Complete Calisthenics: The Ultimate Guide to Bodyweight Exercise

I love the practicality of the exercises in this book. All the pictures do a great job of relaying exactly the movement you should be achieving while performing that exercise.

I've been training progressive calisthenics-style for about two years (after 23 years in traditional gym settings and competing in natural bodybuilding contests). I have to say that I quickly learned and mastered a few advanced moves, like front and back lever. However, I was stuck with not much progress in other moves, like HS for example.Ashley Kalym's book is the first one I buy on calisthenics. I thought I need guidance from someone who's already mastered the moves I was stuck on and has experience teaching them. Well, here are a couple of great things I like about the book and the author:- All exercises and advanced moves are presented as a learning path from simple novice moves to more advanced variations of these moves to finally the actual advanced moves. I personally was missing the steps in the middle that take you from not being able to do an advanced move to being able to. I was personally trying with the most difficult move from the advanced ones without knowing that I need to do some move-specific conditioning that will help me get to the advanced move.- The author comes across as a down-to-earth regular guy, who's even provided his personal email address in the book for readers to get in touch with him. I did write him an email and he very cordially replied in about 24 hours (there is 6 hours difference between where he lives and where I live).I personally wasn't impressed with the depth of the nutrition section in the book but that's not a reason for taking a star from the rating. The truth is that I am more of a functional nutrition fanatic and I'd say that my knowledge about nutrition is a bit above layman level. That said, the info in the nutrition section is just about enough for someone who's coming from the perspective of a convenience type of pseudo food into highly nutritious eating that will actually support him/her in achieving serious athletic goals like the goals that mastering advanced calisthenics requires.All in all the book is complete and you will fell like someone took you by the hand and walked you though what might seem an unachievable and superhuman world of complete calisthenics (and that's how the book is called), while in the process not talking down on you from the angle of "I know and have done it all".I look forward to reading whatever other books Ashley will come up with.

I own and have followed the Convict Conditioning series. I wish I knew about this book before I bought those. Don't get me wrong the Convict Conditioning (Con-Con) series is very good and I would still have bought them but I think Complete Calisthenics is a better book. I currently have tailored my own program from this book with some ideas from Con-Con 1 & 2.Kalym's Fundamental Five (F5), his starter program if you will, is well thought out. Any beginner should be able to achieve the F5 requirements in a reasonable number of months with the exception of the 10 pull-ups which will probably be the sticking point for some. That's not a flaw with the program but rather highlights two issues that are common with many. Too many of us are too heavy and too sedentary. Our pulling muscles are weak from disuse and it's hard to hit a decent number of pull-ups with a spare tire acting as a anchor.I believe hitting the F5 requirements is a reasonable foundation. His second and third programs are well thought out in my opinion. The second program uses some harder exercise variations to build greater strength and introduces handstands. Perhaps this is why some people are calling this book intermediate to advanced but remember you don't start here, you earn your way here by nailing the F5. The third program further develops handstands and introduces levers and this is getting into advanced territory for most.In my opinion this is a no nonsense, no hype book with a very good treatment of a large selection of body weight exercises and reasonable programming. The book lays out a plan to go as far as you want to go with calisthenics.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is very well written, the instructions are clear and precise and the pictures give a good representation of the exercise being discussed. The aspect of the narrative that I liked the most was the emphasis that the author Mr. Kalym places on building up strength and how to adapt each exercise for beginners (where applicable since not all exercises are meant for beginners). I think that the emphasis that the author places on building up strength is essential in an exercise book to appeal to wider audience and it shows a sensitivity to and understanding of the difficulties inherent to strength training. Mr. Kalym is obviously in peak condition and, as he explains, it did not come over overnight, his abilities grew over a course of years of training and dedication and his narration seems to come from that perspective.Each exercise is given a thorough description of the muscles used, how it taxes one's body, how it will build strength, proper technique, and repetitions and sets guide. Again, the emphasis on building up one's strength is key in this respect. Many of the exercises can be adapted to fit one's particular strength level and the author does a superb job of discussing this. Personally, I am not a beginner to these types of exercises; I was looking for a book that would help explain the exercises I've done all my life and to learn a couple of new ones - this book definitely delivered!I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking into calisthenics for the first time, looking to enhance his/her exercise regimen, or for the hardcore athlete looking for new and creative ways to challenge their body.