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So, you want to know what calisthenics is? Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about calisthenics.
Table of Contents
What Is Calisthenics?
Calisthenics is a form of strength training that utilizes an individual's body weight as resistance to perform multi-joint, compound movements with little or no equipment. In this article, we will be covering everything you need to know about this sport.
The Purpose of Calisthenics
Calisthenics, as we mentioned in the previous paragraph, is a type of exercise training where an individual uses their own body weight as a form of resistance. This means that calisthenics provides people with a much more practical way to exercise as no equipment is needed.
This is handy for multiple reasons. Firstly, it is more cost-effective since you don't need to purchase any equipment in order to workout - all you need is your own body! Secondly, you don't need a fancy workout area in order to exercise since calisthenics can be done anywhere at any time. So, put in more simple terms, the purpose of calisthenics is to provide a cheap and convenient method for exercise.
Why Choose Calisthenics?
Now you know what calisthenics is and its purpose, you may be asking why people choose it over other forms of working out such as weightlifting. While lifting weights will help you specifically build muscle in the gym, bodyweight training will help you improve coordination and functional strength. What's more, with calisthenics you automatically develop better body control and improved flexibility.
Additionally, if you decide to take the route of calisthenics, you will find that it is much easier to workout as you don't need any special equipment or specific exercise srea in order to complete a workout - you can just stop what you're doing and begin an exercise.
The Benefits of Calisthenics
Calisthenics is a way of exercising that is highly spoken of, and for good reason - it hosts numerous great advantages. These pros include:
Improved functional strength
Burns fat
Strengthens the core
Can be done anywhere
No equipment needed
Works the entire body
Good for joints
Develops muscle.
The Drawbacks of Calisthenics
While calisthenics hosts a large variety of excellent perks, it does also come with a few cons that you should be aware of. These disadvantages include:
Lack of increase in weight resistance
Cannot isolate specific muscle groups
Lack of exercise variety
While there may seem to be very few drawbacks to bodyweight training, they can impact you in many ways.
Calisthenics vs Weightlifting
If you're stuck deciding between calisthenics and weightlifting, consider your goals and workout style. Calisthenics uses your body weight and involves compound bodyweight exercises. It also requires a lot of movement, meaning calisthenics is more effective for weight loss and muscle definition.
On the other hand, weightlifting utilises external weights (such as dumbbells) and involves isolated exercises designed to target and increase the size of specific muscle groups. When done properly and consistently, weight lifting is better for building strength and muscle size.
Consequently, both techniques are excellent forms of strength training. If you still can't decide between which method you'd rather take up, you could combine them by doing both calisthenics and weight lifting on either the same day or alternative days.
How to Start Calisthenics
When it comes to starting your calisthenics training for the first time ever, it is highly recommended that you begin with the basics. You should start by doing simple bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, planks, lunges, squats and burpees. Once you have mastered these and feel ready, you can move on to some more advanced calisthenics feats such as the planche.
Once you learn all of the basic calisthenics moves, you should stay consistent with them so you can gradually get better at them. Some exercises will actually help you get better at other moves. For example, a plank will improve your core strength, which can help when doing push-ups.
How to be Successful as a Calisthenics Athlete
Now you know all of the important aspects of calisthenics, you may be wondering how you can become a great calisthenics athlete. Well, it's more simple than it initially seems. In order to get better at calisthenics, you should consider these key things:
Perform simple compound movements
All professionals practice their basics faithfully and consistently
Your results depend on your overall lifestyle rather than on your workout routine, such as dieting and resting properly
Progression is the name of the game, so always look for new ways to test yourself
You will need to find a way to overcome obstacles on your path
Always remember that small daily steps are better than a heavy workout done wrong
Whenever you are free, try to train for half an hour.
Summary
In this article, we have discussed everything you must know about calisthenics. The main points we covered were:
I hope you have found the information in this article useful and I hope any questions you had have been answered. Thank you for reading, please come back soon.
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