Do you know about calisthenics?
Hello lifters, welcome to our third edition!
In today's newsletter, we will introduce you to the calisthenics world. From definition and history, to benefits and ways to implement it to your life.
Calisthenics are exercises that rely on body weight for resistance. They help develop strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination.
Research traces their origins back to Ancient Greece, and they experienced a resurgence in the early 19th century. Today, calisthenics are practiced both as a stand-alone training method and as a complement to other forms of exercise — for warming up before intense sports, improving performance, and even building muscle.
💡 Benefits
💪🏼 Body
• Builds functional and core strength
• Improves mobility and flexibility
• Develops muscle definition
• Boosts endurance
• Low injury risk (since you’re working with your own body weight, there’s less strain on the joints)
🧠 Mind & Lifestyle
• No equipment needed
• Improves self-discipline and patience
• Increases body awareness
🗣 And now the big question... Calisthenics or Weightlifting?
Research suggests that calisthenics can be as effective as weightlifting for building muscle strength and size.
So the answer is: actually, both!
Calisthenics emphasize functional strength and better control of stabilizing muscles — shoulders, hips, and core — leading to stronger and safer compound lifts (such as squats, bench presses, and deadlifts). With enhanced core stability developed through calisthenics, it becomes easier to maintain proper form under heavier loads, resulting in deeper squats, more efficient deadlifts, and overall better, pain-free progress.
📚References
Kotarsky CJ, Christensen BK, Miller JS, Hackney KJ. Effect of Progressive Calisthenic Push-up Training on Muscle Strength and Thickness.
J Strength Cond Res. 2018 Mar;32(3):651-659. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002345. PMID: 29466268.
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