What is calisthenics?
Calisthenics is a form of training known since ancient times. It was practiced by ancient Greeks – Herodotus mentions it when describing the Greco-Persian Wars. Traces of calisthenics can also be found in Livy, who wrote about Roman gladiators training in this way. The word “calisthenics” is derived from Greek and is a combination of the words “kallos” – beauty, and “sthenos” – strength. This gives some idea of what the ancient warriors who practiced it were aiming for. And indeed – calisthenics allows you to build muscle strength and endurance as well as helps ensure correct, harmonious body shape. No additional weight is used – your own body weight is enough to achieve the desired results with systematic training.
What equipment is needed in calisthenics?
None! For real! The beauty of this form of training is that you only exercise with your own body weight, and you can do it wherever you wish – at home, at the gym or any other place that comes to mind and has favourable conditions for physical activity. Calisthenics has gained popularity thanks to the phenomenon of so-called “street workout” – exercises performed in the city, using typical elements of space, playgrounds or outdoor gyms. As a result, the training has become a very social discipline – it is easy to interact with people exercising outdoors.
However, there are a few pieces of equipment you may want to think about if you are planning a longer calisthenics adventure. These include:
- push-up rails – they allow you to perform exercises with a slightly wider range of motion than push-ups performed directly on the ground;
- bar – for pull-ups and exercises performed in an overhang;
- exercise bands – useful for warming up and learning some exercises;
- exercise belts (TRX) or gymnastic wheels – they help stabilise the body.
You may consider buying these accessories, but we emphasise – you don’t have to. You can perform basic exercises without them. You will find bars and handrails at almost every outdoor gym.
Read also: “8 body-shaping exercises with elastic bands”.
Basic calisthenic exercises – the “golden six”
Basic calisthenic exercises are based on familiar, popular movement patterns that engage all parts of the body. The so-called golden or big six includes:
- push-ups,
- squats,
- pull-ups on the bar,
- leg raises / sit-ups,
- bridge,
- dips.
However, this does not mean that calisthenic training will quickly become monotonous. As you develop strength and endurance, these exercises are modified in various ways – the number of repetitions, the pace, type of grip, starting position and many other elements that you will learn in subsequent stages of progress change. The most important thing is to build a good, solid base – and this means customised work and training to strengthen your body’s weakest points.
Benefits of calisthenics
The biggest advantage of calisthenics is its accessibility. All you need for a workout is a piece of space where you can do it – the rest is just extras. Similarly, the basic movement patterns are well known and the technique is easy to learn. In short, anyone can train anywhere.
Another advantage of calisthenics is work involving multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This helps achieve harmonious development of the entire body and reduces the risk of injury from overloading a particular muscle, group or joint.
Calisthenics also supports overall motor skills, flexibility and coordination – by working with your whole body, you learn a variety of movement patterns and gain valuable awareness of your own physical capabilities.
Calisthenics is also a lower-intensity workout than classic strength training using weight. This means less risk of muscle and joint injury, making calisthenics a good choice for people struggling with painful conditions and the elderly.
Disadvantages of calisthenics
There is no perfect workout – calisthenics is not one either. Its low intensity – while it may be an advantage – carries certain limitations. The first is limited effectiveness in building muscle mass. Yes – by practicing calisthenics and maintaining a proper diet, you will develop muscle strength and endurance, but this will not be accompanied by a gain in muscle mass as much as in the case of bodybuilding exercises.
Due to its low intensity, calisthenics does not significantly increase cardiorespiratory endurance – if this is your goal, you need to supplement your training plan with some form of cardio.
For more information on a “hearty workout for your heart”, click HERE.
Another disadvantage of calisthenics is the limited opportunity for lower body development. Training with own weight will only allow progress up to a certain level. This is because you keep the large muscle groups of the legs and glutes under a certain load on a daily basis, so exercising without load after a while will not be an effective stimulus for their development.
Calisthenics and injuries
The best protection against injury in calisthenics is your own body. If you can’t do an exercise – you just won’t do it. At the gym, you can still try – and that’s when you risk the most.
Although calisthenics is a lower-intensity workout than typical bodybuilding exercises, that doesn’t mean it’s completely risk-free. People doing calisthenics are at some risk of muscle injuries from the effort of straightening (strains and pulls) and joint injuries from overexertion when performing static elements. Statistically, however, the risk is much lower than for bodybuilding training.
Read also: “12 Stretching Exercises to Prevent Injury”.
Nonetheless, calisthenics is a good idea for people who have been injured and want to return to sport – as long as it is practiced in an informed way, preferably after consulting a trainer or physiotherapist. Low intensity and less strain on the joints do help – but it is important to keep in mind what movement patterns and types of weight that the body returning to activity is able to accept and bear without increased risk. Similarly, if calisthenics is intended to help restore mobility to an injured joint – it’s worth consulting the achievable range with a specialist and matching the type and intensity of exercise to individual physical capabilities.
You may also be interested in: “Diet After Injury – 5 Tips on How to Eat to Get Back in Shape Quickly”.
Instead of a summary
If you are returning to sports after an injury or a long break, or are just getting started with physical activity, calisthenics is a very good choice. The numerous advantages combined with accessibility and relatively low risk of injury make it really worth trying this form of training. Remember, however, that calisthenics, like any other training, requires a comprehensive approach to be effective.
Properly set training goals, appropriate diet and hydration, warm-up and stretching, and adequate rest are the conditions you must meet to fully appreciate the effects of calisthenic training. Use our hints or consult a personal trainer to develop a training plan to suit your needs and abilities. Good luck!
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References:
1. S. Kaiser, T. Engeroff, D. Niederer i inni The Epidemiological Profile of Calisthenics Athletes [w] German Journal of Sports Medicine 2018.
2. L. McDonald-Wedding, L. Goodwin, A. Preston i inni Calisthenics: Epidemiology of Injury Patterns and Their Risk Factors [w] Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine 2023.
3. J. Leaf, J. Keating, G. Colt Injury in the Australian sport of calisthenics: A prospective study [w] Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 2023.
4. D. Kaya, I. Duzgun, G. Bataci Effects of calisthenics and pilates exercises on coordination and proprioception in adult women: a randomized controlled trial [w] Journal of Sport Rehabilitation 2021.