Are you tired of being confined to the four walls of a gym, limited by heavy weights and complex machinery?
I’ve been weight training for over a decade, but I came across calisthenics a little over a year ago and it has revolutionized my workouts.
Imagine sculpting your body and achieving epic strength using nothing more than your own body weight. That’s the power of calisthenics.
It’s a minimalist and versatile training modality that can be performed anywhere, any time, without the need for expensive equipment or gym memberships.
Intrigued by the possibilities, I began a calisthenics practice while living in Costa Rica. I love being able to get an amazing workout without needing a gym, and the increased functional strength has improved my daily life.
Calisthenics1 engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, producing more holistic strength than weight training alone.
In one study,2 participants were put on an 8-week calisthenics training program to measure the effect of calisthenics training on posture, strength, and body composition in untrained people.
The results showed improvements in posture, a 16.4% increase in push-up strength, and a 39.2% increase in pull-up strength.
Table of Contents
How Calisthenics Revolutionized My Workouts
After getting into calisthenics, I stopped focusing solely on aesthetics and began to prioritize my strength, mobility, and overall fitness, as well.
After just a few months, I found myself more flexible, less prone to injuries, and holistically healthier than before.
Calisthenics is now a core part of how I’m rebuilding my body after a 3-year healing journey.
Join me on this transformative journey as I share the 25 best books on calisthenics for epic bodyweight training.
Together, we’ll unlock a world of possibility, where your workouts can become liberating expressions of strength, and your fitness can transcend the boundaries of conventional gyms.
Why I Decided To Write This Article
Whenever I dive into a new interest, I start by reading a few books on the subject to expand my knowledge and understanding.
After extensive research, I’ve compiled what I believe to be the top 25 books on calisthenics. These books are ranked in order of highest to lowest Amazon rating (quality) and the number of reviews each book has (popularity).
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced calisthenics enthusiast, reading a few of the best books on the subject can help you get stronger, increase your mobility, and achieve your fitness goals faster and more efficiently.
Let’s dive in and explore a comprehensive list of the best calisthenics books by some of the top authors and personal trainers, such as Ashley Kalym, the Kavadlo brothers,3 Paul Wade, Matt Schifferle,4 Mark Lauren, Pavel Tsatsouline, and more:
The 25 Best Books on Calisthenics in 2023
1. Complete Calisthenics, Second Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Bodyweight Training by Ashley Kalym
Complete Calisthenics is widely regarded as the best book on the subject. Trainer Ashley Kalym takes us on a deep dive into the basics of calisthenics, including nutrition, rest, and recovery and preparing yourself physically through warmups, mobility exercises, and flexibility.
He then walks you through the primary calisthenics exercises, including 18 types of push-ups, 17 types of pull-ups, dips, muscle-ups, handstands, levers, core exercises, lower body exercises, and conditioning.
Finally, Ashley caps the book off with full-blown bodyweight training programs that incorporate the exercises you’ve just learned.
2. Street Workout: A Worldwide Anthology of Urban Calisthenics by Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo
In Street Workout, Al and Danny Kavadlo (the Kavaldo brothers), introduce readers to the world of urban bodyweight training, a movement towards calisthenics training using city environments instead of workout gyms.
The authors start by teaching what street workout is. Then they walk readers through what they call the Foundational Progressions of push, pull, squat, flex, and bridge. They then teach a Skills & “Tricks” section, street workout programs, and a bonus section.
Street Workout is one of the best resources for learning advanced movements, like the human flag, front lever, and pistol squats.
3. Convict Conditioning: How to Bust Free of All Weakness Using the Lost Secrets of Supreme Survival Strength by Paul Wade
Convict Conditioning is a one-of-a-kind training manual. Paul Wade spent 19 years in some of the toughest prisons. During that time, he became one of the toughest and strongest humans on the planet.
This book is Paul’s gift to society, teaching old-school calisthenics progressions to “take ANYONE who has the will from abject weakling to strength specimen extraordinaire.” If you’re ready to hit the next level in your fitness, Convict Conditioning is for you.
4. Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy by Bret Contreras
Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy offers 156 effective bodyweight exercises with full-color anatomical illustrations and step-by-step instructions on how to perform each exercise.
This makes it an excellent starting point for calisthenics beginners and people relatively new to this strength training modality.
5. 100 No-Equipment Workouts Vol. 1: Easy to Follow Home Workout Routines with Visual Guides for all Fitness Levels by Neila Rey
Looking for workouts you can do at home to stay active, get fit, build muscle, or shed weight? In 100 No-Equipment Workouts, Neila Rey teaches 100 routines to help you exercise on your own time, get fit at home, and have fun without requiring any additional equipment.
This is a great book for anyone who doesn’t like gym culture or is strapped for time. It’s also a good read for people who want to get their workouts in quickly and efficiently using their own body weight in the comfort of their homes.
6. The Naked Warrior: Master the Secrets of the Super-Strong—Using Bodyweight Exercises Only by Pavel Tsatsouline
Pavel Tsatsouline is a Russian strength expert and former Spetsnaz instructor. In The Naked Warrior, he breaks down two of the best calisthenics exercises, the pistol squat and the one-arm push-up.
This book is quite theory-focused, so if you want to deepen your knowledge of why this type of training works, this could be a good read for you.
7. Explosive Calisthenics (Convict Conditioning, 3) by Paul Wade
Explosive Calisthenics is an excellent book by Paul Wade, author of Convict Conditioning.
Explosive Calisthenics teaches readers how to become a complete package athlete – powerful, explosive, strong, agile, quick, and resilient. This is the third volume in Paul’s Convict Conditioning series.
8. You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises by Mark Lauren
In You Are Your Own Gym, Mark Lauren, an elite special ops trainer, teaches simple bodyweight exercises that “regular Joes and Janes” can do without needing any equipment.
You Are Your Own Gym is an excellent manual for beginner calisthenics practitioners because it offers not just training advice and exercise instructions but nutrition and motivation advice as well.
9. Get Strong: The Ultimate 16-Week Transformation Program For Gaining Muscle and Strength by Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo
In Get Strong, Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo (the Kavaldo brothers) teach readers how to get lasting muscle and strength-building results in a 16-week transformational program.
The Kavaldo brothers are well-known calisthenics trainers. They break up their methodology into three sections:
Get Strong (build muscle and strength)
Stay Strong (maintain muscle and strength)
Still Strong (lasting results)
This methodology teaches some of the best ways to go from a beginner to an intermediate calisthenics athlete.
10. Men’s Health Your Body is Your Barbell: No Gym. Just Gravity. Build a Leaner, Stronger, More Muscular You in 28 Days! by Bj Gaddour
Your Body is Your Barbell offers a 4-week training program created by BJ Gaddour, one of the 100 fittest men of all time according to Men’s Health magazine.
The program involves no-equipment body training and a nutrition program to achieve a symmetrical, proportioned, and beautiful physique.
This book is great for people who want to build their ideal body aesthetically without needing equipment or a gym.
11. Bodyweight Strength Training: 12 Weeks to Build Muscle and Burn Fat by Jay Cardiello
Bodyweight Strength Training is one of the best calisthenics beginner’s guides. It comes with 40 essential exercises for any calisthenics practitioner, a 12-week training program, mental fitness advice, and nutrition advice.
12. Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach to Gymnastics and Bodyweight Strength by Steven Low
Overcoming Gravity is one of the most popular books on calisthenics. Steven Low teaches a step-by-step approach to increase strength through bodyweight training and improving gymnastics performance.
13. Grind Style Calisthenics: A Holistic Program For Building Muscle and Strength With Calisthenics by Matt Schifferle
Grind Style Calisthenics by Matt Schifferle teaches readers how to maximize muscle-building and strength through bodyweight workouts.
Matt teaches a low-skill approach through a 6-step progression system, along with easy-to-use nutrition guidelines that people of all skill levels can follow.
14. Your Body is Your Gym: Use Your Bodyweight to Build Muscle and Lose Fat With the Ultimate Guide to Bodyweight Training by Peter Paulson
Your Body is Your Gym is an excellent book if you want to cut out the gym fee from your monthly expenses and replace it with bodyweight training.
Peter Paulson’s 8-week fitness program is designed to help you lose fat, gain muscle, exercise on your own time (and in the location that’s best for you), get six-pack abs, increase your happiness, reduce your stress, and more.
15. Body by You: The You Are Your Own Gym Guide to Total Women’s Fitness by Mark Lauren and Joshua Clark
In Body by You, Mark Lauren and Joshua Clark designed a calisthenics training program specifically for women to achieve toned arms, flatter abs, tighter buns, and killer legs in less than 30 minutes a day (three times a week).
16. Calisthenics for Beginners: Step-by-Step Workouts to Build Strength at Any Fitness Level by Matt Schifferle
In Strength Rules, Danny Kavadlo teaches readers how to become “classically” strong, meaning strong in every dimension of your life. This includes your body, your gut, your heart, and your mind.
Danny’s muscle-building exercises are designed to help you get into the best shape of your life, with detailed information and a wide range of exercises to choose from.
18. Raising the Bar: The Definitive Guide to Pull-up Bar Calisthenics by Al Kavadlo
Interested in learning how to master the pull-up bar? Look no further than Raising the Bar by Al Kavaldo.
This definitive guide walks readers through just about every exercise that can be done on a pull-up bar, including the muscle-up and the one-arm pull-up.
The push-up is one of the foundational calisthenics exercises. The Push-up Bible walks readers through the basics of push-ups and how to do them in the most efficient way possible.
Ashley Kalym teaches readers how to perform standard push-ups, one-armed push-ups, planche push-ups, handstand push-ups, and more to master this basic exercise.
20. Calisthenics: Lower Body BLITZ: 35 Bodyweight Exercises | The #1 Legs & Glutes Bodyweight Training Guide by Pure Calisthenics
Want to focus on your lower body strength? Calisthenics: Lower Body BLITZ includes 35 lower body exercises with photo demonstrations and nutritional advice to help you go from beginner to advanced to intermediate as fast as possible.
21. Calisthenics for Beginners: 50 Bodyweight Exercises | The #1 Bodyweight Training Starter Guide by Pure Calisthenics
Progressive Calisthenics: The 20-Minute Dream Body with Bodyweight Exercises is a great book for people who are short on time but want to incorporate calisthenics into their busy schedules.
John Powers teaches readers how to lose weight, build muscle, and make progress every single day in just 20 minutes.
23. Calisthenics: Complete Guide for Bodyweight Exercise, Build Your Dream Body in 30 Minutes by Arnold Yates
Arnold Yates is a doctor and bodybuilder with a Ph.D. in exercise physiology. In Calisthenics: Complete Guide for Bodyweight Exercise, Arnold teaches readers how to lose fat, build muscle, and build a lean, toned body in less time.
24. Building the Gymnastic Body by Christopher Sommer
Holistic strength is key for gymnasts. In Building the Gymnastic Body, Christopher Sommer gives detailed instructions on some of the best exercises for gymnasts to increase their strength and performance.
25. Calisthenics: 30 Minutes to Ripped – Get Your Dream Body Fast with Body Weight Exercises and Calisthenics by Cathy Harwell
Calisthenics: 30 Minutes to Ripped teaches readers 12 of the most effective bodyweight exercises with video demonstrations for each exercise and nutrition advice to build a lean, toned body with bodyweight training.
The Best Calisthenics Books for Different People
For Everyone
Complete Calisthenics, Second Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Bodyweight Training
What’s Possible With Calisthenics? Here Is Some Inspiration
YouTube is packed with awesome videos of people doing incredible calisthenics movements.
Here are a few to inspire and motivate you along your journey:
Conclusion
After reading this article, I hope you feel inspired and equipped to embark upon your calisthenics journey.
Calisthenics has the potential to transform not only your physical strength but also your mental and spiritual well-being, as well.
I would love to hear from you now. What sparked your interest in calisthenics? How has it benefited you so far? Have you discovered additional resources or books that have been invaluable to your training?
Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Remember, calisthenics is an evolving discipline. There’s always something new to learn and explore.
Keep pushing your boundaries and challenging yourself to unlock the potential within your body, mind, and spirit.
Michael Karp is a personal development blogger and self-published author. He started his personal development journey in 2011 as a sophomore in college.
Since then, he has self-published several books, started an online business and became a digital nomad, achieved his dream of moving to Thailand and traveling around Southeast Asia, built a following of 18,000 people on Instagram sharing personal development advice, became a life coach, found his life purpose, and healed his body with the power of his mind.
With a deep passion for serving others, Michael continues his hero's journey on a mission to help people around the world to empower themselves, realize their true potential, and achieve their dreams.
