Cali-what? CALISTHENICS. I know, what a word–everyone wants to know what it means. I’ll tell you this right away, don’t google it! Because if you do all you will see is handstands, jumping jacks and pushups. For most people they google these things so they can fear it or love it mostly based on pictures. If you see a picture of someone doing calisthenics you will be like, “That’s a handstand!?! I can’t do a handstand?!?!” Assuming that calisthenics aren’t for you. Classic!
To that I say, CALM DOWN. Don’t be a debbie downer!
Good, now that you are settled we can talk. Nobody wants to hold a conversation with a person who looks at a handstand and somehow sees a half lion, half cobra with 10 legs and a light saber decapitating puppies. So let’s consider calisthenics with more information less fear.
Calisthenics are best described as body weight training. Your body weight plus leverage equals calisthenics! Using your strength applied at an angle will produce strength. Easy, right? Wrong. It all starts with simple fun exercises like pushups, squats, lunges, jump rope and chin-ups. The strength that you accumulate from these exercises will propel into things like: muscle-ups, handstands, L-sits, pistol squats, and maybe even the planche.
What’s really great about calisthenics is that calisthenics plus flexibility training (like yoga) will unlock so much more strength than nearly any other fitness modality. That deserves a re-read! I see that shocked expression! Before you email me and tell me why your training program is better than mine remember this 1) I don’t care. 2) no it’s not ☺.
I challenge you to try calisthenics once a week. Start on Monday because you’ll want to have fresh muscles. For more personal guidance, come visit us at www.LifeFitness-Academy.com or check out the Nashville Calisthenics instagram.
