Calisthenics is a great method of bodyweight training that has made a foothold in the fitness industry today. It is a bodyweight type of training that helps you improve your movement IRL and hits every single muscle in your body.
Calisthenics is a functional training program that forces you to move in a space with your body instead of the resistance of a weight in a unilateral direction. Most importantly, it improves your joint strength instead of damaging it.
Most resistance training results in imbalances in the body due to improper form and compensations from doing too heavy of a load. Using your bodyweight only builds muscle in size in accordance with your body to retain mobility for movement. It will improve your brain-body connection, as calisthenics requires fine motor coordination when doing complex as well as basic bodyweight movements to stay balanced and to retain proper form during movement.
With that being said, calisthenics is a training program that people should consider adding into their workouts and fitness routine. I have been doing calisthenics for two years and have saved my wrists from severe carpal tunnel, improved my shoulder mobility, improved my posture and improved the coordination of my upper body as a whole.
Gregory “Greg” Osipov is a recreational therapy major and aspires to be a strength coach and physical therapist.
Gregory Osipov
gcosipov@vwu.edu
