Hybrid Calisthenics
Your First Pull-Up
An 8-week progression from dead hang to a strict, paused pull-up. Built for the person who has tried and stalled. Strength. Control. Longevity.
- Length
- 8 weeks
- Sessions / wk
- 3
- Per session
- 30–45 min
- Designed by
- NASM-CPT
Ongoing access. Free updates included. Stripe checkout, refundable within 14 days if you haven't started.
Who it's for
The right person walks into this program already.
Fits if you
- You can hang from a bar for at least 10 seconds without shoulder pain.
- You've tried pull-ups before and stalled.
- You want one program with one clear outcome.
- You have access to a bar — doorway, park, gym, garage.
- You can train 3 days a week, 30–45 minutes a session.
Doesn't fit if you
- You have an unresolved shoulder injury limiting overhead reach.
- You can already do 3+ strict pull-ups — you'd outgrow this in a week.
- You're looking for a full-body strength program — start with Foundations.
What you get
A complete program — not a workout list.
Every session is reasoned. Every progression earns the next one. The plan tells you when to push, when to repeat, and when to back off — not the algorithm, the coach.
- Full 8-week plan — every session, every set, every rep.
- Built-in progression rules. You'll know when to advance, repeat, or deload.
- Movement standards for the strict pull-up — what counts, what doesn't.
- Swap matrix for every exercise.
- Free updates with ongoing access — when content gets refined, you get it.
Adaptive — optional add-on
The same program, with a layer that adjusts to you.
Adaptive reads each session — sleep, soreness, the day you actually had — and tunes the next one. Volume, load, joint- friendly swaps. The base program stays the same; Adaptive sits on top.
The cycle starts on your first session, not at purchase. When it completes, your program and all your progression stay yours.
How the cycle works- Reads how today is going — RPE, completion, recovery.
- Tunes volume and load on the next session.
- Swaps in joint-friendly options when something's cranky.
- Remembers every adjustment — the system gets to know you.
Structured progression
Every phase has a purpose. Every progression earns the next one.
- 01
Weeks 1–2
Hang & scapular control
Build hang capacity (15s → 45s) and learn active scapular retraction at the bar.
- 02
Weeks 3–4
Eccentrics & isometric holds
Lower under control from chin-over-bar. Build pulling strength under partial bodyweight.
- 03
Weeks 5–6
Assisted concentrics
Banded or foot-assisted concentric pulling, with the assist removed week over week.
- 04
Weeks 7–8
Strict execution
Your first strict rep. Then strict singles, then 2–3 rep clusters. Form is the gate, not volume.
Equipment
What you need — and what you don't.
The program ships with substitutions for everything. A missing piece of kit is never the reason a session doesn't happen.
- A sturdy pull-up bar (doorway, ceiling-mount, park, or gym).
- One resistance band, ~30–50 lb assistance at hang (red Rogue/Iron Bull or equivalent).
- Optional: a sturdy chair or box for foot-assist work.
A real session
Phase 2 · Week 4 · Day 1
~35 minutes including warm-up.
| # | Exercise | Sets & reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Active dead hang | 3 × 30 sec | Scaps packed, ribs down. 60 sec rest. |
| B | Negative pull-up | 4 × (1 × 8-sec lower) | Step or jump to chin-over-bar. 90 sec rest. |
| C | Top-of-rep iso hold | 3 × 10 sec | Chin over bar, hold. 60 sec rest. |
| D | Inverted row (feet elevated) | 3 × 8–10 | Tempo 2-0-1-0. 60 sec rest. |
| E | Hollow hold | 3 × 20 sec | Low back pressed to floor. 30 sec rest. |
One representative session — shown verbatim so you know what you're buying. The full plan walks you, week by week, through every one of them.
Questions
Honest answers, before you buy.
- How long until I can do my first pull-up?
- Most people get their first strict rep in week 7. Some in week 5, some in week 9. The program is built around skill development, not a calendar.
- What if I'm still struggling at week 8?
- The plan tells you exactly where to restart based on what you're stuck on. It won't be 'do another 8 weeks of the same thing.'
- Can women do this program?
- Yes — it was designed for it. Most male-templated pull-up programs assume you're already pulling 60%+ of bodyweight on a lat pulldown. This one doesn't.
- I'm 200+ lb — does this still work?
- Yes. Phase 1 and 2 are scaled by hang time and eccentric load, both of which respect bodyweight. The band assist in Phase 3 covers the rest.
- Can I do this alongside another program?
- You can, but the plan tells you exactly which sessions to drop from the other plan. Pulling adapts faster when it isn't being smothered.
Success metric
What “done” looks like.
One strict, paused pull-up — chin over bar, full lockout at the bottom, no kip.
Strength · Control · Longevity.
Hybrid Calisthenics · 8 weeks
Your First Pull-Up
Ongoing access. Free updates included. Adaptive layer optional.
Not sure this is the right one?
A short conversation will save you eight weeks of guessing.
Book a free assessment. We'll walk through where you are, where you want to be, and which path fits. No script, no pressure.