Calisthenics Workouts
Calisthenics is bodyweight training — exercise that uses your own body weight for resistance instead of equipment. With simple moves like pushups, squats and lunges you can build strength anywhere, and progress over time by adding rings, bars or other tools.
Ditch the thought that you need every new gadget or that sparkly weight set to get toned because you don’t. With callisthenics—really, a technical word for bodyweight training—you don’t need to buy anything to get in a serious sweat. It’s a no-equipment-needed modality that dates back to the ancient Greeks (really) and can be done anywhere. And you may already be doing callisthenics workouts without even realizing it.
Callisthenics workouts have stood the test of time thanks to the ability to craft beginner-friendly circuits with straightforward moves (think: push-ups, squats, and lunges). And they come with serious benefits. “Callisthenics are movements performed with just your own body weight,” says Angelica Segura, CPT, the co-founder and trainer for MELTPrjct, a boxing-inspired fitness program. “So a calisthenic workout relies on a person’s body weight for resistance and can always be progressed or intensified by the use of rings, bars, or wands.”
Frequently asked questions
- What is calisthenics?
- Calisthenics is training that uses your own body weight for resistance instead of equipment — movements like pushups, squats and lunges that you can do anywhere.
- Do I need equipment for calisthenics?
- No. Calisthenics needs no equipment, though you can progress or intensify workouts using rings, bars or wands.
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