Here are the main benefits of calisthenics!
If you are someone who is new to fitness or perhaps used to exercise consistently but took some time off, a great way to get back into working out is starting with calisthenics.
Calisthenics include body-weight exercises such as pushups, pullups, squats, lunges and situps and have many benefits.
These types of body-weight exercises are effective at developing muscle and strength, as well as your stabilizers and core.
Having conditioned stabilizing muscles and a strong core are essential to staying injury-free and maximizing your fitness potential.
Another great aspect of calisthenics is the ability to do them almost anywhere.
While having a pullup bar would be beneficial to perform pullups and some core exercises such as knee raises, almost any other body-weight exercise can be performed without equipment. Having the ability to workout almost anywhere is a good way to stay consistent. Especially in the Covid world that we live in today. You never know what gyms may close down or new restrictions put in place.
Other benefits of calisthenics are the different ways to perform.
There are many different ways to perform a pushup. Feet elevated, hands elevated, wide hand placement, narrow, explosive, clapping, etc. All of these varieties will target a different set of muscles and can develop different areas of your chest, shoulders and tris. The same goes for pullups, dips, squats, lunges. You can vary your hand/feet placement in almost any way and get a “different” workout out of the same exercise.
A big difference between calisthenics and standard weight training is the frequency at which you can train.
For instance, if a weight training program calls for you to train Chest & Tris one day, you would typically not hit those muscle groups for at least 2-3 days to let them recover properly. Doing calisthenics, you could build up to working out almost everyday if you wanted to. While your workout intensity & volume play a big factor, regardless if you use weights or just calisthenics, it is typically easier and more effective to workout more frequently doing body-weight exercises versus weights.
If you struggle to find time to workout throughout the week, calisthenics are a great way to get/stay in shape. Especially if going to the gym is simply not possible.
For example, anytime you have a small break throughout the day, drop down and do 20 pushups then 20 air squats. Doing this 4-5 times or more throughout the day will eventually add up!
This system allows you to still workout with a substantial amount of volume. But doesn’t require you to even set aside an extended period to workout. This system is especially beneficial for someone who works in an office environment and sits down for most of the day. Taking small breaks every hour or two to stand up and move/do pushups or squats will help negate a lot of the negative effects of sitting for too long.
So if you want to begin your fitness journey but aren’t sure where to start, start by just using your body! Weight training has it’s place in every workout routine. However beginning with the basics is the sure-fire way to stay healthy and set yourself up for success in the future.
Get training!
-Ryan
