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.

These routines stand out because they:

• Deliver spectacular aesthetic results.
• Help you improve your endurance and max reps in the exercises you focus on.
• Offer a fun and challenging way to train.
• Make workouts more enjoyable and can even be done with training partners.

We’re talking about ladder routines. Today, we’ll dive into what they are, why they’re so effective, examples you can try right away, and much more.

Types of Routines in Calisthenics

Some of the most well-known types of calisthenics routines include set-based routines, circuit routines (which were also very popular in the early days of the sport), endurance challenges, and more modern methods like EMOMs, HIIT-style routines, and others.

Ladder routines, however, arose from a specific and important need. When training with bodyweight, we must find ways to make our workouts intense enough to stimulate muscle growth. This can sometimes be challenging to achieve.

That’s where the idea of ladder routines comes in.

Types of Ladder Routines

Ladder routines involve performing a certain number of repetitions of one or more exercises and then adjusting that number sequentially in each set.

An example could be an ascending ladder, where you start with 5 pull-ups in the first set, rest, then do 6 in the next set, 7 in the next, and so on until you reach a set goal or fail.

There are also descending ladders. For instance, you could start with 20 dips and 20 push-ups, then reduce to 18 dips and 18 push-ups in the next set, followed by 16 and 16, and so on until you reach a target number or zero.

You can adjust the repetitions incrementally—by one, two, or however you prefer.

Finally, there are mixed ladders, such as starting with 5 muscle-ups, working up to 10, and then decreasing back down to 5 or even zero.

As you can see, the possibilities are endless with different calisthenics exercises and combinations. Now, I’ll explain how to maximize their potential for the best results.

How to Get the Best Results from Ladder Routines

The key to ladder routines is achieving a high volume of work at an intensity close to failure. With these routines, it’s easy to rack up 10, 15, or even 20 sets without even realizing it, all while training effectively.

Therefore, it’s essential to choose a starting number of repetitions that challenges you and adjusts to your fatigue so you can always work at the limit of your capacity.

For this reason, the simplest and most effective ladders to design are mixed ladders.

For example, if your max pull-ups are around 15, you could start a mixed ladder at 12 pull-ups, increase reps until failure, and then work your way back down. This approach keeps you pushing your limits through a large number of sets.

As for rest periods, choose rest times that allow you to recover enough to tackle the next set effectively—not too short but not excessively long either. Typically, rests of 1 to 2.5 minutes work well. For an extra challenge, you could use variable rest periods: longer breaks during the tougher parts of the ladder and shorter ones when the sets become easier.

As mentioned earlier, another excellent option is to do ladder routines with one or more training partners. In this case, you can take turns, with your rest time being the duration of your partners’ sets. This makes the challenge even more engaging and enjoyable.

Regarding routine design, descending ladders can be planned to be highly intense yet manageable. You start tough, but the sets get progressively easier, though your muscles still work near failure. For example, if your max muscle-ups are 12, you could design a descending ladder starting at 10, then 9, 8, and so on down to 1. This method feels manageable yet delivers a powerful stimulus to your muscles.

Another advantage of ladder routines is that you can use exercises you already find easy and make them more engaging. For example, with Australian pull-ups—a highly recommended exercise—you might find it too easy and need to perform 30 reps per set to feel challenged. This can be tedious. Instead, you could design a mixed ladder starting at 20 reps, increasing by 2 each set until 30, and then decreasing by 2 until you’re back at 20. By the end, you’ll feel you’ve worked the muscles effectively, and the workout will be much more enjoyable.

Examples of Calisthenics Ladder Routines

Now that you understand the basics of ladder routines, here are some examples to try right away:

• Mixed ladder of dips (advanced).
• Mixed ladder of dips (intermediate).
• Ascending ladder of bench dips (beginner).
• Double mixed ladder of push-ups and incline push-ups.
• Descending ladder of pull-ups, dips, push-ups, and leg raises.
• Descending ladder of muscle-ups, bar dips, pull-ups, leg exercises, and dips.
• Descending ladder of push exercises, dips, and decline push-ups.

Conclusion

Ladder routines are a fun, challenging, and, most importantly, highly effective way to train. They align perfectly with cutting-edge scientific principles for hypertrophy and are backed by anecdotal evidence from athletes who have achieved incredible results throughout calisthenics history. I hope you give them a try and find them incredibly helpful.

By Yerai Alonso