There are no dumbbells or weight machines at Sean Keogh’s gym. Calisthenics Club Houston is all about bodyweight training.
“That’s all we do,” Keogh said. But it’s enough to keep new members coming in, excited to learn moves like handstands and pull-ups.
Keogh and his members have a lot of company. These days, content creators, independent gyms, mega-chains, and more alike are promoting the age-old form of physical exercise. fitness A method that uses little or no equipment and instead relies on your body weight to provide resistance.
President Donald Trump was re-elected in July. presidential physical fitness testwhich aims to get young people across the country practicing old-school exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups again.
Anatolia Vic Kregel, director of Rice University’s Lifelong Physical Activity Program, said it’s no surprise that such no-frills movements are making a comeback in our overscheduled society. “I don’t always have time to go to the gym,” she said. “This can be done at home or in the office.”
Another reason may be economic, said Michael Stack, an exercise physiologist and president of the Physical Activity Alliance, a coalition of organizations that promote physical activity. Calisthenics-based programs that require no equipment are affordable for those who exercise and profitable for the gyms that offer them. Additionally, people may be accustomed to exercising with little equipment In the midst of a pandemic.
“This trend is growing,” Stack says. “The pandemic has definitely accelerated that.”
This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, which focuses on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Hope you are well.
How effective are calisthenics exercises?
Vic Kregel says there’s plenty of research to suggest that calisthenics can improve everything from muscle strength to aerobic conditioning.
“The weight is staggering,” she said.
But there are limits to their effectiveness, said John Raglin, a professor of kinesiology at the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health. “It could be effective,” Raglin said. “But I think it’s wrong to think that even the use of simple equipment can or should be substituted.”
Raglin said using equipment can actually make exercising easier or safer. For example, many people do push-ups with improper form.
“If you don’t have enough muscle strength or have joint problems or arthritis, it’s actually safer and more practical to lie on a bench and use small hand weights,” he said.
Everything depends on what your goal is
Beyond safety, Raglin says weights are likely to yield more dramatic results when used by people who want to significantly improve strength and muscle size. That way, he explained, “you engage your muscles more and generate more force than you would otherwise.”
weight lifting too damage muscle tissue This is done in a productive manner as the muscles grow larger through the body’s repair process. However, over time, you may need to gain larger amounts of weight to continue gaining. Progress plateaus as your body adapts to the previously performed exercise.
Vic Kregel said it’s not impossible to grow muscles through calisthenics. It’s just difficult to continually level up your exercises for sustained progress without increasing external weight.
“After you’ve done a few squat workouts with your own body weight, you need external resistance to strengthen your body and build muscle tissue,” Stack agrees.
In other words, If you want to bulge your biceps, It may take more than gymnastics to get there. But if you just want to move your body and improve your health, your body is probably all you need.
especially, Approximately 75% of Americans Stack says calisthenics is a great option for people who don’t meet federal physical activity guidelines, which require at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise and two strength-training sessions per week.
“Weight is the simplest device you can use,” Stack said. “For people who don’t exercise, I encourage them to start exercising just by using their bodies.”
How to start calisthenics
First, assess your current fitness and mobility, says Vic Kregel. Check if you can perform exercises like planks, push-ups, and squats with proper form with the help of a mirror, a workout buddy, or a trainer. If not, look for modifications like doing push-ups on your knees.
Once you’re confident with the basics, aim to do calisthenics in 10- to 30-minute sessions two or three times a week, she suggested. (For a more detailed structure, 5 basic practice plansor 5BX, a classical gymnastics program developed by the Royal Canadian Air Force in the 1950s).
Gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workouts as you gain strength. “Incremental progress is important,” Vic Kregel emphasized.
However, with experience, you will be able to perform calisthenics at high intensity. Keogh insists these exercises aren’t just for beginners. He said there are many ways to increase the difficulty of bodyweight training over time to make it very challenging and effective.
For those who doubt it, Keogh has a straightforward message: “Try it.”
