Workouts never always have to be about heavy expensive equipment. Our own body weights and a little bit of support here and there is enough to start putting our bodies back in shape.
Calisthenics is an exercise type that is designed to use our own body in the most creative way so that the intense workout happens without relying on any machine.
In this article we are going to take a look at 10 most effective calisthenics exercises that any beginner can adopt in their workout regime.
If done in the right manner, these exercises can prove more beneficial than any advanced gym workout you can imagine.
So let’s begin by understanding what actually the workout type is all about and how you can begin with it.
What is Calisthenics Workout?
It’s nothing as fancy as the name sounds.
Invented in the early Greek period, calisthenics was the workout style specially designed for soldiers to train their bodies in a way that no heavy equipment is required.
They used their own body weights combined with proper posture and rhythmic moves to target the right muscle groups thus, strengthening them.
In some cases, light weight equipment such as resistance bands or gym rings were used.
This allowed the soldiers to keep training their bodies and stay physically strong, no matter where they traveled and what resources they got to workout.
As the exercise type improved strength, endurance, flexibility, stamina, and didn’t require any special arrangements to perform, it regained popularity in modern times as an alternative to gym workouts.
How to Learn Calisthenics?
If you have been working out in the past, chances are you already are performing the calisthenic style of workout.
No ‘equipment-free’ workout is devoid of exercises that come under this type.
But still if you are starting out from scratch and are a complete beginner, what better than landing on this blog post can be a good start for you?
While professional guidance is always helpful, there is no rocket science in beginning to learn and practice calisthenics exercises by yourself.
Let’s jump into the action.
How to Start Calisthenics?
Like every other exercise, it is always recommended to begin the calisthenic workout with a simple warm up.
No matter what workout you are going to do, warming up is the key to prepare your body to handle the workout intensity.
You can start with some simple - arm stretches, arm swings, toe touches, mid-back turns, half jacks, or spot jogging.
Do these for at least 5 minutes.
Basically in this short session, your blood should flow to all your muscles, and your heartbeats, as well as the body temperature, should get elevated a little bit.
Now let’s begin!
Follow these 10 calisthenic exercises below.
1- Push-Ups
- Get into the prone position, holding your upper body up by your hands. Do not rest on your knees.
- Keep your feet at the distance matching your shoulders.
- Now, raise and lower your upper body using your arms.
Do this for - 10 Reps
2- Squats
- Stand straight with your feet aligning with your shoulders & hands raised forward.
- Lower your hip from standing position till you get into squat position. Once you go deep enough, stand up again maintaining the same stance.
- Keep your head up and your core engaged while you perform this exercise.
Do this for - 20 Reps
3- Squat Jumps
- Take the same position as you did for performing squats.
- Go down in the similar way as you would go for a squat.
- Now while coming up, explode forcefully into jumping.
Do this for - 20 Reps
4- Burpees
- Stand facing forward with your feet aligning parallel to each other. Keep the distance a little bit wider than your shoulders.
- Now perform a regular jump squat.
- Once you complete the jump squat, immediately go down in a prone position, perform a push up, and get back in standing position again.
Do this for - 10 Reps
5- Lungees
- Stand straight with your legs aligning with your shoulders.
- Now, step forward with the right leg and bend both your knees. Keep lowering till your knees reach a 90 degree angle & shift your weight on the front ie. right leg.
- Now raise yourself to the normal level while bringing the back ie. left leg to the front as you take one more step. Now shift your body weight to the left leg.
Do this for - 10 Reps
6- Pull-Ups
- Stand below the exercise bar keeping it slightly at the front.
- Grab the bar with your hands a little bit wider than the shoulders.
- Pull yourself up till your head gets up over the bar & return back. Here your shoulder muscles should get worked out.
Do this for - 10 Reps
7- Chin-Ups
- Again stand below the exercise bar keeping it slightly at the front.
- Grab the bar with your hands in a reversed manner keeping it as wide as your shoulders.
- Pull yourself up till your head gets up over the bar & return back. Here your bicep muscles should get worked out.
Do this for - 10 Reps
8- Crunches
- Lie on your back flat on the ground, keeping your legs bent at 90 degree angle. Your feet can stay flat on the ground.
- Put your hands behind your head, tighten up your core and sit up until your chest touches your knees.
- Once you reach up, you can go back down to lie flat on your back again.
Do this for - 25 Reps
9- Dips
- Find a double bar and stand in between by holding the bar with both the hands from above.
- Use your arms and shoulders to lift yourself up from the bar to the highest level.
- Now, bring yourself down by controlling your weight through your arms and shoulders to get at the lowest position. Once you're at the low, push yourself up again. It should look as if you’re taking a dip in between the bars.
- Alternatively you can also try the same by resting your hands on a bench, a fence wall or a bed in case the double bars aren't available.
Do this for - 10 Reps
10- Plank
- Get into the prone position as if you are going to perform push-ups. But hold your hands in a way that your forearms press the floor.
- Lift your body off the floor while only your forearms and feet provide you the support. Rest of the body should be in the air. Carry your body weight through your core.
- Now hold on in this position for 10 to 30 seconds.
Do this for - 5 Reps
Which Is Better Calisthenics or Gym?
There is of course not one answer to this. It all depends on what your fitness goals are.
If you are looking to get bulkier, build muscles purely for the aesthetics and want to get into the bodybuilding or modeling profession, the gym will always provide you the needed equipment and a better atmosphere.
Whereas, if your reason for working out is purely for maintaining the fitness levels, increasing your strength and endurance; regular calisthenic exercises will effectively serve the purpose and do the job for you.
Remember. Though you will notice great results in terms of muscle building, the purpose of calisthenics workout is to increase your physical ability and not simply for the gains.
So it’s important to set the right expectations from this activity.
Also do not forget that whatever you do, consistency is the key to seeing significant results.
So once you begin, keep on working out at least half an hour a day without fail.
Slowly and steadily you’ll start to notice phenomenal results.
Take Your Home Workout to Next Level
To sum everything up, calisthenics is the great exercise type to train your body.
It’s not only the oldest way, but also the simplest one.
All you need to do is use your own body weight in a proper posture and rhythm to get an intense workout.
If your fitness goal is to increase strength, stamina and endurance, this workout is enough over a heavy gym workout.
And to take your calisthenics to the next level, we have awesome minimalist fitness gear in our store that will help you get more creative in your workout and help you achieve the results faster.
Checkout our collection, pick your favorite fitness equipment and take your home workout to the next level.
Stay fit with JoyFit ;)