What is Calisthenics?
So, let’s begin! Calisthenics is a style of exercise where people use their own body weight as resistance to build physical strength, flexibility, and endurance. Calisthenics can be traced back to early Greek civilization, where it was incorporated into military training. Today, it has evolved into a modern, accessible, and practical way to get fit (no fancy gym equipment required).
Unlike traditional weight training, calisthenics centers around natural movements, balance, flexibility, and coordination. This not only allows you to get a greater range of motion, but it also helps you develop functional strength, which is applicable in everyday activities. Exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and planks exemplify calisthenics, as they require minimal equipment and can be performed anywhere.
The benefits go beyond building muscle and becoming more mobile. As you progress, you can try more advanced variations that challenge your core and overall body control, keeping things fun and rewarding, and here is when things start to get fun. Furthermore, it is also a social activity; calisthenics often encourages community participation, helping individuals find motivation through group exercises and routines (at least where I train, people are always willing to give you tips and help you out with your routines).
Start Your Calisthenics Journey
In 2020, after being stuck at home for a whole year, and just doing boring exercises with a pair of dumbbells, I ended up finding Chris Heria’s YouTube channel, and in 2021 I began my journey and haven’t stopped since.
To embark on this fitness journey effectively, it is essential to set realistic goals. You will see people doing amazing skills, and you will want to try them out, but I have to tell you, some of those skills take several months or years to master, and if you rush in, the probability of you end up injuring yourself is really high (I am speaking from experience…). So, you must tailor your objectives to your current fitness level. For beginners, these goals may involve mastering foundational movements such as a first set of 10 clean push-ups, 5 perfect form pull-ups, and holding a plank for 60 seconds. These little wins will let you build momentum and confidence.
Once you’ve got your goals in mind, it’s time to build a simple routine. You don’t need to go crazy with it, you just need to be consistent and disciplined. In my opinion and experience, a good start will be 4 or 5 sessions per week, 10-15 minutes each session (I like doing my workout first thing in the morning, right after a good stretch and a quick warm-up). But this might not be for you. If you prefer an afternoon workout, maybe 2 or 3 sessions of 40-60 minutes each week will do. You need to find what suits you best. Stick to the basics at first, and as you get stronger, you can slowly increase the intensity and difficulty.
NOTE: Don’t skip your warm-up and cool-down; this is a fundamental tip that will help you prevent injuries and improve your mobility over time.
“Perfect practice makes perfect,” and perfect form must be your goal. It’s better to do 5 good reps than 20 sloppy ones. Before I attempt a new skill, I always watch trusted video tutorials, follow along guides, or ask for guidance from someone who is already doing the skill I want to. When you take the time to really understand each movement, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success and fewer injuries.
Sometimes it’s hard to squeeze a workout, I understand, life happens. We don’t always have control over our day, and some days it’s not possible to overcome those obstacles. That’s exactly why I love to do my quick workouts first thing in the morning. There are many reasons, such as: I feel great after a short session; I’m ready to face the day; and I get a little boost of accomplishment early on. But the most important reason is that the first hour of the day is usually the one that I can control.
What Do You Need To Start Calisthenics
One of the things I love most about calisthenics is its simplicity. You can do it almost anywhere (your living room, a park, or even a small corner of your home) with little to no gear. That freedom makes it super accessible, especially if you’re just starting out.
However, there are a few key pieces of equipment that help me reach my goal and make my exercises more comfortable. These are my top 5 pieces of equipment that I use every day.
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Make Calisthenics a Daily Habit
The key is understanding that consistency is far more crucial than intensity. You don’t need to crush an hour-long workout to see results. I’ll share my top 5 workout routines that I follow religiously. Also, you should check out Chris Heria and the Thenx channel on YouTube. It’s basically a huge library of follow-along workouts, tutorials, and skill progressions to help you get started or level up your training.
10 Minute Full Body Workout
8 Minute ABS Workout
8 Minute Legs Workout
7 Minute Bicep, Tricep & Shoulder Workout
100 Pushups Workout
“Stay strong, let’s go!”