Mar 28 • Training 💪
🧭 How Do You Know What Level You’re At in Calisthenics?
This came from a great question from Mark, and honestly, it is one of the most important beginner questions.
A lot of people ask:
“How do I know what level I’m at?”
“What should I actually work on first?”
“What equipment do I really need?”
“How do I know what progression to use?”
That is exactly what we are going over here.
👊 First: what counts as a beginner?
A beginner does not mean weak.
A beginner usually just means:
• You are still figuring out what exercises fit your level
• You are not fully sure how to build your own program yet
• You still need help choosing progressions
• You are learning how strength, skills, and mobility fit together
That is completely normal.
Everyone starts there.
📍The easiest way to know your level
Instead of worrying about whether you are “beginner, intermediate, or advanced,” keep it simple:
Look at the main movement patterns and find the hardest clean version you can do.
For most people, start by checking:
• A push exercise
• A pull exercise
• A squat or leg exercise
That gives you a real starting point.
🔥 The 3 beginner checkpoints
1. Push
Most people will use some kind of push-up progression.
That could be:
• Wall push-up
• Incline push-up
• Knee push-up
• Negative push-up
• Full push-up
Your goal is to find the version you can do with good form.
A simple guide:
• If you can do more than 10 clean reps, you are probably ready for a harder version
• If you can only do 5 or less, you may need an easier version
• If you are between 6 and 10, that is usually a great place to train
2. Pull
For pulling, a lot of people want pull-ups right away, but that is usually not where they should start.
A better beginner path is often:
• Inverted rows
• Lower and lower rows
• Jackknife pull-ups
• Assisted pull-ups
• Negative pull-ups
• Full pull-ups
This is why rings are so helpful. You can adjust the angle and make the movement easier or harder without needing a huge setup.
3. Legs
For legs, most people eventually want pistol squats.
But the real starting point might be:
• Assisted split squats
• Deep squats
• Box-supported pistol squat progressions
• Assisted pistol squats
The goal is not just leg strength.
It is also mobility, balance, and control.
That is why lower body work in calisthenics can take a little more patience.
🧠 A simple rule for choosing your progression
Use the hardest variation you can do with good form.
Then train there until it gets solid.
You do not need the perfect exercise right away.
You just need the right starting point.
That is how you avoid doing movements that are too hard, too easy, or just frustrating.
🛠️ What equipment matters most?
If you are building a setup, here is the simple version:
Most useful
• Something to hang from
• Ideally a pull-up bar or gymnastics rings
If I had to recommend one tool for most people, it would be rings.
Why?
• You can scale rows easily
• You can work toward pull-ups
• You can do dips
• You can do support holds
• You can work toward L-sits
• You can use them at home, outside, or at the gym
They give you a lot more options than most people realize.
Next most useful
• Paralettes or push-up handles
These are great for:
• L-sits
• Wrist-friendly push-ups
• Elbow lever work
• Support holds
• Some dip variations depending on height
They are not as essential as something to hang from, but they are very useful.
📈 What your “level” really means
Your level is really just this:
What progression are you currently strong enough to own with control?
That is it.
Not what skill you want.
Not what skill looks cool.
Not what someone else online can do.
Your level is your current clean progression.
And once you know that, you can build from there.
✅ The best way to use this
If you are not sure where you are at, test these 3 things:
• Your best push variation
• Your best pull variation
• Your best leg variation
Then ask:
• Can I do this cleanly?
• Can I repeat it for 6 to 10 good reps?
• Is it too easy, too hard, or just right?
That will tell you a lot more than labels ever will.
📚 If you want help figuring it out
Inside the community there is already a lot to help with this:
• The Start Here section
• The Masterclass
• The Masterbook
• Beginner training plans
• Progressions for strength and skills
And if you want more personalized help, post a video.
That is honestly one of the fastest ways to know what level you are really at and what to do next.
📅 If you want help getting clear on your level, your next step, or your training setup, you can book a call here. This is not a sales call. It is just a chance to get clarity and support:
💬 Would you consider yourself a beginner, intermediate or expert?
13:33
11
15 comments
🧭 How Do You Know What Level You’re At in Calisthenics?
skool.com/awesome-ninja-fitness
THE Beginner Calisthenics hub → 💪🔥 Master pull-ups, handstands & more with step-by-step progressions + coaching. Build strength, control & skills.
Leaderboard (30-day)
1
+554
2
+446
3
+325
4
+242
5
🔥
+182
Powered by