Calisthenics is based on your own weight The followers of the sport don’t need much for training. “The focus is on your own body weight,” explains Austrian calisthenics master Achim Gölles, who has his own YouTube channel . You can train with whatever is available: park bench, wall, ladder. In a more professional environment, for example, bars and wall bars are added.
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According to the expert, self-weight training has the decisive advantage that not only individual muscles are addressed, but entire muscle groups. In calisthenics, full-body tension is crucial. However, since the weight remains constant, the exercises have to be made more difficult in other ways – for example by using super sets (minimizing the break), adjusting the lever or angle and performing explosively.
Training together is more fun! Calisthenics is more than a mixture of parkour, breakdance and gymnastics. “There’s a lifestyle behind it,” explains Florian Schachner from the Austrian calisthenics club Team Alpha Bar. “You meet in groups and train together, mostly outside.” It’s not just about fitness. “The social component is very important.”
How and where can you try out calisthenics? Anyone who’s really got into calisthenics: So far, training groups for sport have mainly been found in large cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. You can also start training at home, there are enough videos on the Internet for beginners. However, it is important not to overwhelm your own body and to increase the intensity in the training plan slowly and continuously.
Calisthenics exercises for beginners With the professionals, the acrobatic exercises in calisthenics look very simple, but the way to perfection is long. Beginners should first train the basics with a few basic exercises. Graduated sports teacher David Schlesinger recommends squats, dips, push-ups and pull-ups. Plus forearm support (planking) as well as sit-ups and Russian twist to strengthen the abdominal muscles.
“Most of the basics can be done very comfortably at home,” says Schlesinger about FITBOOK. In a calisthenics park you could be overwhelmed without the basics and lose motivation, so really start with simple exercises and slowly increase the complexity after a certain time.
Professional Achim Gölles uses an example to explain how it can be done during training: In order to be able to bring the body into a horizontal position one day in the so-called “front lever” on the bar, you first start with pull-ups. If you can’t do this, start with strength exercises for your arms, etc. Because, as with most sports, the same applies to calisthenics: you should start small, stick to the training plan and, above all, have fun!
