Looking for calisthenics equipment? In this blog, I’ll explain what you need to perform a good workout at home. I’ve made a distinction between essential items and nice-to-haves. You don’t need much to get a workout done, but to train as efficiently as possible, it can be very worthwhile to invest in quality calisthenics equipment.
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Calisthenics Gear: What Do You Need?
Training at home is an ideal option if you have little time to exercise or don’t have a gym nearby. Investing in the right calisthenics equipment will help you achieve maximum results, whether at home or in the park.
This allows you to perform more exercises, apply progressive overload, and make faster progress.
In this article, I share my personal favorite calisthenics equipment so you can get the most out of your workouts. Do you have any questions about other calisthenics equipment? Let us know.
Essential Calisthenics Equipment
The most important thing you need for practicing calisthenics is equipment that allows you to do pull-ups and resistance bands to adjust the difficulty of your workout. For pull-ups, you have two options: a pull-up bar or gymnastic rings.
Pull-up bar
Most people think of home workouts as primarily involving sit-ups, push-ups, and squats. However, it’s essential to include pull exercises in your routine to avoid muscle imbalances.
Pull-up bars come in many different types: pull up stations, doorway pull up bars and wall mounted pull up bars. Prices start as low as 10 euros. So, there’s absolutely no reason not to have a pull-up bar at home.
Since there are many different types of pull-up bars, it’s important to choose one that meets your needs. Factors to consider include available space, your budget, and the types of exercises you want to do.
Are you interested in a pull-up bar? Then I recommend checking out the pull-up bar buying guide. It explains exactly which pull-up bar is best suited for your situation.
Gymnastic rings
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If I could buy only one piece of calisthenics equipment, it would be gymnastic / calisthenics rings. Training with rings is becoming increasingly popular for a reason.
They are the most versatile piece of calisthenics equipment you can buy. You can train your pull-ups, dips, push-ups, and static holds with them.
Training with rings also adds an extra dimension to your workout, as your body constantly needs to stabilize itself. Performing a calisthenics rings workout with dips or push-ups on rings is much harder than on P-bars or the ground.
There are many different suppliers of rings, but the quality varies greatly. With some suppliers, you quickly get splinters, which should absolutely not happen.
A set of resistance bands
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If you’re a beginner looking to learn pull-ups and dips, resistance bands are essential. They make these basic exercises easier, allowing you to safely progress towards your first calisthenics routines.
Resistance bands come in various strengths. Therefore, it is wise to purchase at least two to three different strengths. This way, you can gradually reduce the extra assistance the band provides, for example, when training for pull-ups.
Door Anchor
Using a door anchor to expand your resistance bands is beneficial. These are inexpensive and allow you to perform many additional exercises. Simply place them between your door frame and pull a resistance band through.
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Calisthenics Equipment: nice to have
Besides the essential calisthenics equipment, there are a few useful items. These are not necessary for your workouts, but they are recommended.
Parallettes
Parallettes come in various shapes and sizes. They are ideal for performing push exercises and training the L-sit, for example. Additionally, they are great for training the planche and handstands, as they reduce pressure on your hands.
Everyone has seen push-up bars at some point; these are the smallest type of parallettes. Besides these, there are medium and tall parallettes.
The great thing about the tall ones is that you can also train dips on them. If you don’t have rings to train dips, I definitely recommend getting tall parallettes.
Weightvest
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After training for a while, pull-ups and push-ups become easier. When you can do more than 12 pull-ups in a row, your body weight alone isn’t enough resistance to build strength and muscle.
You can then choose to add weight to your workouts. This ensures your body keeps getting the right stimuli during training. One way to add weight is by using a weighted vest. These come in weights from 1-30 kg.
A weight vest is great for:
# Doing multiple exercises in a row with the same weight
# Training weighted push-ups
# Training weighted handstands and handstand push-ups
# Walking with extra weight
Weightbelt / Dip belt
If you want to add a lot of weight to your workouts, for example, if you’re training for a street lifting competition, I recommend buying a Dip belt. With this, the weight hangs from a belt around your hips. This has the advantage of not hindering your mobility like a weight vest does.
A weight belt is ideal for:
# Training with heavy weights
# Training weighted pull-ups, dips, and muscle-ups
# Maintaining the correct posture during your workout.
When you buy a weight belt and want to focus on street lifting, I recommend investing in a really good weight belt. There are many variants on the market with a flimsy chain or poorly fitting belt. For this reason, I recommend buying a weight belt from GORnation or King Of Weighted.
Both variants have been tested, with the Gornation tested up to 1000kg and the King Of Weighted up to 350kg. Currently, the world record for the weighted dip is under 200kg, so you’re good with either one.
liquid chalk / magnesium powder
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Magnesium powder improves your grip, especially if it has rained or you are already sweating a lot. If you train at home, I recommend using liquid chalk; otherwise, the powder will fly everywhere.
Both types have their benefits, but the most important thing is your personal preference. Try them both and see what works for you.
Wrist Wraps
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When training in calisthenics, a lot of pressure is placed on your shoulders and wrists. Handstands, planches, muscle-ups, and similar exercises all strain your joints. For this reason, it can be helpful to train with wrist wraps or an elbow sleeve.
Personally, I find wrist wraps very comfortable. They support your wrists, reducing the pressure on both your forearms and wrists. I usually wear them when I train for several days in a row and notice that my wrist and forearm strength affects my performance.
