Do you want to train without going to the gym? Then training with your own body weight is perfect for you. There is even an entire sport that is completely based on training with your own body weight called Calisthenics. In this article we will take a closer look at training with your own body weight and we will mention the advantages and disadvantages.
What is Calisthenics?
Calisthenics is a branch of fitness that uses a person’s body weight with little or no equipment. The exercises consist of movements that use large and multiple muscle groups at the same time, such as with push-ups that train the chest, shoulders and triceps at the same time. These types of exercises help improve coordination, flexibility and strength.
Calisthenics originated in Greece and is still popular today. Most people can perform these exercises regardless of their level of athletic ability.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of strength training with your own body weight?
Calisthenics is a strength sport that has its own advantages and disadvantages. We have mapped out these advantages and disadvantages for you below.
The benefits of Calisthenics
The main benefits of Calisthenics are:
- It’s cheap.
- You can train at home with your own weight, but also outside in a park.
- Calisthenics is a functional way of training that will make daily activities easier.
- Calisthenics is good for endurance training and strength training
The Disadvantages of Calisthenics
The main disadvantages of Calisthenics are:
- It is not the most effective way to get stronger and more muscular.
- You quickly get to a point where making progress becomes more difficult, because you are dependent on your own body weight.
- When you have an injury it is a lot more difficult to train around this. This is a lot easier with free weights and machines.
What are popular exercises?
A number of popular fitness exercises with your own body weight are listed below. These are also basic exercises that are done at Calisthenics.
push ups
This is a very good exercise to train chest, shoulders, triceps and core stability. This exercise also has a lot of variations. If the exercise is too difficult in a high plank position, you can perform the exercise with your knees on the floor. Some of the key points of this exercise are:
- Tighten your abs.
- Keep your hands shoulder-width apart with your shoulder over your wrists.
- Lower in a controlled manner with your elbows in.
pull ups
This exercise is intended for training the back muscles and the biceps. This exercise also has a lot of variations. You can make the exercise easy by using a rubber band or by doing the exercise with a training partner who helps you up through your ankles. The key points of this exercise are:
- Grab the pull-up bar slightly outside shoulder width.
- Pull your chest toward the bar.
- Pull your shoulder blades together.
- Lower yourself in a controlled manner.
lunges
This exercise trains the thigh muscles and the glutes. It is difficult to make this exercise heavier if you only want to train with your own body weight. With many bodyweight exercises for legs you will run into this, because it is relatively easy for your legs to support your own bodyweight. Some of the key points of this exercise are:
- Take a big step forward with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Sink through your leg and make sure your leg is at a 90-degree angle.
- Then switch legs.
sit ups
This exercise is intended to train the abdominal muscles. This exercise again has a lot of variations that you can experiment with. The key points of this exercise are:
- Lie on your back and let your knees point up.
- Move your chest toward your knees by tightening your abs.
- Keep your arms crossed on your chest throughout the movement and move back down in a controlled manner.
dips
With this exercise you can train the chest and triceps with your own body weight. The exercise can be performed on a bench or between two dip bars. Some of the key points of this exercise are:
- Rest your hands on the handles or the bench behind you.
- Lower your arms in a controlled manner until your arms are at a 90-degree angle.
- Push yourself back up and tighten your triceps.