Calisthenics Progression Chart: Every Skill, Step by Step

Published October 20, 2026 · 21 min read

Most people train calisthenics at random. A few push ups here, a planche tutorial there, and six months later the numbers haven't moved.

A calisthenics progression fixes that. It breaks every skill into small steps, each with a clear standard, so you always know what to train next.

This chart covers 11 movement families across five levels, from your first wall push up to the full planche. Find your step in each row, hit the standard, then move one box to the right.

Want this chart turned into a step by step plan that tells you what's next? Superhuman Strength is a free calisthenics app that helps with your calisthenics training and progressions.

Calisthenics Chart: Every Progression at a Glance

Read each row left to right. Each column is one of the five calisthenics levels explained further down. Cells that say "Build ... first" mean that skill has prerequisites from other rows, so build those first.

Think of it as a bodyweight exercises chart with an order built in. Save it, print it, and check off each box as you earn it.

How to Use This Calisthenics Progression Chart

A chart only works if you follow a few rules. These are the same rules a coach would give you on day one.

The Core Calisthenic Progression Rule: Earn Every Step

Stay on a step until you hit its "move on when" standard with clean form. Clean means full range of motion, no kipping, no sagging hips, and a controlled lowering phase of about two seconds.

Hit the standard in two sessions in a row, then test the next step. If you get three to five good reps or a few seconds of hold, that step becomes your new working exercise. If not, keep the current one and add a set of the harder version at the start of your workout.

Train 2 to 3 Families at a Time

You don't need to progress all 11 rows at once. Pick your basics (push, pull, legs, core) and add one or two skill families on top.

Your rows will also sit at different levels. Level 3 pull and Level 2 push is normal. Train each row where it is, not where you think it should be.

Keep Skill Work and Strength Work Separate

Practice skills like handstands, levers, and planche first in your session while you're fresh. Do strength work like push ups, dips, and squats after.

Skills are about quality positions. Grinding a tuck planche at the end of a hard session teaches bad form.

How to Progressive Overload in Calisthenics

Progressive overload means making the work slightly harder over time. With bodyweight, you have six ways to do it:

• Reps: add one rep per set each week until you hit the standard. Past about 25 reps, see when high reps stop working.
• Sets: go from 3 sets to 4 before moving to a harder step.
• Tempo: slow the lowering phase to 3 to 5 seconds.
• Leverage: move to a harder step on the chart (knees to toes, tuck to advanced tuck).
• Range of motion: push ups on parallettes or deeper split squats.
• Added weight: a vest or dip belt once the bodyweight version gets easy.

Change one variable at a time so you know what's working. For the weight option, see our weighted calisthenics program.

You can track every level in the app instead of a notebook.

Calisthenics Levels Explained (Level 1 to 5)

Your calisthenics level is set by your weakest basic, not your best trick. Superhuman Strength is built for every level, so start wherever you are. Use these benchmarks to find where you are.

Most people reach Level 2 in 3 to 6 months of consistent training. Level 3 usually takes another 6 to 12 months. Levels 4 and 5 take years, and that's normal.

What Is the First Calisthenics Skill to Learn?

Your first movements are the push up, inverted row, dead hang, and squat. Those build the base for everything else.

Your first true skill should be the tuck L-sit. Here's why:

• No bar needed. You can do it on the floor, two chairs, or parallettes.
• Low injury risk. Your joints stay in safe positions and you can drop out anytime.
• Huge carryover. It teaches compression and shoulder depression, which you'll use in the muscle up, front lever, planche, and handstand press.
• Fast progress. Most people get a 10 second tuck L-sit within a few weeks.

Once you have a 15 second tuck L-sit, add the frog stand. It's a quick win that starts your planche and handstand balance work.

The Calisthenics Progressions, Family by Family

Each family below has a short intro, the full progression table, and coaching cues for the hardest jumps. Always warm up before skill work with a calisthenics warm up, and give wrists and elbows extra time.

Push Up Progression

The push up builds your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It's also the base for dips, handstand push ups, and planche work. No prerequisites.

Coaching cue: The jump from archer to one arm push up is big. Bridge it with incline one arm push ups on a bench, then lower the incline as you get stronger. Keep your feet wide and squeeze your glutes to stop your hips from rotating.

For full push day sessions, see our calisthenics push workout. To train push and pull together, use this chest, back and arms routine.

Dip Progression

Dips build the lockout strength you need for muscle ups and handstand push ups. Prerequisites: none for bench dips and support holds. Get 10 clean push ups before negative dips.

Coaching cue: Keep your shoulders pulled down away from your ears the whole time. Go down until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, not deeper, until your shoulders are used to the stretch.

Pull Up Progression

Pulling builds your back, biceps, and grip. It's the gateway to the muscle up, front lever, back lever, and human flag. Prerequisite: none, you just need a bar.

Coaching cue: If you can't do a pull up yet, do negatives and inverted rows in the same session. Start every rep by pulling your shoulder blades down, then drive your elbows toward your hips.

Muscle Up Progression

The muscle up combines an explosive pull with a dip over the bar. Prerequisites: 5 strict pull ups and 10 dips for the prep steps (1 to 3), and 10 strict pull ups and 15 dips before jumping and kipping muscle ups. Don't skip ahead.

Coaching cue: Pull the bar toward your hips, not your chin. Lean your chest over the bar early and get your elbows above it fast. A slightly wider grip than your pull up grip helps most people.

Leg Progression

Bodyweight leg training builds strength, balance, and knee health. Prerequisite: none.

Coaching cue: Pistols fail on ankle mobility as often as strength. Hold a small weight out in front to counterbalance, or raise your heel on a plate. Nordic curls train your hamstrings, so start the negatives alongside steps 3 to 6. Full Nordic curl reps are the Level 5 standard.

Core Progression

A strong core holds your body in line for every skill on this chart. Prerequisite: none.

Coaching cue: In the hollow hold, press your lower back into the floor before you lift anything. If it pops up, bend your knees. For the L-sit, push the floor away and keep your shoulders down.

For more ab work, see our guide to core calisthenics.

Handstand and Handstand Push Up Progression

Handstands build shoulder strength and balance and lead to the handstand push up. Prerequisites: none for pike push ups. Get 15 push ups and a 30 second plank before wall handstands.

Coaching cue: Use the chest to wall handstand, not back to wall. It teaches a straight line and stops your lower back from arching. In freestanding work, balance with your fingertips, not your hips.

Step 4 runs at the same time as steps 5 and 6. Practice balance for 5 to 10 minutes, then do your wall HSPU strength sets.

Front Lever Progression

The front lever is a horizontal hold below the bar. It builds huge back and core strength. Prerequisites: a 30 second dead hang for the active hang, then 5 pull ups and a 20 second hollow hold for the tuck front lever.

Coaching cue: Keep your arms locked straight and push the bar down toward your hips. The jump from advanced tuck to straddle is where most people stall. Add front lever raises and slow negatives to get through it.

Back Lever Progression

The back lever is a face down horizontal hold. It's usually the first lever people achieve. Prerequisites: 1 pull up and comfortable shoulder mobility for skin the cat and the German hang, then 5 pull ups before the tuck back lever.

Coaching cue: The back lever loads your biceps tendon and shoulders hard. Ease into the German hang over a few weeks and stop if your elbows ache. Rings are kinder to your joints than a fixed bar.

Planche Progression

The planche is a horizontal hold on straight arms. It's one of the hardest skills in calisthenics. Prerequisites: 10 push ups and regular wrist prep for the lean and frog stand, then 20 push ups and 10 dips before the tuck planche.

Coaching cue: Lock your elbows and push your shoulders forward and down, as if you're rounding your upper back. Full planche takes most people several years, even with good coaching. That's the reality of this skill.

Human Flag Progression

The human flag is a sideways hold on a vertical pole. It takes pulling strength, pushing strength, and side core strength together. Prerequisites: 5 pull ups, 10 dips, and a 30 second wall handstand for the vertical flag, then 10 pull ups and 15 dips before the tuck flag.

Coaching cue: Lock your bottom arm and push hard into the pole. Pull with your top arm. Set your hands a little more than shoulder width apart and point your bottom hand's thumb down.

Want to see how these skills rank against each other? Read our ranking of the hardest calisthenics moves. If you want something fun to work toward, see these calisthenics tricks.

Complete Calisthenics Skills List

Here's a list of calisthenics skills from the chart, grouped by level. Use it as a quick checklist.

Beginner Calisthenics Skills

These basic calisthenics skills are what you work on at Levels 1 and 2:

• Push up and knee push up
• Bench dip and parallel bar support hold
• Dead hang, active hang, and scapula pull up
• Inverted row
• Negative pull up and negative dip
• Bodyweight squat and split squat
• Dead bug, plank, and hollow hold
• Pike push up
• Chest to wall handstand
• Planche lean and frog stand
• Skin the cat

Intermediate Calisthenics Skills

• Pull up and dip
• Diamond push up
• Bulgarian split squat and assisted pistol
• Tuck L-sit and L-sit
• Freestanding handstand
• Tuck front lever and tuck back lever
• Tuck planche
• Chest to bar pull up and straight bar dip
• Partial wall handstand push up
• Vertical flag

Advanced Calisthenics Skills

• Archer push up and archer pull up
• Ring dip
• Muscle up (kipping and strict)
• Pistol squat and shrimp squat
• Wall handstand push up
• Advanced tuck front lever, back lever, and planche
• One leg front lever
• Dragon flag negative
• Tuck human flag

Elite Calisthenics Skills

• One arm push up and one arm pull up
• Weighted dip with 25% or more of your bodyweight
• Freestanding handstand push up
• V-sit and dragon flag
• Nordic curl
• Straddle and full front lever
• Straddle and full back lever
• Straddle and full planche
• Full human flag

These aren't all calisthenics skills that exist, but they cover the main ones most people train. That's enough to keep you busy for years. For deeper coverage, try one of the classic calisthenics books.

Sample Calisthenics Progression Plan by Level

A progressive calisthenics workout plan combines your strength rows with one or two skill rows. Here's how to structure your week at each level.

At every level, rest 2 to 3 minutes between skill sets and 60 to 90 seconds between strength sets. Finish with a calisthenics stretching routine.

For full ready made routines, follow the plan for your level:

• Level 1 and 2: start with a 10 minute morning routine
• Level 3: intermediate calisthenics workout
• Level 4 and 5: advanced calisthenics workout

Common Calisthenics Progression Mistakes

Rushing steps. One good set isn't the standard. Hit it two sessions in a row before you move on.

Ego reps. Half reps and kipping make the numbers look better and make you weaker. If your form breaks, drop back a step.

Skipping tendon prep. Muscles adapt in weeks. Tendons take months. Straight arm skills like the planche and back lever need slow buildup and wrist and elbow warm ups, or you'll end up with elbow pain.

Training too many skills at once. Five skills at once means none of them get enough quality practice. Pick two, get them, then add more.

Skipping legs. The leg row is on the chart for a reason. Strong legs help your pistols, your handstand kick ups, and your overall strength.

Not tracking anything. If you don't write down your sets and holds, you can't tell if you're progressing. Log every session.

Start Your Progression Today

You don't need to train harder. You need to train in order. Find your step in each row, hit the standard, and move one box to the right.

Pick two families to focus on and start this week.

Ready to make your calisthenics progression simple? Get the app free and always know your next step.