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Over the more than 10 years I’ve been posting content about calisthenics and training in general, I’ve made many mistakes—some of which I really regret. You see, there are certain exercises or specific techniques that I repeatedly recommended or demonstrated in my videos and articles, only to realize over time that they were incorrect, not ideal, or even potentially harmful. Today, I want to go over five exercises or techniques that I explained incorrectly and how they should actually be done.

AtCalisteniapp, we’re always working to bring you the best training tool possible. That’s why we’re excited to introduce this update, which includes new features and improvements that we’ll go over below. But before that, we want to congratulate everyone who completed theReset Mission! It’s been a true display of discipline and daily effort. This challenge has helped us kick off the year in the best way possible, and now it’s time to use that momentum to keep training consistently and reach our goals. Also, just a quick reminder that the Reset Mission is saved under the "Challenges" section, so you can take it on whenever you want. This update will be rolled out progressively to all users, so if you haven’t received it yet, you should see it in the next few days.

In the world of training, certain exercises or movements sometimes become the "black sheep." Cheating in different lifts, behind-the-neck pull-ups, and even, in recent years, the deadlift, have turned into enemies within the community. The moment they appear on social media, alarms go off, and hundreds or even thousands of people flood the comments to warn of the “sacrilege” happening on screen. Often, there’s a reason behind these reactions, as certain movements or techniques come with risks that you need to understand. If you decide to perform those exercises, you should be prepared to handle them. For example, with the deadlift, if your back rounds during the lift, you need to understand the risks and the potential for injury. However, other times, this social alarm is unwarranted, taken out of context, or based on a misunderstanding. That brings us to today’s topic: the butt wink in squats.

Over the more than 10 years I’ve been sharing calisthenics content and helping people achieve their goals, I’ve noticed that it’s very common for beginners in this sport to have an initial burst of enthusiasm for achieving multiple goals at once. For example, many people have a broad goal of getting in shape, gaining some muscle mass, leaning out, and looking more aesthetic. At the same time, they might also want to learn some signature calisthenics moves, like the muscle-up, handstand, or even progress toward a planche or front lever.

A Curious Phenomenon in Calisthenics: Push vs. Pull Patterns There’s a fascinating phenomenon in calisthenics that most people are unaware of at first. However, if you’ve been training for a few months, you’re probably starting to notice it. You see, as you train for a while, you’ll realize that some exercises come more naturally to you than others. For instance, you might find push-ups and dips easier, but pull-ups are much more challenging.

After more than 10 years training calisthenics at the park, this past year I’ve been combining it with gym sessions to train weighted calisthenics, also known as Streetlifting. In my case, it hasn’t just been about occasionally going to the gym to add some weight; I’ve made it a priority. I created a training periodization plan and steadily improved my numbers, training with weights at least three times a week. This has allowed me to truly experience what it’s like to train with added weight and to appreciate the differences, advantages, and disadvantages compared to traditional calisthenics. In this article, I’d like to share my insights, hoping it might help you in your own training journey.

Recently, I heard a phrase from a trainer I deeply respect that stuck with me. The phrase was: "There’s nothing predetermined, nothing fixed—routine design is an art." Reflecting on this, I realized something. After designing the majority of the 500 free routines we have on Calisteniapp, the 40 training programs (each with 3 to 6 phases, and every phase containing its weekly routines), the 24 adaptive Evo routines, and the 19 21-day challenges (each with 3 to 4 daily routines for different levels and equipment), we’re talking about approximately 2,200 routines created over the years just for Calisteniapp. To this, I would add the routines I’ve designed for myself, for people I’ve trained in person and online, as well as those I’ve created for tutorials and YouTube or Instagram videos, among others.

In calisthenics training, there are different types of routines, each with its own characteristics, use cases, and benefits. However, between 2002 and 2013, during the old-school era, a specific type of routine emerged that seemed to hold something special. The athletes who followed these routines appeared to respect and revere them, seeing them as a challenge fit only for the best. Most importantly, these routines seemed to deliver incredible results. Both in terms of aesthetics and endurance, the top calisthenics athletes in the world made these routines a cornerstone of their training. Over the years, they’ve remained a go-to method for the true beasts of the newer generations.

Pull-ups are one of the most complete and effective exercises in calisthenics. Primarily targeting the lats and biceps, this movement also engages secondary muscles such as the traps, deltoids, core, and even the pecs. But here’s an interesting question: can you build a balanced and impressive physique by doing only pull-ups, without incorporating other exercises into a full routine? While it’s not the most efficient approach to training, consistent high-volume work can yield surprising results. Over time, even secondary muscles, typically just stabilizers, can receive enough cumulative stimulus to grow. This raises the fascinating idea of how massive, consistent repetition of a single exercise can impact muscle development in ways we often overlook. The Case of Gero Arias

When I started practicing calisthenics over ten years ago, one of the things that fascinated me the most was the ability to not only stay fit and healthy but also to learn tricks and skills that presented a real challenge. These tricks not only allowed me to showcase my strength and abilities but also kept me motivated to continue progressing, aiming to master even more difficult moves. Thanks to this, my training sessions became much more enjoyable, varied, and stimulating, constantly pushing me to improve. Unfortunately, back then, there wasn’t much information available, so I had to teach myself. I experimented with different tricks I discovered in old Street Workout videos.

One of the key features of calisthenics, making it incredibly fun and appealing to those who value self-improvement, isthe ability to progress while learning new exercises and more challenging variations. For instance, someone who trains at the gym or practices sports like weightlifting or powerlifting might see months of progress reflected in adding a few kilograms to their favorite lift. In contrast, a calisthenics enthusiast might achieve something far more visual—like progressing from standard pull-ups to a muscle-up. This distinct characteristic of calisthenics is often a driving force behind why people become hooked on this beautiful discipline and are motivated to continue improving in every aspect.

When we start our fitness journey, we might feel overwhelmed by seemingly complex training methods. Trainers talk about microcycles, macrocycles, mesocycles, periodization, and other concepts that can make it all sound like an intellectual challenge far beyond our grasp. This can leave us feeling a bit "useless" when it comes to designing our first training routines, as we might think we need to master these concepts to create a decent plan. Consequently, we may feel like we can’t succeed without the help of one of these highly knowledgeable trainers.