MON – PUSH + CORE • Pike HSPU 4×5 • Ring Dips 4×6‑8 • Archer Push‑up 3×4/side • L‑sit 4×10‑15 s • Hollow Hold 3×30‑45 s • EMOM Burpees 5 reps
FRI – FULL‑BODY SKILL • Muscle‑up (or transition) 4×3‑5 • Handstand Walk 5 × 5 m (or wall hold 30 s) • Burpee Sprint 5×20 m • Dragon Flag 3×3‑5 • Grip Farmer’s Carry 3×30 s leo wang calisthenics program pdf
Feel free to copy the sections you need, adapt the rep schemes to your own level, and print or save the text for quick reference during your training. | Principle | What It Means for You | |-----------|-----------------------| | Progressive Overload | Gradually increase difficulty (more reps, added weight, harder variations). | | Skill‑Based Training | Focus on movement quality and mastering progressions before piling on volume. | | Full‑Body Balance | Train push, pull, hinge, squat, core, and mobility each week to avoid imbalances. | | Frequency Over Intensity | 4–5 sessions per week, each 45–75 min, keeps neuromuscular adaptations high without over‑training. | | Simplicity & Consistency | Minimal equipment (pull‑up bar, dip bars, parallel bars, optional resistance bands or weighted vest). | 2. Weekly Layout (4‑Day Split) | Day | Focus | Primary Movements | Secondary/Accessory | |-----|-------|-------------------|----------------------| | Monday | Push & Core | 1️⃣ Handstand Push‑up / Pike Push‑up 2️⃣ Dips (ring or bar) 3️⃣ Incline/Decline Push‑ups | Hollow body holds, L‑sit progressions | | Tuesday | Pull & Mobility | 1️⃣ Pull‑ups / Chin‑ups 2️⃣ Australian rows 3️⃣ Front‑lever / Tuck‑lever holds | Scapular retractions, band pull‑apart, thoracic extensions | | Thursday | Legs & Hip Dominant | 1️⃣ Pistol squat / Assisted pistol 2️⃣ Shrimp squat 3️⃣ Nordic ham curl or Glute‑ham raise | Calf raises, Cossack squats, hip‑flexor mobility | | Friday | Full‑Body Conditioning & Skill | 1️⃣ Muscle‑up (or transition practice) 2️⃣ Handstand walk or wall‑handstand 3️⃣ Burpees / Sprints (conditioning) | Core circuit (dragon flags, windshield wipers), grip work | Notes • Rest 60‑90 s between sets for strength work; 30‑45 s for conditioning/skill drills. • Use a “ladder” progression for each main lift: start with 3 × 5, move to 4 × 6, then 5 × 8 before adding weight or a harder variation. • Every 4‑6 weeks, deload by reducing volume 20 % or swapping a hard skill day for a mobility‑only day. 3. Exercise Progression Trees 3.1 Push‑Side Push‑up → Elevated push‑up → Decline push‑up → Ring push‑up → Archer push‑up → One‑arm push‑up → Handstand push‑up (pike → full) 3.2 Pull‑Side Australian row → Body‑row (feet elevated) → Pull‑up (strict) → Chest‑to‑bar pull‑up → Weighted pull‑up → Front‑lever (tuck → advanced tuck → straddle → full) 3.3 Leg‑Side Box squat → Bulgarian split squat → Assisted pistol → Pistol squat → Weighted pistol 3.4 Core Plank → Hollow body hold → L‑sit → V‑sit → Front lever tuck → advanced front lever 4. Sample Session (Monday – Push & Core) | Set | Exercise | Reps / Hold | Notes | |-----|----------|-------------|-------| | A | Pike Handstand Push‑up | 4 × 5 | Use a wall for balance if needed. | | B | Ring Dips | 4 × 6–8 | Add a dip belt once you can do 8 clean reps. | | C | Archer Push‑up | 3 × 4 each side | Focus on a deep stretch on the supporting arm. | | D | L‑sit on parallel bars | 4 × 10‑15 s | Progress with a tucked L‑sit → full L‑sit. | | E | Hollow Body Hold | 3 × 30‑45 s | Keep lower back pressed to the floor. | | Finisher | 3‑Round EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) – 5 × Burpees | 3 min total | Keeps heart rate up, builds conditioning. | 5. Tracking & Progress Metrics | Metric | How to Measure | Target Frequency | |--------|----------------|-------------------| | Max Rep / Weighted Load | Record the highest rep count or added weight for each main lift (e.g., weighted pull‑ups, weighted dips). | Every 4 weeks | | Skill Holds | Time (seconds) for handstand, front‑lever, planche‑lean, etc. | Every session (note improvements). | | Mobility Test | Deep squat depth, shoulder dislocates, thoracic rotation range. | Weekly | | Body Composition | Weight, body‑fat % (optional scale or calipers). | Monthly | 6. Nutrition Snapshot (to support calisthenics) | Goal | Daily Guideline | |------|-----------------| | Protein | 1.6 – 2.2 g / kg body weight (e.g., 140 g for a 70 kg athlete). | | Calories | Slight surplus (+200 kcal) for strength gains, slight deficit (‑200 kcal) if aiming to cut while preserving strength. | | Hydration | 2.5 – 3 L water + electrolytes on heavy training days. | | Meal Timing | Protein + carbs within 2 h post‑workout (e.g., whey + fruit, or chicken rice). | 7. Common Pitfalls & Fixes | Pitfall | Why It Happens | Simple Fix | |---------|----------------|------------| | Stalling on Pull‑ups | Over‑reliance on momentum, insufficient scapular control. | Add scapular pull‑ups and band‑assisted negatives. | | Knee Pain on Pistols | Poor ankle mobility or weak hip extensors. | Daily ankle dorsiflexion stretches + glute bridges. | | Handstand Wobble | Lack of core stability and shoulder external rotation. | Practice wall‑handstand holds + band‑external‑rotation drills. | | Plateau in Volume | Same rep scheme for months. | Use “wave loading”: 5‑4‑5‑4‑6 reps with small weight jumps. | | Skipping Mobility | Rushing to harder skills. | Schedule 10 min mobility after every warm‑up (spine, shoulders, hips). | 8. Quick Reference Cheat Sheet (Printable) ────────────────────────────────────────────── LEO WANG CALISTHENICS PROGRAM – QUICK CHEAT ────────────────────────────────────────────── MON – PUSH + CORE • Pike HSPU
THU – LEGS • Assisted Pistol 4×5 each leg • Shrimp Squat 3×6 each leg • Nordic Ham Curl 3×4‑6 • Calf Raise 4×12‑15 • Cossack Squat 3×10 each side | | Full‑Body Balance | Train push, pull,
PROGRESSION RULE ✔︎ Master a step → add +1 rep or move to harder variant. ✔︎ Every 4‑6 wk → test max reps/hold, deload if needed.
MOBILITY DAILY (10 min) • Cat‑Cow 2 × 10 • Shoulder dislocates (PVC) 2 × 15 • Ankle dorsiflexion stretch 2 × 30 s/leg • Hip‑flexor lunge 2 × 30 s/leg
NUTRITION QUICK • Protein 1.8 g/kg • +200 kcal (strength) / –200 kcal (cut) • Hydrate 3 L water