Is Calisthenics the Best Form of Fitness?

Is Calisthenics the Best Form of Fitness?

Absolutely, without a doubt.

And I can explain.

The origin of the word calisthenics traces back to ancient greek and literally means “Beautiful Strength”. 

During that era, mastering bodyweight movements was synonymous with achieving true physical power, and even gladiators honed their prowess through these techniques.

I view calisthenics as a central discipline encompassing all movements that solely rely on the body's intrinsic abilities.

Sprinting, running, dancing, swimming, boxing, martial arts, animal movement, and so much more are part of “Beautiful Strength”.

It’s the most complete and free form of training: you train resistance and cardio during 70-80% of your training sessions. 

The exception occurs when you train skills. 

Calisthenics can be defined as bodyweight training and street gymnastics system with it’s own practice code, form and tricks. 

You do not need any equipment at all to start and even to get good at it. 

If all you have is a tree branch in a park somewhere, that would actually work too. A simple doorway pull up bar will go a long way!

Bodyweight training offers the possibility to push your body to higher limits in terms of exercise angles and volume, that you can not attain with pushing weights alone.

The notion of movement is primordial to explain this further.

By focusing on movement, perfect foundations execution and timing, you open the door to harder variations and options (such as adding weight to your own body with weight vest and weight belts).

Here is how to start and make your own beginner-intermediate calisthenics working program.

Let’s add to the ladder, that practicing and acquiring skills benefits not only the body but also the brain. Calisthenics forges deep motor control patterns that keep you young. Constantly improving proprioception nurtures the ability of the brain to keep it’s plasticity and ability to shape-reshape neuronal connections.

By training outdoors (or as much as you can), your hormones balance will improve in a way that is by far superior to what happens when you go to the gym. 

You get to meet more people by training at parks that training indoors in a gym. People are a lot more social in general when they are outdoors. They are also usually a lot less cocky and self centered than the general gym population (although there are also lots of great people that go to the gym! :)

The reason might also be that it’s a more friendly environment in which everyone has the same tool: our body.

It’s convenient as a group activity as no one as to wait for the bench or any machine!

We can all workout together at the same time and share the common energy. This last detail is actually one of the most powerful of all. It’s scientifically proven that group effort stimuli leads to greater effort intensity and output. 

In short you get stronger when you push together.

I could keep going but I just want to end on that.

Get ALL my calisthenics training programs and coaching here if you are new!