Calisthenics Warm-Up: Joint-by-Joint Guide

One of the most common questions among people who train calisthenics is how to warm up properly—how to make it as effective as possible so you can perform at your best while preventing injuries.

In this article we’ll cover how to build the most efficient warm-up for both full-body sessions and for specific joints that often cause trouble, such as the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and knees.

General Warm-Up Principles

1. Mobilize the joints you’re about to train. Start with gentle joint circles to give each joint a full range of motion.
2. Use short or dynamic stretches and light, low-demand drills that target movements known to cause issues (we’ll see examples below).
3. Finish with easy versions of the exercises you’ll perform in your workout, keeping the reps low. This bridges the gap between warm-up and training.
4. Bonus: If your routine requires extra mobility for a skill—think muscle-up variations, back lever, or Hefesto—add movements that prepare that specific range.

Full-Body / General Calisthenics Warm-Up

1. Joint circles – two sets of about 10 seconds per joint and per direction, focusing on wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, hips, knees, and ankles.
2. Short or dynamic stretches – two sets of roughly 8 seconds each for: shoulder flexion, shoulder extension, scapular protraction; chest and lat flexibility; wrist extension; posterior chain; leg opening (hip abduction); and ankle dorsiflexion.
3. Easy versions of the basics – adapt to your level. For instance: Two sets of five reps for each exercise are enough.
   • Australian pull-ups for the pulling pattern
   • Incline push-ups for the pushing pattern
   • Body-weight squats for the legs

You can see the routine in detail and follow it: https://calisteniapp.com/customRoutines/1zKPNwFrSnYVOA9JiqHXPWoPSmT2/UR-2631ea3e-e37d-4d15-8eeb-a040d0a041b9

Elbow-Specific Warm-Up

This routine is designed for anyone who needs extra care for the elbows. It combines movements for the elbow itself and for the neighboring joints—wrists and shoulders—because elbow issues often stem from the muscles that also cross those joints. Expect mobility and activation for the forearms, biceps, and shoulders as well.

You can see the routine in detail and follow it here: https://calisteniapp.com/customRoutines/1zKPNwFrSnYVOA9JiqHXPWoPSmT2/UR-b222d36f-fbcf-4e55-b97e-a64ab78a3183

Shoulder-Specific Warm-Up

Shoulders are one of the most problematic joints, so this targeted warm-up helps you ward off pain, injury, or discomfort while getting the most out of your shoulders.

1. Joint circles in every direction, plus scapular protraction and retraction.
2. Short stretches in different shoulder positions, plus an active-mobility or dynamic stretch for maximum activation.
3. Band work for external rotation and abduction.

You can see the routine in detail and follow it here: https://calisteniapp.com/customRoutines/1zKPNwFrSnYVOA9JiqHXPWoPSmT2/UR-d997184c-5364-4635-9639-a8d5d08ca687

Wrist-Specific Warm-Up

Wrists are especially vulnerable—particularly for beginners—and fundamental calisthenics moves like push-ups can overload them if they aren’t prepared. This routine starts with wrist and elbow circles and flexion-extension, continues with short stretches, and finishes with simple pressing drills on the wrists to strengthen the involved muscles.

You can see the routine in detail and follow it here: https://calisteniapp.com/customRoutines/1zKPNwFrSnYVOA9JiqHXPWoPSmT2/UR-da9540bb-0c95-4d68-9ac8-1941e4a977df

Knee-Specific Warm-Up

If you struggle with knee issues, try this warm-up. Begin with knee circles and flexion-extension (as well as movements for adjacent joints), continue with short stretches for the surrounding muscle groups, and wrap up with low-rep or isometric drills to activate and strengthen the knees.

You can see the routine in detail and follow it here: https://calisteniapp.com/customRoutines/1zKPNwFrSnYVOA9JiqHXPWoPSmT2/UR-813cd48a-7323-4427-a97d-cba38439c272

I hope this helps you train at peak performance with as little discomfort as possible.

By Yerai Alonso