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So you are looking to learn which are the best books to learn calisthenics but don’t know where to start?
Let’s face it.
There are hundreds of different authors, books and programs about calisthenics but most of them are bad…
But not all!
Here are the best calisthenics books you can get…
Hi there my name is Bozhidar, and in this article I will share with you my top 5 favorite books for calisthenics I have ever read.
Yep, I’ve actually bought and read all of them so you don’t have to!
What you can do instead is to read my reviews and select the one you like the most and check it out!
But why stop there?
In order to help you out even more I’ve taken the time and created this awesome massive guide called How to Start Calisthenics: The Ultimate Guide.
And the best part it’s 100% Free + it’s packed with a lot of useful stuff! Not like the majority of the books you can find.
In order to get it simply enter your email below and I’m going to send to you immediately.
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So without any further ado let’s jump to my 5 favorite books about calisthenics and what you can learn from them.
In a hurry?
If you don’t have the time to read this whole article and see all the different books I recommend then take a look at my personal favorite read – Overcoming Gravity (Second Edition).
This is the largest book for calisthenics I have ever seen (600 pages) and inside it, you can find everything you really want to know about calisthenics:
If you only have the budget to buy one book let it be this one.
Click here to check Overcoming Gravity on Amazon <<
Before we jump to the books I want to tell you something really important…
What’s the best approach when you are trying to learn something new you don’t have a clue about or just want to get to the next level?
When it comes to the answer you have 2 simple options.
What option do you think is going to be the fastest and the most efficient?
The quickest way to get direct access to all the experience and knowledge somebody else has is to read his books.
Trust me, if you get your hands on a good book, you CAN learn a lot.
Here are 8 Great Reasons why you should really invest in calisthenics books.
With the help of the best book for calisthenics …
And most importantly you can boost your results...
Here’s a quick preview of my Top 5 Most Favorite Books for Calisthenics that I believe everybody should read:
If you want to learn more about a certain book click the little image or name of the book.
So now you know why it’s really useful to read books, what can you get from them and what are the best ones you can get.
But before we jump straight into the reviews I want to share with you a couple of important things it’s good for you to know before you buy a specific book.
It’s really good that my tips also work for the majority of books so if you love to read a lot you might find them very useful.
Let’s take a look at what I have prepared for you…
Click the image to see the latest pricing on Amazon
The author of this book is Steven Low.
What I like about him is that he does really do what he preaches. Steven is a former gymnast which has many years of training behind his back. He also has a PhD in Physical Therapy.
During his training period, he has build really amazing strength and different skills with body-weight exercises.
He can hold a 10-second iron cross, can do few one-arm chin-ups with both arms and has the ability to do a muscle-up on gymnastic rings with extra 70 lbs across his waist.
I have to say that this man is a beast and you can learn a lot from following his advice.
Steven’s book Overcoming Gravity is a very big book full of useful and applicable knowledge.
It’s made from 600 wide pages which makes it a lot bigger than similar books from that genre.
And I can say that everything you can find inside is useful and there isn’t any unnecessary fluff.
I like to tell people that if they are looking for the Wikipedia for calisthenics they should read this book – it literally has everything you could ever want.
Here are a couple of screenshots showing you how is this book structured (I hope you can see it on mobile):
Yes, there’s even more…
As you can see Overcoming Gravity (Second Edition) is no joke and its HUGE!
It has ton and ton of great content and that is exactly why it’s my favourite calisthenics book I highly recommend you get.
Now let’s see what’s inside…
Final Thoughts:
I believe that Overcoming Gravity is recommended read for anybody who is into bodyweight training or it’s fancy word “calisthenics” who wants to get to the next level. It really gives you everything you possibly need and it’s worth every penny.
… you want to know all the whys and hows of everything involved in body weight training.
… you want to learn how to create your own individual workout routine. You can use the same knowledge and create routines for other people as well.
… you are looking for in-depth knowledge about strength training, progression and how to use your body weight and gravity to your advantage without the need for fancy and expensive equipment.
Click Here to check Overcoming Gravity on Amazon
Click the image to see the latest pricing on Amazon
Ashley Kalym is a very passionate writer who has a long experience with calisthenics, gymnastics and bodyweight conditioning.
He got really passionate about this type of training during his time with the Royal Marines.
He does also have a lot of experience with many different sports and disciplines.
You can really see his passion for training in the way he writes and describes different things.
If you are looking for actionable knowledge about bodyweight training he is a great author to start with.
Complete Calisthenics is a good no-nonsense read that gives you everything essential you want to know about bodyweight training while sparing you the details.
Everything is well written, easy to read and it’s packed in 356 pages that are filled with applicable and easy to follow steps.
This is another great book to read if you want to learn and get better in calisthenics.
Sadly this book doesn’t have a table of contents but it has 10 times more pictures showing you exactly what to do compared to a lot of the other books I’ve seen.
Here is an example of how they look:
Final Thoughts:
Complete Calisthenics is more on the active side of things and it doesn’t go in-depth as some similar titles do.
If you are looking for something more practical and easy to read then this book might be a good fit into your home library.
… you are a total beginner who is just getting into calisthenics and want to learn more.
… you want to learn advanced calisthenics movements and apply them in well-created routines.
… you are looking for a book that contains a detailed step-by-step process and pictures of how to do many different exercises for strength building, recovery and warming up.
… you don’t want to hear all the details behind everything you do. You simply want practical advice that’s working.
Click here to check Complete Calisthenics on Amazon
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This great book is written by the Kavadlo Brothers.
They are two very passionate brothers that have a very long experience in calisthenics.
Both of them have mastered all the advanced movements and do all their writing in a very clear and simple way.
They have a YouTube channel with over 67000 subscribers. In my opinion, you can learn a lot from them no matter your experience – novice, intermediate or advanced.
They have other similar books that are also well-written and loved by a lot of people. You won’t get wrong if you buy one of their books.
With it’s 218 page solid content, Get Strong offers a lot.
In return of your investment you are getting a complete workout routine accompanied with a ton of useful information.
I’m talking about things like Q&As, complete warming up routine, common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid, additional exercises, workouts and many useful tips and tricks.
Here’s how Get Strong is structured and what to expect:
As you can see everything is really nice structured and it’s easy to navigate and follow the 4 phases.
But let’s get more in-depth than that…
Final Thoughts:
What I like about Get Strong is that it doesn’t go into details and the science and reasons behind every exercise or movement.
I prefer simple and applicable information that simply works but if you want to get the more scientific approach I would recommend you to take a look at Overcoming Gravity or Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy.
Both those books can give you plenty more info on that. Even if this book is way simpler than that I find it to be one amazing guide that could really boost you to the next level.
… you are looking for a ready to go and proven workout plan that you can follow using step by step progression.
… you want to build more strength, size, and stamina in a relatively short period of time.
… you don’t want to pay a lot and are looking for something extremely practical and simple.
… you want to workout without the need to have any additional expensive equipment and do it at the convenience of your home.
Click here to check Get Strong on Amazon
Click the image to see the latest pricing on Amazon
Bret Contreras is a very well known author in the fitness industry.
Except for the Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy he has also written many similar books that are very helpful if you want to learn more about working out.
He’s got a Ph.D. in sport science and has worked with a lot of clients ranging from ordinary people to professional athletes.
When it comes to knowledge and expertise Bret is someone you can learn a lot from. It is proven again and again that his books are filled with very good knowledge you can use to your advantage.
His book Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy (224 pages long) is something everybody who is really into bodyweight training should read.
Inside the book, you will find 156 bodyweight exercises that you can do literally anywhere with basic day to day objects most of us should have in our homes.
Of course, he also gives you applicable knowledge of how to combine them, in what order and gives you ready to use workout plans to follow.
And you can get all of that for a very affordable price.
Here’s what to expect from the book and the way it’s been structured:
And the second part…
As you can see this book has one of the best and simplest structures I’ve ever seen making it an excellent source to find new exercises in only a couple of seconds.
But you get way more than that.
Here’s what I’m talking about…
Final Thoughts:
Sadly inside this book, you won’t find more advanced movements such as planche, levers or human flag.
From what I see, this is a more of a calisthenics book for beginners rather than a book for advanced people but with such big variety of exercises, you can easily create a more advanced workout plan if needed.
In my opinion, Bodyweight Strength Training Anatomy is a great read and could really help you improve your knowledge and learn how your body operates and use all of that to your advantage.
… you want to see the science behind every bodyweight exercise you do.
… you are looking to find out what muscles are being targeted with what movement and how you can do it more effectively. Doing that could really improve your results and progress.
… you want to learn how to create a personal workout plan that is going to be science-based.
… you are a complete beginner who is just getting into calisthenics and is looking for a good way to learn all the basics.
Click Here to check Bodyweight Anatomy on Amazon
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Paul Wade is the author of Convict Conditioning – one of the best bodyweight workout books out there.
He was actually sentenced and stayed in prison for a while. In there, he had to become tough and adapt to the new environment with only his bodyweight and no equipment.
He shares all the knowledge of how he did it inside his few books.
Inside Explosive Calisthenics he takes things to the next level and teaches you how to master the art of explosive power in order to become an even better athlete.
This book is a great addition for anybody who already has got some experience and strength developed with the help of bodyweight exercises.
Inside his affordable 392 page book, you will find everything you really have to know how to improve and get the desired explosive power.
The applicable information inside is going to get you to the next level by helping you learn and master some of the fundamental explosive movements for calisthenics.
If you already got the strength to do a decent amount of push-ups, squats, pullups, leg raises, bridges and handstand push-ups than this book is right for you.
Here’s how Explosive Calisthenics is structured and what to expect:
As you can see the book is structured in 3 parts which use the progressive overload structure.
In addition to that you also get a nice bonus material and easy to follow progression charts.
Let’s get more in-depth on all of that…
Final Thoughts:
Inside Explosive Calisthenics you can also find very good advice and many useful tips and tricks you can apply in different exercises and workouts.
Even if this is not a book for beginners I find it very well written and nicely formatted.
Reading Explosive Calisthenics could really help you a lot if you want to learn explosive calisthenics and get to the next level. And with its help, you can do that in a very affordable way.
… you already have got some experience and strength and you are looking to get to the next level.
… you want to learn how to build some explosive power and have total control over the bar and in the air following a detailed step by step blueprint.
… you are looking for an effective guide you can follow in order to learn how to do very advanced moves, the majority of people can’t do.
Click here to check Explosive Calisthenics on Amazon
I highly recommend you not to skip this part because these 5 things I’m going to share with you can tell you if a book is good or not.
With their help, you are going to make sure that your investment is worth and you are going to learn a lot.
Here we go…
Before you buy a book, it’s highly recommended to know who has written it.
If you don’t already know the author or authors of a book you like do a quick online search and find out some of those things:
If you want to read the best book for calisthenics you have to make sure that the book is actually written by somebody who is really good at calisthenics right?
Other things you can also find out about the author are how much experience does he has in calisthenics and if he has other similar books written on that topic and most importantly – are they good?
If all other books written by the same author are good then there is a very high chance that the book you want to read is also going to be good.
Finally, find out what do other people think about him – do the majority of them like him or not? If they don’t why?
Quick Tip:
The more you know about the person/people who have created the book the better.
When you are looking to buy calisthenics books it’s very unlikely you are doing it just to entertain yourself. You want to read on that topic because you want to learn useful things that you can apply in your own training and daily life.
In that regard, some calisthenics books are going to be better than others.
In my opinion, the best book to learn calisthenics should be jammed pack with all kinds of tips, techniques, different exercises, reasons why you should do them, how often to do them, what to eat, how to progress, what to expect, what equipment should you use, and much more.
As you can see, a good book should provide you with all the answers to those questions. And of course, doing it in such a way that you can actually use the knowledge and apply it straight away.
Another useful thing you can find inside a good book is the story behind how the author/authors have reached their level of expertise.
In my opinion, one of the most important things you can learn is how somebody got from point A to point B.
How for example Johny transformed from a skinny and weak average person to a master in calisthenics who is now one of the best athletes in that area.
Having all the answers to those questions inside a book can help you a lot. That way you can have a clear understanding of what it’s actually going to take you to get there and what to expect. Of course, we are all different and this can’t guarantee your success but it’s going to give you realistic expectations so you can be prepared for what’s to come.
Every good book for calisthenics should have very detailed information on what I call “behind the scenes” because in today’s society we are brainwashed to believe that big success comes easy and fast way and it’s something similar to an overnight event.
The truth is far from that.
A great book should guide you and give you the real deal about the whole process and show you exactly what is going to take you to get from where you are to where you want to get.
One final thing I want to mention is that it’s highly recommended to buy a book in which there are many different photos, drawings or charts showing you how to do certain movements, etc. because one of the best ways to learn something new is by visually seeing it.
Especially when it comes to doing exercises and such.
This is the most important factor that could tell you if a certain book is good or bad.
If you don’t want to waste your money or time, buy only books that are highly liked and recommended by the majority of people who had read them.
You can easily find that information in the reviews section. From there you can also see if readers are happy with what they got in return and if the book was useful and delivered what it promised.
From personal experience, I can tell that the majority of the best books I have ever read are not best sellers or are extremely popular.
If you do a quick online search you probably won’t find them because they don’t have big advertising budgets or are simply created only to make money for the authors.
My favorite books are packed with great value and the only way you can learn about them is by person to person recommendations like you and this article.
So the moral of this story is that even if a book you like doesn’t have tens of thousands of reviews that doesn’t mean it’s bad and you have to ignore it.
Some of the best books for calisthenics might not be the most obvious ones…
This is something you should not ignore because different books are suitable for different types of people.
Some books are oriented towards beginners who are just starting out and are looking to learn and start doing calisthenics.
Other books may include more advanced techniques and tips that could only be applied by people who have some previous experience in calisthenics.
In order to find out if a calisthenics book is right for you, take a glance at its table of contents and see the names of the chapters.
That way you can have a rough idea of what to expect from it and if it’s going to help you or not.
In my opinion, even if you are very advanced in a certain area there are always new things you can learn no matter how good you are. But in order for that to happen, you have to be open-minded and eager to learn new stuff.
Even if the length of a book isn’t directly responsible for the quality of the content I do believe it still plays a significant role.
I don’t know about you but I would never pay money for a “book” that has only 100 pages and it’s written in 3 months.
These types of books have only one thing in mind – to make money for the author and because of that most of the content is pure garbage and filled with what I like to call “fluff”.
I highly recommend you stay away from those types of books. They are not worth your money or your time.
On the contrary, if a book has a decent length, the reviews are great and the headlines of the chapters you can find are good then there is a pretty high chance that the book is good.
A nice book in this genre is good to have at least 200 pages of good content. I recommend you to not buy anything that has less than that.
Take into consideration that if a book contains a lot of images then the total number of pages might increase. Even if we ignore them a good book should have a decent amount of pages packed with useful information.
So now you understand why it’s good for you to read books and how they are doing to affect your results.
It’s time to decide which book you like the most.
I know this is a very difficult decision to make because all the 5 books are very well written and packed with useful information you can use straight away.
Even if you have something else in mind make sure to use all 5 tips I have shared with you in order to make the right decision and not waste your time and money on bad reads.
So in order to make things easier for you I’ve created these 3 simple steps you can follow immediately.
STEP 1: Take 3 seconds and download my completely free guide How to Start Calisthenics: The Ultimate Guide (if you already haven’t).
It’s better than 99% of the books you can find + it’s 100% free.
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STEP 2: If you still want to buy a book but don’t know which one I would recommend you to go with Overcoming Gravity (Second Edition).
In my opinion, this is the best book for calisthenics because it’s a combination of literally everything you should know about calisthenics and gymnastics.
Inside you will find all the knowledge you need to become better and learn how to do many of the difficult things you always dreamed of. I highly recommend that you read this book and see for yourself what I’m talking about.
Click here for the latest price on Amazon <<
STEP 3: Check out more solid articles about calisthenics.
If you want to take your calisthenics training to the next level it’s going to be very beneficial if you take a look at my other latest articles on that topic you can find here.
In some of my recent ones, I share with you what are my favorite resistance bands, dip bars, supplements, and even wrist wraps and what makes them such. Please take a look if you have the time. You might find something useful in there.
Before I finish this article I want to personally thank you for taking the time to read this post. It will make me very happy if I managed to help you make a good decision and buy a nice book that is going to provide you with all the knowledge you seek.
If you find this post useful please leave a comment below and let me know. I would also really appreciate if you share it with your friends by using one of the buttons.
Now it’s time to…
Hope to see you again,
– Bozhidar
