The complete guide to weighted calisthenics
By Mathew Zlat
The weighted calisthenics trend and the sport of streetlifting have
become quite popular in the last couple of years, but they are still really
young, and reliable programs and methods to produce high results
have not been developed yet. This course is meant to change that. It is
a collection of programs, methods and observations that allowed me to
reach a 122,5 kg pull up and a 172,5kg dip in 3 years of weighted
calisthenics training. Now for you, the users of this course, it may take
even less time, because you don’t have to find out everything for
yourself. I did it for you.
This course will focus on two exercises which are the foundation of
calisthenics and weighted calisthenics: pull ups and dips. You can also
add other things to the programs presented, like leg training, skill
training and so on. I will discuss how you can integrate those in the last
section of the course.
Things you will achieve with this course:
1. Get stronger. You will build solid strength in basic exercises (pull
ups and dips), which is good by itself, but can also carryover to
other areas like calisthenics strength moves or even powerlifting.
2. Build muscle. This is a law for natural trainees: you get stronger –
you build muscle. The stronger you become the bigger you get.
3. Learn how to execute basic exercises with proper form. There is a
separate section on this topic.
Are you ready to start?
Enjoy!
-Mathew Zlat
Part 1: The exercises
Part 1: The pull up
Muscles worked:
1. Upper back: lats, middle and lower traps, rear delts.
2. Arms: Biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis, forearm flexors.
3. Core: Rectus abdominis, obliques.
The pull up is the first exercise that comes to mind when you mention
calisthenics. This single fact Illustrates the immense importance of it. So
it is absolutely necessary to be able to do pull ups with proper form to
start any calisthenics program, let alone weighted calisthenics one.
Here is how a proper pull up is executed.
Step 1. Hang on the bar. Make sure that your arms are straight. Use the
overhand grip around 1,5 times shoulder width. You can either place
your thumbs on top of the bar or curl them around. Thumbless grip pull
ups are easier, because you can engage your back more, but they are
restricted in some competitions, so you might want to stick to thumb
around the bar grip.
Step 2. Initiate the pull. Start pulling yourself up using your lats and arm
muscles. This movement should be as fast and explosive as possible:
the beginning of the pull up is where you generate most of the power
required to complete a rep. In the beginning pull not completely
upwards, but a little bit back as well, this allows you to fully engage
your back.
Step 3. Finish the pull up. Strongly pull yourself up and a bit forward
until your chin is over the bar. It should be not just higher than the bar
but actually on top of it. Think of covering the bar with your chin. The
forward motion, allowed by pulling a bit back in step 2, makes the top
part easier as it allows you to use your arms more.
Step 4. Lower yourself down until you lock out your arms. Don’t just
drop down and slam into your joints, but lowering very slowly is also
not optimal: you will waste your strength on it. Negative training is
good but it is not the point here. Find the pace that is comfortable for
you and allows maximum control while saving power.
So, here is how to do a pull up. Now let’s discuss what you should NOT
do.
Mistake 1. Wrong grip. Either too close or too wide grip doesn’t allow
you to use your strength to the max, thus lowering your results.
Underhand and neutral grips are also suboptimal, they are rarely
allowed in competitions, and are overall less balanced and don’t have
as much carryover to other exercises like the classic overhand grip.
Moreover, if you get strong at overhand pull ups, your chin up and
neutral grip pull ups will be strong too, so no need to spend your time
on grip variations.
Mistake 2. Jump start. If you cheat, you only cheat yourself. Jumping
builds leg explosiveness, but our goal here is pulling strength.
Mistake 3. Starting from bent arms. Not only does it disqualify your
reps, but it actually makes the pull ups harder, because it cuts the
bottom range of motion, thus eliminating the opportunity to gain
momentum and complete the rep easier.
Mistake 4. Not going chin over the bar. Chin to bar pull ups are fine only
if you recognize they are only a step towards perfection. If your chin
didn’t even touch the bar, then sorry. No rep.
Mistake 5. Kipping. Once again, if you cheat you cheat yourself.
Bringing your legs upwards a bit for balance is fine, but noticeable
kicking is a mistake and should be avoided.
Mistake 6. Not controlling the weight when doing weighted pull ups.
You should always keep the weight in control, don’t allow it to swing
around. Uncontrollable swinging makes your form sloppy and unstable.
This is a short guide on how to do a pull up. If the instructions are
unclear you can watch a video tutorial here: <LINK>
Part 2: The dip
Muscles worked:
1. Chest. All the fibers of your pectorals work in dips
2. Triceps. They extend the elbow, and help to lock out on top.
3. Shoulders. Front and lateral deltoids also make an important
contribution, especially during the negative.
The second most important exercise in calisthenics is the dip. Most
people seriously underestimate it, preferring the bench press as a
classic “basic” exercise. But the dips are not a bit less “basic” than the
bench press. They work all the same muscles, and with adding weight
you can apply progressive overload to this bodyweight exercise. Here is
how to do dips with proper form.
Step 1. Setup. Grab the bars and stand in support position with locked
elbows. Keep your shoulders protracted, don’t let them collapse.
Squeeze the bars tight. Keep your legs straight if the height of the bars
allows it. If not then bent legs are also fine, as long as there is tension in
them. Keep your abs tight.
Step 2. Negative. Go down while keeping your shoulders protracted
and core tight. Lean forward while going down, this is critically
important. Without leaning forward, you will not be able to break
parallel. You can round your back a bit, but don’t pike excessively.
Step 3. Breaking parallel. Go down until your arms are bent at 90
degree angle, or a bit lower. Keep your shoulders protracted. This is
called “closed chest”, and it makes the dips easier and reduces the risk
of shoulder injuries.
Step 4. Push up. Extend your arms forcefully. Retract your scapula and
arch your back from rounded to neutral, but don’t overextend it. This
will allow more force production in your chest and shoulders and make
the way up easier. Lean back, but not too far, only to compensate the
forward lean in step 2.
Step 5. Lock out. Lock your elbows out and arrive in the support
position described in step 1.
This is how to do a dip. Now let’s take a look at some common
mistakes.
Mistake 1. Not going full ROM. Nothing to say about this one. Quarter
dips are not dips. Our goal is to do proper dips, so go full ROM on every
rep. That means both breaking parallel and locking out at the top.
Mistake 2. Going completely vertical. Dips with no lean at put too much
strain on your elbows and are unnecessarily hard. Don’t do them.
Mistake 3. Excessive lean and piking at the hips. It is the opposite of the
mistake 2. This is the kind of dip where the legs and weight stay in
place, and the ROM is achieved only by leaning and piking. These are
not dips, your lower body should also move during the rep.
Mistake 4. Starting with retracted shoulders. This makes dips
unnecessarily hard and really traumatic. Don’t do this. Keep your
shoulders under tension in support position.
Mistake 5. Lack of control on the negative. Dropping down in an
uncontrolled manner is suboptimal and dangerous for your shoulders.
Control is the number one thing you should strive for when doing dips,
control equals strength. To have better control of the negative squeeze
the bars really tight with your hands, this should help.
Mistake 6. Not controlling the weight when doing weighted dips. Just
like on pull ups, you should always keep the weight in control, don’t
allow it to swing around. Uncontrollable swinging makes your form
sloppy and unstable and can rob you of your reps.
This is a short guide on how to do dips with proper form. If the
instructions are unclear you can watch a video tutorial here: <LINK>
Part 2: How to count percentages
With weighted calisthenics it’s a challenge to find out the intensity of
the sets in percentages like in powerlifting, because it is hard to find
out the weight you are actually lifting during an exercise. The
formula that I use to find this out is the additional weight you use
plus your bodyweight divided by 2. For example, if you weigh 80kg
and you dipped 100kg for 5 reps max, then the weight you used for
that set would be 100 + 80/2 = 140kg. This is approximately 87% of
your 1rm, which in that case equals 160kg. So you calculate all the
weights in the programs using this number, and then just subtract
half of your bw to get actual additional weight you need to use. And
in the given case your 1rm will be 160 – 40 = 120kg added weight.
This does NOT apply to percentages in novice and advanced novice
programs. There you use the %s of additional weight only.
Part 3: the programs
This is the main part of this course, the heart of it. These are the very
programs that will take you from where you are now to the top level
achievable in streetlifting.
I divided the training advancement of a streetlifting athlete into 4
stages: novice, advanced novice, intermediate, advanced. Respectively,
there are 4 programs in this course, each one suited exactly to one of
the stages.
Notice that all the programs feature only 2 exercises: pull ups and dips.
This is done specifically to leave some free space for the things you
might want to add. You can add other exercises to these programs, I
will talk about this in more depth in the last section of the course. For
now just remember: these programs are not limited to pull ups and
dips, I simply reduced them to the core to help you see the structure
better.
Rest between sets is the same in every program: 3-5 minutes.
We will start at the beginning: the novice program.
Advancement stage 1: the novice
The term “novice” is used to define someone who has just started
doing something, a beginner. However, when it comes to weighted
calisthenics, the absolute majority of athletes are at this exact level,
even the ones who are considered strong. To generalize things, a
novice is an athlete, whose results are as following:
Pull ups: +50kg x5 reps or lower.
Dips: +70kg x5 reps or lower.
If your results fit into this zone then you are a novice. Is this bad? Not at
all! It is actually wonderful because at this level you can make the
fastest progress. And to utilize this ability you need a very simple
program. Here it is!
The novice program
This program features 3 identical training sessions a week, the volume
is distributed evenly through sessions. You must have at least 1 day of
rest between workouts, schemes like Monday – Wednesday – Friday or
Tuesday – Thursday – Saturday are fine.
Requirements for this program: 12 pull ups and 15 dips, all bodyweight.
The program is divided into 3 phases. First phase is focused on higher
rep work to build a solid muscular foundation, ensure correct exercise
form and to make the transition from bodyweight to weighted work
smoother. The second phase is transitional between high rep
hypertrophy oriented work and lower rep strength oriented work. The
bulk of your gains will be made here. And finally at the third phase we
arrive at classic 3-6 reps, where the emphasis is put on real strength
work. By that time you will be already prepared for handling serious
weights, so the low rep work won’t be a problem for you. And also this
structure will give you a progress boost each time you switch phases.
The program itself
Phase 1: hypertrophy (4-6 weeks)
Day 1 (Monday)
1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets 8-10 reps
2. Weighted dips 3 sets 8-10 reps
Day 2 (Wednesday)
1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets 8-10 reps
2. Weighted dips 3 sets 8-10 reps
Day 3 (Friday)
1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets 8-10 reps
2. Weighted dips 3 sets 8-10 reps
How to progress: You add weight from session to session. That
means you progress 3 times a week. The exact weight to add on the
next session depends on the lowest number of reps in any of the sets.
10 reps => +2,5kg
9 reps => +1,25kg
8 reps => +1,25kg
7 reps => keep the weight the same and try to add reps
It means that if on your last session you did:
Pull ups 10, 10, 10 +7,5kg
Dips 9, 9, 8 +10kg
The next session you do pull ups with 10kg and dips with 11,25kg.
This is called double progression, because it allows you to add weight
and reps at the same time. It is very effective for all stages but novices
can show truly amazing progress using this method.
If you get 7 reps in at least one of the sets more than 3 sessions in a
row, then switch to the next phase.
Phase 2: transition (6-8 weeks)
For the beginning of this phase use the weight of your last successful
(all sets above 7 reps) workout in phase 1.
Day 1 (Monday)
1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets 6-8 reps
2. Weighted dips 3 sets 6-8 reps
Day 2 (Wednesday)
1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets 6-8 reps
2. Weighted dips 3 sets 6-8 reps
Day 3 (Friday)
1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets 6-8 reps
2. Weighted dips 3 sets 6-8 reps
How to progress:
8 reps => +2,5kg
7 reps => +1,25kg
6 reps => +0,5kg
5 reps => keep the weight the same and try to add more reps
If you get 5 reps in at least one of the sets more than 3 sessions in a
row, then switch to the next phase.
Phase 3: strength (as long as possible)
For the beginning of this phase use the weight of your last successful
(all sets above 6 reps) workout in stage 2.
Day 1 (Monday)
1. Weighted pull ups: 1 top set 3-6 reps
1.1. Weighted pull ups: 3 back off sets with the same number of
reps as in the first set (weight 10% less than top set)
2. Weighted dips: 1 top set 3-6 reps
2.1. Weighted dips: 3 back off sets with the same number of reps
as in the first set (weight 10% less than top set)
Day 2 (Wednesday)
1. Weighted pull ups: 1 top set 3-6 reps
1.1. Weighted pull ups: 3 back off sets with the same number of
reps as in the first set (weight 10% less than top set)
2. Weighted dips: 1 top set 3-6 reps
2.1. Weighted dips: 3 back off sets with the same number of reps
as in the first set (weight 10% less than top set)
Day 3 (Friday)
1. Weighted pull ups: 1 top set 3-6 reps
1.1. Weighted pull ups: 3 back off sets with the same number of
reps as in the first set (weight 10% less than top set)
2. Weighted dips: 1 top set 3-6 reps
2.1. Weighted dips: 3 back off sets with the same number of reps
as in the first set (weight 10% less than top set)
How to progress:
You add weight based on the number of reps in the top set.
6 reps => +2,5kg
5 reps => +1,25kg
4 reps => +0,5kg
3 reps => +0,5kg, if the next workout you also get 3 reps then keep the
weight the same and try to add reps.
When you get 2 reps in any of the top sets then its time to move on to
advanced novice program.
How it works
This program is the representation of simplicity. You do only the
exercises you want to improve 3 times a week. Every workout is the
same. Your only job is to add weight all the time. It works like this
because as a novice you are able to adapt to training stress and
improve very fast, and, as a result, progress very fast. For a novice there
is no need to diversify things, any variation is simply a waste of time.
The program is designed in phases. This is done to make use of the fact
that each time you switch phases you get a 5-10kg boost in your
working weights within first 1-2 weeks of the phase. This allows us to
get all the progress theoretically possible at the novice stage as fast as
we can. If you started from zero additional weight, then at the end of
phase 3 your results would very likely be around the numbers
mentioned in the beginning of the program: pull ups: +50kg x5 reps or
more, dips: +70kg x5 reps or more.
How to use it
The beginning.
If you are new to weighted calisthenics begin with a light weight, no
more than 5kg. From this build your way up using the weight
progression chart given in the program. If you already have experienced
weighted training, then start at the stage 1 using the weight with which
you can do around 12 reps to give you a smooth start. The weights will
quickly autoregulate to your level of strength.
How to warm up.
1. Before the session. Basic full body warm up, 8 pull ups, 10 dips.
2. Before working sets. As a novice you won’t be dealing with
substantially heavy weights (100+kg), so one warm up set should
be fine. For this set use the weight that is around 50% of your
working weight for 5 reps. For example: if your working sets are
going to be with 20kg, you do a warm up set with 10kg for 5 reps.
If your working weight is lower than 15 kg you can skip this set,
the basic full body warm up should be enough.
The next step.
This program is supposed to be run for at least 6 months for optimal
results. It is possible to run it for a year or more and still make progress.
When you hit 2 or less reps in any of the work sets, then it is time to
move on to the advanced novice program.
Advancement stage 2: the advanced novice
This is a transition stage between a novice and an intermediate. At this
level you can still add weight multiple times a week, but you can no
longer endure 3 heavy sessions in a week: you need a deload session.
This is exactly what comes into play in the advanced novice program.
You are most likely an advanced novice if your results are as follows:
Pull ups: from +50kg x5 reps to +70kg x5 reps
Dips: from +70kg x5 reps to +100kg x5 reps
If you fall into this category, then the following program is for you.
The advanced novice program
This program is similar to the novice program, except that now you
have only 2 full scale training sessions in a week. The middle session is
turned into a deload to allow more recovery, which is necessary as you
start handling heavier and heavier weights. Between Friday and
Monday you have 2 days of rest, so a deload session is not needed
there. This program is divided into 2 phases: introductory and
progressive. These phases are very different, but the actual program
structure is very similar.
The program itself
Phase 1: introductory (4-6 weeks)
Day 1 (Monday): heavy session.
1. Weighted pull ups 4 sets 3-6 reps
2. Weighted dips 4 sets 3-6 reps
Day 2 (Wednesday): Deload session.
1. Weighted dead hang pause explosive pull ups: 2 sets 5 reps
(Weight 70% of Monday)
2. Weighted dips with 3 count pause at the bottom of every rep:
2 sets 5 reps (weight 70% of Monday)
Day 3 (Friday): heavy session.
1. Weighted pull ups 4 sets 3-6 reps
2. Weighted dips 4 sets 3-6 reps
As you can see, on deload sessions you use lighter weight and modified
form of the exercises. This is done to reduce the load and work on the
right execution of the movements between heavy sessions.
How to progress.
In this program you add weight from heavy session to heavy session.
That means you progress 2 times a week. The exact weight to add on
the next session depends on the lowest number of reps in any of the
sets.
6 reps => +2,5kg
5 reps => +1,25kg
4 reps => +0,5kg
3 reps => +0,5kg, if you get 3 reps more than 2 times in a row then
deload your work weights by 10% and move on to the phase 2
(progressive)
This is no different from the beginner program, except now there is a
deload session between heavy ones. The weight used on deload
sessions is calculated from the last heavy session results using the
percentage given in the program. Deloads don’t affect the progression
rate.
Phase 2: progressive
Regular week
Day 1 (Monday): heavy session.
1. Weighted pull ups: 1 top set of 4-6 reps
1.1 Weighted pull ups: as many back off sets with the same
amount of reps as in the top set as possible (5 sets maximum)
(weight 10% less than top set)
2. Weighted dips 1 top set of 4-6 reps
2.1 Weighted dips: as many back off sets with the same amount of
reps as in the top set as possible (5 sets maximum) (weight 10%
less than top set)
Day 2 (Wednesday): Deload session.
1. Weighted dead hang pause explosive pull ups: 2 sets 5 reps
(Weight 70% of Monday’s top set)
2. Weighted dips with 3 count pause at the bottom of every rep:
2 sets 5 reps (weight 70% of Monday’s top set)
Day 3 (Friday): medium session.
1. Weighted pull ups: 1 top set of 4-6 reps
1.1 Weighted pull ups: 3 back off sets with the same amount of
reps as in the top set (10% less than top set)
2. Weighted dips 1 top set of 4-6 reps
2.1 Weighted dips: 3 back off sets with the same amount of reps as
in the top set (weight 10% less than top set)
1rm test week
Day 1 (Monday): heavy session.
1. Weighted pull ups: 1 top set of 4-6 reps
1.1 Weighted pull ups: as many back off sets with the same
amount of reps as in the top set as possible (4 sets maximum)
(weight 10% less than top set)
2. Weighted dips 1 top set of 4-6 reps
2.1 Weighted dips: as many back off sets with the same amount of
reps as in the top set as possible (4 sets maximum) (weight 10%
less than top set)
Day 2 (Wednesday): Deload session.
1. Weighted dead hang pause explosive pull ups: 2 sets 3 reps
(Weight 80% of Monday’s top set)
2. Weighted dips with 3 count pause at the bottom of every rep:
2 sets 3 reps (weight 80% of Monday’s top set)
Day 3 (Friday): medium session.
1. Weighted pull ups: 1rm test
1.1 Weighted pull ups: 2 back off sets with the same amount of
reps as in the top set of Monday (10% less than Monday’s top
set)
2. Weighted dips 1rm test
2.1 Weighted dips: 2 back off sets with the same amount of reps as
in the top set of Monday (weight 10% less than Monday’s top
set)
Run a 1rm test week after every 3 regular weeks (once a month)
How to progress:
You add weight from Monday to Friday and from Friday to Monday
based on the number of reps you got in the top set.
6 reps => +2,5kg
5 reps => +1,25kg
4 reps => +0,5kg
3 reps => Keep the weight the same and try to add reps
How it works
The phase 1 of his program is basically the same as the previous one,
with the exception of middle week deload. The deload session is
necessary because without it you will have a 3 days break between
Monday and Friday sessions, and it is enough for you to start losing skill
of execution of the exercises. The phase 2 is actually much closer to an
intermediate program than to a novice one. It starts using the classic
heavy – light – medium scheme we find in most successful intermediate
programs. It also features 1rm tests every month for the first time. But
the progression scheme still makes the program fall into the novice
category, although into the most advanced section of it. The phase 2
will squeeze all possible novice gains out of you, leaving you ready for
the next step: intermediate programming.
How to use it
The beginning.
A good idea would be to start the stage 1 at the weight with which you
are able to complete all 4 sets with 6 reps unbroken. This will ensure
that you don’t overload yourself at the very beginning.
How to warm up.
This is the stage when you start dealing with substantial loads, so a
proper warm up is the key to both ensure optimal performance when
doing working sets and avoiding injury.
1. Before the session. Basic full body warm up, 10 pull ups, 10 dips.
2. Before working sets or the top set. Now you do 2 warm up sets,
First one with 50% of the working weight for 5 reps, the second
one with 75% for 3 reps. After that you are ready for the work
sets.
3. Before the light sets on deload: 1 warmup set with 60% of the
working weight.
The next step.
As the previous one, this program is supposed to be run for at least 6
months for optimal results. It is possible to run it for a year or more and
still make progress. When you hit 3 or less reps in phase 2 in the top set
and are not able to add weight or reps for a week you shall deload 10%
and restart the stage 2. When have to deload 2 times in a row or more
it is time to move on to the intermediate programming.
Advancement stage 3: the intermediate
This is where things start to get serious. Most top streetlifting athletes
are at this level of advancement. Usually you arrive at this stage after
2+ years of training. This is the time when you must shake up your
programing in order to keep moving forward. From this point you will
add weight to your PRs only once a week or even rarer. But this is also
the stage which separates the great athletes from average ones. With a
right program you can make the bulk of your progress here.
You are most likely an intermediate, if your results are:
Pull ups: From +70kg x5 reps to +90kg x3-4 reps (1rm from 90 to
around 105kg)
Dips: From +100kg x5 reps to +120kg x 3-4 reps (1rm from 120 to 135140kg)
Yes, these are all intermediate results, with the exception for athletes
whose bodyweight is below 70-75kg. This is the level achievable for
almost everyone who does weighted calisthenics for a sufficient
amount of time. But you need two things to get there: proper attitude
and a working program. If you made it that far that you are reading this
then you probably have the first, and the second is here for you! Enjoy!
The intermediate program
This program is seriously different from two previous ones. It features 2
phases. The first one is an adaptation of the famous Texas method, the
basic structure is the same. But some things are changed. For example,
the principle of double progression is integrated into the program,
which makes it both more flexible and progressive. It features a week
long training cycle with 3 different training sessions in one week:
volume, deload and a max test. The second one takes the concept of
Texas method beyond a 1 week cycle, it is actually full 2 weeks in
length.
Unlike previous stages, these 2 phases are substantially different from
each other, and each one can be considered as a separate program and
run on its own for a solid amount of time. However, I give them as 2
phases of the same program to ensure that the intermediate stage is
covered thoroughly in this course, because it is the most important in
getting your results to the top level.
The program itself
Phase 1: 1 week intermediate (4-6 months)
Day 1 (Monday): volume session.
1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets of 3 reps (weight 80% of 1rm)
1.1. Weighted pull ups 3 sets of 4-6 reps (weight 65% of 1rm)
2. Weighted dips 3 sets of 3 reps (weight 80% of 1rm)
2.2. Weighted dips 3 sets of 4-6 reps (weight 65% of 1rm)
Day 2 (Wednesday): deload session.
1. Weighted dead hang pause explosive pull ups: 2 sets 5 reps
(Weight 70% of Monday 3x3)
2. Weighted dips with 3 count pause at the bottom of every rep:
2 sets 5 reps (weight 70% of Monday 3x3)
Day 3 (Friday): Max session
Pull ups: 1 set of 4-6 reps with the weight you used for 3x3 on Monday.
2 back off sets with the same amount of reps as in the top set with
deadhang form (weight 15kg less than top set)
Dips: 1 set of 4-6 reps with the weight you used for 3x3 on Monday.
2 back off sets with the same amount of reps as in the top set with a 3
count pause at the bottom of every rep (20kg less than top set)
To test your 1 rep maxes as well just switch the 4-6 reps set to the 1rm
test, do it after every 3 regular weeks. (once a month). For backoffs use
the weight from the last regular week.
How to progress:
1. Maxes. You add weight to your max set according to the number
of reps you got on your last max session.
6 reps => +2,5kg
5 reps => +1,25kg
4 reps => +0,5kg
3 reps => +0,5kg
2 reps => Keep the weight the same and try to add more reps.
2. 3x3. For 3x3s you use the same weight as you do for your maxes.
For example: on the last max session you did 75kg pull ups for 5
reps, this means that for the upcoming 3x3 you use 76,25kg, and
on the next max session you use 76,25kg.
3. 3-6s. 3-6s progress in the same fashion as the max set. You add
weight according to the lowest number of reps you did in any of
the sets.
6 reps => +2,5kg
5 reps => +1,25kg
4 reps => +0,5kg
3 reps => +0,5kg
Notice that the progress on 3-6s is completely not related to the
progress on maxes or on 3x3s. They progress independently from
each other.
4. Deload. The weight you use on deloads is progressing at the same
rate as your max. For example, if you managed to add 1,25kg to
your max and 3x3, you also add 1,25kg to the deload.
If you are not able to make even 0,5 progress for 3 full cycles in a
row then move on to phase 2
Phase 2: 2 weeks intermediate (from 6 months to a year)
Week 1 (volume)
Day 1 (Monday): Heavy session.
1. Weighted pull ups: 3x3 (weight 85% of your 1rm)
2. Weighted dips: 3x3 (weight 85% of your 1rm)
Day 2 (Tuesday): Accessory session.
1. Weighted dead hang pause explosive pull ups: 3x5 (Weight 50% of
1rm)
2. Weighted dips with 3 count pause at the bottom of every rep:
3x5 (weight 60% of 1rm)
Day 3 (Friday): Heavy session.
1. Weighted pull ups: 3x3 (weight 85% of your 1rm)
2. Weighted dips: 3x3 (weight 85% of your 1rm)
Day 2 (Saturday): Accessory session.
1. Weighted dead hang pause explosive pull ups: 3x5 (Weight 50% of
1rm)
2. Weighted dips with 3 count pause at the bottom of every rep:
3x5 (weight 60% of 1rm)
Week 2 (Realization)
Day 1 (Tuesday): Deload.
1. Weighted dead hang explosive pull ups: 2x2 (Weight 80% of 1rm)
2. Weighted dips with 3 count pause at the bottom of every rep:
2x2 (weight 80% of 1rm)
Day 2 (Friday): 1RM test session.
1. Weighted pull ups: 1rm test
1.1 Weighted pull ups: 2x3 deadhang (80% 1rm)
2. Weighted dips: 1rm test
2.2. Weighted dips 2x3 paused (80% 1rm)
How to progress:
1. 3x3s. 3x3s are the engine of this program. They determine your
overall progression rate, specifically how much you add to your
1rm every cycle. 3x3s progress from heavy session to heavy
session, not from cycle to cycle. That means you add weight
during the volume week. 3x3s follow the same double progression
method, but this time a little bit differently. In this program you
won’t go for 4 reps, you are capped at 3. Instead you measure the
weight to add by the difficulty of the sets.
If all the sets in 3x3 were easy and you could have probably done
at least 1 more rep in each of the sets, then the next heavy
session you add 2,5kg.
If all the sets in 3x3 were okay, not really that hard, but definitely
not easy, and you had no reps left, then you add 1,25kg
If some or all sets of 3x3 were at your limit, or you did only 2 reps
in some sets then you add 0,5 kg.
And if in at least one set you did not manage to get 2 reps then
you deload the exercise you failed in. This means reducing the
weight by 5-10% and progressing from there.
2. Maxes. Your progress on the 1rm is the sum of your progress on
3x3s during the cycle. For example, If on the first heavy session of
the week 1 you managed to add 1,25kg to both dips and pull ups,
and on the second one 1,25kg on dips but only 0,5kg to pull ups,
then you add 2,5kg to your 1rm on dips and 1,75kg to your 1rm
on pull ups.
3. Deload 2x2s. It is the same as with maxes. Your progress on the
2x2 is the sum of your progress on 3x3s during the cycle. For
example, If on the first heavy session of the week 1 you managed
to add 1,25kg to both dips and pull ups, and on the second one
1,25kg on dips but only 0,5kg to pull ups, then you add 2,5kg to
your 2x2 on dips and 1,75kg to your 1rm on pull ups.
4. Accessory 3x5s. They use the same method as the 3x3s but
progress separately from them.
If all the sets in 3x5 were easy and you could have probably done
at least 1 more rep in each of the sets, then the next heavy
session you add 2,5kg.
If all the sets in 3x5 were okay, not really that hard, but definitely
not easy, and you had no reps left, then you add 1,25kg
If some or all sets of 3x3 were at your limit, or you did only 4 reps
in some sets then you add 0,5 kg.
And if in at least one set you did not manage to get 4 reps then
you deload the exercise you failed in. This means reducing the
weight by 5-10% and progressing from there.
How it works
In this program every session is there for a specific purpose. Let’s look
closer at what each of them does.
Stage 1
1. Volume session. It creates the stress that is necessary for your
body to make adaptations to the training load and thus gain
strength and muscle mass.
2. Deload session. It has 2 functions: First one: it is there to work on
the execution of the exercises. In this session you use paused
work, which builds control and stability. Second one: it is there to
boost recovery between Monday and Friday. After a hard volume
session you need to recover as fast as possible, and a deload
session allows just that. It increases the blood flow through sore
muscles, which allows for faster regeneration and recovery.
3. Max session. The purpose is in the name: you test your newly
acquired adaptations by trying your max.
These 3 sessions form one complete cycle. After one cycle is
completed, you have 2 days of rest, and then a new cycle begins.
Stage 2
This program can be split into 3 parts, each one serving a specific
purpose. In this regard it is a lot like the 1 week intermediate program,
except that now instead of a volume day you have a whole volume
week, featuring 4 training sessions. So the parts and their purpose go
like this:
1. Volume week: Fatigue accumulation. This is like volume day in the
intermediate program, just for a whole week. The volume itself is
distributed over the week in such a way that you accumulate a
substantial amount of fatigue, but not go into overtraining. In the
long term such volume is unsustainable. This is called
overreaching and is specifically designed to beat you up. You will
feel rundown after the fourth training session in week 1, and that
is completely normal, it is supposed to be like this.
2. Deload. After finishing the fourth session you will have 2 days of
rest, an easy training session, and then another 2 days of rest.
This is the part where your body recovers from the stress received
during the week 1 and makes adaptations, thus you get stronger.
This is all done to ensure maximal performance on your 1rm test
day.
3. Realization. This is the 1rm test day. Here you test your maximum
results. After the test you have another 2 days of rest to make
sure that any excessive fatigue dissolves and you go into the next
cycle fresh and strong.
How to use it
The beginning.
Before starting to use this program it is useful to find out your 1rm (one
rep max) on both pull ups and dips. A one rep max is basically the
maximum weight with which you can do one rep of the exercise. In
order to find out your 1rm you can use two methods:
1. 1rm test. This is basically a training session where you try to
actually reach your 1rm. You start with a solid warm up, and then
proceed to the actual test. You do single reps and add weight until
you find the maximal weight you can do for one rep. This is your
1rm.
2. 1rm calculator. It is an online program which can calculate your
one rep max for you. They are tricky to use with weighted
calisthenics, but using the formula given in part 2 they become
quite reliable. Out of two options the first one is more precise.
But it also requires a whole training session, so it is really up to
you what to choose. Both options work in the end.
After you find out your 1rm you can calculate the weights you use in
your first cycle using the percentages given in the program.
How to warm up:
1. Before the session: basic fullbody warm up, 10 pull ups, 10 dips.
2. Before 3x3 and max attempts: you do 3 warm up sets: first one
with 35% of the goal weight for 5 reps, second with 60% for 3,
third with 85% for 2.
3. Before deload 2x5: one warm up set at 60% of the goal weight for
5 reps is enough here.
The next step.
This program is supposed to be run for at least 1 full year. Maybe this
will require a deload or two, but it is possible to run it for that long and
make great progress. If you are not able to add weight or reps for 3 full
cycles or more then it is time to move on to advanced programming.
Advancement stage 4: the advanced
This is the stage things begin to get complicated. If you are there
chances are you have been training for 3-4 years. Now you need to put
in a serious amount of effort to break just one personal record. So the
program for an advanced athlete needs to correspond to this. Now the
volume week has to become even harder to create enough stress in
order to trigger adaptation. You need even more fatigue accumulation.
Also a lot more accessory work needs to be included, because just
doing unmodified movements gets less effective over long periods of
time, you require different stimuli to get going. This is all present in the
advanced program.
You are most likely advanced if your results are:
Pull ups: 105kg 1rm or more
Dips: 140kg 1rm or more
Managing such results is difficult, let alone improving them. Yet, this is
exactly what we are going to do in the advanced program.
The advanced program
This program is essentially intermediate phase 2, but taken even
further. It features a 3 weeks cycle. The first week is
volume/overreaching week. It consists of 5 training sessions: 2 heavy
ones, 2 accessory ones and a deload. The second week is deload week.
It consists of 2 training sessions: a deload session and a preparatory
session to get you ready for the 1rm test. The third week is realization,
it features 2 sessions: a 1rm test and a preparatory session which gets
you ready for the next cycle. (BONUS: this is the actual program I am
running right now myself to improve my pull ups and dips The exercise
order is given in the way I run the program: dips then pull ups)
The program itself
Week 1: volume week
Training session 1 (Monday): heavy session
1. Weighted dips 3x3 (85% of 1rm)
1.1. Weighted dips 3x4-6 (70% of 1rm)
2. Weighted pull ups 3x3 (85% of 1rm)
2.2. Weighted pull ups 3x4-6 (70% of 1rm)
Training session 2 (Tuesday): accessory/form work
1. Double paused weighted dips (3 count in support and 3 count
at the bottom) 4x3 (60% of 1rm)
2. Double paused weighted pull ups (3 count in deadhang and 3
count at the top) 4x3 (55% of 1rm)
Training session 3 (Thursday): recovery session
1. Weighted dips 2x6 (50% of 1rm)
2. Weighted pull ups 2x6 (50% of 1rm)
Training session 4 (Friday): heavy session
1. Weighted dips 3x3 (85% of 1rm)
1.1. Weighted dips 3x4-6 (70% of 1rm)
2. Weighted pull ups 3x3 (85% of 1rm)
2.2. Weighted pull ups 3x4-6 (70% of 1rm)
Training session 5 (Sunday): accessory/form work
1. Double paused weighted dips (3 count in support and 3 count
at the bottom) 4x3 (60% of 1rm)
2. Double paused weighted pull ups (3 count in deadhang and 3
count at the top) 4x3 (55% of 1rm)
Week 2: recovery/preparation week
Training session 1 (Wednesday): deload session
1. Paused weighted dips 2x2 (80% of 1rm)
2. Deadstop explosive weighted pull ups 2x2 (80% of 1rm)
Training session 2 (Saturday): preparatory session
1. Paused weighted dips 3x1 (90% of 1rm)
2. Explosive weighted pull ups 3x1 (90% of 1rm)
Week 3: realization week
Training session 1 (Tuesday): 1rm tests
1. Weighted dips: 1rm test
1.1. Weighted paused dips: 1x3 (80% of 1rm)
2. Weighted pull ups: 1rm test
2.2. Weighted deadhang explosive pull ups 1x3 (80% of 1rm)
Training session 2 (Friday): preparation for the next cycle
1. Paused weighted dips 2x2 (80% of 1rm)
2. Deadstop explosive weighted pull ups 2x2 (80% of 1rm)
How to progress:
1. 3x3s. 3x3s are the engine of this program. They determine your
overall progression rate, specifically how much you add to your
1rm every cycle. 3x3s progress from heavy session to heavy
session, not from cycle to cycle. That means you add weight
during the volume week. 3x3s follow the same double progression
method, but this time a little bit differently. In this program you
won’t go for 4 reps, you are capped at 3. Instead you measure the
weight to add by the difficulty of the sets.
If all the sets in 3x3 were easy and you could have probably done
at least 1 more rep in each of the sets, then the next heavy
session you add 2,5kg.
If all the sets in 3x3 were okay, not really that hard, but definitely
not easy, and you had no reps left, then you add 1,25kg
If some or all sets of 3x3 were at your limit, or you did only 2 reps
in some sets then you add 0,5 kg.
And if in at least one set you did not manage to get 2 reps then
you deload the exercise you failed in. This means reducing the
weight by 5-10% and progressing from there.
2. Monday’s and Friday’s 3x4-6s. You add weight according to the
lowest number of reps you did in any of the sets.
6 reps => +2,5kg
5 reps => +1,25kg
4 reps => +0,5kg
3 reps => +0,5kg
3. Maxes. Your progress on the 1rm is the sum of your progress on
3x3s during the cycle. For example, If on the first heavy session of
the week 1 you managed to add 1,25kg to both dips and pull ups,
and on the second one 1,25kg on dips but only 0,5kg to pull ups,
then you add 2,5kg to your 1rm on dips and 1,75kg to your 1rm
on pull ups.
4. Deload 2x2s. It is the same as with maxes. Your progress on the
2x2 is the sum of your progress on 3x3s during the cycle. For
example, If on the first heavy session of the week 1 you managed
to add 1,25kg to both dips and pull ups, and on the second one
1,25kg on dips but only 0,5kg to pull ups, then you add 2,5kg to
your 2x2 on dips and 1,75kg to your 1rm on pull ups.
5. Accessory 4x3s. They use the same method as the 3x3s but
progress separately from them.
If all the sets in 4x3 were easy and you could have probably done
at least 1 more rep in each of the sets, then the next heavy
session you add 2,5kg.
If all the sets in 4x3 were okay, not really that hard, but definitely
not easy, and you had no reps left, then you add 1,25kg
If some or all sets of 3x3 were at your limit, or you did only 4 reps
in some sets then you add 0,5 kg.
And if in at least one set you did not manage to get 3 reps then
you deload the exercise you failed in. This means reducing the
weight by 5-10% and progressing from there.
How it works
This program can be split into 3 parts, each one serving a specific
purpose. In this regard it is a lot like the intermediate programs, except
that now you have a whole 3 weeks long cycle, with each of the weeks
dedicated to its purpose. So the parts go like this:
1. Volume week: Fatigue accumulation. This is like volume day in the
intermediate program, just for a whole week. The volume itself is
distributed over the week in such a way that you accumulate a
substantial amount of fatigue, but not go into overtraining. In the
long term such volume is unsustainable. This is called
overreaching and is specifically designed to beat you up. You will
feel rundown after the fifth training session in week 1, even more
so than on the intermediate phase 2 and that is completely
normal, it is supposed to be like this.
2. Deload. After finishing the fourth session you will have a whole
deload week. This is the part where your body recovers from the
stress received during the week 1 and makes adaptations, thus
you get stronger. This week also features a preparatory singles
training session. This is all done to ensure maximal performance
on your 1rm test day.
3. Realization. This is the 1rm test day. Here you test your maximum
results. After the test you have another deload session to make
sure that any excessive fatigue dissolves and you go into the next
cycle fresh and strong.
How to use it
The beginning.
If you are trying to run this program, then I assume that you have at
least some experience with the intermediate one. If not, then go back
to it, it has much to offer. I also assume that you already know your
1rm. If that is also not the case then I once more advice you to go back
to the intermediate part of the course, there I describe what is your 1
rep max and how you can find out your personal 1rm. With that out of
the way, all the starting weights are in the program, use them for your
first cycle. But just as in the intermediate program, your further
progression won’t really depend on percentages. The program fits to
your personal features as you run it, so it is a good thing.
How to warm up:
1. Before the session: basic fullbody warm up, 10 pull ups, 10 dips.
2. Before 3x3s, max attempts and deload 2x2s or 2x3s: you do 3
warm up sets: first one with 35% of the goal weight for 5 reps,
second with 60% for 3, third with 85% for 2.
3. Before accessory 4x3s: you do 2 warm up sets: the first one with
50% of the goal weight for 5 reps, the second one with 75% for 4
reps.
4. Before deload 2x6s: 1 warm up set with 60% of the working
weight for 6 reps
The next step
This is where the programming of this course ends. I have not reached
this stage myself yet. When I do I will update the course with a more
advanced program, from my current experience I think that it will be
some type of block periodization scheme. But for now don’t worry too
much about what’s next. Work on what you have right now!
Part 3: making everything work
I have already covered programming, the most important part of this
course and training for strength in general. However, it is not enough to
just give you the programs. You also need to make some adjustments
to your life in general to make things work. And also a critical point is to
outline how you can add other things to the presented programs and
not break their structure, fatigue management and efficiency. This
section of the course is devoted to specifically these two things.
Adding other exercises
All the programs listed here are just templates, and have room for
other things to be added. For example, you can add leg training to train
your whole body, or do some skill work to get better at calisthenics. But
you have to do it right in order not to mess up your basics and the
whole structure of the program. In order to succeed in this we need to
answer three questions. 1: What are we going to add? 2: How much of
it? 3: Where to place it in a program? Let’s figure this out!
What to add?
Option 1: Legs. In order to cover all leg training you really need only
one exercise: squats. Barbell back squat is unarguably the best and the
most complete leg exercise there is, so stick to it. There Is an exception
though: on many competitions you are required to do pistol squats
instead of barbell squats. So the perfect option is to train them both.
But the problem with this is that leg training is really taxing on your
recovery. So if you add both you need to manage them right.
Option 2: One arm pull ups. I would consider this more as a basic
exercise than a part of skill work. One arm pull ups have to be heavily
prioritized in order to make serious progress but do not really tax your
recovery abilities that much. And also they can fatigue you and reduce
your pull up results if you do too much right before. So they also need
to be managed.
Option 3. Muscle ups. They are basically the same as one arm pull ups,
except that they are a bit easier. But there are also weighted muscle
ups… So they also need good management in order for everything to
work well.
Option 4: skill work. This is the easiest of all to add, because skill work
does not exhaust your recovery a lot (as long as you don’t do too much)
and it can be done after basics to avoid your pull up and dip results to
lower because of the fatigue.
Option 5: Bodybuilding exercises. This one is the most useless of them
all, so I personally don’t recommend adding this at all. You will build a
good looking body just by doing pull ups and dips. But if you really want
to add bodybuilding exercises then no one is stopping you, but you still
have to manage it right.
Option 6: Endurance work. I do not recommend to add this to any
program at all because of three reasons. First: It affects your recovery
even harder than leg training. You will simply not be able to recover in
time after an endurance session. Second: it can cause direct harm to
your strength results because of your nervous system. It works like this:
while working with weights you develop a habit for weighted
calisthenics. The intensity of the exercises gets imprinted into your
nervous system, and if you try bodyweight pull ups or dips after a long
time of only weighted work you will be surprised how light your own
bodyweight feels. But this also works in reverse. After an intense
endurance session your regular weights will most likely feel much
heavier, and you will lose some strength. This is what we want to avoid
at all costs. And the third reason is that you actually improve your
endurance by doing strength work. You get stronger, thus unweighted
basics get easier for you, thus you can do more. So in conclusion: just
don’t train endurance if your main goal is to improve weighted
calisthenics results. This is simply suboptimal.
Option 7: Core training. This is no problem to add at all.
How much to add?
Legs:
In novice program.
Just add 1 sets of 4-6 reps of back squat and 1 set of 4-6 pistol squats
and progress the weight on them in the same fashion as you do in your
basic work. 1 set will be enough to make progress as long as you add
weight, and it will not tax your recovery to the point where you fail to
progress your basics. And I also do not recommend to go for high reps
on pistol squats. This is heavy on recovery, so better stick to 4-6 reps
but weighted. After all, if you achieve good results with weight for 4-6
reps you will definitely be able to do a lot of reps without added
weight.
In advanced novice program:
2 sets of back squats and 1 sets of pistols for 4-6 reps with the same
weight progression on heavy days. Do not add legs to deload sessions:
this will kill your recovery, except maybe for 1-2 very light sets of
squats.
In intermediate program: 2 sets of back squats and 1 set of pistols for 46 reps on with the same weight progression on volume day, 1 set of
each on max day. Do not add legs to deload sessions: this will kill your
recovery, except maybe for 1-2 very light sets of squats.
In advanced program: 2 sets of back squats and 1 sets of pistols for 4-6
reps with the same weight progression on heavy days, 1 set of each on
max day. Do not add legs to deload sessions: this will kill your recovery,
except maybe for 1-2 very light sets of squats.
One arm pull ups:
No more than 10 sets of weighted singles or 4 sets of reps/assisted OAP
work on full sessions, and on deload sessions do some light
single/double work. OAPs need deloading too.
Muscle ups:
Same as one arm pull ups. No more than 10 sets of weighted singles or
4 sets of reps on full sessions, on deload sessions do some light work
for 3-5 explosive reps. Muscle ups need deloading too.
Skill work: 3-5 sets for a skill on heavy sessions, no more than 2 skills on
one session. Avoid doing skill work on deloads.
Bodybuilding exercises:
No more than 2 exercises for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, only on heavy
sessions.
Core training:
3-4 sets will be enough.
And in general, do not add more than 2 things to a single session. This
will overload your recovery abilities. So choose two options out of the
list for a single session and work on them. You can switch things up
from session to session if you want to progress bit by bit on everything,
or you might choose 2 options and stick just to them if you want to
focus on those.
Where in the program to add?
Things to add BEFORE basics:
1. One arm pull ups (weighted and bodyweight)
2. Weighted muscle ups
3. Hard skill work (as long as you do not get fatigued)
Things to add AFTER basics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Leg training
Bodyweight muscle ups
Light and medium skill work
Bodybuilding assistance
Core training
General advice
Here I suggest tips and advice to optimize your whole lifestyle to
improve your results in training and feel better in general. These are
the things I do myself to improve faster.
What to do:
1. Sleep well. This is the single most important tip I can give you to
improve recovery. At least 8 hours of quality sleep is a must for
every human. This is necessary not only for improving training
performance, but also to improve the quality of your life in
general. You can improve the quality of your sleep by 1. Making
the bedroom as dark as possible during the sleep hours. 2.
Eliminating all the noise around or using ear plugs. 3. Ensuring
that the temperature in the bedroom is optimal for you.
2. Eat well. Your goal with nutrition is to stay between 10 and 15%
bf. This is where you get the best results with weighted
calisthenics. If your bf is higher then you have to lift your
excessive weight aside of the additional kilos you work so hard
for. On the other hand, getting leaner than 10% bf might cause
performance drops, so 10-15% is the best place to be. So your diet
needs to be based on your bf level. If you are above 15% then set
up a diet with around 250-350 ccal deficit, no more, and get
leaner. If you are below 10% bf then you can bulk up a little,
eating the same 250-350 ccal but this time in surplus. And if you
are between 10 and 15% bf then you can just maintain.
Additionally, make sure to cover your protein needs on a daily
basis and eat clean in general, this will make you feel better, and,
as a result, perform better.
3. Learn to meditate. This has so many benefits that I will not go into
them here. When it comes to training it can help you in two areas:
1. Improving focus during sessions. 2. Eliminating stress.
Meditation has helped me a ton during my journey, so I have to
mention it here.
4. Eliminate stress. Your stress levels directly affect your nervous
system and its ability to cope with things. So if your nervous
system is overloaded and you are trying to improve your results
this isn’t going to end well. Learn to relieve stress without drugs,
alcohol and other harmful things.
What NOT to do:
1. Train outside the plan. This is a very common problem with
beginners in calisthenics: they want to cover everything and start
running several programs at once without any knowledge about
recovery, fatigue management and strength training in general. As
a results one of three things can happen: 1. They stall and don’t
make any progress, or progress at a very slow pace. 2. They get
overtrained, burn out and quit after a couple of months. 3. They
get injured. You don’t want any of that, right? If you don’t then
just stick to the program you compiled for yourself and do NOT
train outside the plan. Sometimes proper rest days are even more
important than training days.
What you can do on rest days:
1. Live a full active life. Walk, run, swim, etc. This is fine.
2. Try some skills AS LONG AS YOU DON’T GET FATIGUED!
What you can’t do on rest days:
1. Get fatigued. By this I mean substantial training outside the
plan. Do not try to fit endurance and skill sessions into rest
days, this will burn you out.
2. Get too tired. This is almost the same as being fatigued. Just
avoid excessive physical stress on rest days and you will be
fine.
2. Get drunk, smoke or party all night long. I think it is obvious why you
should not do it: It harms your body and makes you weaker and less
healthy in general.
3. Worry too much about your results. This also creates unnecessary
stress for your nervous system, and can seriously affect your level of
readiness.
The conclusion
Now you have everything necessary to become the strongest
streetlifter in the world. But as you go further and further I want you
to remember one thing. Enjoy what you are doing. This is all that
matters. If you don’t have the best conditions or genetics, but have
true passion for what you do you will become better than any most
talented person in the world. Let the passion be your engine,
because without it nothing extraordinary will happen. But if you
have it then everything is possible.
Good luck!
-Matvey “Mathewzlat” Zlatoverkhovnikov