Movement, which comes naturally to humans, has been refined through evolution. The balance, flexibility, and strength required to move are provided by the concerted work of the musculoskeletal system and the neural network. However, free-flowing movements have become less and less, thanks to the sedentary habits that govern our lives of late. This is where calisthenics, an exercise system which focuses on human functional movements like jumping, squatting, pushing, pulling, etc. would help to rediscover and reestablish the relationship humans have with movement.
“With almost a decade of training in calisthenics, this special fitness routine helps me understand myself better,” says Kunal Mahour, founder at AlphaNations Callisthenics Club, Pune. “While doing callisthenic exercises the connection between the muscle and mind becomes stronger. It helps to build a deeper connection with oneself. Training with one’s own bodyweight will help one understand oneself better, understand how the body and the mind work.”
What is calisthenics
Calisthenics is a fitness routine that would not mandate having a gym membership or require you to set up a home-gym.
“Calisthenics is a form of exercise that involves using your body weight to perform various movements and exercises which often utilize minimal equipment, making it accessible for people to train anywhere – homes, local parks, or outdoor street gyms without the need for any specialized equipment,” says Mohammad Aslam, coach and founder of Cali-OG Fitness Space in Bengaluru.
Most people can relate to this fitness routine because of how closely the exercises in calisthenics mimic natural human movement.
“When people see others doing calisthenics, they assume that it is hard to do and don’t start. But one can always start with basic easy movements that help build the required strength and make you stronger to be able to perform the harder movements,” adds Mahour.
Nature of calisthenic exercises
Calisthenic exercises engage multiple muscle groups and involve multi-joint movements.
“These movements mimic real-life activities and help improve overall functional fitness,” says Aslam. “For example, exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and squats require the use of various muscles and promote upper body pushing and pulling movements, lower body strength, and core stability. These movements are directly applicable to everyday tasks and activities.”
Doing squats, push-ups, etc. which are effective compound exercises themselves, would seem simple compared to a handstand, headstand or a human flag, which are more advanced exercises in calisthenics. It takes time and training to get there but you will get there, say experts.
“For easier understanding, if one is keeping their legs in the air and horizontal to the ground, it’s an advanced skill,” explains Mahour. “If the legs are in the air, and they are lifting their whole bodyweight like while doing a headstand, its intermediate level, and if the legs are on the ground, for example-doing a push-up, then that is the basic level,” explains Mahour.
Of course, the fitness level is a primary factor, among many others as to how one might find a specific exercise easier while someone else might find the same exercise hard. The reasons are understood and addressed, to ensure progression.
“Calisthenics offers a wide range of progressions and variations for each exercise,” adds Aslam. “This allows people to start at a level that suits their current fitness abilities and gradually progress to more advanced movements as they become stronger and more skilled.”
Calisthenics training and proprioception
Balance or proprioception is a key component of calisthenics training and is required to perform the exercises safely and effectively.
“When you train by doing calisthenics, your balance will improve naturally,” says Mahour. “For example, a pistol squat or the one-legged squat would be difficult to do, if you don’t have balance and yet by doing it you are building the balance. So, you require balance for calisthenics, and you only build that balance by doing calisthenics.”
Along with balance, engaging and building core strength is also crucial.
“Movement patterns and core engagement are the primary aspects to master calisthenics. For example, doing a headstand, handstand, human flag, pistol squat, require more hip mobility,” adds Aslam
Benefits of the calisthenics journey
Since Calisthenic exercises are bodyweight exercises, they are a cost-effective and feasible choice for a fitness routine.
“The combination of calisthenics and functional training provides a holistic approach to fitness, targeting multiple muscle groups and promoting overall physical fitness. It focuses on developing strength, flexibility, and coordination through bodyweight exercises,” says Aslam.
“Apart from flexibility, it can work on endurance, building muscles, stamina and losing fat as well,” adds Mahour.
Drawbacks of calisthenics
Compared to the benefits that calisthenics can provide, the drawbacks are small, but important, nonetheless. It is possible that one can develop muscle imbalance by doing callisthenics.
“Calisthenics are bilateral exercises in which, while performing the exercises, both the right side and left side depend on each other,” says Mahour. “So, when you’re doing a bilateral exercise like a push-up, then one will tend to put more effort and push with the dominant hand. While the other non-dominant hand will also feel the strain, the push may not be the same. This can lead to muscle imbalance. The lack of isolation exercises or exercises that work on a specific muscle group is another drawback.”
Takeaways
- Calisthenic exercises are body weight exercises that can be done with minimal equipment.
- They mimic the basic functional movements of daily life and hence help in increasing flexibility, endurance, building muscles, losing fat, and building stamina.
- Muscle imbalance could be created with callisthenics training. Calisthenics also lack isolation exercises.
