Callisthenics is a type of resistance exercise in which you use your own bodyweight rather than weights. This diverse workout strategy allows for thousands of possible sessions. Around the world, it serves as the foundation for practically all other forms of training and sports. Callisthenics teaches you how to move and manage your body weight.
“The beauty of callisthenics lies in its simplicity and scalability. Exercises such as plank holds, squats, burpees, and push-ups are staples of this discipline. Each movement engages multiple muscle groups, promoting strength, flexibility, and endurance. Moreover, these exercises can be modified to cater to different fitness levels, ensuring that everyone, from beginners to advanced athletes, can benefit,” says Zaineb Ali, a certified Pilates instructor.
“As practitioners progress, they often explore more complex movements, such as handstands or muscle-ups, which require not only strength but also balance and coordination,” adds Zaineb.
“Callisthenics involves high-intensity workouts, which are known to boost metabolism both during and after exercise. This brings forth what’s often referred to as the ‘afterburn effect’,” says Sonia Bakshi, a certified fitness trainer and nutritionist and founder of Dance to Fitness.
The no-gym full-body calisthenics circuit:
Squats
Pushups
Crunches
Plank
Burpees
Lunges
Pullups
Chin-ups
Jump rope
OFF THE WEB
‘I Work Out For Myself’
Megan Thee Stallion regards physical and mental health as inextricably linked. Recently, the “Sweetest Pie” singer revealed that fitness became a method for her to get back on her feet.
“Working on myself made me get into working out because I needed to focus my energy somewhere else. I used working out to escape and to get happy.”
Now, Megan — who is often posting her workout videos on social media — is staying active regularly. “Getting out of bed to work out in the morning is a struggle. I have to get mentally prepared. I’m like, ‘I can stay here for another hour, or I can get up and go work out and be a bad b—. If I want to be a stallion and not a pony, I got to get up and put in the work’.”
Benefits:
Training with callisthenics can be done quickly. A brief workout can accomplish a lot, and you can divide your training into shorter sessions throughout the day.
Does not require a gym membership. You can perform callisthenics anywhere. At home, in the garden, outdoors, in a hotel gym, or when travelling.
Improves metabolism. Callisthenics exercises are an excellent method of resistance or strength training. As a result, they help create and maintain lean muscle while also keeping you active.
Increases and maintains bone density. It preserves your joints and bone health, allowing you to remain strong and independent as you age.
It combines strength training, mobility, functional fitness, and cardio.
Callisthenics is a lot of fun and teaches you new abilities and techniques for mastering your own body weight.
