The military's strength-training workouts without weights are referred to as calisthenics. Calisthenics are body-weight exercises that originated in ancient Greece thousands of years ago. They have always been a major component of fitness in athletics, the military, law enforcement and for those seeking daily workouts at home without the use of gym equipment.
Importance
Calisthenic exercises help build strength and endurance by challenging you to gain control of your own body weight as you move into and out of positions. Calisthenics aid in the development and maintenance of muscular strength as well as helping to increase bone mass and build strength in connective tissues. These exercises can be done with little or no equipment in the confines of your home.
Upper-Body Exercises
The push-up is a common upper-body exercise where you lower yourself nearly to the ground and use your arms to push back up until your arms are straight. During a push-up, your toes act as a fulcrum point and you hold your body in a straight line from your heels to the back of your head. The pull-up is another upper-body calisthenic exercise. Holding the up position of a pull-up is known as a plank. Sit-ups and crunches work the core muscles.
Lower-Body Exercises
Lower-body calisthenics are designed to help stimulate the quad, hamstring and calf muscle groups. The lunge is a lower-body calisthenic performed by interlocking fingers behind the head, stepping forward with your left foot and lowering your bottom until both your front and back leg are at 90-degree angles. Raise your body and bring your left foot backward to the original position. Do the same with your right leg to complete a repetition. Body-weight squats, toe raises, jumping jacks and running are also lower-body calisthenics.
Considerations
Military group strength training typically alternates between upper-body and lower-body calisthenics. You may be asked to perform four to six exercises that consist of two to four sets of 10 to 25 repetitions. This total will build over time.
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