For a while now, I’ve been working on improving my weighted exercises during training—weighted dips, muscle-ups, squats, and pull-ups with added weight. It’s a really rewarding challenge and a well-rounded training method that keeps me motivated to push myself to the limit.

I’ve been sharing my workouts on social media, and one of the recurring comments I’ve gotten from Streetlifters (the specialists in weighted calisthenics) when they saw me doing pull-ups was to try loosening the chain so that the weight plates hang lower—around foot or ankle level.

At first, I didn’t really get why they were so insistent about this… until I tried it.

See, when I first started training weighted pull-ups, I would usually position the plates around knee height. It’s a comfortable setup and doesn’t cause many problems, so I didn’t give it much thought.

But here’s the thing—once you’re approaching your limit and feel like you’re not going to have enough strength to finish the rep, it’s common to instinctively bend your knees to help yourself get through the sticking point. That movement can get you over the hump and finish the rep, but of course, it’s no longer a strict pull-up and wouldn’t be valid under competition rules.

And this is where the key detail comes in: if you position the plates at your feet, you can grip them and use your legs to assist without bending your knees, keeping the pull-up strict and valid. And the difference is huge—I actually hit a new 1RM record the first day I tried this technique.

When you’re holding the plates tightly between your feet and hit that sticking point where it feels like you’re not going to make it, all you need to do is push forward slightly with your feet. No knee bend—just a bit of hip flexion. The weight of the plates will make the movement subtle, but it will give you just enough assistance to complete the rep.

From the moment I started trying this technique during my warm-up and ramp-up sets, I could already feel the boost in performance. That’s why I thought anyone training weighted pull-ups should definitely know about this little tip and give it a shot.

If you're looking to train weighted pull-ups or weighted calisthenics in general, I recommend checking out the weighted sessions we have available on 

Leg Drive in Weighted Pull-Ups: Instantly Boost Your Performance

Daniels Laizans is one of the greatest legends in calisthenics history—an athlete who defined an era, created his own style that influenced countless athletes, and won numerous championships at all levels, including multiple world titles.

But in recent years, he has been surprising us not for his competitive achievements, but for his incredible physical transformation.

How is it possible that Daniels has undergone such a change? What has he done to achieve it? Could it have happened naturally, or is there a chance he took shortcuts?

To clear up these questions, we can look at some clues, and the first one is analyzing his training.

Luckily, Daniels has been frequently uploading workout vlogs to his YouTube channel, allowing us to examine his routines and training approach.

When we've talked about hypertrophy in our articles and social media content—analyzing scientific evidence and the experience of top coaches—one thing has always been clear, something we've repeated more than once:

To gain muscle mass, you need to give your muscles a stimulus close to muscle failure, with a set volume that ensures that stimulus reaches all muscle fibers.

This is probably the biggest mistake people make when trying to build muscle and failing—they don't push their sets hard enough and don’t come close to muscle failure.

So, what about Daniels? If we analyze his training over the last few years, we see that he consistently uses basic calisthenics exercises, often adding extra weight, and, without a doubt, he ALWAYS pushes close to failure.

In his videos, we can see how he struggles at the end of each set. It's evident that he's reaching his limit. There’s always that element of effort—the fight that pushes each muscle to its maximum capacity and provides the hypertrophy stimulus it needs.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that, as a verified calisthenics athlete, he maintains very strict and clean technique, using a full range of motion and sometimes even extending it beyond the standard range.

One key aspect of his physical transformation—something that many people commenting on it might not consider—is that Daniels does not train legs. Ever.

He has never been seen doing leg exercises, nor has he shown his leg musculature. This means that all of his training effort is focused on improving his upper body.

Whereas someone who trains their whole body typically dedicates at least one or two days a week to leg training—usually with a high set volume—Laizans can use that time to focus exclusively on his upper body. This allows him to space out his workouts more effectively, give his muscles better recovery, add extra sets, or train with greater specificity.

If we look at his progress over time, we see a very gradual increase in muscle mass during his early years when he focused primarily on freestyle—from 2015 to 2019.

A crucial detail to consider is that in 2015, Laizans was only 15 years old. So, this transformation is not just about muscle development—we've seen him transition from a teenager into a grown man.

The most striking physical transformations often use "before" pictures from adolescence, making the change look much more dramatic.

It’s also important to note that during his competitive years, from ages 15 to 19, even as a teenager, Laizans was already taller and more muscular than most of his competitors. By 2017, at just 17 years old, he was 1.80 meters tall and weighed 80 kg, even though his physique was not yet fully developed.

This shows that his starting point and genetics were strong advantages.

Between 2020 and 2021, we had little information about his condition due to the lockdowns. However, in 2022, he started showcasing a training style that combined freestyle with hypertrophy-focused exercises using basic and weighted calisthenics.

That’s when the most dramatic transformation occurred. By 2023, he had shifted his focus more towards hypertrophy training, gaining a significant amount of muscle mass while maintaining an extremely low body fat percentage.

Since then, his body fat has increased slightly, but he has continued gaining muscle mass. This suggests that he has been following what we call a "calisthenic bulking" approach—meaning a bulk where excessive fat gain is avoided to ensure performance in bodyweight exercises is not hindered.

The only missing piece of information is his current weight, which would give us a more objective measure of his progress. Unfortunately, I haven’t found this information anywhere, so we can only speculate on that aspect.

Has He Used Performance-Enhancing Substances?

Based on this analysis, we can now have a more informed perspective on whether he has used performance-enhancing substances or not.

Arguments in favor of his natural status:

He started his journey as a 15-year-old teenager, and he had excellent genetics from the beginning—being tall, broad-shouldered, with a narrow waist and a massive back.

The most drastic change occurred precisely when he started training specifically for hypertrophy. As we’ve seen, his training approach is optimal for this goal. He had already built a strong foundation, and at that point, he maximized it.

He doesn’t train legs—so all his energy is dedicated to achieving extraordinary results in his upper body.

The most suspicious aspect against his natural status:

The transformation from 2022 to 2023 was quite dramatic, showing a significant muscle increase along with an incredibly low body fat percentage.

If I had to take a stance, I’d say he is natural. He’s simply someone with exceptional genetics, who built a solid foundation from ages 15 to 22, and then started training for hypertrophy with weighted calisthenics at an optimal intensity using well-structured workouts.

As we’ve mentioned before, statistically, there must be individuals who are outliers—just like there are people who are 2.20 meters tall. And if anyone in the calisthenics world had those genetics working in their favor, it was Daniels.

When I met him in person in 2017, I remember that even back then, he stood out as a broad, muscular guy. Everyone in Tenerife would comment on how big and strong he looked. At that time, he was only 17, and his training was based on freestyle, statics, dynamics, and some basics. So, it doesn’t seem surprising to me that when he decided to focus on hypertrophy, he achieved such a striking transformation.

If you also want to train for hypertrophy in the most effective way, I recommend checking out the EVO training programs and routines available in 

Can You Achieve a Natural Body Transformation with Calisthenics? Daniels Laizans’ Case

After spending a lot of time analyzing, studying, and testing the best strategy for gaining muscle mass based on current training knowledge, scientific studies, and recommendations from top professionals, one thing has become clear to me:

To achieve muscle growth, you need to provide the muscle with a stimulus close to muscle failure, with a volume of sets that ensures this stimulus reaches all muscle fibers.

That's why I came up with a simple routine to achieve this optimal stimulus, which I'll present below.

I chose this name because I think it accurately describes what we’re going to do—a descending ladder routine. However, it's not about doing fewer reps in each set because we have a set number planned, but rather because muscle fatigue itself will naturally reduce the reps we can perform. Let’s get into it.

First, choose an exercise for the specific muscle or muscle group you want to train. It’s important that you can perform between 10 and 20 repetitions of this exercise—no more, no less. For example, in my case, I chose strict pull-ups with a dead stop (full stop at the bottom).

Next, perform the first set of the exercise, stopping just short of muscle failure, leaving only 1 or 2 reps in the tank at most. Try not to stop before this point, as the routine won’t be as effective if you do. Make sure you're really pushing close to failure.

Set a rest period of at least 1 minute 30 seconds and at most 3 minutes. Personally, I feel more comfortable with relatively long rests, so I usually go with 2 minutes 30 seconds. Keep in mind that this rest time will remain fixed throughout the routine, and you should time it strictly.

Once the rest is over, perform another set, again pushing close to failure. Naturally, you’ll be able to do fewer reps than in the first set. After completing the set, start the rest period again.

Repeat this process as your reps decrease, until you reach a point where you perform the same number of reps in two consecutive sets. At that moment, we consider that your muscles have received all the necessary stimulus for growth, and it’s time to end the routine.

For example, with the pull-ups I mentioned, my rep count throughout the routine might look something like this: 18-15-13-10-8-7-6-6. As we can see, when I reach 6 reps, I’ve hit my "baseline level," meaning I’ve given my muscles all the growth stimulus I was aiming for.

With this type of routine, we ensure that we train close to muscle failure with a rep range suitable for hypertrophy. By continuing to perform sets until we reach our baseline level, we guarantee that the set volume is just right to maximize the effort our muscles can give in that session—without undertraining or overtraining.

This way, our own muscles indicate the optimal number of sets for that muscle group in that session, in a fun and manageable way.

I recommend doing this routine between 1 and 3 times per week for each muscle group you want to improve.

If you continue performing it consistently over weeks or months, you’ll likely notice that you can complete more reps in the initial set. When you reach more than 20 reps, I suggest switching to a harder exercise or adding weight so that you're back within the 10-20 rep range for the first set.

If you’re doing this routine for an isolated muscle with an analytical exercise, such as a biceps curl, a leg extension, or any other single-muscle movement, then this routine alone should be enough for that specific muscle.

However, if you’re using this routine with a compound exercise that involves multiple muscles, like my example with pull-ups, it could be beneficial to add 3 or 4 additional sets targeting a specific muscle in each session. For instance, in my case, I would complement it with 3 sets of biceps curls using resistance bands after my pull-ups.

If you want more examples of ladder routines and hypertrophy training programs, check out the ones available on 

Optimized Calisthenics Workout for Building Muscle Mass

Lately, I've been thinking about those messages we see on social media, where some influencers try to sell us the idea that training—whether at the gym or in the park—is a daily struggle, an epic battle against suffering and inner demons. This trend of dramatizing workouts caught my attention, turning them into something unnecessarily epic that, in my opinion, pushes a lot of people away.

I've seen people talk about training as if they were fighting an internal war—wearing hoodies, headphones, dark clothing, and taking on such a serious attitude that they look like they’re starring in a war movie. The idea being sold is that every set is a fight against yourself, that going to the gym is like facing an invisible enemy. And sure, there are moments of real effort, those times when an exercise gets tough or you're pushing close to failure. But in reality, training is a very different experience.

For me, working out is something enjoyable and positive. In many gyms, you have air conditioning and a comfortable environment, and in the park, you get the freedom of being outdoors. Once you're into your routine, the atmosphere changes—you can relax, listen to music, chat with friends, or even laugh at a failed rep. It’s not about constantly battling yourself; it’s about taking care of your body and mind.

For example, if someone enjoys playing soccer or basketball, they wouldn’t say, "Today I had to go play, fought my demons, and won the battle." They just enjoy the game. I don’t think we should see training as something painful or excessively difficult. Yes, some exercises are demanding, but we don’t need a constant struggle narrative to justify the effort.

I'm concerned that this dramatic and negative image might end up discouraging those who haven’t yet discovered the joy of training. It’s not about denying discipline or effort, but about avoiding extremes that turn something so positive into an emotional burden. Training isn’t a daily war—it’s a hobby, a way to feel good about ourselves.

I personally go to the park with a smile, greeting people, enjoying every set, knowing that even if some reps are harder than others, I’ll always feel satisfied in the end for having done something good for my body.

At the end of the day, let’s stop romanticizing suffering and embrace the idea that training is, above all, fun and rewarding.

If you want to enjoy training, remember that you can check out the workout programs available on 

Training Isn’t a Battle—It’s a Joyful Experience

Progression in Handstands: From Balance to Perfection

One of the most common mistakes I’ve observed in skill training is the obsession with achieving the strictest and most perfect technique from the very start. It’s common to see people attempting a handstand with fully locked arms, ears aligned over the biceps, head between the shoulders, a completely straight back with posterior pelvic tilt, extended legs, and pointed toes—without even having learned how to balance first. In other words, they try to perform the hardest version of the handstand without going through the essential phase of “learning to do it wrong” progressively.

The Mistake of Seeking Perfection from the Start

When someone aims to execute a handstand with all these technical details from day one, the result is often frustrating. It’s like trying to play the violin and expecting to produce a virtuoso melody from the first note. Failing to reach that ideal leads to months—or even years—of unsuccessful attempts, making it feel like no progress is being made at all.

What truly helps us advance in handstands is learning to hold the balance without obsessing over every technical detail right away. I remember when I first started—I learned to sustain a handstand simply by getting into a vertical position, even if my elbows were slightly bent, my back curved, my knees flexed, and my gaze fixed on the ground. This “imperfect form” allows for small victories, daily progress, and, most importantly, keeps motivation high.

Natural Progression: Small Adjustments, Big Improvements

Once you can consistently hold your balance, it’s time to refine the movement. Little by little, you’ll work on:

Aligning your head between your shoulders.

Straightening your back and improving your posture.

Each of these adjustments contributes to a more polished technique, but they can only be mastered after developing basic balance. This progressive approach makes learning more realistic and rewarding, avoiding the long period of frustration many people experience when trying to be perfect from the start.

It’s important to note that this progressive method is ideal for most self-taught calisthenics athletes. Interestingly, when it comes to children, strict technique can often be learned more quickly, as their physical capabilities and ability to absorb new movements are very different. However, for an adult or a beginner in calisthenics, focusing on balance and accepting a less refined execution at first is the key to progressing steadily and safely.

If you’re just starting to learn the handstand—or any other technical skill—don’t get caught up in the ideal of absolute perfection from the beginning. First, learn to balance, celebrate each small victory, and, over time, you’ll refine all the details that make up a clean and effective technique. Remember: real progress is built step by step, and every mistake is an opportunity to improve.

I hope this approach helps you and encourages you to enjoy the learning process. Keep at it—steady and consistent!

If you need a training program to learn the handstand, you can check out the one available in our 

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