When I was a beginner, I always opted to do the harder bodyweight progression rather than adding weight when I needed to make an exercise more challenging. That is until I hit a plateau and realized that I needed to strengthen my basics in order to get stronger. So, I started adding in weighted calisthenics, which became a staple in my routine for two years. It really helped me to increase my overall strength and allowed me to level up my calisthenics skills quite a bit. Although, I currently only workout at home, so I’m taking a brief break from it for six months. When I’m back to training at a gym, I’ll add it back to my routine. As strange as it sounds, my default when I’m tired will always be doing weighted calisthenics (like pull-ups, dips and z-press). Even though the weights are heavy, I find them much easier to perform on a mentally tired day as opposed to doing an exercise that requires more balance/coordination like a handstand push-up. I definitely miss having this option. In summary: Utilizing harder progressions and weighted calisthenics helped me continue to increase my strength, avoid plateaus, and progress my skills. Do you combine the two? Gym: @fit_homegym Please use the link in bio my as it applies my discount code at checkout 🙏🏼