The Beginner Ninja Workout: Bodyweight Training to Scale Up!

Last updated on November 20th, 2024 at 04:25 pm

We have over a thousand workout routines within our Workout Database, and dozens of databases that build off of that.

Our three largest databases are made up of our Anime Workouts, Celebrity Workouts and Superhero Workouts.

That being said: it’s not a surprise that coming into our databases can be daunting.

Even with our Workout Placement Quizzes we can’t always provide a perfect solution outside of the sorting we have added on a regular basis to try to make it easier.

Most of the time, though, people want to train like their favorite character(s)!

I mean, at the end of the day…that’s the point, right? 

Train like your favorite celebrity or character to unlock that physique while making fitness fun and being able to stay motivated.

While we do have workouts the provide scaling, and we do have a ton of simplified routines within our databases, it’s not always the easiest to find them for beginners and newcomers.

Which is why I’m creating two new beginner workouts – one for our Beginner Ninjas and one for our Beginner Behemoths.

Here’s what those systems will be:

• Beginner Ninjas: Training with Calisthenics and Bodyweight Movements ONLY
  • You’re already here 🙂
• Beginner Behemoths: Training with [mostly] Weight Training and some Bodyweight Movements
  • The Beginner Behemoth Workout Routine

I will provide scaling and tips and tricks that will allow you to carry the scaling over into your next routine when you eventually level up to your favorite characters.

Now, another thing I want to make abundantly clear is this:

The purpose of these workouts are you to give you a starting point for you to begin training the way you want and eventually level up to more advanced routines.

If you ever decide to join us in our Plus Ultra and/or Academy you’ll quickly learn that progressive overload and consistent improvement is vitally important for our training.

As long as you’re moving forward and making progress (leveling up), you have nothing to worry about.

A note on nutrition: if you are a beginner or newcomer to SHJ, you can find nutrition resources and our 4-Tier-Nutrition System here.

The Beginner Ninja Workout Routine

Weekly Training Volume:

3-5 days per week

Program Overall Duration: 

Complete 1-3 Months Depending on Current Fitness Level

Build Up to Higher Level Workouts When You Can

Scaling Explanation:

These routines are going to be hyper scalable, so do not be afraid to cut down the sets, or even increase the sets as you see fit. You can train to YOUR potential. If they feel too easy then you can level up by moving onto a new routine – but if they feel too hard you can cut a full exercise, take an extra day to recover, or even just do less overall volume by cutting a set down to 2 instead of 3.

Scaling Example One: Instead of doing 3 sets of Push Ups I may do 2 one day. OR I can opt to do 3 sets of 10 reps instead of 25 reps. (I could even turn my entire workout into 2 sets of everything if needed).

Scaling Example Two: Instead of completing ALL the programmed movements I may opt to cut lying leg raises and just do sit ups that day for abs. Similarly, I may decide to cut dips and/or pike push ups one day and only do the push ups.

I am going to give specific movements that you can scale to within the workout, but this will not be the ONLY ways to scale. As you progress through your fitness journey you will learn more and more ways to scale both down AND up. If you feel you prefer a different scaling variation, use it! After all, it’s YOUR routine 🙂

Oh, and remember this: fitness doesn’t have to suck.

The Superhero Academy now comes with an Upgrade Your Workout Tool that allows Academy members to turn any SHJ workout into a 4-8 week fully planned regime detailing exact weights to lift and including reverse & traditional pyramid training, straight sets, super sets, progressive overload and more.

Beginner Ninja Workout Routine: Sample Schedule

Monday: Beginner Ninja Calisthenics

Tuesday: Rest, Walk or Endurance

Wednesday: Beginner Ninja Calisthenics

Thursday: Rest, Walk or Endurance

Friday: Beginner Ninja Calisthenics

Saturday: Active Rest Day (or use Bonus Training Resources)

Sunday: Rest Day

Beginner Ninja Workout Routine: Beginner Ninja Calisthenics

Required Daily Movement:

Walk 15-30 Minutes

Scale Note: This can be scaled up to 15-60 minutes jogging, walking, or varied cardio.

Calisthenics Workout:

Air Squats

3×15-30

Scale Note: You can sit down on a chair and stand up, OR you could even just squat “less” (don’t go down as far).

Push Ups

3×15-30

Scale Down: Scale Push Ups to Knee Push Ups or Pause Push Ups (pause push ups you get to the bottom, lift your hands off the ground very quickly as a “pause” and then push yourself back up into your push up plank.)

Scale Up: Scale these UP with more volume or by swapping the variation to decline, incline, close to wide, explosive and other fun movements!

Sit Ups

3×10-25

Scale Down: Scale these down to crunches.

Scale Up: Scale these up to weighted or end with a twist or some jabs!

Lying Leg Raises

3×10-25

Scale Down: Bend your knees while you do them! 🙂

Scale Up: Scale these up by turning them into hanging knee or leg raises or even toes to bar or knees to elbows!

Dips

3×5-15

Scale Down: Scale these down by doing chair dips. You can walk into the chair or away from it to scale up or down from there.

Scale Up: Scale these up by adding weight!

Chin Ups:

3×5-10

Scale Down: Scale these down with assistant bands or by doing pike push ups or bodyweight rows.

Scale Up: Add weight, switch up the variation or even work in some handstand push ups as well!

Beginner Ninja Workout Routine: Switch It Up

Here are a list of some fun movements you can switch it up with:

• Air Squats: Switch it up with Glute Bridges, Lunges, Bulgarian Split Squats, and other leg movements (there are TONS variations of each of these variations).
• Push Ups: Switch it up with Decline Push Ups, Close to Wide Push Ups, Diamond Push Ups, Hindu Push Ups, and TONS of other variations.
• Sit Ups: Switch it up with V-Ups, Reverse Crunches, Bicycle Crunches, Crunch Pulses and more
• Lying Leg Raises: Switch it up with Around The Worlds, Russian Twists, Side Planks, Windshield Wipers and more
• Dips: Switch it up with Chest Dips, Chair Dips, Tricep Dips, Plank to Push Ups, and Tricep Extensions.
• Chin Ups: Switch it up with Typewriters, Archers, Wide Push Ups, and other variations.

Beginner Ninja Workout Routine: Endurance Days

Goal: Complete 60 Minutes of Varied Cardio

The goal is to complete 60 minutes of cardio.

Everyone can complete this differently, though.

You may decide to walk for 60 minutes while other people may decide to go kayaking and someone else may decide to do the StairMaster!

I’m going to provide some additional training resources for cardio below, but remember you can complete this as you personally see fit.

If you are an absolute beginner: going for a 60 minute walk is AMAZING! Great job. I’m proud of you. And you can crush it again tomorrow.

Additional [Optional] Endurance Resources:

For your endurance, HIIT or MMA/Parkour days you have quite a few options.
You can utilize enforced endurance training that I will program for you based on your fitness level like we do with other workouts here at SHJ…OR you can do 45-60+ minutes of varied cardio (bike, treadmill, elliptical, stairs, row, swim, etc.)…OR you can even use the HIIT resources I’ll provide.

I’ll break it down in that order:

Option One – Run Based on Overall Fitness Level:

Beginner: 1-3 Miles

Intermediate: 3-5 Miles

Advanced: 5+ Miles

Endurance Work Resources:

• Constance Wu Workout Routine and Diet Plan
• Ewan McGregor Workout Routine and Diet Plan
• Kid Flash Workout Routine and Diet Plan
• Grant Gustin Workout Routine and Diet Plan
• How To Continue Training After Your First 5K (Workout Included)

Option Two – Varied Cardio for 45-60 Minutes:

Split your cardio up however you’d like but complete 45-60+ minutes using:

• Treadmill Walk/Run
• Rower Machine
• StairMaster
• Elliptical
• Swim
• Bike

Option Three – Complete HIIT Training Using SHJ Resources:

• The Best HIIT Workouts
• Jump Rope Workout Database
• Academy Members: Insert a Benchmark Hero Workout (Circuit) or SHJ Core Circuit Test

Beginner Ninja Workout Routine: Optional Additional Training Resources

Parkour Training Resources:

• The Nightrunner Parkour Workout Routine
• The Assassin’s Creed Parkour Workout Routine
• The Robbie Amell Parkour Workout Routine

Main MMA Training Resources

• Anna Diop Workout Routine and Diet Plan
• Ryan Potter Workout Routine and Diet Plan
• Frank Grillo Boxing Workout

Other MMA Training Resources:

• Deathstroke Workout Routine
• Daredevil Workout Routine
• Moon Knight Workout Routine
• Sagat Workout Routine

GRAB THE UNOFFICIAL ABSOLUTE BEST ANIME CALISTHENICS WORKOUT BOOKLET!

Over a Dozen of The Top Anime Inspired Calisthenics/Bodyweight Workouts from The SHJ Databases based on Your Favorite Characters from A Wide Variety of Fandoms and Themes

(Unofficial Workouts Inspired by Characters)

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