into account physical activity. If your goal is to gain weight, you should add 100-300 calories to your result for a slight caloric surplus. Similarly, for the reduction, we subtract the same amount from the base - caloric zero. Try to discard unhealthy, highly processed, and low-value meals. Purely health aspects, such as the richness of food in micronutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the body, are obvious. There are also features of meals as for example satiety. What products we use to create our meals will determine how full we will be and for carbohydrates how with long. a Choose more food complex rich in structure, fiber and which will significantly affect the feeling of fullness and will significantly reduce problems however, that restrictive, with sleepiness everything especially if is for your during people lifestyle the and has day. do been Remember not be too completely different so far - in this case, it is worth gradually reducing the amount of unhealthy food. Discontinuation of such products overnight usually gives the opposite effects. The distribution of macronutrients depends on your individual dietary preferences. Try to ensure a protein supply of about 2g per kilogram of body weight, at least 1g of fat per kg of body weight, and devote the rest of the calories to carbohydrates. The general outline might look like this: 50% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 30% fat. Each 1 gram of protein and carbohydrates has 4 kcal, while fat has 9 kcal. If you do not know which products are rich in particular macronutrients, start by writing down what application, and then check the composition. you eat in the STEP 5 Workout program Workout programming is a very extensive knowledge about which you can write tons and tons of articles and papers. Let's focus however, as in the case of nutrition, on the most important basics. I will try to point out the crucial elements for beginners, without going into the advanced aspects of workout programming that I use for more advanced trainees. Quantity of workouts The first point to be discussed will be the workout frequency, i.e. how often should we really train during the week to get effects. The number of workouts per week may depend on several factors, including the workout system you decide on, your time availability or simply the ability to carry out a given number of workouts in the long term. If I were to recommend one universal and proven system, I would recommend that you choose a whole-body workout every other day. This will give us a proper regeneration due to the 48-hour break between each workout unit, faster technique learning through the repetition of a given movement several times a week, as well as slightly better results in the context of building muscle mass. I can also point out that the best plan is the one that we are able to stick to for a long time. If we set a very high training frequency, and in practice in the second week you will be forced to skip training, the whole plan is disturbed. Assuming that we train every other day, almost everyone will be able to cope with it. Movement proportions A very common mistake among beginners is poorly selected training volume for pushing and pull movements. This is an important aspect of the workout program, because it determines the proportional development of the body in every range. Disturbances in the structural balance, i.e. the distribution of forces between muscle groups, can negatively affect progress. However, the key issue is the health consequences. Starting from frequent injuries or overstrain, to posture defects. We should always follow the ideal division of the series into squeezing (PUSH) and attracting movements (PULL). Of course, you have to distinguish the division into PUSH movements on the individual parts of the body, something else is push-ups and handstand push-ups. For the sake of less complication and complexity, the idea is to compare PUSH to PULL movements that take place in the same plane. It is for this reason that you should avoid the pull-ups themselves, and develop the latissimus and trapezius muscles of the back using Australian pull-ups, where the body is in a plane parallel to the ground. Number of series, repetitions, and rest time The most common question from beginners starting their training adventure concerns the number of series, repetitions and rest time between sets. Due to the fact that in calisthenics we rarely isolate specific muscle groups and work with multi-joint exercises, it is easier to count the push / pull / legs and core series for the sake of simplicity. I would suggest starting from 15 sets of pushing, pulling and legs movements on a weekly scale, and a bit less on our core due to the fact that it already works in most of the basic exercises. Of course, this is just a starting point from which we will be changing the amounts as the weeks go by and we learn about our body. Each person is completely different and our bodies react differently. Certainly, the first week of exercise will end with huge muscle soreness, so there is no point in doing too much, because it simply won’t result in greater progress. It should also be noted here that these numbers refer to series that will really be demanding for us. Many people approach workouts in such a way that, having 12 pull-ups with rubber band, they do not try to match the band or add one or two more repetitions to actually force the body to extreme work, but want to perform the set with as little effort as possible. Not the way to go! Another important aspect is to vary the number of repetitions in the training plan, so you will not only rely on the 8-12 pattern. As beginners, we should focus primarily on building strength and moving to slightly more advanced exercises, so sometimes a better solution is to perform literally 3 repetitions of pull-ups, which will be very demanding for us than 12 pull-ups with rubber band support. Building strength and muscle mass will be possible both in the low range of repetitions and in the high range, provided that high-threshold motor units are involved. As a beginner, you shouldn't consider this too much. Be guided only by the fact that the workout is demanding for you and if you are able to progress from training to training, it will definitely bring you results. The break time between sets depends on the intensity of the exercise. Usually, it will be a minimum of 90 seconds to about 3 minutes, and in extreme cases 5 minutes. Always pay attention to how you feel before the next set. Once your heart rate has calmed down, you can breathe freely, it is a sign that you are ready for the next set. If, despite these tips, you still do not know if this your breaks are matched to the physical effort, start your training with 3-minute breaks and observe how your body behaves. Selection of exercises As I have mentioned many times, each person has a completely different level of strength and proportions of strength in given movements. For this reason, it is impossible to define one correct set of exercises in advance. Some of you will be able to perform a few classic push-ups correctly, while others will not. This makes a huge difference when it comes to matching specific exercises to a given person. When starting your adventure with calisthenics training, our goal should be to achieve the strength to perform technically correctly each basic exercise such as push-ups, dips, pull-ups. If you are starting from a level where these movements are not achievable, we must use regressive exercises instead. They will allow us to build strength, which over time will lead us to the desired full versions of exercises. I will use the example of getting to the push-up to better illustrate the methodology of the process. If we are unable to perform push-ups, our plan should include exercises such as push-ups on the knees, push-ups on an elevated position (hands higher than the feet) and negative repetitions of classic push-ups. The training program should always be adapted to your strength capabilities. Therefore, the selection of exercises will be strictly related to your strength level. There is no point in spending time tormenting ordinary push-ups that do not come out and we have to curve our spine unnaturally to get up. Always approach this training calmly, a solid base will pay off in the future with the lack of injuries and mastering the correct technique. The selection of calisthenics exercises is very large - therefore each of you will be able to choose regressive and progressive exercises. Below I will attach some very good regression and progressive exercises for calisthenics along with a brief overview of the basics of the technique. I would like you to remember that your goal should be to consciously pursue exercises that are difficult for you. If you are unable to perform one pull-up, do the strengthening exercises. If you are able to pull up at least once - include it in your training. Your goal is to systematically increase the advancement of the workout- that is, the so-called progressive overload and that is what we will focus on now. Chest Dipy Dips are one of the most recognizable calisthenics exercise. They involve the chest, shoulders and triceps. Beginners are often unable to complete a single correct repetition. If so, I recommend doing push-ups or push-ups on knees to strengthen the above-mentioned muscle groups. We can also introduce series with only negative repetitions into our training or making dips with rubber bands. Technique When making dips, remember to keep the arms close and parallel along the axis of the body. A very common mistake is the outwards "running" elbows, which leads to internal rotation in the shoulder joint. This has a negative influence on our body and may lead to an injury in the future. Another important aspect is the range of motion. We should try to do dips with at least 90o bend in the elbow joint. Push-ups There are many types of push-ups, from classic, wide, diamond push-ups to push-ups at different angles. Each variation has its own use, which I would like to briefly discuss in this chapter. Classic pumps Everyone knows them very well, they develop -like almost all PUSH exercises - the chest, shoulders and triceps. Their main advantage is that we can perform them anywhere without the use of any equipment. If we have a problem with performing them, let's move on to easier variation, such as push-ups on knees or elevated push-ups, where the legs are lower than the arms. Doing negative repetitions after the main series is also a good alternative. Push-ups on elevation We can perform this type of push-up as simplification of the classic ones, where our arms are higher than the legs. The situation is the opposite when we use the variant with raised legs. Then, this exercise becomes much more difficult than classic push-ups. It should also be noted here that the involvement of specific parts of the chest is changing. And so, when our body is directly facing the ground, more work will be done by the "top" of the chest compared to the classic variety. Push-ups on knees It is a great alternative for people who have problems with performing a classic push-up. You can also use this variant as a supplement if you are already able to perform several repetitions of the classic push-up in a series. The only thing you need to pay attention to is keeping your hip straight during the entire movement. Technique Here the case is similar to the Dips. The most common mistake is internal rotation in the shoulder when "going up". To prevent this from happening, you should be careful not to change the position of your elbows throughout the movement. Another important aspect is also the position of our spine. The back should keep the natural curvature of the spine. To do this, keep your abdomen tense throughout the movement. Back training PULL UPS These are classic pull-ups, where our hands are in the over-grip position. They develop the latissimus muscles, round muscles as well as the biceps. Beginners often find it difficult to perform even one repetition. If so, the best solution is to perform repetitions with the help of a: rubber band, an accompanying person or making negatives. Remember to switch between different techniques of pull-ups. Technique First of all, we should avoid the incomplete range of motion. Correct repetition is where we start the movement with fully straightened arms at the elbows and end when our chin is over the bar. We should also remember about the correct positioning of the shoulder blades. I refer you to my video where I discuss this issue in detail. In a general simplification, the shoulders blades should be in retraction and depression before starting the upward movement. CHIN UPS In contrast to the PULL UPS, our hands are in the under-grip position here. All kinds of pull-ups involve the same muscle groups, however, here you can notice greater work of the lats and biceps muscles compared to the previously discussed classic variety. For most beginners CHIN UPS, tend to be much easier than PULL UPS. Technique When it comes to the correct range of motion, it is the same as with PULL UPS. The correct positioning of the shoulder blades is sometimes more problematic than in the classic variety due to the position of our hands. I recommend for beginners to focus on the upper phase of the movement of the shoulder blades so that they are not in the elevation. It is very easy to notice because our neck kind of hides under our shoulders. AUSTRALIAN PULL UPS It is a variety of pull-ups, which can be easily compared to a very popular exercise in the gym, which is barbell row. The same muscle groups muscle is over-grip, also more as work involved. well as a here, We but can different additionally use width both of the trapezius under-grip hand spacing. and The method of progression in this exercise is to manipulate the tilt angle of our body. The more vertical we are, the easier the movement is. ARCHERY PULL UPS When we achieve greater strength in pulling up, we can move to more difficult varieties, which are undoubtedly the ARCHERY PULL UPS. The best recommendation for making quick progress in this exercise is simply to do it. If we perform PULL UPS correctly, around 8-10 repetitions, we can start doing this exercise. If it turns out to be too difficult, then we can only make the transitions from one hand to the other in the "up" position. Shoulder training PIKE PUSH UPS An exercise that plays a very important role in calisthenics in developing the shoulders. We can change the difficulty level by changing the angle of the body to the ground. Our goal is the most vertical position. In this case, the mobility of our body may be a big limitation, then I recommend placing your legs on a platform. It is very important to keep the hands close to the body to avoid internal rotation in the shoulder joint. HANDSTAND PUSH UP This exercise is for more advanced people. Of course, the ability to stand on hands without any assist is not required, as we can do this exercise next to a wall. It is important to maintain proper body alignment, so excessive bending in the lumbar region is not allowed. People who are more of a beginners after performing PIKE PUSH UPS can use this exercise in their workout plan, for example including only negative repetitions. BODYWEIGHT FACE PULLS It is an exercise that requires us to have additional equipment, such as TRX or rings. However, it affects the condition of our shoulders very well, because it develops the so-called rotators. In this exercise we progress as in the AUSTRALIAN PULL UPS, so by manipulating the angle of the body. Remember that each repetition should begin with retraction and depression of the scapula. An important part of the technique is also holding the wrists stiffly as an extension of the forearm and having a full range of motion. Core training Abdominal muscle training is a very important aspect of calisthenic workouts. A strong core is the basis for achieving strength elements such as Back Lever, Front Lever, not to mention Planche and etc. At this point it is also worth noting that performing correctly the complex exercises that we have talked about (push-ups, pull-ups,…) will also develop its strength as the abdominal muscle should be tense and stabilized during that motions PLANK It is an exercise that should be mastered at least to the level where we are able to hold it for 2 minutes. Here, we are of course talking about the correct form, where there is no hyperlordosis (excessive bending in the lumbar region). To make this exercise more difficult, you can place your arms more forward, where your elbow will be in front of your shoulders. LEG RAISES They can be performed on a dip station or a pull-up bar. We start our progression with raising our bent legs. Then we can move on to only one leg bent raises (where the other leg is straight), and finally both straight legs. As for the range of motion - the higher the better. Above 90 degrees, the involvement of the rectus abdominis significantly, and the hip flexors decrease. muscles increases DRAGON FLAG One of the most interesting calisthenic exercises for core development. Progression should begin with repetitions with both legs bent, then move on to one leg straightened and end with both leg straightened. It is very important that you keep your back straight throughout the entire range of motion. If you lack strength, do the negatives! If you are interested in a more detailed description, please visit the Caliathletics YouTube channel. Leg training Building the legs using only calisthenics is often a very big problem. At the beginning, we have to ask ourselves what we really expect from leg training. Do we care about improving motor coordination, or maybe muscle development? The matter becomes more complicated when our goal is getting a great physique as legs are a part of the body that, even for a beginner, needs external load for a proper development. Squats In my opinion, squats performed without external load do not do much. An additional problem is the fact that the vast majority of people will not be able to do the correct repetition. Each person should be approached individually. Motion analysis allows you to choose the best technique that a given person can perform and which will be the most optimal. We should also select a set of auxiliary exercises in order to eliminate the weak links. Taking the above arguments into account, I would recommend performing squats only under the supervision of someone experienced. Bulgarian squats This is a much easier exercise for a beginner to do correctly. We can also easily progress by adding very minimal extra weight. Technical aspects that are worth paying attention to are: preventing the knee from collapsing inwards in the leg that is in the forward motion and the stabilized position of the body tight abdomen and back. Pistol Squats An exercise that requires a lot of coordination, mobility and stability. Progression should begin with squats on one leg with the assist of a wall for a better stabilization. If we strengthen our legs enough to perform this type of squat freely, we can try to release our arms to learn stability. Progressive workout overload Progressive workout overload is the most important factor, which when correctly performed will allow us to progress, and when performed wrong will cause stagnation and lack of effects. Regardless of what your goal is, what training program you decide to use, your number one task is to achieve progressive overload. This means that over time we must deliver more and more hypertrophic stimulation. We can achieve it in many ways, including changing the pace in a given exercise, moving to a more advanced progression of a given exercise, increasing the number of repetitions compared to the previous week, or simply improving the technique of a given exercise. For the sake of simplicity, as a beginner, you should try to add the number of repetitions from training to training while maintaining the same correct technique. Here, we should be careful as often increasing the number of repetitions becomes a priority over technique. If you feel that the technique in a given exercise is not the best - a much better solution will be to reduce the number of repetitions, but do the exercise technically correct. If you are not able to add additional repetitions, a good solution will be to extend the negative phase of the movement in the last repetitions in the series, so that finally in a given week you can be sure that you have managed to progress at least slightly. Another form of progress, quite obvious, although very neglected, is the constant increase in difficulty when working out with resistance bands. Our goal should be to achieve a certain number of repetitions, for example 10 per set in pull-ups with a given resistance band. After reaching a given threshold, we should change the band for a lighter one and again aim for 10 repetitions. If it turns out to be too difficult, the best option is to take a step back and choose a band, where we were able to do at least 8 repetitions and then make the repetitions more difficult by elongating the pause at the very top and just prolonging the negative phase. How hard should you train? For beginners, I would recommend to have 2-3 repetitions in reserve and work on improving the technique. Once you have mastered the correct technique, try to slightly increase the degree of difficulty in each set and work at about 90% of your capabilities, keeping 1-2 repetitions in reserve. Of course, this is conditioned by many factors, but remember that the last, usually the hardest repetitions are the most stimulating - which does not mean that each set should be performed until your muscles fail. How long you should perform the given program When designing a workout program, it is important not to change your training routine every week. When setting up a program, we should execute it for about 4 to 6 weeks. After this period, it is worth including deload, i.e. a week with low training volume, which we will devote to improving the technique or even complete rest. Why is it important to follow the same routine for 4 to 6 weeks? First of all, because we will always have a reference point and we will be able to easily track our progressive overload by looking at our results from a week ago. Another advantage of sticking to a given plan that is worth emphasizing is the adaptation of the organism. The body has to get used to the given movement patterns and exercises in order to develop and progress in them. It is a mistake to repeat the stereotype that you need to change training stimulation frequently to progress and build muscle. In strength workout, the main work is done by the nervous system, which needs time and repetition of activities to develop in a proper and constant way. STEP 6 Observation and Changes Creating a workout program and determining the caloric content are the first and most important steps. However, they will not always guarantee achieving the goal. If, despite following all the steps I have presented you, you still do not see any changes, it may mean several things. You could have made a mistake at the stage of caloric adjustment, choosing too heavy or too little intensive workout, which in practice made it impossible to progressively overload. When should you make changes? First of all, let's not introduce them too quickly - if you start with a lot of excess body weight, and the weight stays the same for 3 weeks and you do not see any changes in your figure in the mirror, you are probably still eating too much or you were inconsistent in achieving your goals. In this case, you should objectively look at yourself whether you have implemented everything in one hundred percent or whether there have been any deviations from the training program or nutrition. However, when you are convinced that you have met all the assumptions conscientiously, you probably should adjust the calories level (lowering) or adjust the non-training activity (increasing). When your goal is to build muscle mass, here you should give yourself a little more time. Some will see the results after a few weeks, while for others it will be a slightly longer process. If you do not see any effects after 2 months of consistent implementation of the workout program and caloric surplus - it's time for a change. You should probably apply workouts with increased training volume or simply increase their frequency. These tips will only apply if you have started your training from a safe level and you have not tortured your body with too much training from the very beginning. The issue of constantly increasing the difficulty of training by increasing the number of repetitions, moving to more advanced variations of a given exercise are things that I have emphasized many times here, but as you already know, they are key to the possibility of continuous progress. At later, more advanced stage, it is possible to include the additional load in your training. I will try to describe when and how it is best to do it in the next guide. Summary I hope that this form of guide will be helpful for many of you in achieving your goals. This collection of the most important information should protect you from making basic mistakes. This will bring the desired results in the long run. If you need an individual approach and help with a real assessment of the physique / strength level and adjustment of the training program, nutrition with constant supervision, I invite you to 1 on 1 online coaching. By taking cooperation with me, you can count on full commitment and constant contact via WhatsApp where you can send me training videos for analysis and improvement of the technique. If you are interested, please contact me at: darekcaliathletics@gmail.com. I also invite you to visit my website caliathletics.com where you will find online workout programs and the highest quality training equipment.
