In today's article we are going to look at the main weighted calisthenics exercises and some technical aspects of their execution.

First of all, we have weighted pull-ups. You can do them with a prone grip or a supine grip (chin up). 

Remember to do the full range, with your arms fully extended and until your chin clearly passes the height of the bar.

Remember that when we say “arms fully extended,” we are not saying “arms almost fully extended, but slightly bent,” 

we are saying “arms fully extended with elbows locked.”

 Keep this in mind, because it is a fairly common mistake in the world of calisthenics.

Also, try not to bend your knees and avoid swinging, inertia or impulses.

Finally, in calisthenics we usually avoid crossing our legs, but this is more a question of aesthetics and practicality for other advanced progressions.

the elbow flexion must be such that the back of the shoulder is lower than the elbow.

 To be more technical, we could say that the posterior deltoid must be below the height of the elbow.

Regarding hip flexion, depending on the rules or the competition, it is managed in one way or another. But, in general, a certain amount of hip flexion is allowed. For example, in the Spanish rules, a hip flexion is allowed such that the trunk is at a 45º angle with respect to the ground. In other rules, it is checked that the weight moves, specifically goes down, during the arm flexion.

to complete a valid repetition, the arms must be fully extended, until the elbows lock.

And finally, the weighted muscle up. For it to be considered strict, you must take the following points into account:

Avoid bending your knees. A slight hip flexion is allowed, but not a knee flexion.

The movement must be fluid, without excessive stopping during the transition. You can lean your chest lightly on the bar, but you cannot slow down the movement excessively or reposition yourself.

Obviously, you cannot stop mid-movement and then finish over the bar, and regarding the grip, you can use a high grip, but not a false grip. 

Here you can see the difference between high grip and false grip:

If you want examples of routines with these exercises, you have them 

Weighted Calisthenics (Streetlifting) main exercises and their technique

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 

Progression in Handstands in Calisthenics: From Balance to Perfection

One of the most important values in calisthenics is respecting strict technique when performing exercises, including full range of motion.

Over the more than 20 years of development that modern calisthenics has had as a sport, we have always taken pride in the cleanliness of our movements and the beauty of our execution compared to other sports or training methods.

Exercises like pull-ups, dips, push-ups, muscle-ups, planches, and more—if they weren’t done properly with clean technique, they weren’t considered worthy of a calisthenics athlete.

However, there are some exercises, or specific technical details of certain exercises, that have gone unnoticed and have been performed incorrectly for years—even by advanced athletes—without anyone calling it out. These mistakes happen even in competitions, with multiple judges carefully watching the competitor, yet they aren’t penalized.

That’s why today I want to highlight these exercises to raise awareness of this issue and ensure calisthenics stays true to its values and continues improving as a sport. Beyond simply pointing out the mistakes, we’ll also explore why this happens and how to fix it.

Full Range of Motion in Straight Bar Dips

Whenever the technical specifications for this exercise are given, the rulebooks all state that the elbows must reach at least 90 degrees. It is always specified: the arms must bend until forming a 90-degree angle at the elbow joint.

And that makes sense because it’s a simple and objective way to measure whether the movement has enough range without being shortened to cheat. Another common standard is that the bar should touch the lower chest or xiphoid line, but this is much easier to manipulate. Depending on how much you bend at the hips, you can touch this line with very little range of motion or with the correct full range.

It’s similar to what happens with powerlifters in the bench press, where they arch their back so that the bar touches the chest with minimal movement. Or, for example, it reminds me of push-ups—if we said the standard was touching the ground with the nose, some people would just move their head forward to achieve that with minimal range.

That’s why I believe the 90-degree elbow angle should remain the reference, but it actually needs to be enforced. Currently, even in the most prestigious competitions that emphasize proper technique, this requirement is often ignored, and athletes perform straight bar dips with a very reduced range of motion.

It’s obvious why this happens: with a shortened range of motion, the reps are faster. And if athletes see that nothing happens, that they aren’t penalized for this incorrect execution, they naturally won’t sabotage themselves by doing them the slower, proper way. So, until judges enforce what’s written in the rulebook and require proper execution, this will continue.

To correct this, all it takes is a slight hip flexion, avoiding an upright position, which immediately allows for full range of motion. It’s a very simple adjustment, yet it transforms the exercise from having a limited range to a complete one. In fact, some rulebooks already specify that the hips must be flexed at 45 degrees, but even this isn’t always enforced.

Full Extension at the Bottom of a Pull-Up

Any experienced calisthenics athlete, any competition rulebook, and any judge will tell you that a proper pull-up requires full arm extension, reaching full lockout at the elbows.

Yet, once again, this is something that doesn’t happen in competitions, even in the strictest ones.

Endurance athletes have developed a way of performing pull-ups with a certain circular body motion—a technique or rhythm that allows them to perform reps at high speed while maximizing their effort for the best results. However, this circular rhythm prevents full elbow extension, as it would disrupt the flow of movement. But that’s not what the rulebook says, and judges shouldn’t allow it.

When we say “fully extend the arms” or “lock the elbows,” we don’t mean “almost fully extend the arms” or “almost lock the elbows but not quite.” It’s obvious that full elbow lockout means reaching the point where the arm is completely straight and the elbow joint can’t extend any further—that’s why it’s called “lockout.”

Again, this issue comes down to speed—endurance athletes aim to complete reps as quickly as possible to win. And once again, if judges allow it, they will continue doing reps this way.

To fix this, judges must be stricter, and athletes should find ways to perform pull-ups as fast as possible while still fully locking out their elbows. This presents some challenges since momentum and inertia change when doing them with the proper technique instead of the circular style mentioned earlier.

Lockout and Range of Motion in Dips and Push-Ups

I won’t go into too much detail here because it’s essentially the same issue as with pull-ups. Both logically and according to every rulebook, dips and push-ups should require full elbow extension—not “almost fully extended” or “almost locked out,” but completely extended and locked.

Yet, once again, this standard is often ignored.

In dips, judges are also often too lenient with the 90-degree requirement, and it’s not fully enforced. Sometimes, they try to solve this by placing a fist under the athlete to ensure they lower enough to touch it. But from what I’ve seen, this doesn’t usually work—either the judge places their fist at a height where the athlete doesn’t actually reach 90 degrees, or, if they do place it correctly, they eventually adjust it upwards to match what the athlete is used to doing.

In other words, instead of enforcing the rulebook, judges end up being lenient and allowing the usual “almost 90 degrees.” I believe it would be simpler for the judge to visually assess the movement, warn the athlete if they aren’t going low enough, and if they don’t comply, simply not count their reps.

Finally, squats have a similar issue regarding knee flexion to at least 90 degrees.

All rulebooks generally state that you must reach or surpass this angle. However, when we talk about hitting 90 degrees, we have to visualize the central line of the athlete’s thigh—the position of the femur relative to the ground. And, once again, what typically happens is that athletes get close to 90 degrees but rarely meet the standard, and almost never surpass it.

The solution is the same as in the previous cases: as long as judges are lenient, athletes will find ways to be as fast and competitive as possible. So, once again, it’s up to the judges to enforce the rules.

If you need training programs to help you practice these exercises (and perform them with strict form), 

check out the ones available on Calisteniapp

In conclusion, as we can see, athletes have a certain responsibility to be honest with their strict technique and full range of motion, especially outside of competition. However, it’s also true that the competitive scene often sets the standard that other athletes follow. That’s why it would be great if judges and competitions placed more emphasis on enforcing the rulebook and staying true to the values of calisthenics.

There’s one specific case where I think this is much more strictly enforced: Streetlifting, or weighted calisthenics. In this discipline, judges are much more careful to ensure athletes strictly follow the rulebook. Lockouts, range of motion, and other technical aspects are far more respected, and judges are not as lenient.

Of course, since Streetlifting competitions are based on a single repetition, it’s much easier to enforce strict standards. Meanwhile, in endurance competitions, there’s a frantic pace where athletes are performing dozens or even hundreds of reps as fast as possible.

We’ll see if, over time, we improve in these areas and continue building and refining such a beautiful sport as calisthenics.

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