Get Pumped For The 28 Day Calisthenics Challenge

Calisthenics training is a popular workout regimen that benefits all fitness enthusiasts. This type of training uses only body weight, targeting each major muscle group at a high intensity for maximum results. Exercises like this calisthenics back workout enable increased training volume for muscle hypertrophy and functional strength improvements even without weights. 

Our 28-day calisthenics challenge comprises a 7-day split categorized by muscle group (upper vs. lower-body) and workout approach (HIIT, cardio, mobility). You will repeat the split 4 times to complete the full challenge. With proper execution and focus on form, this routine will lead to significant fitness improvements. 

While the full challenge is recommended for maximum results, you can always modify it as needed. For less volume, you can substitute a rest day or reduce the intensity.

Read on to review our 28-day calisthenics challenge with suggested exercises, training tips, and expected benefits.

28-Day Calisthenics Challenge

Read on for guidance on programming your 28-day calisthenics challenge to achieve the maximum benefits. The upper and lower-body days build muscle strength, while the cardio and HIIT days improve cardiovascular health and muscular endurance. The final day of the split focuses on mobility and flexibility to improve joint health and range of motion. 

Day 1: Upper Body

Day 1 of this routine incorporates upper body exercises to build strength and tone the chest, shoulders, and upper arms. These muscles support most upper-body lifts and are active during daily tasks involving lifting, pushing, and carrying. 

To achieve maximum results, concentrate on squeezing the target muscles, moving slowly and with control during each movement. Studies on muscle activation rates found that the triceps brachii are highly engaged during the push-up. They can reach approximately 40%–50% of maximum voluntary contraction. 

Below is an example routine for a strength-focused upper-body workout.

Day 2: Cardio + Core

Day 2 focuses on cardio and core work designed to increase cardiovascular endurance and core strength. Exercises like jumping jacks and burpees encourage powerful, high-intensity movements to raise the heart rate. Additionally, exercises like planks and Russian twists target the rectus abdominus and obliques which are your primary core muscles.

This workout day will boost your metabolism for higher caloric output and build core strength and stability. This stimulates fat-burning potential and contributes to a more toned midsection.

Below is an example routine for a cardio and core workout.

Exercise	Sets x Duration	Rest (between sets)
Jumping Jacks	3–5 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Planks	3–5 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Russian Twists	3–5 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Burpees	3–5 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Jump Squats	3–5 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute

Day 3: Lower Body

Day 3 is a lower body split that primarily focuses on the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. A calisthenics leg workout offers multiple benefits, including increased leg strength, muscle tone, and lower-body functional performance. 

Your legs include some of the largest muscles in the body. The following workouts provide an effective stimulus for maximizing gains. Use progressive overload by gradually increasing the intensity or duration to reap optimal results. 

Below is an example routine for a strength-focused lower-body workout.

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest (between sets)
Alternating Reverse Lunges	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Squats	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Leg Raises	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Side Lunges	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Glute Bridges	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute

Day 4: HIIT

Day 4 is focused on HIIT or high-intensity interval training. HIIT is a cardiovascular workout designed to spike the heart rate using short bursts of maximum power with short recoveries. It has many benefits that apply to both physical and mental health.

Among other advantages, HIIT is a highly effective cardiovascular workout. It efficiently raises the heart rate to improve aerobic fitness and increase calorie and fat-burning potential. It also positively impacts mental health and stress relief, which can be applied to many other aspects of daily life.

Below is a recommended HIIT routine.

Day 5: Upper Body

Day 5 of this routine is an upper-body workout primarily focusing on the back, triceps, and shoulder muscles. Exercises like inverted rows and diamond push-ups increase back and shoulder strength and improve posture and spinal stability. 

Arm circles and tricep extensions use isolated resistance on the upper arms for an effective stimulus. These movements aim to build strength and enhance muscle tone in the triceps. 

Below is an example routine for a strength-focused upper-body workout.

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest (between sets)
Inverted Rows	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Diamond Push-Ups	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Bear Crawls	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Tricep Extensions	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Arm Circles	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute

Day 6: Lower Body

Day 6 is another lower-body split focusing on the glutes, hamstrings, and quads as well as calves. This day’s goal is primarily on building lower-body strength and improving pelvic stability and hip mobility. 

Exercises like the Bulgarian split squat use a compound approach for strengthening multiple lower-body muscles simultaneously. Additionally, hip thrusts and leg swings bring your hip joint through a full range of motion to improve mobility.  

Below is an example routine for a strength-focused lower-body workout.

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest (between sets)
Bulgarian Split Squats	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Hip Thrusts	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Calf Raises	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Walking Lunges	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute
Leg Swings	3–5 x 4–6	1 minute

Day 7: Mobility And Flexibility

Day 7, the final day of the split, is primarily designed to serve as an active recovery day. It incorporates movements to stretch and loosen the working muscles and joints for improved mobility and flexibility. They encourage muscle lengthening and reduce stiffness as well as stimulate blood flow for muscle repair and rebuilding.

The exercises below will help your muscles and joints reset and prepare for the next round of the challenge.

Exercise	Sets x Duration	Rest (between sets)
Child’s Pose	3–4 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Camel Pose	3–4 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Doorway Chest Stretch	3–4 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Downward Dog	3–4 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute
Forward Fold	3–4 x 30–60 seconds	1 minute

Benefits Of A 28 Day Calisthenics Workout

There are many calisthenics benefits you can achieve by performing this 28-day calisthenics workout. Below are a few of the main ones you can anticipate.

Improved Cardiovascular Health

A primary benefit of regular exercise like calisthenics is improved cardiovascular health. This is due to the challenge placed on the heart to work harder and more effectively. When you consistently perform cardio and resistance exercises, the heart becomes more efficient at operating with less effort. 

Calisthenics such as HIIT effectively benefits cardiovascular health by improving blood vessel functioning, resulting in lower blood pressure. They can also help lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol, raise healthy HDL cholesterol, and increase insulin sensitivity. These factors all contribute to reduced risk of heart disease.

Furthermore, it aids in reducing unhealthy visceral body fat levels. This type of fat surrounds internal organs and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Incorporating calisthenics workouts into your routine can lower visceral fat, thus improving cardiovascular health.

Increased Muscle Strength

Muscle strength refers to the function of the muscles against resistance as a stimulus. When working against resistance for a certain duration or intensity, the body adapts to become stronger. These calisthenics exercises increase muscular strength by providing targeted resistance for adaptation to occur. 

When performing these workouts, use the mind-muscle connection by squeezing the target muscles during each exercise. This generates the necessary stimulus to activate the muscles even when only using body weight. 

Improved Joint Health And Flexibility

Calisthenics exercises promote increased joint mobility and flexibility by working the joints through their full range of motion. This encourages joint stabilization throughout the routines. As a result, they can improve joint health when performed using the correct technique. 

Improving joint health greatly reduces the risk of developing joint injuries and strains. It benefits performance and stability when carrying out everyday tasks involving lifting, pulling, and jumping. This makes these calisthenics workouts beneficial for an overall enhanced quality of life.

Expert Training Tips 

• Begin each session with a proper warmup to increase the heart rate and loosen the muscles before the workout. Similarly, finish with a cooldown to lower the heart rate and stretch the muscles and joints to stimulate recovery.
• Ensure to maintain consistency with the routine, as this is necessary for muscle adaptations to occur.
• Try to add variety to the workouts to target similar muscles differently. While you generally will be performing the same exercises each week, try to use different angles or alternating push-up variations. 
• Use maximal effort to effectively fatigue the muscles. Since you only target the major muscle groups twice per week, focus on training to failure during each session.
• If using weights, use the 2 for 2 rule to determine when to add weight to your training load. When you can complete 2 additional reps within your target range for 2 weeks in a row, increase resistance. Start small to avoid injury and compromising form.
• While you won’t have a full rest day each week, you should schedule one if you need it. This ensures you do not overwork your body, which can result in injury or burnout.
• If you feel lower back or joint pain at any point, stop exercising immediately. Seek the help of a certified fitness professional before resuming the workout.

Conclusion

In addition to supporting muscle strength and a sculpted and toned physique, this 28-day calisthenics challenge has multiple functional and health benefits. It will improve cardiovascular health, joint flexibility and mobility, and mental resilience. Furthermore, it is convenient, time-efficient, and accessible to be performed anywhere without requiring equipment.

This program includes a variety of workouts, providing different benefits for many unique fitness goals. You will experience improvements in endurance and stamina with HIIT and cardio and strength gains on the resistance-focused days. Regardless of your fitness level, by consistently following this challenge, you will achieve maximum results.

This guide provides all the motivation you need to kickstart your 28-day calisthenics challenge!