Hang, push, pull - only with your own weight. Calisthenics is an intense bodyweight workout that uses... calisthenics equipment such as parallel bars, rods and other equipment. Originally from the USA, the fitness trend has also been very popular in German-speaking countries for several years. You have complete freedom in training.
What are calisthenics exercises?
The term calisthenics is not very common in Germany. You are more familiar with terms such as "street workout", bodyweight exercise or tension exercise. It is a form of physical training that involves a series of simple and often rhythmic movements using only your own body weight.
Training equipment and accessories are generally needed less often. In contrast to other countries, the sports and training parks in Germany are rather rare, but that doesn't change the fact that calisthenics is also becoming increasingly popular in Germany. In 2013, for example, there was the first "Street Workout World Cup Germany", where several athletes qualified for the World Cup finals in Moscow.
How does this work?
As far as training goes, you've got it Calisthenics all freedoms - but this can be very confusing and overwhelming, especially for beginners. The word is derived from the Greek words kalos, meaning "beautiful" or "good," and sthenos, which can be translated as "power."
And with "good strength" you can also do this workout, which involves a series of simple, often rhythmic movements using only your own body weight. The weight moved during the exercises is more or less constant, because in addition to training equipment, accessories - such as weights - are actually taboo.
Which doesn't mean that it can't be extra strenuous! Real street workout fans cleverly vary the exercises and, for example, by changing the lever arm or by a new challenge, such as one-armed push-ups, they get everything from the training power of calisthenics.
What does calisthenics do?
Calithenics is one of the full-body workouts, almost without isolation exercises, and uses all muscles - but especially the shoulder girdle. The exercise primarily aims to build muscle and strength by optimizing natural movement sequences.
This promotes muscle strength, body control and mobility. Visual aspects and an athletic figure are just a positive side effect of full-body training. The movements are very complex and promote the interaction of all muscles. No muscle group is forgotten.
This not only builds up a solid base of strength endurance, but also compensates for differences in performance between the individual muscle groups. As a result, muscular imbalances, which often cause pain and restricted freedom of movement and training, have no chance.
Who is this training suitable for?
In principle, calisthenics is suitable for everyone. It doesn't matter whether you're unsportsmanlike or well-trained from top to bottom - everyone can take part, because the exercises can be individually adapted to the respective strength level.
While beginners start with easier variations to first build up a strength base and learn the movement, advanced athletes can gradually increase the load. The lever arm or the grip width can be changed, the number of repetitions or sets increased, pause times shortened or difficult exercise variants added.
Who is it not suitable for?
Calisthenics is definitely a great sport that is set to grow a lot in the years to come. Nevertheless, the type of training is not for everyone, because those who want to see visual success quickly and prefer to practice isolated and alone are better off with classic muscle training. It is recommended to just give it a try and see if it works for you.
How often should you exercise?
Although calisthenics is a very varied exercise, there should still be sufficient regeneration phases between the individual workouts. Because as a full-body workout, all muscles are always strained with every unit.
In order for the body to regenerate and the muscles to grow, they need rest. In the best case around 48 hours. If you train again too soon, there is no supercompensation, the muscles don't grow. In the worst case, muscle loss occurs.
Why calisthenics training plans?
No matter what sport you practice, if you want to practice seriously, then you cannot avoid a solid training plan. So the same goes for calisthenics. In the beginning, an individual training plan makes little sense.
Because everyone is built differently, some will have more muscle in one place and another in another. Therefore, the first goal should be to compensate for the deficits. Because starting such a workout is exhausting even for university students.
Training methods
Hardly any additional weights are used in calisthenics, with the exception of weight vests. In order to ensure a progressive increase in the load, the exercise is made more difficult by changing the lever arm, progressing to difficult exercises, explosive exercise execution or supersets.
First step: building a base of endurance strength
Getting started with the training is easy or difficult depending on the training level, but basically feasible for every athlete of every age. Practicing with a strict training schedule from the start makes little sense.
Because everyone has strengths and weaknesses, which is why it is important to balance out the differences in performance between the individual muscle groups and build up good strength endurance.
increase difficulty
When you start practicing, you can do the basic exercises in their basic form. As an advanced user, you should - as with any meaningful strength training - gradually work your way up to more demanding variations in order to achieve further success.
Of course, the easiest way to progress is to do more reps or sets, or decrease the rest times in between. Alternatively, the lever arm can also be changed.
Depending on the fitness level, very intensive exercises such as Human Flag, Front Lever or Muscle Ups can also be dared. It is important that the training plan should be made increasingly difficult in order to avoid a training plateau.
Never without a warm up
Most exercises put a lot of strain on the shoulder girdle. If you also do the exercises incorrectly, whether due to false ambition or exhausted muscles, the load increases even further.
Stretching and warming up is therefore also an important topic in street workouts and must not be neglected. Before you start with the actual exercise, you should at least do a few jumping jacks or something similar to warm up to prepare the body for the coming efforts and thus reduce the risk of injury.
Low risk of injury if carried out correctly
The correct execution of calisthenics exercises is also an important aspect of increasing performance. The training is only effective if the movement is performed with the full range of motion. Especially at the beginning, only a few repetitions are possible, but this should not frustrate or demotivate you.
The movements should still be carried out cleanly and in a controlled manner, because this is the only way to progress and achieve your goals. In addition, doing it incorrectly increases the risk of injury. Not only muscle building, but also coordination, flexibility and general body tension are important elements of the training, as they are required for many exercises.
It is important not to train every day. Because that can have a counterproductive effect on your own performance and muscle growth.
Where can you do calisthenics?
In principle, this full-body workout can be practiced anywhere. Parks intended for this purpose were only gradually introduced in German-speaking countries. The original idea was to train outside in the fresh air, no matter what the weather or temperature.
In such parks there are bars for pull-ups, parallel bars and everything else you need for calisthenics training. Access to such parks is completely free and open to everyone. But calisthenics fans also meet in parking lots, in public city parks, residential areas or on playgrounds. Lamp posts, park benches, thick branches, ladders, horizontal bars and other everyday objects are then used as equipment.
The most important basic exercises
The basis for calisthenics training, whether freestyle or simply to build up strength, are four basic exercises. The exercises train the entire body and prepare you for the challenges that await you in movements such as Muscle Up, Front Lever or Human Flag.
- pull-ups: With their different grip variations, they are the central exercise in bodyweight training, but also one of the most important basic exercises in classic strength training with weights. This exercise is particularly error-prone and therefore it is important to do it correctly.
A clean and correct execution enables a strong activation of the entire pulling muscle chain of the upper body. This includes the arms, shoulders, chest, back, core and triceps.
- pushups: Also called pull-ups, they're a classic bodyweight exercise routine. Many athletes use them for active training. Push-ups have a very high training potential if you do them correctly. The push up is an exercise in which you try to push yourself away from the floor in the horizontal direction.
- Dips: Dip is a bar support, which is usually only known under the English name "dips". It is an exercise in which your own body weight is lifted between beams. They belong to the demanding push exercises. At first glance, the implementation looks very simple, but you should pay attention to a few things.
- Squat: They are also called squats and are a classic leg exercise. When using weight, they even belong to the supreme discipline.
What equipment do you need?
The body weight training works in itself anytime and anywhere, since no additional equipment is required apart from your own body. Nevertheless, there are some helpful or helpful equipment to set certain stimuli. Useful equipment would be, for example, a bar for pull-ups, wall bars, gymnastic rings, or a resistance band.
Benefits of Calisthenics
- It's budget friendly.
Almost no equipment or studio membership is required, at least for starters. As an intermediate you may decide to invest in rings or poles, but you can do without for starters. And even if you buy a few extras, the investment is a lot smaller than with weight training.
- Training is possible anywhere.
Since it does not require any special equipment, it can be practiced almost anywhere without any problems. At home, in the park at a playground, on vacation or anywhere else. This freedom to exercise is a privilege few programs offer and gives you one less excuse not to exercise today. Because you are not dependent on opening hours or anything like that.
- Optimal full body workout.
With bodyweight exercises, you move your body as a unit. The muscles work together and none are isolated.
- Several qualities are trained at the same time.
Advanced bodyweight exercises are a blend of strength, balance, mobility, and flexibility training. You develop better body control, which also benefits you in other sports.
- Varied training.
Bodyweight training is a lot more varied than pure weight training. There are many different exercise variations and there are no limits to creativity. The location independence is also unique. You can practice in the garden, in the park, on the playground or in the gym. With a constantly changing backdrop, training is more fun.
Disadvantages of Calisthenics
- Muscle groups are difficult to isolate.
Isolation exercises aren't for everyone, but they have their place. For example, if you're recovering from an injury or want to strengthen a weak muscle, it makes sense to use isolation exercises to strengthen it. Bodyweight exercises are difficult to isolate a muscle group or weak spot. In these cases you are better served with dumbbell, machine training or the like.
- Limited opportunities for leg training.
Leg exercises like pistol squats or dragon squats are good for building strength within your legs while strengthening your joints. But it's hard to get maximum strength and big leg muscles with such exercises.
- Difficult to measure.
The level of difficulty cannot always be measured precisely in the exercises, which can be a disadvantage.
- Progress is not always intuitive.
With dumbbell training you just need to increase the weight, with bodyweight training it's not quite as obvious how to move up next and how the exercise gets harder.
- Body weight and stature can limit.
Many exercises are a lot harder if you have extra hip gold. When it comes to upper body training, not all bodyweight exercises are feasible above a certain weight. In such cases, it is better to start with weights and cardio training.
What equipment do you need?
The body weight training works in itself anytime and anywhere, since no additional equipment is required apart from your own body. Nevertheless, there is helpful equipment to set certain stimuli. Useful equipment would be, for example, a pull-up bar, wall bars, gymnastic rings, or a resistance band.
Together instead of alone - train in a community
The thing that excites the most about sport is the community. With calisthenics you meet outside for training, try new things, help each other and, above all, you train together and not against each other.
Tips for the calisthenics lifestyle
- Pay attention to the right diet.
Since it is not just strength training as such, but also nutrition and your lifestyle play a major role, you have to fully engage in a calisthenics life. Athletes from this area, for example, make sure they only eat low-carb. However, there is no right or wrong way to eat. After all, it should go without saying that you pay attention to a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
- Find a training partner or a group.
In almost every city there are now places where street work groups meet. Among these athletes you will surely find someone who would like to practice with you. Maybe it's even a whole group that accepts you into their circles. Practicing with someone makes the training much easier and you can give each other tips.
Conclusion: trend sport calisthenics
Calisthenics exercises are an intensive and demanding full-body workout, in which you mainly train with your own body and without aids. While the trend sport is by no means new, it only spread out of the United States in the 21st century.
The success is precisely due to the training, which is possible at any time and any place. No gym membership or special equipment is required. You can either train in a free calisthenics park on pull-up bars, parallel bars and other special devices, or in your own garden and in public places such as a playground or in the city park.
There is much more to calisthenics than just the sport itself, it is a whole attitude towards life. Team spirit in particular plays an enormously important role for fans of this sport.
