Training with one’s own body weight is a very useful technique, not only because it is simple to carry out but also because it is as effective as any other method, this technique is called: CALISTENIA. Let’s see what it is.
Calisthenics, like any other training method, will have its pros and cons, it will not be for anyone and it will have certain particularities in terms of the objectives you want to achieve.
However, this will depend on certain factors, very relative, and as we have already seen for TRAINING WITH ELASTICS and TRAINING WITH WEIGHTS, let’s try to analyze these points.
ADVANTAGES OF CALISTHENICS
CAN BE PRACTICED ANYWHERE
Training with body weight allows you to train everywhere. What provides a net benefit for sports coaches who can ignore expensive equipment and large facilities, at home is extremely economical.
ALLOWS YOU TO GAIN STRENGTH QUICKLY
Without taking into account the concept of maximum strength, some calisthenics exercises allow the development of great strength. And if you manage to establish a correct progression routine, it is possible to acquire this strength very quickly.
Even doing Calisthenics can be ideal if you want to gain strength before training directly in the gym and focus on muscle hypertrophy routines in order to stimulate greater muscle development.
NO NEED FOR A LARGE UPFRONT INVESTMENT
A big advantage of calisthenics training is that you need very little to no equipment to train.
Not having the need to use specific equipment means you don’t have to buy anything expensive to start training.
Of course, as you progress, perhaps some equipment may be needed (for example, a bar, or rings), but the investment is still very small compared to weight training, in which the equipment is expensive or the monthly subscription adds up.
DOING CALISTHENICS ALLOWS YOU TO DEVELOP DIFFERENT QUALITIES
As you progress with the different calisthenics exercises you will be challenged in multiple ways and not only in regards to maximum strength.
As a result of this, you will develop strength, balance, mobility, flexibility, etc.
Exercising with our body weight also offers a wide variety of movements and exercises to perform, being a great ally for athletes of different disciplines.
CALISTHENICS IS GREAT FOR FAT LOSS
Calisthenics is one of the best training tools for fat loss.
I say this because calisthenics can be easily implemented in HIIT training, circuits, etc.
These methods are some of the bests for weight loss and all of them include some body weight exercises in your routines.
DISADVANTAGES OF CALISTHENICS
IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT AT FIRST
Training with body weight can be very difficult, so it ends up discouraging many beginners, something that is aggravated when you are overweight or do not have a basic athletic structure.
IT’S HARD TO ISOLATE CERTAIN MUSCLE GROUPS
When you train to gain strength or endurance, isolating muscle groups may not be of interest to you.
However, if you want to focus on those weak muscles that slow down your progress, one of the best options is to practice with isolation exercises. But isolating muscle groups or weak points is very difficult to achieve when training with bodyweight exercises alone.
In this sense, weightlifting is superior to calisthenics, since it allows to isolate quite easily the areas that require more attention.
HAS LIMITATIONS IN LEG TRAINING
This is the biggest disadvantage of bodyweight training.
While calisthenics, and thanks to different Squats exercises, can help build muscle and build strength, as well as strong and resistant joints in the lower body.
If you intend to develop huge legs, it will not be the best discipline to achieve it, since the volume of training does not only help.
Think that you need to exercise with a lot of weight to develop large legs, and in this sense, there is nothing better than weight training to achieve it.
PROGRESSIONS ARE NOT INTUITIVE
Most people who give up calisthenics training is because they can’t figure out how to progress to more difficult movements.
Unlike weightlifting where they simply put more weight on the barbell, in bodyweight training they will have to gradually move towards more advanced progressions.
Sometimes, figuring out these progressions for yourself can be a very difficult thing.
Moreover, these progressions can be measured only in terms of difficulty and not in terms of actual acquired strength.
IT’S HARD TO BUILD A LOT OF MUSCLE MASS
Yes, you will gain body mass by training with your own BODY, but while bodyweight exercises are very effective for the development of a muscular body, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get the competitive bodybuilder body when training with calisthenics, even if we use some kind of ballast.
CONCLUSION ON CALISTHENICS
There is no doubt that calisthenics training is a very effective and efficient way to gain more strength, lose fat and build muscle.
However, no method is perfect and the same rule applies to calisthenics.
Although, while it has its weak points, these are very few and of little impact compared to all the advantages it offers.
I would say that it is essential that all beginners perform this type of training work at the beginning of their sports life, then depending on their objectives it will be time to vary the disciplines, or not.