The push-up is not just a chest exercise. When done correctly, it's a full body exercise requiring core stability, shoulder health, and body awareness. Master this before anything else.

1. Get into position: Place both hands on the floor, slightly wider than your shoulders. Fingers spread wide, pointing forward (or very slightly outward).
2. Set your body: Extend both legs behind you. Balance on your hands and the balls of your feet. Your body should form a straight diagonal line — head, shoulders, hips, knees, heels all in one line. Imagine you are a plank of wood.
3. Brace your core: Tighten your stomach muscles as if someone is about to punch you. Squeeze your glutes. This keeps your body from sagging.
4. Descend: Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor. Elbows should angle at about 45° from your body — not flared out wide like a T, and not glued to your sides.
5. Touch: Your chest touches (or comes very close to) the floor. Your hips stay level — do not let them drop or pike up.
6. Push up: Press through your palms and push the floor away. Extend your arms fully at the top. That is 1 rep.

1. Get into push-up position but place your hands close together directly under your chest.
2. Touch your index fingers and thumbs together to form a diamond shape.
3. Lower your chest toward your hands. Your elbows will flare out slightly to the sides — this is normal for this variation.
4. Press back up. Feel the back of your upper arms (triceps) working hard.

The archer push-up transfers most of your bodyweight onto one arm while the other arm assists. It's the primary step on the road to the one-arm push-up.

1. Start in a wide push-up position — hands much further apart than normal, roughly 2× shoulder width.
2. Shift your weight to your right side and bend only your right elbow. Your right arm does the work.
3. Your left arm stays straight — it points out to the side like a bow being drawn. It provides minimal support.
4. Lower until your right elbow is bent roughly 90°, then push back up through your right side.
5. Come back to the wide starting position, then shift to the left and repeat.
6. That is 1 rep per side. Complete your target reps each side.

1. Start in a downward dog position — hips high, forming an inverted V.
2. Bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward the floor between your hands.
3. Your elbows point back and out — not flared forward.
4. Push back up to the starting inverted V position.
5. The more vertical your body (hips directly over hands), the harder the shoulder load. Progress toward a wall-supported handstand push-up over time.

1. Sit on the edge of a chair, sofa, or sturdy box. Place your hands on the edge, fingers pointing forward.
2. Slide your hips forward off the seat. Your legs are extended out in front, heels on the floor.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your hips toward the floor. Elbows stay close to your body — they should point backward, not outward.
4. Lower until your upper arms are roughly parallel to the floor (elbows at 90°).
5. Push back up through your hands until arms are straight. That's 1 rep.

The pull-up is the upper body squat. It builds a wide, strong back, powerful biceps, and real grip strength. It's hard for beginners — but the progression is clear.

1. Hang: Jump up and grip the bar with both hands, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Palms face away from you (overhand/pronated grip). Arms fully extended. This is a "dead hang."
2. Engage: Before pulling, depress your shoulders — imagine trying to put your shoulder blades in your back pockets. This engages your lats and protects your shoulder joints.
3. Pull: Drive your elbows down and back — imagine trying to touch your elbows to your hips. Your chest rises toward the bar.
4. Top: Your chin clears the bar. Hold 1 second if possible.
5. Lower: Control your descent. Take 2–3 seconds to lower back to the dead hang. Do not just drop.
6. That is 1 repetition.

This is the perfect pulling exercise for anyone who can't do pull-ups yet. Same muscles, adjustable difficulty, no bar height required.

1. Find a sturdy table, bar, or TRX strap set to waist height. Lie underneath it.
2. Grip the bar or rings with both hands, palms facing away (overhand) or toward you (underhand — easier).
3. Walk your feet forward until your body is at an angle. Straighten your legs and lift your hips so your body is a diagonal plank.
4. Pull your chest up to the bar. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top.
5. Lower slowly until arms are fully extended. That's 1 rep.

Humans are designed to squat. Every child squats perfectly before they learn to use chairs. The goal is to reclaim that natural range of motion.

1. Setup: Stand with feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Toes can point slightly outward — 15–30°. Experiment to find what feels natural for your hip structure.
2. Hold arms: Extend your arms in front of you for balance. Or cross them over your chest.
3. Initiate: Push your hips back and down simultaneously — as if sitting into a chair behind you. This is a hip hinge plus a knee bend combined.
4. Depth: Keep going until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Work toward getting your hip crease below your kneecap over time.
5. Check: Throughout, your knees should track over your toes — not cave inward. Your chest stays upright — don't fold forward. Heels stay on the floor.
6. Stand: Drive through your whole foot to stand. Squeeze your glutes at the top.

1. Start in squat position — feet shoulder-width, toes out slightly.
2. Descend into a squat — thighs parallel to the floor or below.
3. Explosively push through your whole foot and launch yourself off the ground. Aim for maximum height.
4. Land softly — toes first, then heel. Let your knees bend to absorb the impact. Never land with straight legs.
5. Immediately descend into the next squat. The landing feeds into the next rep.

The pistol squat is one of the most impressive calisthenics skills. It requires quad strength, hip mobility, ankle flexibility, and balance — all at once. Work the progressions.

1. Stand on your right foot. Extend your left leg forward, foot off the ground.
2. Extend both arms forward for counterbalance.
3. Slowly bend your right knee and lower your hips — as if doing a single-leg squat onto an invisible chair.
4. Keep your left leg extended in front of you throughout the descent.
5. Go all the way down until your right hip is below your right knee (full depth).
6. Drive through your right heel to stand back up. That's 1 rep.

Research shows Nordic curls reduce hamstring injury risk by over 50%. They are brutally effective. Virtually everyone finds these difficult at first — even elite athletes struggle with 3–4 reps initially.

1. Kneel on a mat or folded towel. Your ankles need to be anchored — tuck them under a sofa, have a partner hold them, or hook them under a bed frame.
2. Fold your arms across your chest. Body upright, kneeling.
3. Slowly lean your body forward, keeping your hips extended and body in a straight line from knee to head.
4. Your hamstrings resist gravity. Lower as slowly as you can.
5. When you can no longer hold yourself, let your hands come out to catch the floor — like a slow controlled fall.
6. Use your hands to push yourself back up to the starting position.
7. That is 1 rep. Start with 3–4 reps. Build over weeks.

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips or held out for balance.
2. Step your right foot back about 2–3 feet. Lower your right knee toward the floor.
3. Front knee (left) stays above your left ankle — not drifting forward.
4. Lower until your right knee is an inch from the floor.
5. Push through your left (front) foot to return to standing.
6. Repeat with the left leg stepping back.

1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
2. Extend your right leg straight up toward the ceiling (or extend it forward parallel to the floor).
3. Press through your left foot and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from left knee to shoulder.
4. At the top, squeeze your left glute hard. Hold for 1–2 seconds.
5. Lower back down with control. That's 1 rep.
6. Complete all reps on one side before switching.