Top 5 Equipment To Build a Calisthenics Home Gym
There are many forms of fitness exercises today. You will see the best results with a fitness routine that is not just a routine but also a "lifestyle choice" that works best for you. The best one can vary a lot from person to person, mixing things up and trying new things can be a good way to get out of a rut and make improvements—I find calisthenics to strike the right balance between: a fully commited gym membership workout and doing situps in the livingroom.
Put briefly; calisthenics is a form of fitness that utilizes gravity and your body weight to create resistance and build your stamina, you can read more about what calisthenics over here.
These days you can work out from anywhere. Monotony can take away the motivation to work out consistently especially if you are doing the same 3 core exercises every time, so it is good to try working out in different environments. While working out, I like to incorporate one or two calisthenics equipment to improve productivity and spice things up.
Once you have tried out some exercises and program it can be a good idea to build up on that fundation with workout equipments, it is not just a way to keep yourself accountable but it has a variety of benefits such as:
- Faster muscle definition
- Better efficiency in workouts
- Improved resistance
- Improves the workout variety
Awesome Tools for Effective Workouts
Dip station
A dip station, or dip bar as it's sometimes called is typically made of a U-shaped bar that wraps our the waist at the height of about two and a half feet of the ground but they can come in all sorts of sizes and styles just take a look at two great but different dip stations here and here .
A dip station lets you get creative with your workouts especially the pushing ones that train your chest and triceps. Dip stations work by using gravity on your body weight to build resistance and stamina. A dip station dramatically speeds up weight loss and muscle building while improving body control and the smaller core stabilizing muscles. Some exercises you can do with the Dip station include:
- Bicep curls
- L sits
- Knee tucks
- Bicycle holds
- Triceps press downs
- Alternating side tucks
When using a dip station, make sure to use a mat as the base or work from a surface that provides a good grip. I would also advise you to start with simple exercises then work your way up. If you are a beginner, building up stamina will be easy and fun with the dip station. If you combine this equipment with a weighted vest or a resistance band, you can speed up your progress even more.
Power Tower
Power towers are some of the best workout pieces of equipment in the market but have a price to reflect that as well. They make for a fantastic addition to a home gym and give an increased amount of variation.vFor this tool, you can get as creative as you can—the sky is always the limit, it has a long list of exercises you can try out. Let's take a look at the different types of workouts you can do your with power tower and you can expand on them as you get more experience.
Triceps Dips
The power station arms allow you to lower and lift your body using your triceps. This will hit your triceps and chest extremely well.
Pull-ups and chin-ups
For these exercises, the higher bars are used. Getting in a workout on the remaining upper-body muscle groups by doing either a chin up or a pull up.
Hanging leg raises
Great exercise for the abdominal muscles (especially the lower ones around the love handles). Lift up your legs as straight as you can to form a big L.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands have become extremely popular in the fitness industry. There most notable advantage is that they can be used anywhere, even in the office or the bathroom (I don't know why you would but its doable). Resistance bands help build strength and muscle tone. Researchers have shown that resistance training helps to counteract age-related muscle loss owing to their versatility. Actually, resistance bands are the ones I personally use to add a little extra oomph to my regular calisthenics workouts. Different bands have different resistance levels. I would advise you to start with the least resistant band then take it a notch higher when you are ready.
Here are a few ways to use resistance bands:
Bicep curls
You can put the middle of the band under any of your feet and use your arms to pull up the band with your arms facing up. This exercise works on your biceps and stability.
Chest flies
Wrap the band around a post and hold the ends facing away from the post. Plant your feet firmly into the ground, so you don't slip. Then pull the band as far as you can several times. Other muscles you can target include the back, triceps, and abs.
Kettlebells
A kettlebell is an excellent piece of equipment, made famous from crossfit but it has its use in calisthenics as well. It comes in a manageable shape that looks much like a bowling ball with a smooth handle to hold onto different sizes. You might notice it is a bit more weighty compared to a bowling ball on the high end. Needless to say, if you enjoy bowling, you will enjoy working with a kettlebell. But don't try to bowl with it please.
Kettlebells increase cardio, strengthening your cardiovascular muscles, and improves the results on target muscles. Most exercises done using kettlebells involve a lot of movement, which improves stability. Here are the top two Kettlebell exercises you must try out:
The kettle swing
This works on the glutes, abs, hips, shoulders, hamstrings, and pecs
The kettle squat
This works on the glutes, core, and calf muscles. These muscles are responsible for stability.
Weight Vest
A weighted vest is the "one weird trick that doctors don't want you to know about" of the fitness world (but that actually works). It's a subtle yet powerful way to boost your calorie burn and improve stamina. The best thing about a weighted vest is that you can adjust the weight and wear it out for a regular walk around the block. Or slap it on while you do your regular routine to increase overload and make your calisthenics work out double as productive.
A weighted vest is helpful where you need to train yourself to lift heavy things. Your back muscles will get a workout when you bend, and your arm muscles will have to lift more pounds of the ground for those pushups. Using weighted vests can be strenuous on the body, so start with the basics. Build stamina by doing regular exercises before going jogging with a vest on.
There are plenty to choose from at most price points on amazon so snagg one up when you feel like it.
Summary
Calisthenics is an excellent way to get fit and build muscle tone, but adding a few pieces of equipment to your routine will help you stay focused on your goal and make sure you have a proper form when doing the exercise, and personally I feel that I have a better mind-muscle connection when using my own equipment.
Don't forget that a good and balanced diet will also greatly impact your workout results, like my old grandma' said "abs are made in the kitchen".
Finally, don't forget to observe adequate safety measures when using any workout equipment. Be kind to your body by moving at a steady pace, start small and build up. Everybody knows slow and steady wins the race, calisthenics is a marathon not a sprint.