In this article we will show you how strong you can get with calisthenics. Even if you are not entirely sure what calisthenics is, you have already seen it in action.
Calisthenics makes use of nothing but bodyweight for training. And in recent years, it has made a comeback. Gym goers and fitness enthusiasts turn to calisthenics because of its simplicity and effectiveness.
Whether you are looking to add a new routine to your workout, trying to understand calisthenics better, or searching for a calisthenics workout that will work for you.
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Why calisthenics can make you strong
One of the biggest misconceptions in exercise is that anything that doesn’t involve lifting or moving iron is a total waste of time.
Many people forget that your body is an awesome barbell! Bodybuilders from way back incorporated bodyweight exercises in their training routine. Yes, you need to lift something heavy to build strength. However, that weight shouldn’t necessarily come from an external source. Your body provides significant resistance. Anyone who considers themselves strong should be able to do at least 30 full pull-ups and push-ups.
Those are just foundational movements you need to master to increase your strength. And remember that even if you’ve been lifting weights at the gym, struggling with bodyweight exercises at the beginning is normal. Give calisthenics a try. Start from the basics and allow yourself to improve and be stronger through time.
How calisthenics help build your strength
Weight lifting makes you stronger by targeting specific muscles in your body depending on the routine you follow. On the other hand, calisthenics makes you strong by working on your body as a whole. It also helps you improve coordination, movement control, and mobility.
Our bodies build muscle and strength as a reaction to force with high levels of tension. This reaction is called hypertrophy. Often, high tension happens when you lift barbells, machines, and other weights at the gym. But as we discussed earlier, your body weight can do just the same. Your body doesn’t care where the force comes from. All it needs is resistance or tension to overcome so it can produce the hypertrophy effect.
Now you may wonder how to further build strength if your body weight remains constant. Because at the gym, you can simply lift heavier weights or program your machine to produce more resistance if you feel like your workouts have gotten easier.
You can make bodyweight training more difficult by modifying your training environment. Are push-ups becoming easy? Change your angle by doing a pike push up or do walking jump push-ups to add more resistance. Suddenly, a simple push up becomes difficult to do again.
So just like weight training where you gradually lift heavier weights when you get stronger, you can do the same in bodyweight training by modifying angles, adding more reps, or doing more difficult variations.
How much time is required to have results with calisthenics
There are no one-size-fits-all to the amount of time needed before you see results. But, you don’t have to shoot in the dark and do all the guesswork as well. Several factors come into play that will determine your results. Here are some of them:
1. Your current fitness activity.
Have you been working out for quite some time now? Or are you just starting? Naturally, it would take longer for beginners to ease into the routine and execute correctly. Some people may have to start working on their cardio stamina first before moving on to bodyweight training. It’s okay for beginners to get tired easily and do lesser reps at first. Don’t get discouraged because everyone had to start somewhere.
2. Your training routine.
What exercises should you do? How many reps must you have per exercise? How long and how frequently should you rest in between sets and reps? These are just some of the questions you need to answer to build your training routine. Luckily, there’s a vast amount of resources available online. There are articles and videos you can check out while you do your research. But don’t forget that whatever routine you follow, it should be something you can do at your level and something that you will enjoy.
3. Your execution.
Hard work is different from doing things correctly. Both must come hand-in-hand to see results in the most optimal time. Working out without ensuring that you follow the proper form is a waste of time and energy. Plus, it puts you at great risk for injuries. If you’re aiming to see changes soon, the last thing you want is an injury that will force you to take a break from your workout routine.
4. Your age.
In achieving fitness goals, age is not just a number. People peak in their 20s so this is the best time to work out and see results faster. But, people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond shouldn’t get discouraged. This just means you need to pay attention more to other factors such as nutrition, rest, and recovery. Coaches can tailor-fit your training routine for you so you get a workout that is both safe and effective for your age.
5. Your consistency.
Consistency is very important if you want to see results. There are days when you just won’t feel like getting up and working out. But working out twice a week will only leave your body sore. It is too straining for your body to go through irregular spurts of strenuous exercise. If you want to see positive results, stick by your routine, and gradually increase the intensity if you feel like your workouts are getting easier.
What to do to get stronger through calisthenics
So, you’ve decided to start with calisthenics exercises. Here’s a list of what you must do to achieve your goal of getting stronger:
1. Be patient and consistent
This statement sounds like a cliche already, but they’re a MUST. It might take a little longer to see results through calisthenics, but you have to be patient. As mentioned earlier, several factors have an impact on determining how fast you can achieve the body you want. Calisthenics workouts work on your entire body, not just on a single muscle group. So be consistent and follow your routine religiously.
2. No cheating
Focus on executing the full range of motion in every exercise. So many people say that burpees or push-ups aren’t that difficult. But when you look at them, they’re doing it all wrong. So in every rep, execute it in a full range of motion. Go all the way down and back up in a controlled manner. Don’t rush, breathe, and feel the burn in your muscles.
3. Push yourself to go further
Earlier, we also talked about how it can be difficult to level up in calisthenics. In weight training, you can just lift heavier weights if you think you’re getting stronger. But in calisthenics, you have to work with your bodyweight. So always push yourself to go further. This can be a mindset thing so really need to go beyond whatever you think you can do right now. This is the only way you’ll get the progress you want.
In conclusion
You can get stronger with calisthenics. There are a lot of variables that come into play, but it does truly work. The results you get will depend on the amount of effort and discipline you put in. In calisthenics, no machine, equipment, or weights will do the work for you. This is a workout that’s 100% between you and your body. So be patient, do the work, and you’ll definitely achieve the results you want.
