Quick answer: Warm up for five minutes, then do three sets of: push-ups (8 to 15, pick your version), table rows (5 to 12), squats (12 to 20), bench dips on a chair (6 to 12) and a plank (20 to 45 seconds). Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and stop each set with two or three reps left. Repeat it two or three times a week with a rest day in between.
This is one full-body session built from the same exercises as the THYMOS 28 day challenge. Do it as it is, or use it to find out which version of each exercise you should start on.
Before you start: warm up
Five minutes. Walk or march in place for two minutes, then do one easy set of each exercise below at about half the reps. That is your warm-up set, and it should feel light.
The workout
Do three sets of each exercise, in order, resting between sets.
- Push-up: 3 × 8–15, rest 90 seconds. Hands on a table or counter (incline) if you cannot do 8 full push-ups, knees on the floor next, and full push-ups when that gets easy. Keep your body in one straight line and bring your chest to the surface.
- Table row: 3 × 5–12, rest 90 seconds. Lie under a sturdy table, hold the edge and pull your chest up to it with your body straight. No table: two sturdy chairs side by side, with you lying between them. Check that nothing can tip before the first rep.
- Squat: 3 × 12–20, rest 90 seconds. Feet about shoulder width, thighs at least parallel to the floor, heels down. When 20 is easy on every set, move to close-stance squats.
- Bench dip: 3 × 6–12, rest 75 seconds. Hands on the edge of a sturdy chair behind you, feet on the floor. Lower until your elbows bend to about 90 degrees, then push back up. Stop if the front of your shoulder hurts.
- Plank: 3 × 20–45 seconds, rest 60 seconds. Forearms and toes, body straight from head to heels. The set ends at the first sag, not at the clock.
Fifteen working sets with their rest take about thirty minutes, plus the warm-up.
How hard each set should be
Stop each set with two or three reps left: the reps slow down, but your form does not change. In your first week, stay at the bottom of each range. Early on, clean reps and regular sessions matter more than sets taken to failure.
When to make it harder
When you reach the top of the range on every set of an exercise, take its harder version next session: incline push-ups to kneeling to full, squats to close-stance squats, a plank to a tuck hollow hold. Everything else stays the same. Only one exercise moving up at a time is normal.
How often to do it
Two or three times a week, with at least one rest day between sessions. A single workout repeated gets you started. A plan that tests where you begin and moves you up week by week gets you further, and when you are ready for that, the free 28 day calisthenics challenge is built from these same exercises. New to all of it? Start with what calisthenics is.
Log it in THYMOS. THYMOS logs every set, and the 28 day challenge built from these exercises is free in the app. THYMOS is an offline-first strength and calisthenics app; read the current product facts and FAQ for supported features and platforms.
