What is Calisthenics?
Most people think of free weights and machines when they think about fitness. That is because this is what you find in almost every gym. However, if you do not like this way of exercising or you have been around the gym for years, and you want to try something new. calisthenics could be the solution for you.
Calisthenics is a form of exercising where you only use your bodyweight and little to no equipment. So instead of using weights as resistance, you use your own body and gravity as resistance. Exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups are the iconic exercises of calisthenics. Bodyweight training is involved in a lot of areas. In the military, it is a common thing to do a minimum of push-ups or pull-up as a requirement to join. Also, gymnasts use mostly calisthenics as a form of exercise to accomplish their goals.
Calisthenics is not only a thing in the present. The greek soldiers did already perform an early way to get stronger. They did not have machines like in today’s gyms. So doing bodyweight exercises was one of the few ways to train their body. The word ‘calisthenics’ came from the ancient Greek words ‘kalos’ and ‘sthenos’. It means beauty and strength, beautiful strength.
