Calisthenics vs Weight Lifting
Perhaps, you woke up and said, ‘My day’s gonna be great,’ but you looked in the mirror and sighed heavily because you’re getting fat, your spouse's getting tired, and a breakup is imminent unless you bring back the spark.
You can get that perfect body, and spice up your relationship, without spending so much money.
All you’ll need to do with your friends or partner is a simple but effective form of exercise called Calisthenics.
What’s calisthenics?
Calisthenics is a form of exercise where you use your body weight as resistance.
During exercise, the brain receives and responds to stimuli. The brain gets stimulated to conquer the resistance of any form. To do that, it needs extra energy and it gets extra energy by burning carbohydrates and fat -- the same way an engine uses diesel.
When this happens in the body, the muscles get strengthened, and the result of this internal process is an individual that’s fit, and confident.
Oftentimes, people pay lots of money and undergo rigorous exercises to get a perfect body.
Instead of spending so much money in the gym, lifting weights that could cause musculoskeletal damages, you can use your body weight as the resistance, and get similar results. All that's required is that you understand the basics of calisthenics.
Basic calisthenics movements
Calisthenics is a form of exercise for strength, endurance, perfect body, and a perfect mind.
There are 3 basic movements involved in calisthenics. Every other activity falls under these three movements.
- Push
- Pull, and
- Leg calisthenics
Find out more about how to build muscle with calisthenics
Where can I start calisthenics?
Calisthenics can be done anywhere indoors and outdoors and at any time of the day. If you would like to get started at home, read this article.
Once you get a bit more comfortable and get into the more advanced workout you can start looking into adding some equipment at home to supplement your workouts.
Is Calisthenics better than weights?
There are distinct differences between calisthenics and weights that can't be ignored.
Weights vary in size depending on the stage of the exercise routine. Getting the equipment can take a chunk out of one’s pocket. On the other hand, calisthenics requires minimal equipment. You learn to use your body weight to create different levels of resistance for the muscles.
Weight lifting requires thorough supervision from a fitness instructor so you don’t end up inflicting injuries on your muscles and skeleton, but Calisthenics can be done with less or no supervision.
You’ll need to register in the gym which costs as much as 150dollars/month if your workout is weight-based. Calisthenics only requires that you buy a pull bar, paralletes, and resistance band(s)
More importantly, people prefer calisthenics to weights because it's fun, natural, and less expensive (In our opinion). But if you are not quite convinced check out this article
Tips to have fun, and get better results from calisthenics
You'll accomplish a lot from calisthenics with these tips:
- Avoid comparing yourself with others. You can get the perfect body you desire if you’re patient and consistent, but you’ll do yourself more harm than good if you stare at athletes and beat yourself up for not having their kind of body. Understand that getting the perfect body takes time and consistency.
Cultivate a healthy eating habit. It’s time to get rid of the junk. Eat food rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and don’t forget to drink enough water.
Exercise is the prize. Instead of obsessing over the perfect shape you desire, let exercise become the prize. Focus on going a step beyond each day’s accomplishment.
If you succeeded in doing ten push-ups, aim for fifteen.
Once you’re able to shift your mind from getting a perfect body instantly, to setting new records with each task, you’ll get closer to your ultimate goal.
Mix the activities. Variety’s the spice of life. Repetition is good, but calisthenics shouldn’t be a routine, it should be an exciting part of your life. Mix up the activities to make them fun.
Invite your friends or spouse to join you. It’s more exciting when you exercise with your friends and spouse than when you exercise alone. Invite them to join you.
3 FUN ACTIVITIES TO TRY DURING CALISTHENICS
To get the best results out of calisthenics, spice up the routine with these fun activities
The squat jump
Squats are great for the muscles around the thigh, pelvis, and lower back.
One of the benefits of squats is that it burns fat faster than most activities.
You can have fun with your partner while squatting, using two resistance bands.
To do this, face your partner. Both of you should grip both bands with an arm on each, and straighten your other arm.
This adds tension as you both squat slowly, and then jump at the same time. When you both land, squat and repeat the process.
The push-up tap
Push-ups are great for strengthening the head, shoulders, and triceps; there are variations.
You and your partner should assume a high-plank pose, facing each other.
When you go down and come up, tap your partner's right shoulder with your left arm. Your partner should do the same. Repeat the process.
You can get creative or competitive with this activity. Just make sure it's a healthy competition, and fun.
The wheelbarrow pushup
This is another fun activity you can try with your partner. It's simple and doesn't require equipment.
Form a plank pose, with your partner holding your legs from behind. Go up and down as much as you can.
Ensure you both are balanced before you begin so you won't fall, but if you fall, don't hesitate to laugh over it.
SUMMARY
For more excercises you can check out our workout database
Despite the debate 'Calisthenics vs weights,' the way to get a perfect body while having fun is to have a perfect mind, balanced diet, and constant exercise with your friends and loved ones.
You'll get into perfect shape, bond, and create pleasant memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.
it's about the journey not the destination .
