TLDR;
My advice is to actually just do it and start right away.
Searching for the perfect scheme in the beginning is a waste of time.
Reality check
I will go straight to the point and have to disappoint you: there's no bullet proof magical formula. That's why you find different routines, plans, diets and sometimes even contradictory advice.
The reason behind this is variable:
- Marketing & sale purposes
- Different ideologies & backgrounds
- Different body types
- Different goals
- Etc ...
Personal experience
I started from 0 to 20+ pull-ups, 0 to 30+ dips, 30 to 80+ push-ups. Two years ago I just turned on a switch and went to a nearby park and started working out (bodyweight).
In the beginning I had not much of a structured routine. I went once a week and trained my whole body. Mainly because my reps were really low so I couldn't do proper sets. After a few weeks I could do more and started training twice a week. Separating some exercises on two different days. After a while I started training three times, four, five until I got so accustomed to it I would even go six times a week (I'm not per se saying you should go 5+ times a week).
After I got some basic strength, I started searching for ideas and new exercises. Since doing only normal push-ups, pull-ups and dips is boring. Trying out a few routines was also fun. In the end, you need to challenge those muscles. After some time, you will learn to listen to your body and might even change/mix routines & exercises you found.
Structured approach
- Turn that mental switch and start working out.
- Set some goals: short and long term. Make them SMART. "I want to get ripped" isn't specific enough. "I want to gain N lbs in a year" is better. Note: keep it realistic.
- Find a spot where you can workout by preference nearby. Whether it be a calisthenics park, your backyard, gym or a child's playground*. Basic requirements: somewhere you can do pull ups, dips and push-ups. The nearby requirement is essential: you want to make the mental challenge as low as possible. A spot that's far away might demotivate you to not go train on bad days.
- Assess your current level. Are you a beginner? Then don't think too much about routines. Working out once or twice a week isn't uncommon for beginners. Not having a fixed routine doesn't mean you should do nothing at all: keep it challenging. Are you starting to become an intermediate? Search for routines, try them out and see what feels best for you. Changing routines can actually benefit your growth by stimulating your muscles.
Tips
- Food and rest is important. Make sure you got it covered.
- Training with friends can be both motivating and demotivating. Make sure to pair up with the right friends.
- Have your own plans, if your friend can't train and suggested to go another day. Stick to your plan. It happened to me several times that I agreed to not train that day and something came up the day we did agree on: sick, bad weather, school etc... In the end I missed a training day and in some cases several days. So again, stick to your plan.
- If the training gets boring, try to look up for some advanced exercises: muscle ups, russian/korean dips, explosive push ups, maybe even human flag. Important note: you can mess up quickly and get injured with some moves. Make sure to not overestimate yourself, always warm up (especially in the beginning) and look for proper progressions.
- Do not drop out. "Oh skip it, I will go next week" is in most of the cases equal to "I will never go again". Trust me, it's hard to start over.
- Find a source of motivation. Whether it be a goal you've set, admiration or religion.
- Stay focused. You wouldn't know how many times I was approached by strangers (and even friends) to change my form, routine or plan. Stay open minded and research their claims before blindly applying it. In a sense, you should discard all I have just said and review it yourself :)
* Be careful if you train in some children playground, someone once got stopped by the police for "inappropriate usage".
