30 calisthenics goals in order, from first push-ups to a muscle-up

Calisthenics goals for beginners

Beginner goals build the base every later skill stands on.

• Do 10 push-ups in a row.
• Do 20 squats in a row.
• Hang from a bar for 30 seconds.
• Hold a plank for 60 seconds.
• Do 10 rows under a low bar.

Pulling goals

Pulling goals run from the first pull-up to the muscle-up. Several of them also appear in CrossFit goals, where they are done for speed.

• Do your first pull-up.
• Do 5 pull-ups in a row.
• Do 10 pull-ups in a row.
• Pull your chest to the bar for 5 reps.
• Do your first muscle-up.

Pushing goals

Pushing goals start on the floor and end upside down.

• Do 25 push-ups in a row.
• Do 10 dips on parallel bars.
• Do 5 pike push-ups.
• Hold a handstand against a wall for 30 seconds.
• Do one handstand push-up against a wall.

Leg and core goals

Leg and core goals are the ones people skip, which is why they make good goals.

• Do 50 squats in a row.
• Do a single-leg squat on each side.
• Do 10 hanging leg raises.
• Hold an L-sit for 10 seconds.
• Hold a hollow body position for 60 seconds.

Calisthenics skill goals

Skill goals are holds and balances, and they take patience more than strength. Most of them come straight from the gym floor, so gymnastics goals cover the same ground.

• Hold a frog stand for 20 seconds.
• Hold a free handstand for 10 seconds.
• Hold a tucked front lever for 10 seconds.
• Hold a tucked planche for 5 seconds.
• Hold a full front lever for 3 seconds.

30 day calisthenics challenges

A 30 day challenge suits calisthenics, because you need no gym and the count is simple.

• Train on 20 days out of 30.
• Do 300 pull-ups in 30 days.
• Do 100 squats a day for 30 days.
• Hang from a bar every day for 30 days, adding 2 seconds each time.
• Practise handstands 5 minutes a day for 30 days.

What is a good calisthenics goal?

A good calisthenics goal is one move with a clear pass mark: 10 pull-ups, a 30 second handstand. A review of 35 years of goal research found that specific, hard goals lead to higher performance than being told to do your best, and it is hard to be more specific than a move you can or cannot do.

The order matters more than the ambition. A muscle-up sits on top of pull-ups and dips. A handstand push-up sits on top of a handstand. Pick the next goal you cannot do yet, not the one that looks best.

Each big skill also has steps inside it. A first pull-up goes from a hang, to lowering yourself slowly, to the full rep. Breaking a goal into smaller ones is how every skill on this list gets learned.

How to track calisthenics goals

Write down your reps and holds after each session. A review of 138 studies found that people who monitored their progress reached their goals more often, and that recording it beat keeping it in your head.

Total reps are an amount: 300 pull-ups in a month adds up one set at a time. Training days are a day count. Most 30 day challenge ideas work that second way.

Skills arrive suddenly after weeks of nothing, which makes the weeks feel wasted. A picture that fills up with every session shows they were not.

Frequently asked questions

What are good calisthenics goals for beginners?

10 push-ups, 20 squats, a 30 second hang and a 60 second plank. When you can do all four, the first pull-up is the natural next goal.

In what order should I learn calisthenics skills?

Basics first, then pull-ups and dips, then harder versions like the muscle-up and the handstand push-up. Holds like the front lever and the planche come last, because they need the strength the earlier goals build.

How should I count progress toward a first pull-up?

Count the steps before it. Seconds hanging from the bar and slow lowers from the top are both things you can log and improve, long before the full rep arrives.