Learn how beginners can use a variety of bodyweight exercises without resorting to weight training in the gym. Many people want to play sports, but do not have enough free time to visit a fitness center. In this situation, you should pay attention to the calisthenics training program for beginners. This is a modern form of gymnastics, the number of fans of which is constantly increasing.
Kalistenika - what is it?
Calisthenics is a kind of gymnastics and involves training with the athlete's own body weight. It was calisthenics that was actively used to train warriors in ancient times. However, with the advent of modern simulators, the popularity of the system began to decline.
But now the situation is changing and athletes are increasingly paying attention to this training methodology, because many simulators do not allow them to obtain the desired results. Today, a system called bodyweight is gaining popularity all over the world, and calisthenics, in turn, is a variation of this trend.
Benefits of Calisthenics
Many exercise machines are designed in such a way that the movements performed on them are not physiological. This leads to the fact that the risk of injury increases significantly. Many fitness professionals believe that the calisthenics training program for beginners will strengthen the muscles all over the body.
However, even this fact is not the most important. Everyone knows that when working with free weights, muscles develop much faster in comparison with the elements of the articular-ligamentous apparatus. As a result, the risk of injury increases. In the case of calisthenics, the situation is different and the ligaments are strengthened simultaneously with the muscle tissues.
Even a banal hanging on the horizontal bar helps to improve posture and strengthen the muscular corset of the back. Also, training with weights has some contraindications, and the calisthenics training program for beginners is designed for everyone without any restrictions. This training system will not only give the body an athletic look, but also improve agility, endurance and flexibility.
Calisthenics for beginners - principles of creation
Every novice athlete should remember the importance of warm-up before the main part of the session. At this stage, you should focus on stretching exercises, as well as warm up the muscles qualitatively. This will prepare not only muscles, but also joints for the upcoming physical activity. It is very important not to overdo it and get injured when performing stretching movements.
The duration of one lesson is from 40 to 60 minutes a day and each of them should consist of three stages:
- Muscle development of the upper back, forearms and biceps.
- Triceps and chest muscle training.
- Development of the muscles of the core and legs.
These stages will form one training cycle that will strengthen the muscles of the whole body. Note that exercises should be regular and their systematic skipping will first stop the progress of one part of the body, and then all the muscles.
The first stage is training the biceps, muscles of the forearms and back
The best way to do this workout is to use a combination of Australian pull-ups and hanging on the bar. Since we are now talking about a calisthenics training program for beginners, it is the Australian pull-ups that will be the best choice. Thanks to this exercise, you will learn to feel the work of your muscles and increase strength.
To do the Australian pull-ups, you need to use a low bar with the bar just below your chest. Grasp the bar with a straight grip slightly wider than the level of the shoulder joints and lower yourself under it. Put your feet on the ground and slowly begin to pull your body up to the bar. It is very important to move slowly in order to feel the contraction of the muscles.
At first, it is enough to perform 6 poles with six repetitions each. The pause between sets is 2 minutes. Gradually increase the number of repetitions in sets to 12. Once the goal is achieved, start using different types of grips.
After completing the Australian pull-ups, move on to the second exercise, which is part of the calisthenics of the beginner training program - hanging on the bar. With its help, you will strengthen the muscles of the hands and forearms, which will allow you to perform various exercises on the horizontal bar in the future. Hang from the bar without touching the ground with your feet. Stay in this position for as long as you can. In total, you need to perform from four to six sets.
The second stage is training the muscles of the chest and triceps
The best option for a beginner athlete who has not previously been involved in sports will be classic push-ups. To evenly distribute the load between the muscles, the arms should be located on the ground slightly wider than the level of the shoulder joints. It is important to keep the body and legs in a straight line.
Exercise slowly, controlling the target muscles. If you find it difficult to perform a movement in this way, then rest on the ground not with your socks, but with your knee joints. Begin doing the movement in six sets of 6 reps each. Gradually bring the number of repetitions to 12.
Friction stage - development of the muscles of the core and legs
When organizing this stage of the training, it is necessary to move from top to bottom. Start with the plank exercise to develop your lower back muscles. You need to take an emphasis on the elbow joints and socks. After that, lift your body off the ground and hold it in a static position for as long as possible. In total, you need to complete three sets.
The next movement will be twisting, allowing you to develop the abdominal muscles. This exercise should be well known to you from school, and we will not now dwell on its technique. Begin crunching with a 6x8 pattern (sets x reps). Gradually, you should get to the 6x20 scheme.
The last muscle group you need to develop are the legs. At first, two movements will be enough for you - calf raises and squats. Start working in each exercise in a 6x12 pattern, gradually moving to 6x20.
How to do calisthenics correctly?
If your task is to gain the maximum amount of muscle mass, then you should pay attention to bodybuilding. Exercising will help give your body an athletic look. We talked above about how a calisthenics training program for beginners should look like, but there are complexes for experienced athletes. If you decide to take up this sport, then choose a program in accordance with your level of training.
You can train outdoors or at home and you don't have to go to the gym. Outdoor activities are conducted using a horizontal bar and parallel bars. Also, don't forget about the benefits of running. If you prefer home workouts, then you can use resistance bands and horizontal bars. The latest sports equipment can be purchased at a store or built yourself, for example, in a doorway.
Of course, in the gym you will have more opportunities, but many people are satisfied with the results that home workouts bring. To be as effective as possible, exercise regularly, start eating right, and give your body enough time to rest.
Features of calisthenics classes
As you can see, the calisthenics training program for beginners is simple and includes a minimal amount of exercise. As soon as they become too easy for you, you need to move on to mastering more complex ones. We will not dwell on other exercises now, but consider some important details of the training process:
- All exercises should be done at a slow pace so that you can feel your muscles contracting.
- Negative reps - they are recommended for experienced athletes with a certain level of training.
- Muscle failure - This term refers to the inability of the muscles to continue to perform work. If you need to spend four seconds or more to complete any repetition, then you have failed and you should rest.
- All calisthenics exercises have lightweight options.
- In each session, you must complete the workout program completely. If muscle failure occurs, but you need to continue to work, then complete the training with negative repetitions or a lighter version of the exercise.
Calisthenics can also be done for girls who want to improve their figure and get rid of fat. However, a little clarification should be made here - to fight fat, you should use high-intensity circuit training, and you can gain muscle mass through heavy low-intensity training.
Calisthenica is an effective tool for improving your body and with regular exercise, the results will be noticeable after a couple of months. However, you must remember that in addition to exercising, enough attention must be paid to nutrition. About half of your success depends on how and what you eat.
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