Calisthenics is a common term used to describe exercises that build your muscle mass by forcing you to work against the weight of your own body. They belong to a larger grouping of exercises called strength training exercises. Increasing the size of your muscles through regular practice of calisthenics can help you control your weight and gain a variety of other health benefits.
Basics
The word calisthenics comes from a combination of the Greek words for beauty and strength. Originally, it was used to describe a particular type of gymnastics. Over time, it has come to describe relatively simple exercises that use controlled, efficient body weight movements to improve basic conditioning and prepare you for more specialized types of exercise. Common examples of calisthenic activities include pushups, sit-ups, lunges, squats, crunches and jumping jacks. While most of these exercises require no equipment at all, some, such as pull-ups and chin-ups, may require minimal equipment use.
Weight Control
The muscles in your body require a steady supply of energy to operate properly, and when you increase your muscle mass, you also increase your energy needs. If you don't raise your daily calorie intake, your body will get this extra energy from your reserves of excess fat. The overall effect of this process is an increased ability to maintain a healthy weight or drop unwanted pounds. Like other forms of strength training, regular performance of calisthenics will help you gain muscle and begin this fat-burning process.
Calisthenics Advantages
A calisthenics program has certain advantages when compared with other forms of strength training, according to INShape Indiana. First, because they don't usually require equipment, calisthenics are typically low-cost, and the lack of equipment also allows you to perform these exercises in a wide variety of non-gym settings. You can also alter various aspects of calisthenic exercises --- including your body position, angle and points of leverage --- and increase or decrease the intensity of your workout to meet your current capabilities. In addition, performance of calisthenics allows you to achieve full-body fitness with a minimal number of exercises.
Considerations
In addition to weight control, known benefits of calisthenics and other forms of strength training include improvement of your bone health and resistance to osteoporosis, reduction of your chances for joint-related injuries, improved physical stamina, increased mental sharpness and greater ability to control the effects of a wide variety of chronic health concerns. Be aware that your current weight may be too great for you to safely or easily perform certain calisthenic movements. Consult your doctor for more information before you begin exercising.
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