Strength Training Program Design for Advanced Athletes

Depending on your experience, strength, and goals, choose a 2, 3, or 4 way weekly split. A 2 way split could be handled a number of ways - a push/pull workout and a lower body/abdominal workout; two different full body workouts; etc. A 3 way split could use the first 3 programs that I list in the workout template section of this article. Feel free to substitute or add exercises that fit your goals. One may add a short skill session or full body session as a warmup to any of these routines, borrowing ideas from the other two workouts listed. One could also add a 4th hard workout to the weekly split, and a 5th day for skill practice & mobility.

Never over-train (as it could lead to burnout and/or injury), or work the same muscle group very hard two days in a row, though! If you're into athletic sports, this is especially vital.

Plan your own training cycles. I recommend grease the groove cycles and periodization, especially daily undulating periodization.

My own advanced strength training workout templates are listed in the next section of this article. Of course, each workout is going to be a little different depending on exactly what I want to emphasize and how I've been progressing. All of the exercises are bodyweight only except where I specifically state a type of external resistance.

Calisthenics skill work to choose from (by no means a comprehensive list) - muscleups, levers (back, front, side, elbow), midsection holds, hand balancing (hand walking, transitions, one arm work, and so much more), advanced pistols

Specialization exercises - the programs starting on the next page already have some specializations built in. The sky is the limit, though - you can progress to old school feats in these specializations and train them to develop overall body power. Such feats include partner press flags (which are technically side levers), partner resisted bridges, and so forth.

There is a lot of variety to hand and forearm specializations as well. This includes digit grip hangs, digit pullups, uses for towels and thick bars in hang grip work and pullups, wrist curls (vertical or Australian), wrist pushups, working with awkward objects and/or sandbags, wrist rollers, and so forth.

Remember to do plenty of mobility work for the hands and to be cautious as to how hard you train them. Do work hard, but keep in mind that the hands have a lot of small delicate joints that can be prone to injury and need to be trained gradually. Start with the recommended number of sessions for grip and fingers each week. As you build up your joints, though, you can start seeing great progress! Eventually you can add a bit of hand and forearm training to other sessions. Specializing in various hollow body holds and other gymnastics related skills is another avenue.

Prehab, short for "pre-habilitation" is an important part of your warmups.

Add neck, midsection, back, grip, finger, and skill work as needed into your sessions once you're ready. Partner leg throwdowns, decline situps (with or without weight), and dragon flags are great midsection exercises. For the back, add some sandbag good mornings after you finish up your bridging work. You can hold the sandbag in the Zercher position, in a bear hug, on a shoulder, or across your shoulders.

Transitional work is a major component of training towards fully asymmetrical pullups, pushups, and squats (such as one arm pushups, one arm elbow levers, and pistol squats). In these exercises, both arms or legs will still be used, but one limb is worked harder than the other. Such exercises are called transitional, since they help you transition from symmetrical to fully asymmetrical.

Sandbags can be used to add resistance to bodyweight exercises, but it is recommended to not do so until you have move up in various progressions and gained sufficient technical proficiency. Partner resistance is another great method. Just be sure to perform 2-3 warmup sets and 1-3 work sets without weight before doing any work sets with added weight. You can do this for every calisthenics progression that you are working that you have sufficient experience, technique, and strength in. Keep in mind that adding weight will not be safe or even possible with certain skills or progressions.

Personally, I usually add at least a few extra minutes of skill work to a workout if energy and motivation allow. If I have "hojo undo" tools available, I'll sometimes use at least one as part of my mobility work (such as rice bucket exercises or performing blocks and other movements slowly and deeply with a light strength stone), or perform lifts with a moderately heavy tool in place of / in addition to sandbag work.

If you are aiming to build muscle, either a calisthenics-oriented bodybuilding protocol or calisthenics strength training will yield results. Strength and mass are not mutually exclusive, but are on a training continuum. Still, I'll summarize the basic ideas:

"Bodybuilding" (hypertrophy with a focus on the muscles): 

The goal is to exhaust the muscles with high reps of simple to moderate complexity exercises that allow you to perform a moderate to full range of motion, and generate intense muscle contractions. While the intensity should be kept high, it should also allow you to perform enough sets and reps to exhaust the muscle(s).

The sets you perform each exercise for should be kept low to moderate, while the reps should be kept high, and the rest periods between sets (inter-set rest) should be kept relatively short. Training frequency should be low, to allow muscles to recover. Don't do bodybuilding workouts two days in a row, and 3 per week is usually enough for even advanced athletes.

Useful tactics: Ladders, supersets, extended sets (such as using eccentrics / negatives, rest-pause sets, and/or drop sets), even higher reps, very slow reps, emphasis on a muscle or muscle group (specialization exercises), and going through a strength training cycle (since stronger muscles can use higher loads and generate more intense contractions).

Strength training (hypertrophy with a focus on the nervous system): 

The goal is to perform slightly high sets of low to moderate reps of the most difficult compound (multi-joint) movements that you can do with good form in each rep. The rest periods between sets should be just long enough to allow you to practice "fresh". An example number of sets and reps for strength training - 2-5 sets of 1-6. Training frequency can be built up to a moderate amount. Multiple weekly sessions are viable since the muscles aren't being worked to complete exhaustion.

As a rule, you are focusing on ingraining these intense movements into your nervous system. Gradually tighten up form. Of course, it's still important to utilize high rep sets for warmups to gradually prepare the mind, muscles, and nervous system for the hard work to come.

Useful tactics: Pyramids of low reps, grease the groove, high intensity interval training, skill work 

Technique: Tension, bracing, breathing methods, laser focus, muscle synergy

Advanced templates begin in the next section. Remember that the key words are progression, intensity, recovery, safety, therapy, and nutrition. Lifestyle factors are actually more important than the training itself, but always stay motivated and train hard as well!

Keep safety a priority when training, especially when stretching. Ease into the stretch slowly while focusing on how you are breathing, in order to allow the muscles to relax. Generally, hold stretches for at least 30 seconds each. Listen to your body and let it tell you when you've touched your limit. The rule here is to stretch to the point of mild to moderate discomfort - not pain; stretching should feel good! Avoid any stretches where you bounce, but dynamic stretches and Yoga are still highly recommended! Just practice care and caution, and remember it will take time to increase flexibility.

I highly recommend also reading the books "C-Mass" (by Paul "Coach" Wade, author of "Convict Conditioning"), and "Chalk and Sweat" (by Brooks Kubik, author of "Dinosaur Training") for the many great programs they have for beginners, intermediates, and advanced trainees.

I also want to recommend the book "Diamond-Cut Abs" by Danny Kavadlo. The book is worth the asking price for the nutritional advice alone. Danny cuts past the BS and myths that the fitness industry perpetuates, and lays it out straight. Of course, the exercises are amazingly functional as well!

Workout Templates

Lower body and core workout

Warmups 

Cardio, light stretching, prehab 

Bridging for time (to warm up the legs a little more and to open up the back) 

Two warmup sets of a squat variation that is easy for you personally 

(At least 1 level down in the progression you're working on) 

Deep stretches as needed 

At least deep runner's stretch and/or a few Yoga stretches

Work sets 

Calves - various calf raises, squat jumps 

Hamstrings - glute-ham raises, bridge curls 

Squats - usually at least one type of bodyweight squat and a sandbag squat, or a few types of bodyweight squats 

Quadriceps - sissy squats, duck walks, etc. 

Abdominal - leg raises, flags

Back work 

Full bridge work 

2-5 short sets of Sandbag lifts, or lifts using partners or park benches

Explosives - sprints, hill sprints, jumps, etc.

Cooldowns (if desired / needed) 

Deep breathing, joint circling, stretching (especially for the muscle groups you worked) 

Massaging of muscle groups you worked (use a muscle rub such as Icy Hot© if needed) 

Light walking / cardio if desired

Upper body pushing - chest, shoulders, and triceps emphasis

Warmups 

Cardio, light stretching, prehab 

Bridging for time 

Deep stretching as needed 

Two warmup sets of a pushup variation that is easy for you personally 

(At least 1 level down in the progression you're working on)

Work sets 

Pushups - 

At least two types. Once you learn some progressions for pushups, you will have a lot to choose from. Work towards one arm pushups and Jowett pushups.

Dips - 

Parallel bar dips, bench / chair dips, and/or horizontal bar dips

Triceps exercise - 

Tiger bend variations, etc.

Fingertip training 

Hand-balancing and/or handstand pushups of any kind 

Abdominal training 

Deep breathing and mobility exercises

Cooldowns (if desired / needed) 

Deep breathing, joint circling, stretching (especially for the muscle groups you worked) 

Massaging of muscle groups you worked (use a muscle rub such as Icy Hot© if needed) 

Light walking / cardio if desired

Upper body pulling - back, biceps, forearms emphasis

Warmups 

Cardio, light stretching, prehab 

Bridging for time 

Deep stretching as needed 

Two warmup sets of a pullup variation that is easy for you personally 

(At least 1 level down in the progression you're working on)

Work sets 

For the lever training, choose two or three types to train. Lever training by itself can be a full body workout if desired, or part of a workout, depending on what parts of the body you're emphasizing.

Lever work (emphasis on back & front levers at the least, to work shoulders, back & abs) 

Two types of pullups (there's a lot to choose from - find progressions) 

Horizontal pullups (bar or rings) 

Biceps emphasis exercise 

Levers with a focus on abdominals; perhaps add dragon flag

Back work 

Full bridge work 

2-5 short sets of Sandbag lifts, or lifts using partners or park benches

Cooldowns (if desired / needed) 

Deep breathing, joint circling, stretching (especially for the muscle groups you worked) 

Massaging of muscle groups you worked (use a muscle rub such as Icy Hot© if needed) 

Light walking / cardio if desired

Specialization and skill work

Warmups 

Cardio, light stretching, prehab 

Deep stretching as needed 

Two exercises from calisthenics progressions that are similar to the ones you're working

Skill work 

Choose a few skills to work from the below categories: 

Muscleups 

Levers (back, front, side, elbow) 

Midsection holds 

Hand balancing (hand walking, transitions, one arm work, and so much more) 

Bridging, Backbends and/or other tumbling skills 

Advanced pushups, pullups, squats, or abdominal work 

(Any of these can be its own workout, as well!)

Specialization work 

Extremities (neck, fingers, forearms, wrists, calves) 

Emphasis on one or more particular muscles 

Specialization in a particular category of skill work or a particular skill

Cooldowns (if desired / needed) 

Deep breathing, joint circling, stretching (especially for the muscle groups you worked) 

Massaging of muscle groups you worked (use a muscle rub such as Icy Hot© if needed) 

Light walking / cardio if desired

Full body routine

Warmups 

Cardio, light stretching, prehab 

Bridging for time 

Deep stretching as needed

Work sets 

"Century Test" (to be done in 8 minutes or less, but all 100 reps must be done with good form - 40 squats, 30 pushups, 20 hanging knee raises, 10 pullups) 

Handstand pushups 

Horizontal pullups 

2 bench lifts or sandbag lifts - 1 push and one pull or two sets of a "complex" (such as shouldering a sandbag then squatting and pressing it, and repeat for the other shoulder) 

1 or 2 skills / specializations that heavily work the abdominals (any levers, flags, and/or late progression leg raise movements) 

Fingers / wrists / grip

Cooldowns (if desired / needed) 

Deep breathing, joint circling, stretching (especially for the muscle groups you worked) 

Massaging of muscle groups you worked (use a muscle rub such as Icy Hot© if needed) 

Light walking / cardio if desired

Variations on this template can be used to great effect for beginner and intermediate athletes.

The author is a PCC (progressive calisthenics certification) instructor with many years of experience teaching martial arts and training modalities. He currently serves as the lead strength and conditioning coach at an established gymnastics club. For more information on his qualifications and experience, or to get in touch, visit his personal profile page -

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