Calisthenics Tone Your Total Body

Calisthenics Strength Training

Calisthenics is a form of strength training using your own body weight to create resistance building lean muscle mass consisting of a wide variety of movements targeted exercises of large muscle groups, People perform calisthenics routine in times segments focussing on a specific muscle group to tone the entire body using little or no equipment. Recreational calisthenic parks are increasing in number across the US offer a number of outdoor fitness training areas for sports enthusiasts to workout on. Strength training is a national obsession as people of all ages enjoy working out using various exercises designed to tone their entire body. Strength training exercise routines can be customized suited to personal specifications varying in length of time for 30-60 minutes in duration. Exercise anytime on your own schedule at home following a workout routine that includes a vast array of exercises designed to build lean muscle defining the tone of your body.

Strength training tones the entire body, building lean muscle to help you lose weight. Increase endurance, improve balance, increase flexibility building muscle burns off calories 24 hours per day even when your workout is finished making resistance training the number one exercise to perform. Progressive resistance training serves to maintain muscle mass and elevates metabolism potentially burning off calories even when your workout is finished. Strength training exercises typically tone the entire body using hand weights to build lean muscle in the shoulders, arms, abdominals, hips, glutes, and legs. Dumbbells are a type of free weights a piece of equipment used in strength training used as a pair or individually often incorporated in progressive calisthenics exercises. Bodyweight squats are done with no weight or barbell often performed at higher repetitions per set than other variants. Dumbbells are available online or at your local sports center varying in weight from one pound up to 25 pounds.

Free weights are available in sets or can be purchased as one pair.  When strength training it is important to use the right weight for your fitness level. As people progress slightly increase the free weight to intensify the workout. Exercise calisthenics routines are designed to tone your entire body using specific movements to develop muscle while burning off body fat. It is important to participate in regular exercise to build strength and increase stamina to stay active throughout your life.  Regular cardio exercise pumps blood that carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body increasing circulation naturally strengthening your heart.  The world's lead cause of death is ischaemic heart disease responsible for 16 percent of the world's total deaths. Since 2000 the largest increase in deaths has been because of this disease rising by more than 2 million to 8.9 million deaths in 2019. Ischaemic heart disease is the term given to heart problems caused by narrowed heart arteries. 

When arteries are narrowed less blood and oxygen reach the heart muscle that may ultimately lead to a heart attack. Regular exercise combined with a healthy diet plan is the best defense against heart disease reducing the risks of developing diseases. Walking just once per day for 30-60 minutes is a great cardio workout for the entire body used as a low impact moderate-intensity exercise. Walking 10,000 steps per day equivalent to 5 miles or 8 kilometers may seem ambitious to some people but necessary to build muscular strength and other health benefits to help you lose weight. Fitness workouts can be achieved by exercising in the great outdoors breathing in plenty of fresh air while soaking up rays of sunshine exercising at your own pace. Exercise outdoors to increase physical fitness while enjoying the scenery any time of year, weather permitting.  It is well known that calisthenics fitness activities promote mental and physical health and promote relaxation and a sense of serenity within. 

Exposure to nature reduces stress proven to be beneficial to people of all ages who engage in regular outdoor fitness exercises. Sports enthusiasts find various ways to work out building lean muscles while losing weight by walking once per day to boost metabolism helps you lose weight. Calisthenics exercises can be performed outdoors or at recreational parks using specific equipment to workout on, often including instruction for each exercise. Check your local listings for Calisthenics parks near you to find your favorite workout spots and explore 16103 spots worldwide.  Physical activities can take place outdoors in the wilderness or park connecting with mother nature enhancing a sense of wellbeing. The CDC Center of Disease Control people of all fitness levels can benefit from exercising outdoors to improve health, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. Due to the Pandemic of Covid-19, it is important to follow State guidelines pertaining to the virus to ensure public safety. 

In the United States, less than 40 percent of people live within one-half mile of the park boundary and only 55 percent of youths have access to playgrounds, parks, and recreational areas.  Individuals who have access to well-designed park areas designed for public enjoyment tend to walk more, lowering their stress levels have been shown to improve fitness levels. Calisthenics Workout at a local gym has tremendous benefits for the body, toning each muscle group using weights promotes weight loss with each session.  Most gyms offer 2 free training sessions with a certified instructor who can evaluate your fitness levels assessing your personal goals. Due to covid-19 people are taking extra precautions during this time following State and local guidelines to ensure public safety at your local gym areas. Workout routines at the gym can substantially help you lose weight building lean muscle while losing body fat. 

Workout 3-4 times each week every other day on all resistance equipment performing 20-30 repetitions for each exercise according to your fitness level to maximize your results.  Your body will burn calories 24 hours per day even when your workout routine is complete. If you are unable to get to a gym, hand weights can be used at home to tone your entire body performing key exercises targeting each muscle group. Perform each exercise 20-30 repetitions per set 3 to 4 times per week using weights suited to your fitness level from one pound weight up to 10 pound weights or higher. Perform squats, lunges, bench press, bicep curl, triceps kickback, shoulder press, standing abdominal crunch. Core twist and oblique Side Plank Dips to workout the entire abdominal area with weights Some of the equipment is designed for calisthenic training offered to the public for free. 

Public parks often offer walking trails that include a series of calisthenic equipment extending in several spots along the trail combining cardio workouts with targeted exercises. Calisthenic parks have equipment including pull up bars, parallel bars, monkey bars, and box jumps. Performing exercises outdoors is exhilarating with an intended goal set of exercises intended to work for each muscle group. Before exercising it is recommended to warm up walking for 10 minutes or stretching in preparation for performing any physical exertion working out. Calisthenic parks often place equipment along walking trails with a starting point for people who want to begin working out.  The goal is to walk to each designated exercise equipment area then perform each exercise 20-30 repetitions for each set then walk or jog to the next area to perform a different set of exercises. Most parks have printed guides showing how to perform each set of exercises. Publicly accessible online maps exist to indicate the location of calisthenic parks worldwide including sample photos of the recreational park physicalities.

Intensify the workout using your own body weight on each exercise adding more repetitions with each set. It is important to stay hydrated while exercising at your own pace. Calisthenics can be performed without equipment at any location popularized as Freestyle calisthenics where the athlete uses their power of momentum to perform each set of exercises as part of a routine linked together flowing from one set of exercises to the next. Jumping Jacks are a great cardio exercise that uses oxygen to meet energy demands stimulating your heart muscle. Adding 20-30 jumping jacks in between sets of calisthenic exercises can intensify any workout, increasing the metabolism to burn off calories more effectively.

Abdominal crunches can be performed lying on a mat with your knees bent and hands behind your head. Lift your head toward your knees sitting upward. Burpee is a full body calisthenic workout that works the abdominal muscles, chest arms and legs, and some parts of the back.

The burpee is a full body exercise used in strength training that works your entire body. Burpees are one of the equipment free exercises that can give you a great cardiovascular workout while challenging muscle groups. Start the Burpee standing straight with your feet shoulder apart.  Bend at your hips into a squatting position bringing your body closer to the floor. Place your hands on the floor in front of you directly under your shoulders. Kick your feet back into a plank position jumping both feet back behind you at the same time. Drop all the way down into a pushup position keeping your hands on the floor with your elbows up in the air and your arms close to your body.

Press up with your arms jumping your feet forward performed in one smooth motion standing straight once again. Do 15 Burpee repetitions to complete one set. Once you master basic calisthenics try variations of each exercise to intensify each interval to challenge your body as your progress.

Calisthenics strength training intervals can tone the entire body boosting the metabolism to lose body fat even when the workout is complete. Burpees are a squat thrust standing between repetitions into a jump as a full body exercise used in strength training sessions. Performed in succession 20-30 burpee repetitions the Burpee can be utilized as an aerobic exercise. 

Pushups are often called press ups. It is a common calisthenics exercise beginning from the prone position raising and lowering the body using the arms works the pectoral muscles in the chest. Wall pushups are also effective for toning the arms, pectoral chest muscles, and upper back thoracic muscles. Perform wall push ups facing a sturdy wall 2 feet away. Place your hands in front of your shoulders then lean into the wall then push back. Repeat wall pushups 20-30 times in reputation 3-4 times per week. By raising and lowering the body using the arms push up exercise benefit the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids that serve to raise the arm up overhead considered a prime mover in vertical pushing motions. 

Squats are a strengthening exercise designed to train the lower hips from a standing position is considered a staple calisthenics exercise used by adults. Squats are considered a vital exercise for increasing the strength and size of lower body leg muscles while toning the core area.  Perform squats in a standing position with feet hip distance apart. Squat down into a sitting position then go into a standing position.  Perform 20-30 repetitions for each set of 3 per workout to tone the lower body while substantially increasing strength. Performing squats with 5 or 10 pound hand weights can increase resistance training as you progress in your workout benefiting the quadriceps, femoris, core, adductor muscle, and the gluteus maximus. 

Leg Raise is strength training exercise designed to tone the core abdominal area which targets the iliopsoas the anterior hip flexor.  Because the abdominal muscles are used to isometrically stabilize the body during the motion leg raises are often used to strengthen the rectus abdominis muscles in the core area and the internal and external oblique muscles at the sides of your body.  Perform leg raises while lying on your back on a mat with your legs extended straight and your hands at your side or under your low back for support to stabilize you while performing this Calisthenic exercise. Raise both legs up straight to the ceiling then lower the legs back to the mat to complete the leg raise.  Perform 20-30 repetitions for each set of leg raises to tone the entire core area,  

Crunch abdominals are similar to leg raises targeting the core area but slightly different. Perform crunch exercise laying on your back on a mat with your knees slightly bent and your feet resting on the mat.  Place your hands under your low back for support.  Perform crunch abdominal exercises lifting your feet off the floor bring your knees into your chest into a crunch position then lower your feet back to the mat repeat 20- 30 repetitions for each set. Crunch abdominals is a fantastic core exercise that you add to your calisthenic workout. More Americans are exercising at home with little or no equipment performing various calisthenic exercises to successfully tone the entire body building lean muscle while burning off body fat.

Cheers!

Patricia Lynn

Photo by Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash