Calisthenics is a form of exercise that consists of different movements involving large muscle groups, like standing, standing, running, grasping, and pushing. Calisthenics offers countless health benefits, such as keeping your weight in check and helping you achieve your fitness goals. Calisthenics can be done without any equipment, perfect for individuals who are still new in working out and do not want to commit to expensive equipment, yet. A few minutes of calisthenics every day in your home will surely go a long way for you to improve your health and stay healthy.
Perhaps the biggest draw of a calisthenics workout is that it can easily be done anytime and anywhere.
Calisthenics exercises involve minimal use of equipment. Relying instead on mastering your bodyweight through graceful exercises, which are usually performed rhythmically.
Which makes the moves in calisthenics a breeze to seamlessly incorporate into your current daily or weekly workout routine.
In this post, you’ll learn how the right preparation for a calisthenics workout will help you get your dream body and achieve your fitness goals.
See a Doctor
Before performing any type of exercise – no matter how low-impact – it’s always advisable to consult with your physician first. Calisthenics can be very beneficial to your health and wellness, but engaging in rigorous physical activities when you’re still a beginner can result in injuries. Trying out calisthenics should be done gradually – you should start with activities that have a lesser impact on the body and then progress into more straining activities as you move forward.
Because even though calisthenics consists of graceful and low-impact movements, it can still be strenuous if it’s your first time trying it. This is especially true if you don’t have any idea where and how to start, or if your first sessions are done without the supervision of a professional. As mentioned, calisthenics does not require equipment, but you can still get hurt when you push your body beyond the limits.
And if you have existing medical conditions or taking any medications, make an appointment with your doctor before engaging in any calisthenics workout. You can check out this article and other online resources if you suspect that you are currently suffering from any medical condition and make sure to let your doctor know about it. This information will help your doctor provide a tailored-fit calisthenics program that suits your body’s needs without putting your safety on the line.
Here are some things your family doctor might advise you in preparation for your calisthenics workout:
- Monitor your vital signs: Obtain your baseline vital signs before and after your calisthenics workout. You don’t want to stress yourself too much and end up experiencing breathing difficulty or palpitation during a calisthenics workout.
- Eat well: Maintain a balanced diet. Avoid high-carbohydrate foods and increase the intake of protein for cell repair after an intense workout. Your doctor will likely advise that you incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet. These foods are packed with vitamins and minerals that can replenish your body with the energy and water it loses when working out.
- Get enough sleep: While you work hard during a workout, find time to rest, and get enough sleep. In this way, you’ll be able to replenish your energy and wake up energized the next day so you can perform at your best the next day. Getting enough sleep is also essential to repair your damaged muscles and joints from working out. This is especially important during the first few sessions of your calisthenics workouts.
Know the Basics by Heart
If you want to achieve your health and fitness goals, make sure to educate yourself about the basics of a calisthenics workout. Having in-depth information about calisthenics will make it easy for you to determine if your routines are correct or if you’re only hurting yourself during the process.
Don’t dive into any workout without knowing the impacts of movements and degree of difficulty into your body.
Here are the important benefits of learning calisthenics basics:
- It will help avoid injury caused by forceful or incorrect movements.
- You’ll be able to execute exercise routines properly.
- You or your trainer can determine the best exercises or poses that are right for your body built, weight, and exercise capabilities.
Wear a Fitness Tracker
A fitness tracker is one of the most recommended wearable technology devices to use during a workout.
Because calisthenics involves strengthening exercises to improve stamina and endurance, monitoring your biometrics is crucial.
Most fitness trackers would have features that can accurately monitor your blood oxygenation level, heart rate, and respiratory pattern.
Here’s how to improve calisthenics performance using a fitness tracker:
- Monitor your baseline heart rate and targeted maximum heart rate before performing push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, burpees, dips, chin-ups, or jump rope.
- View workout logs using the fitness app in your smartphone to track your progress.
- Track your weight and diet to ensure that you maintain a consistently healthy lifestyle.
See Also: 5 Ways to Make Fitness a Habit for Women
Set Time for Your Calisthenics Workout
It’s important to make a habit of doing calisthenics because you’ll only see improvements if you invest the time and effort to make it happen.
Create and stick to a calisthenics workout schedule. Keep in mind that for it to be effective, it should be done for at least 45 to 60 minutes, three times a week.
Start with Basic Calisthenics
Calisthenics workout requires an individual to use bodyweight to do strength-training movements. So it would be best if you make sure that you also get proper rest in between sessions. Never exhaust yourself too much, which may compromise your health and safety.
You don’t have to move from one calisthenics routine to another quickly. Improving your rep count is essential before anything else.
Before you advance to the next exercise, make you master basic reps at high volume to ensure success. Here are some of the basic calisthenics workout you can start with:
1. Jump Squats
This calisthenics workout is a basic exercise that helps strengthen your core and lower extremities. Here’s how to do jump squats:
- Your body faces forward when standing and with your feet parallel, a shoulder-width apart.
- Move your feet with your toes pointed outward.
- Next, lower yourself and squat.
- Lower your hips backward and downwards while you bend your knees.
- With your face forward, just keep your chest upright.
- Perform a deep squat as much as possible, and explode upward into a forceful jump.
- Don’t extend your knees because your knee joints might get injured.
2. Jump Rope
Jump rope is a great exercise to kickstart your calisthenics workout. It will help warm-up your body before any strenuous or difficult workout. Here’s how to do it:
- Grasp the handles of your jump rope.
- Hold your hands at the same distance from your body’s central line.
- Rotate the jump rope using your wrists and not using your elbows or shoulders.
- Jump off the ground at one to two inches to clear the rope.
- Keep your toes pointed downwards as you jump and slightly bend your knees.
3. Burpees
While burpees are somehow challenging to perform, doing jump rope and jump squats first will help you advance to this stage.
Being consistent with your calisthenics workout, including the number and intensity of reps will help you attain your fitness goals sooner.
Here’s how to perform burpees:
- Stand with your feet apart, about shoulder-width, facing forward,8 and keep your body weight in your heels.
- Place your arms abruptly at your sides, pushing your hips back and bending your knees while you lower your body into a squat.
- Place your hands with your palms down, narrower than you’re keeping your feet.
- Place your weight in your hands while jumping your feet back. You’ll land softly on the ground with your feet, keeping a straight plank body position.
- Avoid your back sagging into the air.
- Jump with your feet forward, landing next to your hands.
- Finally, push your arms over your head and then jump into the air.
Conclusion
It’s important to prepare yourself before doing any calisthenics workout.
Because calisthenics doesn’t use any equipment except for your own body, it’s important to understand the basics for a more effective workout.
Some of the moves you need to master in calisthenics include push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, as well as other strength-training exercises.
As such, make sure to consult with your doctor first before beginning training to avoid any accidents.
To achieve your peak performance, make sure to eat well, get a good night’s sleep, and seek medical advice before performing calisthenics workout.
