With all the hot, trendy new workouts around right now, you might be forgiven for thinking “calisthenics” sounds not just super old-school but incredibly complicated (even pronouncing it presents a challenge). However, whether you’re a total gym bunny or just getting started with your fitness routine, there’s a strong chance you’re already doing calisthenics without even realizing.
As trainer Autumn Calabrese explained to Shape, at its simplest form, “Calisthenics is resistance training with your own bodyweight.” The fitness mag notes that it helps “to improve strength, flexibility, agility, [and] balance,” and is basically the go-to technique if you’re looking to become the fittest possible version of yourself, purely by “mastering control” over your own body. Basic exercises like squats, push-ups, crunches, and lunges are all considered calisthenics, FYI. Although intense, calisthenics is also the easiest form of exercise because it doesn’t even require any equipment. Your own body is all you need to get fit.
Calisthenics benefits every muscle in your body
Tee Major, a U.S. military fitness instructor and author of Urban Calisthenics, explained to Shape, “Even though calisthenics is being talked about today like it’s a new phenomenon, this ancient precursor for war has been around since the Greeks coined the term ages ago, from the words kallos, which means beauty and sthénos, meaning strength.” It’s been around so long because it works. The health benefits are numerous, from building muscle and strength to being “gentler on your joints and connective tissue.” Calisthenics is great for your overall health and works every muscle in your body.
As Body Weight Training Arena advises, when it comes to working out, consistency is key. Although you might go hard the first couple weeks, burning out is a real issue, but if you build up slowly and ensure you’re moving your body every day, you’re more likely to stick to a routine and see results in the long term. If you split your muscle groups up, working legs one day, arms another, etc., it’ll give those muscles time to rest in the meantime, too.
Doing calisthenics every day has multiple health benefits
Body Weight Training Arena advises that “movement is life.” Although you should be aiming to work out regularly, depending on your schedule and lifestyle, the simple fact is you need to move your body every single day to keep it in tip-top shape. Just 15 minutes of daily movement can protect you from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, among many others. Calisthenics movements could be anything from practicing handstands for 20 minutes, doing 20 burpees, or even just 10 minutes of daily yoga.
With regular practice, you should feel stronger, move better, and even be able to concentrate and problem solve easier. As Major encouraged Shape, “Calisthenics training develops those fine motor skills that require your brain to work hard as well as your body. Coordination, speed, power, acceleration, strength, quickness, and agility, are all actions that are demonstrated by a body trained in the art of calisthenics.” Judging by a recent study, an intense workout as short as six minutes could even boost your metabolism by over 20% for the following six hours.
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