You have probably heard the hype when it comes to calisthenics training, but you still aren’t exactly sure what this type of fitness regimen entails. What is Calisthenics training and how beneficial is it to your overall fitness?

Body Weight Resistance Training

In a nutshell, calisthenics is resistance training that utilizes your own bodyweight for physical gain and muscle growth. This type of training is basically the simplest form of exercise because it can be done anytime, anywhere, and requires no equipment at all. While many have heard of calisthenics as a training regimen only in recent years has calisthenics made a big comeback in terms of being one of the hottest training trends. Dating back to the ancient Greeks the word derives from Kallos-meaning beauty and Sthenos-meaning strength. Which in and of itself is so true. Strength is beauty in all forms of expression.

Calisthenics training was developed to improve strength, flexibility, agility, balance, coordination, and aerobic conditioning. In essence, it encompasses all the main criteria when it comes to being physically fit and feeling healthy! One downfall of calisthenics training can be the plateau that many will experience when they are no longer challenged by just lifting their own body weight. This is when it is important to incorporate an increase in body weight percentage with props such as weight belts and adjusting exercises done to incorporate inclines and angles. You can definitely build muscle mass and strength without weights, you just have to be a bit more creative when it comes to continually challenging yourself with added weights as you master the main exercises associated with calisthenics training.

Calisthenics Exercises 

You are probably already incorporating some if not most of these calisthenics exercises into your normal fitness routine and may not even realize it! Think exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, crunches, pull-ups, jumping jacks, handstands, and broad jumps. 

While most calisthenics workouts are done solo or with a few friends this type of training has led to competitive calisthenics also known as street workouts. However, calisthenics training may continue to evolve the ending factor is that it is one of the defining foundations of fitness and will be around for centuries to come. Because remember “Strength is Beauty”