Basic
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push-up | 3 | 5 | 1 min |
| Pike Push-up | 3 | 2 | 1 min |
| Squat | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
| Abdominal Crunch | 3 | 10 | 1 min |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 8 Push-up
- 3 Pike Push-up
- 15 Squat
- 15 Abdominal Crunch
Free program
Calisthenics for beginners at home: The Forge program
The Forge is a calisthenics program for starting from zero at home with no equipment: four exercises (push-ups, pike push-ups, squats and crunches) spread across four levels. You move up when you hit a set number of reps in a single set, not when enough days have passed. It runs about four weeks.
The 4 levels, exercise by exercise
Levels don't clear on the calendar, they clear on performance: you need to hit each exercise's mark in one single set. Reps across the day don't add up, and neither do reps across sets. What counts is your best set of each exercise.
Medium
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push-up | 3 | 10 | 75 s |
| Pike Push-up | 3 | 4 | 75 s |
| Squat | 3 | 20 | 75 s |
| Abdominal Crunch | 3 | 15 | 75 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 15 Push-up
- 5 Pike Push-up
- 30 Squat
- 25 Abdominal Crunch
High
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push-up | 4 | 15 | 90 s |
| Pike Push-up | 3 | 6 | 90 s |
| Squat | 4 | 30 | 90 s |
| Abdominal Crunch | 4 | 20 | 90 s |
To unlock the next level in a single set
- 25 Push-up
- 9 Pike Push-up
- 45 Squat
- 35 Abdominal Crunch
Advanced
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push-up | 4 | 22 | 90 s |
| Pike Push-up | 4 | 10 | 90 s |
| Squat | 4 | 45 | 90 s |
| Abdominal Crunch | 4 | 25 | 90 s |
To complete the program in a single set
- 40 Push-up
- 15 Pike Push-up
- 60 Squat
- 45 Abdominal Crunch
Why only four exercises
The temptation when starting out is to build a routine with twelve exercises because it looks more thorough. In practice the opposite happens: the more new movements you take on at once, the worse you perform all of them, and the less clearly you can tell whether you’re progressing.
Four exercises cover the patterns that matter at the beginning. Push-ups are the horizontal press. Pike push-ups are the vertical press, and they’re the doorway to the shoulder work that eventually leads to handstand push-ups. Squats are the leg pattern. Crunches close out the core. That gives you a body trained in balance for a good few months.
What’s surplus at this stage is variety. What’s missing is repetition.
How to train each exercise
Push-up. Hands slightly wider than your shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower until your chest is a fist off the floor and press back up without letting your hips sag. The usual mistake isn’t going too shallow, it’s letting the hips drop before the chest does: if you feel it in your lower back, squeeze your glutes and brace your abs before the set starts.
If you can’t do a single full rep yet, put your hands on the edge of a sofa or a table. The higher the surface, the easier it gets. That’s a better progression than dropping to your knees, because it keeps the body line intact.
Pike push-up. From the push-up position, walk your feet towards your hands until you form an upside-down V with your hips high. Lower the crown of your head towards the floor between your hands, then press. Look towards your feet, not forwards. The more vertical your back, the more weight your shoulders take: if the Basic level is fighting you, walk your feet back a little to lighten it.
Two reps at the first level isn’t a typo. It’s a far harder exercise than it looks the first time.
Squat. Feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly. Descend by pushing your hips back and letting your knees track over your feet, at least until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Spread the weight across the whole foot, not just the ball. If your heels lift, it’s usually ankle mobility: try a slightly wider stance.
Abdominal crunch. Lie down, knees bent, hands on your chest or at your temples without pulling on your neck. Peel your shoulder blades off the floor by bringing your ribs towards your hips, then lower under control. This isn’t a full sit-up: your lower back stays down. Coming up higher doesn’t work the abs harder, it just brings in the hip flexors.
Where to put your phone
All four exercises count best from the side, with the phone on the floor or low down, in portrait, and your whole body inside the frame from edge to edge. Two or three metres away is usually enough.
For pike push-ups the framing is the same, but check that your head doesn’t leave the top of the frame as you lower. For squats, side on again, with plenty of room above your head.
A clear background helps. If someone else is in the room while you train, keep them from walking through the shot mid-set.
What to do after the four levels
Clearing the Advanced level means forty push-ups, sixty squats and fifteen pike push-ups in a single set. That’s no longer a beginner’s standard, and the next decision is to pick a goal instead of carrying on with a bit of everything: push the push-up number higher, start the pulling work towards your first pull-up, or train legs seriously.
That’s where single-goal programs earn their place. But before any of that, the thing to do is finish The Forge.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do calisthenics from scratch at home with no equipment?
Yes. All four exercises in this program use your own bodyweight on the floor: push-ups, pike push-ups, squats and crunches. No bar, no dumbbells, no bands. A couple of square metres to lie down in is enough.
How many days a week should I train when starting out?
Three sessions a week on alternate days works well at the start: muscle adapts during rest, not during the workout. If you finish a session and can't complete the next day's sets, take one more rest day. The program is self-paced, so skipping a day costs you nothing.
What if I can't hit the reps in the Basic level?
Shorten the range of motion before you cut the reps. Push-ups with your hands on a raised surface keep the movement pattern and lower the load. Once three clean sets come out, move to the full version.
How long does The Forge take to finish?
The estimate is four weeks, but it's guidance, not a deadline. Because levels unlock on marks rather than dates, someone arriving with a base can clear two levels in a week and someone starting from zero can take six. Neither one is a failure.
Is The Forge free in the app?
Yes. The Forge is one of Tatakae's free programs, and camera rep counting works without a subscription for the exercises it includes.
How does the phone camera count reps?
The app reads your body position from the video, on the device itself, and counts a rep when the movement completes its full range. Half reps don't count, which is exactly what makes the unlock marks meaningful. The video never leaves your phone.