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Calisteniapp / Your first pull-up

Your first pull-up: your step-by-step plan.

This plan is aimed at beginners who want to do their first prone pull-up. Starting from level 0 we will progress very little by little so that you gain strength. When you finish the plan you will be able to do at least 5 prone pull-ups, and you will also be able to do dips without difficulty.

Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.

Explore my path
Your first pull-up

Objective

Be able to do at least 5 prone and supine pull-ups with ease

Frequence
See program guidance
First session duration
24 min
Program
14 estimated weeks

01 / Requirements

Required prerequisites

  • 15" Dead hang

Necessary equipment

For this program you will need Low bar, Pull up bar.

02 / Program

Build your path.

Each phase prepares you for the next. Weeks are a guide: repeat a phase when you need more practice before moving on.

  1. Week 1–2Novice stage level 0

    What you will practise

    In this first phase you start from zero, and the goal is to build a real base of pulling strength before thinking about the full pull-up. The work with Australian chin ups, Australian pull-ups nivel 0, Dead hang, and Isometric supine pull-ups will help activate the main muscles involved in the pull-up: latissimus dorsi, biceps, brachialis, rhomboids, trapezius, and forearms, while also improving core stability and scapular control. This is an adaptation phase, so do not look for speed: focus on learning to pull with your back and to support your body weight safely.

  2. Week 3–4Australian pull ups mastery

    What you will practise

    In this phase you introduce traditional Australian pull-ups with a prone grip, a very important step toward the prone pull-up. We continue strengthening the rest of the exercises, but now the emphasis is on consolidating a more demanding horizontal pulling pattern that transfers better to the high bar. If you completed the previous phase correctly, you should already notice more confidence when hanging, a firmer grip, and better back activation in each repetition.

  3. Week 5–6Strengthening in isometrics and eccentrics

    What you will practise

    In this level we will take advantage of the benefits of timed isometric work and negative repetitions to increase the volume of exercises on the high bar and prepare ourselves to be able to do partial pull-up repetitions. This is a very important phase because you begin to develop strength at specific angles of the movement and get your body used to supporting more load in a position much closer to the real pull-up.

  4. Week 7–8Partial Chin-Up Work

    What you will practise

    In this level we begin to move clearly closer to the supine pull-up, strengthening the partial-range version, and we also introduce isometric work with a prone grip. We also increase the total training volume, so not only does maximum strength matter, but also your ability to repeat quality efforts without your technique breaking down. This combination prepares you to tolerate more specific work and to begin transferring the strength you have gained to the prone grip.

  5. Week 9–10Partial rep mastery in both holds

    What you will practise

    In this level we increase the volume of work in partial ranges, both in short repetitions and in half-range repetitions, in both grips. We also continue progressing in the isometrics and in the rest of the exercises, but now the main goal is for you to gain strength in the parts of the range where progress is usually hardest. This is a very specific consolidation phase, in which you begin to bring together everything you have worked on so far to get closer to the full pull-up with a much more solid base.

  6. Week 11–12Full range pull up

    What you will practise

    In this level you are already performing your first full-range Supine pull-ups, while continuing to work on the previous exercises to consolidate the necessary strength. It is an important moment in the program, because you are no longer training only preparations or fragments of the range: you begin to complete the entire vertical pull on the high bar. The goal is not only to get repetitions, but to do them with a technique that can later transfer easily to the prone pull-up.

  7. Week 13–14Full Range Overhand Pull-Up

    What you will practise

    In this level you will complete your path by reaching the point where you are already able to do Prone pull-ups, making sure that you truly master this exercise so you can incorporate it into your usual routines or continue working toward other more ambitious goals. Full Prone pull-ups become the center of the phase, while you maintain complementary work with Supine pull-ups, partials, and isometrics to keep reinforcing the pattern and give stability to your progress.

Estimated end of the plan

Choose a valid date to preview your plan.

This date reflects the planned duration, not a guaranteed date for completing Your first pull-up. Your progress may take additional weeks.

03 / Calisteniapp

Your first session, step by step.

Here is the first session of the program, so you have a reference for how the sessions are structured.

Estimated duration of 24 min depending on the rest periods you choose. Sets and reps are a reference: adjust them to your level.

The exercises you will discover.

Every movement that appears at least once across the program.

Understand the reason behind each step.

  • The program is designed to be done twice a week, so you can combine it in your schedule with other workouts, you will also have an extra routine in each phase in case you want to do 3 days.
  • Routines last approximately 45 minutes.
  • As for the rests, we recommend that you set them between 1' and 2’30”, depending on how difficult the routine is for you. Do not be afraid to put “long” rests, since the goal of the workout is for you to gain strength, not endurance or cardio.

They train with Calisteniapp.

App reviews already published on our website. These are not specific to this program.

The best. I've been on the pro plan for two years and have achieved excellent results. Resistance, strength, skill, and aesthetics, I've obtained it all thanks to the guidance of this app on this beautiful calisthenics journey.
Roberto Duarte
If the free option is already great, the pro option has to be amazing. I'm super happy. I'm a beginner, a very beginner, and really everything is simple, the exercises can be done anywhere without equipment, and it's helping me a lot.
Maite Ruiz

From “one day” to your first session.

  1. Download Calisteniapp on your phone.

  2. Find Your first pull-up and check its access options.

  3. Review the terms shown in the app and start the first phase.

If the app offers you a 7-day trial, check the subsequent price, billing period, renewal and cancellation before activating it. Availability and terms are those shown in your account and store.

Before you start.

What rest times to use?

We recommend adjustments between 1' and 2'30", depending on how difficult the routine is for you. Don't be afraid to take “long” breaks, since the goal of the routine is to gain strength, not endurance or cardio.

What requirements must I meet to be able to do this program?

The program starts at level 0, so you can start even if you are a beginner and don't have the strength.

Every step counts.

Start with preparation. Follow the path. Give your progress time.

Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.

Your program continues in the app.

Download Calisteniapp and find “Your first pull-up” in Programs. If you already have the app, open the program directly.

I have the app: open Your first pull-up
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