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Bodyweight Progressions Textbook

A free, self-paced textbook in 7 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 100 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.

7 chapters · 100 cards · Updated

Chapters

  1. 1Foundations of Bodyweight Training

    Calisthenics is a form of bodyweight training that uses exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and dips to build strength, flexibility, and body control without external weight...

  2. 2Push-Up Progressions and Pushing Strength

    The standard push-up is the foundation of pushing strength in calisthenics. It is performed with hands shoulder-width apart and the body held in a straight line from head to heels....

  3. 3Pull-Up Progressions and Pulling Strength

    The foundation of all pulling movements is the dead hang: hanging from a pull-up bar with arms fully extended. Builds grip strength, decompresses the spine, and improves shoulder m...

  4. 4Lower Body Progressions

    The bodyweight squat is the foundation of lower body training. It involves lowering the hips until the thighs are parallel to the ground or below, then standing back up. The primar...

  5. 5Handstand Skills and Balance

    The handstand is one of the foundational skills of bodyweight training, and the wall handstand is the typical entry point. It involves kicking up or walking up into a handstand usi...

  6. 6Static Holds: Levers, Planche, and Isometrics

    The front lever is an isometric hold where the body is held horizontally face-up while hanging from a bar. It requires extreme lat, core, and posterior chain strength, with the bod...

  7. 7Equipment, Mobility, and Injury Prevention

    Gymnastic rings are suspended circular handles that add instability to exercises. This instability recruits more stabilizer muscles, increases difficulty, and develops superior upp...

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