A Beginner’s Guide to a Calisthenic Workouts on our Training Rig

15th December 2025

What is Calisthenics?

Calisthenics is a bodyweight training system which uses your own mass and gravity to build strength, as well as balance, mobility and stamina. It involves straightforward actions such as squats and push-ups, as well as more complex exercises. 

In short, it’s a way of attaining full-body fitness using minimal equipment and with a focus on body control and functional movement. Working several muscle groups at once, calisthenics blends flexibility and strength with balance plus stamina to build strength. What’s more, it’s something you can do anywhere – your home, garden, park or outdoor gym. 

There are mental health benefits too, including reduced stress and anxiety, alongside boosted self-confidence. Plus the discipline is accessible to all, from beginners to experienced athletes.

The form has very old roots, with the term deriving from the Ancient Greek words for ‘beauty’ and ‘strength’, so it has been practised since the earliest times. The Spartans practised calisthenics, then these exercises really took off in nineteenth-century Europe. In more recent years, it has seen something of a resurgence, thanks to social media videos. 

Training Rig offers Calisthenics Workout 

If you’re considering taking up, restarting or progressing your calisthenics regime, head for your nearest Fresh Air Fitness outdoor gym. We have installed outdoor gyms into 4500 settings across the UK, many into parks so people of all ages and fitness levels can benefit from our exercise equipment. 

Our functional bodyweight Training Rig is ideal for calisthenics and incorporates six workout stations, with over 80 exercise choices. Up to eight users can work the rig at once, whatever their current fitness ability, as they enjoy a challenging, full-body callisthenic workout. 

Here’s how to get started with a routine like this on our training rig; a list of the exercise to do and the stations on which you should use them: 

ARMS 

• Elevated Press-ups, dips (sit-up bench)
  • Start kneeling on the floor, with your knees close to the bench. Grasp the handles and perform your press ups.  Over time, move your knees further away until you are strong enough to perform reps on your toes. 
• Tricep dips (sit-up bench)
  • Start with your close to the bench.  Grasp the handles and lower down towards the ground. Over time, move you feet further away from the bench until you can perform reps on your heels.
• Band-assisted pull-ups or hi jump and lower down (wide pull-up bar or pull-up station)
  • Either use a band to assist your pull ups, or start by holding the bar and jumping up to a pull up position before lowering down slowly, building strength over time
• Standing bicep pull (push-up and dip station)
  • Stand in front of the station, grasping the bars, lean your body away and then pull back to the frame using your biceps.

CORE

• Sit-up/crunch (sit-up board)
  • Use the Sit-up board to perform sit-ups and crunches, building the number over time as you get stronger. 
• Knee raises (leg lift station)
  • standing with your back to the frame, arms on the arm rest, raise your knees to your chest and slowly lower.  As you develop strength over time, you can increase the work by keeping your legs straight while raising them.

LEGS

• Step-ups/jump-ups (step-up platform)
• Single elevated leg squat (one foot on step, step-up platform)
• Elevated lunge (step-up platform)
• Banded abductor and adductor (wrap band round any upright post) 

For fruther guidance, take a look at our leaflet here. Calisthenics is an intense form or exercise, so start with the basics and a small number of reps and build strength gradually over time. If you're in any doubt, speak to your medical practitioner before starting, or employ a qualified PT.

Our gyms are local, free at the point of use and pretty much open all hours. So there’ll be one near you. There are many benefits for the community when you install a outdoor gym. get in touch whether you’re a school, NHS centre, residential home or parish council. 

A member of the expert team will discuss your options, plus we’ll be with you every step of the way, from initial consultation and planning through to installation and beyond, including comprehensive instructions for how to get the most from the pieces. So we won’t just fit the equipment and then leave you to it.