Calisthenics

[Kirks]

Does anyone on here have any experience with Calisthenics?

I’ve been looking at it a bit on YouTube and it’s looks great for what I’m after, strength, size, athleticism, mobility and functionality. Plus it can be done almost anywhere which is great as I’m planning on doing some travelling soon and won’t have access to gyms.

I am wondering how well it would work with my primary focus being Muay Thai and doing calisthenics maybe 2-3 times a week? I’m also currently recovering from shoulder surgery after numerous dislocations, would calisthenics be suitable for me?

Any good YouTube channels or programs anyone could recommend?

 

[Bodil]

Alpha Destiny on YT has some good advise regarding BW training.

Most succesful calisthenics practitioners seem to have the same base: med to high volume, high frequency (if doing BW only) and small exercise selection.

I think it's better if you see BW training as ''total'' amount of work vs sets. For example you could do something like a PUSH / PULL split:

PUSH: 100 x BW Dips / 100 x (/side) BW Split Squats + AB Roller

PULL: 100 x Chin Ups / 100 x GHR + Back Extensions

You have pretty much every muscle covered as well as your abs + lower back with only 6 exercises, you could do PUSH, PULL, OFF, PUSH, PULL, OFF, etc.

 

[corpse]

Does anyone on here have any experience with Calisthenics?

I’ve been looking at it a bit on YouTube and it’s looks great for what I’m after, strength, size, athleticism, mobility and functionality. Plus it can be done almost anywhere which is great as I’m planning on doing some travelling soon and won’t have access to gyms.

I am wondering how well it would work with my primary focus being Muay Thai and doing calisthenics maybe 2-3 times a week? I’m also currently recovering from shoulder surgery after numerous dislocations, would calisthenics be suitable for me?

Any good YouTube channels or programs anyone could recommend?

like with any training you should incorporate a working progression.

look for the recommended routine on reddit,
or convict conditioning
or startbodyweight
or even simplefit.org

i would keep it simple and if you got fucked shoulders then don't do the circus tricks.

have fun

 

[Sano]

Alpha Destiny on YT has some good advise regarding BW training.

Most succesful calisthenics practitioners seem to have the same base: med to high volume, high frequency (if doing BW only) and small exercise selection.

I think it's better if you see BW training as ''total'' amount of work vs sets. For example you could do something like a PUSH / PULL split:

PUSH: 100 x BW Dips / 100 x (/side) BW Split Squats + AB Roller

PULL: 100 x Chin Ups / 100 x GHR + Back Extensions

You have pretty much every muscle covered as well as your abs + lower back with only 6 exercises, you could do PUSH, PULL, OFF, PUSH, PULL, OFF, etc.

I really don't care for Alpha Destiny. Sometimes his advice is okay, most of the time it's bad, or even dangerous and always it's random. He doesn't have a background in anything.

The whole point with bodyweight programs is that you are working on skills and doing progressions as well. That's what makes it fun, and that's also what gives it an edge. The pros are improved balance, muscle-coordination, mobility, whole body stability and so on. Just doing dips and back extensions, you might as well do "regular" strength training.

Btw, don't go do excessive amounts of dips straight off the bat if you have shoulder issues. The AB roller is also something not everyone can do right straight away.

@Kirk it's all about finding the right progression for you. I'm sure you have a rehab program and you're seeing a physio after your surgery right? Build up that stability, ROM and strength in your shoulders.

There are many good programs with decent progressions out there, like @corpse said.

Personally I like a lot of different things like; handstand varations, judo pushups, pullups/chins, inverted rows, various lunge variations (side and front), shrimps, pistol squat variations, single led deadlifts, levers, cossack squat varations, sumo/horsestance squat variations, bridging, getups, various crawls, different planches, various jumps so on. There are so many possibilites, it's just about finding something that works for the level you are at, and that strenghtens your body and feels good.

With that said, doing a mix of BW/gymnastics/calisthenics and weights is probably your best bet. Both have their pros and cons.

 

[Kirks]

Btw, don't go do excessive amounts of dips straight off the bat if you have shoulder issues. The AB roller is also something not everyone can do right straight away.

@Kirk it's all about finding the right progression for you. I'm sure you have a rehab program and you're seeing a physio after your surgery right? Build up that stability, ROM and strength in your shoulders..

Yeah I’m probably a while away from being able to actually start training, especially anything fancy like handstand push-ups and pull ups. While I’m out injured though I’m just trying to put my time to good use by broadening my knowledge and getting some new training ideas.

Personally I like a lot of different things like; handstand varations, judo pushups, pullups/chins, inverted rows, various lunge variations (side and front), shrimps, pistol squat variations, single led deadlifts, levers, cossack squat varations, sumo/horsestance squat variations, bridging, getups, various crawls, different planches, various jumps so on. There are so many possibilites, it's just about finding something that works for the level you are at, and that strenghtens your body and feels good.

With that said, doing a mix of BW/gymnastics/calisthenics and weights is probably your best bet. Both have their pros and cons.

Awesome, cheers. From what I can tell at this early point, it would be ideal to do calisthenics and then just have a gym for squats and deadlifts. But in my situation I don’t think I’m going to have access to a gym (don’t have the money or time to do gym sessions as well as Muay Thai).

Do you have an opinion on AthleanX on YouTube? From what I can tell he really knows his stuff and he’s got a ton of BW exercise videos.

 

[Sano]

Yeah I’m probably a while away from being able to actually start training, especially anything fancy like handstand push-ups and pull ups. While I’m out injured though I’m just trying to put my time to good use by broadening my knowledge and getting some new training ideas.



Awesome, cheers. From what I can tell at this early point, it would be ideal to do calisthenics and then just have a gym for squats and deadlifts. But in my situation I don’t think I’m going to have access to a gym (don’t have the money or time to do gym sessions as well as Muay Thai).

Do you have an opinion on AthleanX on YouTube? From what I can tell he really knows his stuff and he’s got a ton of BW exercise videos.

I get that time is a limiting factor, but if you're only doing a few things then you don't have to spend too long on it. Recovery is another one. It's all about modulating the training to your needs. I do martial arts as well, strength train/do BW and have had problems on and off with my shoulder (and other joints) for years. Lots of injuries, but I've slowly worked through it. I'm also a physio.

AthleanX is alright. You could do a lot worse. Ultimately it's about listening to your body, but he's a decent guy to get pointers from. You can check him out for some shoulder stability stuff as well, but I would highly recommend seeing a physio face to face for at least a few sessions. There's no substitute for having someone there to correct you and help you.

The thing about what I listed as BW exercises is also that they can be regressed to a level where you can do them right. It's quality > quantity for sure. Change the angle of the inverted rows, use less ROM on the lunges, do planche/sideplanches on knees, use bands for chinups/pullups, so on so forth.

 

[Kirks]

Yeah I’m seeing the physio for the first time post surgery on Monday and I’ll be seeing him regularly until he gives me the all clear. I’m not a hero so I’ll be doing everything I’m told haha. No room for egos here.

I’ll just go slow with everything and see how it feels. The hope now is no more injuries and keep improving athletically.

 

[corpse]

I get that time is a limiting factor, but if you're only doing a few things then you don't have to spend too long on it. Recovery is another one. It's all about modulating the training to your needs. I do martial arts as well, strength train/do BW and have had problems on and off with my shoulder (and other joints) for years. Lots of injuries, but I've slowly worked through it. I'm also a physio.

AthleanX is alright. You could do a lot worse. Ultimately it's about listening to your body, but he's a decent guy to get pointers from. You can check him out for some shoulder stability stuff as well, but I would highly recommend seeing a physio face to face for at least a few sessions. There's no substitute for having someone there to correct you and help you.

The thing about what I listed as BW exercises is also that they can be regressed to a level where you can do them right. It's quality > quantity for sure. Change the angle of the inverted rows, use less ROM on the lunges, do planche/sideplanches on knees, use bands for chinups/pullups, so on so forth.

excellent posts, dude

@Kirks
the fitnessfaqs guy on youtube is pretty good, also. he got a ring program out together with littlebeastM, body by rings.
his routines are well made and focus on proper technique and a sound progresseion.

cheers

 

[wufabufa]

Alpha Destiny on YT has some good advise

 

[FinalConflict2005]

I like this guy. Simple short videos. No fluff.

 

[corpse]

here is the big old bwe thread:
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/the-unofficial-bodyweight-training-thread.2362709/

 

[Kirks]

Sick. Thanks mate. Much appreciated!

 

[AshiharaFan]

Does anyone on here have any experience with Calisthenics?

I’ve been looking at it a bit on YouTube and it’s looks great for what I’m after, strength, size, athleticism, mobility and functionality. Plus it can be done almost anywhere which is great as I’m planning on doing some travelling soon and won’t have access to gyms.

I am wondering how well it would work with my primary focus being Muay Thai and doing calisthenics maybe 2-3 times a week? I’m also currently recovering from shoulder surgery after numerous dislocations, would calisthenics be suitable for me?

Any good YouTube channels or programs anyone could recommend?

There's a very, very good and comprehensive calisthenics program available as a 100% free pdf download available from http://oldschool-calisthenic.ro/

And here is the link to another totally free calisthenics pdf that I came across a while ago. It has 10 different bodyweight workouts geared towards specific fitness goals. https://s3.amazonaws.com/musclemonsters/Bodyweight+Workouts.pdf

Also, for if you're familiar with Convict Conditioning and it's progressions, here is something that is quite similar in structure and progressions. I found this bad boy a while back on www.bodyweightculture.com and it's known as The 20 Level Challenge. I'm posting the progression chart below. You can find out how to do the different exercises in the chart with the help of google and/or YT.

 

[Demogoblin]

There's a very, very good and comprehensive calisthenics program available as a 100% free pdf download available from http://oldschool-calisthenic.ro/

And here is the link to another totally free calisthenics pdf that I came across a while ago. It has 10 different bodyweight workouts geared towards specific fitness goals. https://s3.amazonaws.com/musclemonsters/Bodyweight+Workouts.pdf

[/ATTACH]

hey man hows it goes i am sorry to hijack this thread
is there any way of strenghtening the muscles that are a notch above the hip inbetween the obliques and the back muscles how do i strengthen them ? because they are weak as ****

 

[AshiharaFan]

hey man hows it goes i am sorry to hijack this thread
is there any way of strenghtening the muscles that are a notch above the hip inbetween the obliques and the back muscles how do i strengthen them ? because they are weak as ****

I'm far from an expert so you'll want to ask someone much more knowledgeable than me. But based on what I do know it sounds to me like you are describing your gluteus medius muscle, which is no surprise because that so happens to be most people's weakest and most neglected muscle of all the hip abductors.

If such is the case then you'll want to have access to four things; 1) ankle weights, 2) a resistance band, 3) weight plates and 4) dumbbells.

You can place the resistance band around your lower legs and do side stepping with it as demonstrated in the vid below:



If you use a resistance band with handles then you can do side lunges with that:



Another exercise you can try is to lie down on your side and do side leg raises using either the resistance band or ankle weights or a weight plate or dumbbell for resistance. This can also be done while standing, again using either ankle weights or resistance band or weight plate or the dumbbell.

If using resistance bands for the side leg raise exercise (standing or lying down), place the band around your ankles. If using a weight plate or dumbbell for resistance, hold the weight against your gluteus medius (basically, the side of your buttock).

I hope this helps big guy. Good luck.

 

[corpse]

I'm far from an expert so you'll want to ask someone much more knowledgeable than me. But based on what I do know it sounds to me like you are describing your gluteus medius muscle, which is no surprise because that so happens to be most people's weakest and most neglected muscle of all the hip abductors.

If such is the case then you'll want to have access to four things; 1) ankle weights, 2) a resistance band, 3) weight plates and 4) dumbbells.

You can place the resistance band around your lower legs and do side stepping with it as demonstrated in the vid below:



If you use a resistance band with handles then you can do side lunges with that:



Another exercise you can try is to lie down on your side and do side leg raises using either the resistance band or ankle weights or a weight plate or dumbbell for resistance. This can also be done while standing, again using either ankle weights or resistance band or weight plate or the dumbbell.

If using resistance bands for the side leg raise exercise (standing or lying down), place the band around your ankles. If using a weight plate or dumbbell for resistance, hold the weight against your gluteus medius (basically, the side of your buttock).

I hope this helps big guy. Good luck.

i think he just ment that every calisthenics routine lacks deadlifts...

 

[AshiharaFan]

i think he just ment that every calisthenics routine lacks deadlifts...

There is a calisthenic alternative to almost every weightlifting exercise there is, although weightlifting has the advantage in terms of progressive overload. But the calisthenics routine from http://oldschool-calisthenic.ro/ includes bridging which can be done with added weight. And the 20 Level Challenge Chart has at least 7 exercises (if not more) for the posterior chain that can also be done with added weight.

Two things I like to remind people in discussions like this are; 1) if you have convenient access to weights and have no medical reasons to avoid them, then by all means lift weights and 2) just because you're committed to doing calisthenics doesn't mean that you can't add extra weight to some of your movements. Why limit yourself like that? Take advantage of any and every resource you have access to.

 

[corpse]

There is a calisthenic alternative to almost every weightlifting exercise there is, although weightlifting has the advantage in terms of progressive overload. But the calisthenics routine from http://oldschool-calisthenic.ro/ includes bridging which can be done with added weight. And the 20 Level Challenge Chart has at least 7 exercises (if not more) for the posterior chain that can also be done with added weight.

Two things I like to remind people in discussions like this are; 1) if you have convenient access to weights and have no medical reasons to avoid them, then by all means lift weights and 2) just because you're committed to doing calisthenics doesn't mean that you can't add extra weight to some of your movements. Why limit yourself like that? Take advantage of any and every resource you have access to.

sure you can work the posterior chain with bwe but you will never learn the body mechanics it needs to pick up heavy stuff or even clean it or snatch it over your head. no bridge or lever will teach you that.

don't get me wrong, i like calisthenics very much but they have their functional limitations against classic barbell training and vice versa.
no problem with admitting that. just do both.

 

[AshiharaFan]

sure you can work the posterior chain with bwe but you will never learn the body mechanics it needs to pick up heavy stuff or even clean it or snatch it over your head. no bridge or lever will teach you that.

don't get me wrong, i like calisthenics very much but they have their functional limitations against classic barbell training and vice versa.
no problem with admitting that. just do both.

Totally Agree.