Calisthenics

What is Calisthenics?

Calisthenics is a form of physical training focused on teaching you to master your own bodyweight using minimal equipment.

The word comes from the Greek, Kalos and Sthenos meaning ‘Beauty’ and ‘Strength’. It is the art and science of beautiful movement.
Calisthenics is the complete package. Body and mind working together to the perfect symphony of mobility, stability, strength and play. Here is some information about the benefits of exploring your potential through bodyweight training.

What Research Says about Calisthenics

Science has concluded that there are real benefits to be had from training calisthenics. The 2017 study, ‘The effects of a calisthenics training intervention on posture, strength and body composition’, by scientists from the Sport and Exercise Sciences research unit at the University of Palermo, Italy, found that calisthenics training is a “effective training solution to improve posture, strength and body composition without the use of any major training equipment”.

Health

Bodyweight training represents exercise in its most natural form and combines strength training and basic gymnastic movements that can be done anywhere.
It’s true that there is beauty in simplicity and calisthenics has been tried and tested over millennia leaving no doubt that it delivers exceptional results in all facets; movement, strength and aesthetics. Whilst the latter is a consideration at the School of Calisthenics we encourage people to focus on what your body can do rather than just what it looks like.
Calisthenics is about more than just getting strong and taking cool photos. Your brain is a muscle that needs flexing as well and training it with progressively challenging movements is a great way to keep it sharp.

Example exercises

Pull Ups
Stand facing an exercise bar. Grasp the bar from the top with your arms slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Use your shoulder muscles to pull you up, bringing your head up over the bar.

Chin Ups

Stand facing an exercise bar. Grasp the bar from underneath with your arms in a tight, slightly closer than shoulder-width grip. Use your biceps to pull you up, bringing your head up over the bar.

Push Ups

Get on your knees and place your hands underneath, but slightly outside, your shoulders. Extend your legs while holding your body up with your arms, getting into “plank” position. Be careful not to let your back sag or backside stick up into the air. Lower your body by bending your elbows close to your body until your chest almost touches the floor. Your upper arms should form a 45-degree angle when the top part of your body is in the lower pushup position. Pause while you are in the lower position, and then push back up to the starting position quickly. Keep your abdomen, or core, flexed during the entire movement.

Dips

Stand inside a dip bar and use your arms and shoulders to lift you off the ground. Bend your elbows back using your tricep muscles to move you up and down.

Squats

Stand with your body facing forward and your feet parallel, directly underneath your shoulders. Move your feet a few inches apart with your toes pointed slightly outward. Lower yourself into the squat, lowering your hips back and down while bending your knees. Keep your chest upright, with your head and face forward. Get into as deep a squat as possible, and then explode forcefully upward into a jump.

Crunches

Lay on the ground with your back flat. Place your feet flat on the ground, bending your knees up at a 90-degree angle to your body. Cross your hands on top of your chest and keep your head about a fist’s distance from your chest. Keeping your core tight, sit up until your elbows or chest touch your knees. Focus on using your core muscles to pull you up, breathing out as you sit up and breathing in as you lie down.