Combining Calisthenics and Weight Training, Program Review?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Over 35 Lifter
1

Good morning everyone,

I was hoping for some thoughts on my program please. I would first like to give a bit of background about me and why I am training this way.

I’ve been training in the gym for over 15 years. Over the years I’ve done everything from “German Volume Training” your typical “bro-splits” you see in the magazines. I’ve competed in 1 bodybuilding contest to which I made 3rd place in the middle weight division. I don’t plan to do another one but it was a good experience.

As I get older, I am more concerned with striking a balance if you will. I don’t want to gym to rule my life but I want it to be a part of my life.

Now I don’t train in a commercial gym anymore but train at home. I have been blessed to be able to have a pretty kickass gym filled with plenty of barbells and dumbbells. I also became introduced into the wonderful world of calisthenics thanks to “Convict Conditioning”. As I became more engrossed with the lessons that book taught, I questioned why do I need to lift weights at all. As I love lifting weights however and have access to them, I’m not quite ready to give up the iron just yet.

This is why (through trial and error) I have come up with a balanced routine of calisthenics and weight training. I want to focus on progressive calisthenics and weight training equally. I love them both. I want to share this routine with the other members of this site and see what they think.

So here is what I have come up with.

Day 1 Calisthenics Focused Push A

Dips: 3 sets/ 10 reps
Handstand Holds: 3 sets

Day 2 Weights Focused Pull B

Hex Bar Deadlift: 3 sets/ 5 reps

Day 3 Calisthenics Focused Legs A

Front Levers: 3 sets/ 1 min.
Shrimp Squats: 3 sets/ 10 reps

Day 4 Weights Focused Push B

Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets/ 5 reps

Day 5 Calisthenics Focused Pull A

Towel Pullups: 3 sets/ 10 reps
Wall-walking Bridges: 3 sets/10 reps

Day 6 Weights Focused Legs B

Barbell Front Squats: 3 sets/ 5 reps

This routine is followed over a 2 week period ideally, taking an off day every other day. This means that I’m normally training 3 times a week. The exercises listed above are just my main exercises I’m striving for progressive overload on. They are my “strength-work” if you will. Once I get the prescribed sets and reps, I’ll either try to add reps or add weight respectively.

After my main exercises are done. Then I typically make room for my assistance work. I generally just try to give the rest of my body with higher rep “pump work”. I work through the basic movement patterns (i.e. push, pull, lunge, hinge etc.) to turn it into a full-body workout. So I guess this routine could be summed up as a “Push, Pull, Legs Focused Full-Body Workout” spread over a two-week time span. I try to just have fun with this as this assistance work is just to fill in the gaps. If I’m short on time, I just do my mandatory exercises and call it a day.

I have went through a lot of trial and error to design a routine that eliminates a lot of fluff, focuses on calisthenics and weight training equally, and has plenty of room for recovery. I tried to keep it as simple as possible as I think routines don’t need to be complicated. I have used very rigid routines in the past and find they are hard to stick with if there isn’t room to wiggle.

I would love to hear your guy’s thoughts as I’m pretty proud of what I’ve came up with. If you have any more questions about it or if I didn’t explain something thoroughly, please feel free to comment.

2

A lot of humeral internal rotation there, might want to add some band pull-aparts and scapular wall slides.

3

Yes sir. I appreciate the feed back. I love band pull-parts and do a lot of rear-delt work in general. I had a fair amount of front deltoid pain when I was younger from too much heavy pressing movements. I’ll include band pull-aparts, bodyweight face pulls on rings, and rear delt work in general in my assistance movements.

I have also done scapular wall slides as well. I came across that exercise when I was scouring the internet for “training your back if you have no pull-up bar”. I came across a good youtube channel ironically called “calisthenics and weight training”. The wall slide was one of the exercises he demonstrated.

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4

Sounds good. Might want to do something that hits your hamstrings more directly, your leg work is quad dominant.

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5

Thanks for the tip. Any good hamstring exercises you recommend? I’ve been doing a fair amount of glute ham raise work as of late. For some reason, I love doing more body weight exercises for lower body as it feels better on my knees.

6

Two questions…

  1. Your current age?

  2. Based on your pic and screen name…
    DO you still believe?:wink:

7

Looks fine, I would once in a while drop the towels push up the volume on pullups and possibly dips as well.
Cranking up the reps with something like ladders can be especially effective for bodyweight stuff…

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8

But I still believe
I still believe
Through the pain
And through the grief

Through the lies
Through the storms
Through the cries
And through the wars

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9

Appreciate the feedback. I do like to do classic pull-ups sometimes anyhow.

10

:+1: hell yeah!

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11

I forgot to include a crucial detail in how I measure my progress. I don’t count sets anymore and just focus on getting quality reps in. I go for a “rep total” in my progressions. It helps me keep my form honest because I’m not overly concerned in getting all the reps in a prescribed number of sets. For example, if my rep total goal is 10 total reps, I do as many sets as needed to achieve the reps.

At first, I thought I came up with something new but then I realized I did no such thing. Chad Waterbury wrote an article called “Total Reps for Muscle Building” (or something along those lines) and it advocates a similar system. One key point I liked was worrying about the reps and let the sets take care of themselves. That was a game changer for me.

I think this style of keeping track of progression is a bit unorthodox as I can’t find too much information on it. I however felt affirmed in knowing I wasn’t the only one who loves using a “rep total” system.