CALISTHENICS
The New Age of Fitness
A trainer’s guide
to becoming an
ELITE CALISTHENICS SPECIALIST
by
George “Hit” Richards
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction
2
Chapter 1
History of Calisthenics
6
Chapter 2
Benefits of Calisthenics
26
Chapter 3
Calisthenics Terminology
46
Chapter 4
Muscle Groups
66
Chapter 5
Calisthenics Exercises
81
1
INTRODUCTION
What Are Calisthenics?
Calisthenics are a form of exercise that has been
around for thousands of years. They are performed
without using any special equipment or free weights for
resistance, other than a person’s own body weight. Their
purpose is to increase strength, flexibility, and endurance
through bending, jumping, pushing, kicking, stretching,
and twisting. When performed vigorously and with
variety, they can benefit both muscular and cardiovascular
fitness, as well as improve psychomotor skills such as
balance, agility, and coordination.
There are basically two types of calisthenics
exercises—aerobic exercises and anaerobic exercises.
Aerobic includes common activities such as running,
swimming, walking, and dancing, which can all be
sustained for long periods of time. Anaerobic, on the
other hand, can be endured for only a short while and
include activities like rope climbing or pull-ups.
2
While there are similarities, calisthenics is quite
different from yoga and gymnastics. Yoga involves
distinct breathing techniques while gymnastics is a sport
that focuses on the aesthetics of movement. In
calisthenics, the aim is to build power and muscle while
increasing joint mobility.
This book has been written to cater to a growing
interest in calisthenics. My mission is to aid individuals
and organization by providing them with valuable
knowledge on the subject. This information will help
readers achieve fitness results, as well as develop an
effective program to prepare trainers to teach others. By
incorporating my methods, a person will be able to
maintain a viable, self-sustaining program that allows
them to attain the goals they wish to achieve. In addition,
the knowledge, techniques, and training discussed will
also assist those interested in pursuing a certification in
the art of calisthenics.
You Can Build Muscle Without Using Weights?
Walk into any gym in the world and you will find
plenty of pumped-up, heavy lifters who think they are
3
“strong” because they have 19-inch biceps, can bench
press 315 pounds, and look as big as an army tank. But
how many of them are truly strong and powerful? How
many of them could drop and give you 50 perfect pushups? How many of them are flexible enough to bend over
backwards and touch the floor? How many of them can
do a one-legged squat over and over? The answers are—
almost none. Very few bodybuilders today can perform
these simple bodyweight feats. And yet these bloated
muscle-heads you see strutting across the gym floor are
viewed by the media and public as the epitome of strength
and fitness. This massive bodybuilder type has become
the accepted status quo of ultimate conditioning. But this
is total insanity. How much weight one can lift in a gym
doesn’t make someone fit and strong if they can’t even move their own body around as nature intended.
So Calisthenics Really Work?
Yes, though some people will never accept that
“old-school” calisthenics are the way to go. They’ve been brainwashed into thinking that they need a fancy gym
with ultra-modern equipment and tons of weights to reach
4
their full potential. These types of trainees can’t accept my methods, which are so far removed from the current
norm. Yet I am living proof that you don’t need to go to any gym, use any machines, or buy into any gimmick to
gain a lot of muscle, inner strength, and power. My
program has been designed and organized to offer
consistently superior training to participants by providing
the leadership tools necessary to enrich and promote the
benefits of calisthenics in everyday life. I urge you to put
any previously formed opinions to the side and embrace
this study guide wholeheartedly—or at least long enough
to give my methods a shot.
5
CHAPTER 1
The History of Calisthenics
Calisthenics have been around for thousands of
years. From the first caveman who hung from a tree
branch, through the Greco-Roman dynasties, to current
high school gym classes, they have lasted and thrived
because of their simplicity and effectiveness. The word
itself comes from the ancient Greek language. Kallos
means beauty and sthenos means strength. Put them
together, you have “beautiful strength.” This is an
appropriate phrase to describe the art of using one’s own
body weight and properties of inertia as a way to build a
gorgeous physique.
The Chinese
Many believe the first use of calisthenics goes
back to around 530 B.C. Shaolin Monks in China started
to use exercise as a way to increase mental and physical
performance. Though they were not warriors, they trained
everyday as if part of a military group and used
calisthenics as part of their regiment, along with what
6
later became known as Shaolin Kung Fu, a type of martial
arts. They used this training to defend their monasteries
from thieves and invaders. While hardly an army, these
monks are said to be some of the fiercest fighters ever.
The Greeks and Persians
Calisthenics became part of historical record
around 480 B.C. when the ancient Greek historian,
Herodotus, described the Battle of Thermopolylae. He
said that right before the battle, the Persian god-king
Xerxes dispatched a scout party to check out his Spartan
enemies. These scouts told Xerxes that the Spartans, led
by King Leonidas, were practicing some sort of strange,
synchronized movements similar to a tribal dance. It
looked like they were limbering up for battle. Xerxes just
laughed. He had over 120,000 men in his army and the
Spartans had a mere 300.
Leonidas was told to retreat or face total
destruction. But the Spartans did not retreat. Though
outnumbered, they battled hard and held off Xerxes’ soldiers until reinforcements showed up. As it turned out,
their tribal dance was a form of calisthenics.
7
It enabled them
to
build-up
tremendous
strength
and
endurance,
and
become
impressive warriors. A dramatization of this battle was
depicted in Zack Snyder’s 2007 epic movie, 300.
The Persians, however, learned from their
mistake. They became one of the first organizations to use
physical fitness for warriors that trained in offensive
tactics, and they started them at the ripe young age of six.
Since then, calisthenics have been used by military forces
throughout history.
For the ancient Greeks, calisthenics was not just a
form of military discipline, but an artistic expression of
movement to achieve what was seen as the perfect
physique—one that embodied Greek civilization. They
believed that physical well-being was necessary for
mental well-being, with the need for a strong, healthy
body to harbor a sound mind. Many founding medical
8
practitioners facilitated the growth of fitness throughout
ancient Greece.
The Greek geographer and traveler Pausanias
observed that the athletes of the original Olympic games
were trained with calisthenics, including the world’s best boxers, wrestlers, and strongmen. Exercises such as
lunges, jumping jacks, sit-ups, crunches, pull-ups, squats,
dips, and planks became a regular part of the training
routine.
We
know
the
Greeks took this style of
conditioning
seriously
from all the sculptures,
mosaics, and artwork they
created
Olympians
of
ancient
engaged
in
calisthenics training. Even
today, a well-toned athlete
is
often
described
as
having “the body of a Greek god.” The Greeks understood that calisthenics
developed the body to its maximum potential, in perfect
9
proportion with the harmony of natural aesthetics. It
achieves this harmony effortlessly, because the resistance
used by the body is the body itself—not too light, not too
heavy. They knew that calisthenics produced not only
great power and athleticism but also grace in movement
and beauty of the physical form.
The Romans
As with many other things, the art of calisthenics
training passed from the Greeks to the Romans. While the
Roman army represented the pinnacle of a military
organization, the best athletes became the gladiators, who
fought in public amphitheaters. Roman historian Livy
wrote about how these “super warriors” worked in their training camps, day in and day out, using bodyweight
exercises that we would classify today as advanced
calisthenics. Through the constant repetition of their
techniques, the gladiators reportedly became so strong,
the crowd passed around secret stories that these super
men were the illegitimate children of mortal women and
Titans—the mighty giants who warred with the gods
before humanity came to be.
10
The
physical
enormous
toughness
bestowed on the gladiators
by calisthenics, combined
with their combat training,
nearly undid the empire in
the first century B.C., when
Spartacus and his gladiators
rose up and challenged the
order of the Emperor. The
hardcore warriors of the
gladiator
army were
so
physically powerful that they laid waste to numerous
Roman legions, despite being poorly equipped and vastly
outnumbered.
The Indians
Nearly every civilization in the world had
developed some sort of bodyweight calisthenics. This
includes India, where physical development has been part
of their culture for thousands of years. In fact, some
historians believe that the Indian practices actually
11
precede those of the Greek and Chinese culture by
centuries.
Indian club training has been around for over
5,000 years and was originally used by wrestlers and
warriors as they prepared for battle. They would swing
large, heavy clubs called Gadas using various motions to
condition the body and build upper body strength.
The
came
in
clubs
different
shapes and sizes, but
were usually made of
wood,
varied
weight,
and
in
were
about two-and-a-half
feet long and six inches in diameter. This practice went on
for centuries. The Indian police, army, and others used
clubs for muscle development.
Although India was known for physical training
using clubs, they also employed body weight exercises in
their traditional wrestler’s training program. These are the Hindu push-ups or dand, and the Hindu squat or baithak,
used to develop strength and flexibility. In addition,
12
numerous yoga postures that were practiced by the
warrior class resemble many of the calisthenics practiced
today.
The Australians
Calisthenics rose to prominence in Australia in the
mid-1800s as a way to keep city dwellers physically fit.
The
exercises
were
often
combined
with
other
implements to keep joints flexible and strong. Public
classes began in the late-1800s, and by the turn of the
century, the form slowly evolved from exercise to
performance. Music was added to accompany the
performers and it soon became much more of an art form.
Around the turn of the century, the Royal South Street
Society introduced calisthenics as a section to its famous
eisteddfod (festival of literature, music, and performance)
in Ballarat. The competition there is still a focus for many
calisthenics clubs in Australia. By the 1930s, it had been
introduced into Victorian State Schools.
Calisthenics as an art form became so popular that
clubs quickly spread throughout the country. Up until the
1940s, these clubs featured both male and female teams.
13
Then male involvement diminished and females took over
the art. Males were recently re-introduced in the younger
age groups. The format and types of exercises performed
in calisthenics has changed many times over the years.
Today in
Australia,
calisthenics is a
solo and team
sport
that
promotes
physical fitness,
coordination, and self-discipline through a series of light
dance, march, ballet, and gymnastic routines. Some use
apparatuses, but all are musically choreographed with
singing and acting performed on a theater stage for an
audience.
Participants
are
separated
into
sections
according to their age and are then placed in teams based
on their skill level and experience. Teams learn around a
half-dozen routines, each lasting two to five minutes. All
routines are coached and performed with the emphasis on
teamwork and uniformity. The athletes develop an
appreciation for music, rhythm, and stage presence. They
14
put on make-up and fix their hair. Performances at
concerts and competitions involve elaborate costumes to
make the exhibition dynamic and exciting for both the
athletes and audience. There are different levels of
calisthenics. Some clubs are non-competitive, performing
only at a yearly concert. Other teams compete throughout
the year at numerous competitions.
So, is Australian calisthenics a sport or an art? It
can be categorized as both. As a sport, it promotes
physical development, coordination, good posture, selfdiscipline, and team spirit. As an art, it encourages an
appreciation of music and rhythm, the beauty of line, and
the excitement of performing on stage.
The Strongmen
Calisthenics experienced another golden age in the
1800s. The sport of gymnastics became popular as
athletes used a variety of bars, rings, vaulting horses and
balancing beams to display physical prowess. This period
is also when the phenomena of strongmen developed.
These were people of incredible physical prowess who
performed ridiculous feats of strength to stunned
15
audiences everywhere. Strongman Eugen Sandow, whose
figure is used to this day for the Mr. Olympia statue,
could hoist 300-pound dumbbells over his head with ease,
and break chains wrapped around his midsection by
merely flexing. He could lift a 1,500 pound stone with
one hand and defeat three wrestlers at one time. Most of
these men trained using hand balancing and horizontal
bars, as modern weight machines had not yet been
invented.
But with the invention of plate-loading dumbbells
and barbells during the Industrial Revolution, the
popularity of calisthenics started to decline. From the
mid-1900s up until today, weight training using barbells
and exercise machines has replaced calisthenics as the
preferred method of strength training. During this period
of decline, the “old-school” bodyweight training culture
survived inside our prisons, military bases, and amongst
certain athletes like boxers, wrestlers, and martial artists.
In the 1950s, Angelo Siciliano–otherwise known
as Charles Atlas–was crowned “The World’s Most Perfectly Developed Man.”
16
Atlas used traditional calisthenics to build his
body, and through a series of mail order comic books,
taught these methods to hundreds of thousands of people
for several decades. His famous marketing campaign
encouraged the “97-pound weakling” to put on some muscle and stop the beach bully from kicking sand in his
face.
Atlas was followed by fitness guru Jack LaLanne,
who
popularized
exercise, first on the
beaches of California,
then on television as he
encouraged
housewives to join him
in
jumping
jacks,
push-up, squats, and
all
manners
of
calisthenics. Later on,
clones such as Jane
Fonda
and
Richard
Simmons built not only bodies, but a multi-million dollar
fitness culture. But Atlas and LaLanne were the last of a
17
dying breed. Fitness methods were generally drifting
away from calisthenics.
Modern Times
In the 1960s and 1970s, calisthenics and its
combination of functional strength with physical beauty
were replaced by an emphasis on big muscles at any cost.
This became the sport of body building. Although body
building’s pioneers came out of the calisthenics tradition, the sole goal soon became an increase in muscle size.
Body building legends, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger
and Lou Ferrigno, resembled monsters more than humans
with their massive physiques. Physical development of
this nature could only be achieved through the use of
anabolic steroids which boosted muscle development
while harming overall health.
These
body
builders also
used
free
weights and
machines,
18
which allowed them to target and inflate the size of
individual muscles rather than develop a naturally
proportioned body. Calisthenics, with its emphasis on
physical beauty and a balance in proportions, had little to
offer these humongous freaks.
In this “bigger is better” atmosphere, calisthenics was relegated to groups perceived to be vulnerable, such
as women, people recovering from injuries, and school
students. Although some of the strongest and most
physically developed people ever to have lived acquired
their abilities through the use of sophisticated calisthenics,
a great deal of this knowledge was discarded and the
method was reduced to little more than an easily
accessible and readily available activity. Those who
mastered the simple skills of calisthenics generally moved
on to weight training rather than advanced calisthenics.
Strength-focused
calisthenics
became
under-
appreciated and almost vanished completely from the
mainstream fitness world. Many people couldn’t even tell you what calisthenics really were. Those who did know
generally believed that they were simply the basic push-
19
ups, sit-ups, bodyweight squats, pull-ups, and nothing
more.
In recent years, however, fitness trends have been
shifting back toward the use of calisthenics. Bodybuilding
approaches that promote excessive muscle development
often lead to joint pain, injuries, unbalanced physiques,
and poor cardiovascular health. As a result, many of the
newest and most popular gyms emphasize calisthenicsbased methods instead. Modern practices often combine
elements from a number of related traditions such as
yoga, Pilates, kettle-ball training, gymnastics, and
traditional Greco-Roman calisthenics. Many people are
seeking to rediscover the original Greek vision of physical
beauty, strength, and harmony of the mind-body
connection.
The Military
In the U.S. Armed Forces, new recruits go to boot
camp and learn about military protocol. Here, they must
master all the fundamentals of serving their country,
including respecting senior officers, marching, hand-tohand fighting, how to use a gun, basic survival skills, and
20
more. But what boot camp is best known for, and is
depicted in countless movies, is the physical conditioning
that occurs. What the Spartan army started continues
today.
Army soldiers have to
pass the Army Physical
Fitness Test two times
a year. There are three
events they must excel
in—push-ups,
sit-ups,
and a timed two-mile
run. This last event is an excellent test of cardiovascular
endurance. To receive the most points of this running test,
a 25-year-old recruit has to complete the distance in no
more than 13 minutes. One needs to be in pretty good
physical shape to run at that pace.
That same recruit also needs to do 75 consecutive
push-ups to score the maximum amount of points possible
for that test, along with 80 consecutive sit-ups.
21
Calisthenics Today
In recent years, calisthenics has grown from the
simple exercises you did in your living room to an
international extreme sport. Athletes worldwide have
taken a liking to it. It challenges those who are looking for
tough, brutal techniques to liven up their workouts by
doing exercises such as pistols, one-arm push-ups,
handstands, and more.
These top-notch athletes
are
forming
fitness
groups everywhere and
holding
throughout
competitions
the
world.
Some of these events
have even drawn thousands of spectators. In addition,
certifications programs are available to give prospective
trainers the proper credentials to teach what they’ve learned to others.
And, not only is calisthenics one of the most
popular fitness trends practiced by men, but numerous
women are engaging in it as well to build up more
functional strength. It has become a huge, elite extreme
22
sport. The extreme sport side of this legendary form of
discipline was pioneered in New York City in urban parks
by me and a handful of other skilled and talented athletes.
It first started when, without knowing one another,
we began uploading onto YouTube videos of ourselves
displaying amazing moves and feats of strength. The
videos generated millions of views and a love for this
sport started to grow throughout the world. People
worldwide began to form groups (teams) to do the same
types of exercises, and a new type of fitness culture was
born.
It has become so popular and grown so rapidly,
that people from other countries have reached out to me
and others to host and judge competitions and events in
this extreme sport. This includes people from places such
as Ukraine, Russia, Asia, Australia, U.K. in addition to
America and others. I myself have been a guest judge in
several competitions in other countries.
Some people compare this sport to gymnastics, but
make
no
mistake—extreme
calisthenics
is
NOT
gymnastics. Even though some of the moves may seem
similar, it is very different. For example, gymnasts use
23
bars that are flexible and bounce with their flow of
movement. Extreme calisthenics are performed on static
bars with NO movement other than the movement of the
athlete performing on the bars. I take nothing away from
gymnasts, but I had to define a way to separate the two.
My
solution
was
to
recognize the athletes
who perform extreme
calisthenics by calling
them “Bar Athletes.” The phrase became very
catchy to everyone. I am proud to not only be one who
has helped pioneer this new amazing extreme sport, but to
be a part of this growing positive and healthy lifestyle
culture.
My group, Calisthenics Kingz, is an organization
of professional performance-based training gurus who
promote fitness through these natural bodyweight
exercises. Our goal is to help build inner strength, selfawareness, self-esteem, and improve overall body
strength and conditioning through calisthenics. We even
24
have a program for children to help fight obesity and
encourage healthy eating.
I live by the 4D system—drive, dedication,
discipline, and determination. My motto is, “I challenge you to challenge yourself, because in challenging
yourself, there is no loser, only a winner—you!”
25
CHAPTER 2
Benefits of Calisthenics
Calisthenics are beneficial to nearly everyone in
many different ways. Not only can they improve multiple
aspects of your physicality, but they can aid in enhancing
your mental health as well. A balanced calisthenics
workout challenges your body, moving from one muscle
group to another. Within each of these muscle groups,
there are several exercises to choose from to increase
strength and tone. This variety helps keeps the routines
interesting and fresh.
Calisthenics
also
improves
flexibility
and
endurance, which helps with any other sports or physical
activities you may decide to undertake. In addition, it
increases respiratory
function,
prevents
cardiovascular
disease, and sharpens
both
balance
coordination
and
skills.
But perhaps the best thing about calisthenics is that they
26
can be performed by persons of any age group or gender
without undergoing the risk of bodily harm.
All it takes is a few short sessions each week to
improve your overall conditioning. These bodyweight
exercises help increase metabolism while producing lean
muscle, all of which turns your body into a fat-burning
machine.
The success of calisthenics has been proven by the
test of time. It was the workout routine of choice for
thousands of years before modern training methods ever
came into existence. Greek warriors, Roman gladiators,
and even modern strongmen recognized its benefits. The
natural way was always the way to go. Doing a bench
press or a leg curl won’t get you close to the same kinds of results as pushing a stationary object or mountain
climbing.
The following pages elaborate more specifically
on the many advantages of using calisthenics as an
exercise routine.
27
No Cost
One of the best things about calisthenics is that
you won’t need to empty your wallet to do them. You
don’t need to purchase any protein supplements. You
don’t need to buy any weight loss pills or the latest diet
fad book. You don’t need to pay for an expensive gym membership just so you can use some high-tech machines
and heavy weights. All you need to do is perform a set of
simple exercises in and around your home without paying
for anything. If you want to work with equipment, then
tree branches, curbs, a staircase, and benches may be all
that is required. If you need some motivation and
instruction to get started, then yes, hire a professional
trainer to develop an appropriate exercise routine for you.
But most of your money should be spent on the basics—
comfortable work-out clothes, a good pair of sneakers,
and fresh nutritious foods. The end results will be the
same as if you went the costly route.
Place and Time
Calisthenics can be done anywhere, whenever you
choose to do them. All you need is a suitable floor with
28
enough space to accommodate the various exercises you
intend to perform. These exercises can be done at home,
at work, in a park, while you’re on vacation, and anywhere else you may be at any particular moment.
And, they can
be done any
time you have
a
few
free
minutes during
your busy day.
There’s no need to waste your valuable time driving to the gym after
work and then waiting in line to use a popular weight
machine. Just go home, get changed, turn on some music,
and get to work.
Weight Loss
One of the
best ways to lose
body fat is through
calisthenics.
Building
29
strength
means building muscle mass and improving tone all over
the body. And increasing muscle mass causes your
metabolic rate to rise, which allows you to burn more
calories throughout the day. This means more fat burns,
even when you’re resting. By doing calisthenics, you not
only build muscle mass and gain strength, but you are
doing aerobic exercises at the same time. This increase in
heart rate is another sure way to burn off fat.
Varied Routines
There are dozens of calisthenics exercises you can
do, so you should never get bored while working out.
These exercises use different muscles and can be done in
numerous positions, from a variety of angles, at assorted
speeds, for various lengths of time. They include sit-ups,
push-ups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, crunches, dips,
chin-ups, pull-ups, butt kicks, burpees and mountain
climbers. You can jog or run in place, or run up and down
stairs two at a time for added cardio and muscle building.
You can also do calisthenics with a partner.
Pairing off with someone can even help increase the
30
resistance level of the exercises, tell you if your form is
correct, as well as provide a good moral support system.
Simple Exercises
Calisthenics involve exercises that are easy to
perform whether you are a trained athlete or a couch
potato. You can start out slowly, doing just a few minutes
a day, then build repetitions and speed over time. Though
the exercises may be simple, they all advocate healthy and
natural body growth. Muscle mass and strength is
increased in a safe, natural manner, all of which improves
a person’s joints, blood flow, and general health.
Increases Muscles
Calisthenics is one of the few ways to build
strength and muscle mass without lifting weights. It is a
safe and healthy way to build your physique the way
nature intended. By using calisthenics, the body is
ensured that it will not be under more strain than it was
designed for.
For the average person seeking to build and
maintain a reasonable amount of muscle growth,
31
calisthenics is an ideal method of exercise. But it is still
ideal for the more serious bodybuilder as well. If a person
wants to increase his own body’s resistance, he can add a
weighted vest or ankle weights to his routines.
The exercises will be the
same but the muscles will need
to work harder, hence build up
faster
and
stronger.
Plus,
calisthenics will develop muscles
without the potential strains and
tears that weightlifting can inflict. And, you can work on
nearly every muscle group in the body in a short amount
of time.
Flexibility
In order to become more flexible, you must first
build up your muscle strength. The stronger you get, the
more flexible you also get. The stronger a muscle is, the
less it has to strain to contract the way a weak muscle
does. This lets muscles extend and flex with far greater
ease. Calisthenics is a great way to increase flexibility
through muscle tone.
32
Low Risk to Joints
Compared to weight lifting, calisthenics is easy on
your joints. The reason should be obvious. Our bodies are
designed to be able to support our own body’s weight.
But lifting 100-pounds of iron in somewhat awkward
positions can put undue strain on knees, shoulders, backs,
necks, elbows, and more. The simple and natural ways of
calisthenics assures you that excessive strain won’t cut short
your
exercise routines
and send you to
the
doctor
instead.
In fact, the
stretching out of the skeleton during exercises such as
pull-ups can improve your posture and often help prevent
or cure back problems. Be aware, however, that some
calisthenics exercises cause more strain on joints than
others. For instance, an average person can burn over 800
calories during an hour of jumping rope, compared to
about 400 calories on a rowing machine. However, 60
33
minutes of jumping rope will jar your body considerably
more as your full weight hits the ground after each jump.
A rowing workout is completely non-impact, hence,
better for your joints.
Improves Mental Health
Psychological
studies
have
determined
that
moderate exercise ensures a healthy state of mind. Mental
health is directly related to physical activity, and
calisthenics is an ideal workout that can be done easily by
nearly everyone. It reduces stress, depression, anxiety,
and keeps you in a positive state of mind. And, what
better way to build up your confidence than by looking in
the mirror and seeing firsthand calisthenics’ remarkable
results.
Plus, exercise on
a
regular
improve basis
the helps
body’s immune system, which in
turn helps it fight off many
diseases.
34
Endurance
One of the biggest benefits of calisthenics is an
increase in endurance. Circuit training calisthenics
requires you to do as many repetitions of an exercise as
you can do, without resting. The next day, you perform
these exercises again, having allowed your muscles to
heal overnight. In a short amount of time, you will notice
that your endurance has increased. You will be able to do
more repetitions of the exercise before fatigue sets in. If
you do this evenly within all muscle groups, you will
attain increased endurance throughout your entire body,
including the cardiovascular system.
Injury Prevention
Regular physical activity is essential for good
health. While there is a risk of injury with any type of
physical exercise, the benefits of staying active far
outweigh the risks. You can reduce your risk of getting
hurt by wearing the right shoes, using correct gear and
equipment, drinking lots of water, and warming up and
stretching properly. Be careful. You can lose around one
and a half quarts of fluid for every hour of exercise. One
35
of the first symptoms of dehydration is fatigue, which
causes a significant drop in your performance. It may also
cause you to experience cramps, heat stress, and heat
stroke.
Exercising in hot weather puts additional strain on
your body. Heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke and
sunstroke occur when your body can't keep itself cool.
Sweating isn't enough on its own to cool your body.
When deciding if any exercise is safe, you need to
consider the technique used and your weight, as well as
your personal condition, such as injury history and fitness
level. If you have a pre-existing injury or medical
condition, consult a doctor before you start your workout.
This also applies to pregnant women as every pregnancy
is different.
Avoid or modify any exercise that causes you pain or
discomfort. Don’t ignore your body’s signals of fatigue, discomfort and pain. Give yourself some recovery days.
And don’t try to work through the pain. This could cause more damage.
Stop exercising and seek medical help if you
experience symptoms such as extreme discomfort or pain.
36
Chest pain or other pain could indicate a heart attack,
including pain in the neck and jaw, pain travelling down
the arm, or pain between the shoulder blades. The same
goes for extreme breathlessness.
ADVANTAGES OF CALISTHENICS
OVER WEIGHT-LIFTING
As I said before, the popular perception of today is
that a thorough workout routine must include the use of
weights and/or weight machines. At least this is what the
media, the guys at the gym, and the so-called “experts” have led us to believe. But through my years of
experience with calisthenics, I have seen firsthand that
this is simply not the case. The advantages of doing
calisthenics are far superior to the advantages of lifting
weights. Plus, calisthenics will help you branch out into
other sports and physical activities. You’ll be able to run further, hit that tennis ball harder, and hold that yoga pose
longer, all while helping you lose weight and build a
stronger heart. Allow me to elaborate.
37
Equipment
To work out with weights at home requires
purchasing expensive weights, bars, and dumbbells.
Buying weight machines are also costly, some running
into the thousands of dollars. Plus, unless you live in a
spacious abode, where do you put all this heavy,
cumbersome
equipment? It pretty
much leaves joining a
gym as the only access
to this type of training,
and gym membership
fees can be anywhere from $40 to $100 or more a month,
depending on the size, location, and glamour of the
facility. If you do buy some lighter, less expensive
dumbbells for home workouts, what happens when you
need to travel for work or go on vacation?
As
previously
stated,
calisthenics
can
be
performed any place, any time. All you need is enough
space to do your routines. If you want to challenge
yourself more, you can add in some inexpensive
equipment like a chin-up bar or a stepstool. It may be true
38
that calisthenics limit your resistance to just your
bodyweight. However, you can vary the intensity of your
exercises by changing the leverages, such as doing wide
push-ups, then narrow push-ups, then diamond push-ups,
etc.
Developing Muscle
If your goal is to develop muscle mass quickly,
calisthenics is a viable way to put on some bulk. You can
increase the resistance of your bodyweight by wearing a
weighted vest or ankle weights. Or, you can increase the
volume of your work by doing more repetitions. If fatigue
sets in and you cannot do any more reps, then you can
vary the intensity and rep ranges. For instance, do
difficult techniques on high intensity days, and simpler
routines on high volume days. As long as you use correct
form and posture, the movements can be done
successfully. And, just like with weights, you can choose
and pick the areas of the body you are trying to build up
or tone down.
With calisthenics, you don’t need to have a spotter around should you tire in the middle of a routine and find
39
yourself in a dangerous predicament. Yet you can still
target specific muscle groups just like you can with
weights. Calisthenics exercises can also mimic those of
everyday activities. For instance, rising up out of a deep
squat is like safely lifting up an object off the ground.
These are practical techniques for normal situations.
Who Can Do Them?
Calisthenics can be safely done by women, young
children, and senior citizens with almost no health risks.
Women who want to build their muscles need not fear
about getting bulked up like a man. The hormone
testosterone is responsible for large increases in muscle
mass when men exercise. Women have a fraction of
men’s testosterone levels. In fact, a low level of
testosterone in a man (<200 ng/dl) is almost three times
what a high level would be in a woman (>70 ng/dl).
Women simply don’t have the hormonal punch to put on the muscle mass like men. The women in bodybuilding
competitions who do boast massive muscles are usually
getting help from supplements.
40
Calisthenics is also safe for pregnant women.
Consistent exercise during
pregnancy can minimize
aches and constipation,
help you sleep better, and
lower
your
risk
of
gestational diabetes and depression. You may even end up
having a shorter, less complicated labor. And yes,
developing good workout habits during pregnancy will
help you get your body back in shape faster after delivery
too.
Calisthenics has a great benefit for children. It can
strengthen your child’s bones, promote normal blood
pressure and cholesterol levels, help your child maintain a
healthy weight, and improve their confidence and selfesteem. Weightlifting, on the other hand, can be
dangerous for developing bodies. Even though some
doctors now say that a child as young as eight can safely
lift weights, it must never be used as a means of
bodybuilding or bulking up. Those activities are usually
driven by competition, with participants trying to lift
heavier weights or build bigger muscles than those of
41
other athletes. This can put too much strain on young
muscles, tendons, and areas of cartilage that haven't yet
turned to bone. This is especially true if proper technique
is sacrificed in favor of lifting larger amounts of weight.
On the other end of the timeline, regular
conditioning for people in their 70s and 80s has been
shown to build up bone and muscle as well as counter the
weakness and frailty that often comes with advanced age.
Simple exercises
can help seniors with
basic activities such
as climbing stairs,
carrying
groceries,
or even getting up from a chair. It can also lessen the pain
of osteoarthritis.
Safety
The risk of injury from calisthenics is far less than
from lifting weights. But as with any new physical
venture, before getting started, beginners need to learn
what is safe and realistic for them to accomplish. This
will help eliminate the chance of getting hurt. And as I
42
said before, when using free weights, it is always
recommended to have a spotter nearby to assist you
should you suddenly become too fatigued to complete the
routine and find yourself in trouble. Not necessary with
calisthenics. All exercises can be done safely and
effectively with very low risk of any injury.
Nutrition
In order to achieve all these benefits, it’s important to eat a healthy diet. That means limiting the
fatty dessert, the high-sugar soft drinks, and processed
foods in general. Instead, think fresh fruits and
vegetables, lean meats, and low-carbohydrates. I have a
high protein, low card diet and don’t take in any carbs after 5:00 pm. I eat a lot of chicken, fish, seafood, and
green vegetables. I try to stay away from pasta, bread, and
rice. I also don’t eat red meat. My diet
varies
daily.
Four
times a week I eat
three large meals and
three times a week I
43
eat five small portioned meals. For the large meals, I’ll have three egg whites and one slice of whole wheat toast
dry for breakfast. For lunch I’ll have a toasted tuna sandwich and low-fat cheese. For dinner, I’ll eat grilled chicken with steamed broccoli. This is what works best
for me.
QUICK SUMMARY OF BENEFITS
OF CALISTHENICS
* No special equipment required.
* Can be done anywhere, anytime.
* Any age group or gender can do them.
* Don’t need to join a gym.
* Improves overall strength and energy.
* Improves mental health.
* Can be performed with a partner to increase resistance.
* Can add body weights to increase resistance.
* Burns unwanted body fat.
* Improves immune system.
44
* Promotes flexibility, agility and coordination in
muscles.
* Even a few exercises can work an entire muscle group.
* Improves cardiovascular health.
* Is safe with low risk of injury.
45
CHAPTER 3
Calisthenics Terminology
Any time you begin a new physical activity, it’s important to understand the terminology of the sport or
exercise you are about to undertake. A tennis player needs
to know the meaning of words like “baseline,” “foot fault,” “tennis elbow,” and “love.” A new golfer would
want to know what the words “birdie,” “green,” “bunker,” and “iron” mean. The same is true for a person engaged in
the art of conditioning. Listed below is an alphabetical
glossary of terms that relate, both directly and indirectly,
to the art of calisthenics.
360 Push-ups
A push-up where your body spins in a complete
revolution every time you come up from the floor.
Aerobic Exercise
Exercise that strengthens the heart and lungs by
making them work hard for an extended period of time.
46
Examples include jogging, swimming, walking, bicycling,
etc.
Anaerobic Exercise
Intense exercise that promotes strength, speed, and
power, usually performed for a short period of time.
Examples include sprinting, jumping rope, power lifting,
etc.
Back Lever
An advanced strength exercise where you hang
parallel to the ground with your arms behind you, holding
onto a bar.
Balance
The even distribution of weight, enabling someone
to remain upright and steady.
Blood Pressure
The pressure exerted by blood against your arterial
walls as it circulates through your body. High blood
47
pressure can lead to heart disease. Exercise helps maintain
normal blood pressure.
Boot Camp
The physical training, often involving different
calisthenics exercises, that a new recruit goes through
when first joining the military service. It also refers to
high-energy work-out classes offered by many gyms.
Bulking Up
The act of putting on muscle and weight through
intense exercise. It is usually done by lifting weights.
Burpees
An aerobic exercise which incorporates a squat,
push-up, and vertical jump.
Calisthenics
A form of exercise consisting of rhythmical
movements, generally done using just your own body
weight for resistance. The intent is to increase body
48
strength and flexibility through bending, jumping,
swinging, pulling, pushing, twisting, and kicking.
Calories
A measure of energy expenditure. Specifically, the
amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one
kilogram of water one degree Celsius. To lose a pound of
fat in a week, a person must eat about 500 fewer calories
(kcal) per day than he expends in metabolism and
exercise.
Cardiovascular
Relating to the circulatory system, which is made
up of the heart and blood vessels. Cardiovascular diseases
are
conditions
arteriosclerosis,
that
affect
arrhythmia,
this
system,
heart
such
failure,
as
and
hypertension. Exercise can strengthen your cardiovascular
system and help prevent these diseases.
49
Chin-ups
An exercise where you grasp an overhead bar with
palms facing towards you and pull yourself up until your
chin is level with the bar.
Chin-up Bar
A metal bar that hangs horizontally across a
doorway. A person exercises by grabbing the bar with
both hands and pulling himself up off the ground until his
chin passes the bar.
Coordination
An organized working together of muscles and
groups of muscles aimed at bringing about a purposeful
movement, such as walking or swimming. Most physical
activities, including exercise, require a certain degree of
coordination.
Core
The many different muscles that stabilize the spine
and pelvis, and run the entire length of the torso,
providing a solid base of support. A strong core is
50
essential to correctly perform calisthenics exercises and to
reduce your risk of injuries.
Crunches
A common abdominal exercise that works the
abdominal muscles. It’s similar to a sit-up but the lower
back stays on the floor.
Diamond Handstand Push-ups
A type of push-up where your body is positioned
in a handstand and the hands are close enough together to
touch your thumbs and index fingers, making a diamond
shape.
Diamond Push-ups
An advanced type of push-up in which you place
your hands close enough together to touch your thumbs
and index fingers, making a diamond shape. This alters
the muscles you use during the exercise.
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Dips
An exercise used in strength training where you
hang from a dip bar with your arms straight and shoulders
over your hands, then lower your body until your arms are
bent to a 90-degree angle. Then you lifts your body up
and return to the starting position.
Endurance
The ability of a person to exert himself and stay
active for a long period of time while resisting fatigue.
Fatigue
The inability of a muscle to maintain optimal
physical performance, made worse by intense physical
exercise. It has a gradual onset and can be alleviated by
periods of rest.
Flexibility
The range of movement in joints and length of
muscles that cross the joints. Flexibility can be increased
by doing exercises such as stretching.
52
Front Lever
A difficult exercise in which you hang onto a
horizontal bar and pull your whole body up until it is
parallel to the floor, like you are laying down.
Gladiators
Armed fighters who entertained audiences in
ancient Rome by battling other gladiators, wild animals,
and harsh criminals. It is said that they trained using
calisthenics.
Greco-Roman
The geographical regions of the world that were
ruled by the ancient Greeks and Romans and were
directly influenced by their language, culture, government
and religion. It is during this era that calisthenics became
a recognized part of physical training.
53
Gym (Health Club)
A facility where people pay a membership fee to
use weights,
weight
machines, cardio
equipment,
basketball courts, swimming pools, and more.
Handstand
The act of supporting the body in a stable, inverted
vertical position by balancing on the hands. There are
many different variations.
Handstand Clap Push-ups
A handstand push-up where you jump up off your
hands and clap them together between reps.
Handstand Push-ups
A type of push-up where your body is first
positioned in a handstand, then lowered up and down.
These types of push-ups increase the load on the triceps
significantly more than regular pushups, with the arms
having to hold almost 100% of the body's weight rather
than an average of 70% during normal pushups.
54
Head Bangers
An arm exercise for the triceps. You lie down with
your arms above your head, bring them up above your
face bending your elbows, then back down again behind
your head. This exercise can be done standing up or
seated as well.
Human Flag
An advanced exercise where you grab onto a
vertical bar and bring the body up parallel to the ground.
The arms and the body make a straight line. The requires
enormous upper body strength.
Immune System
A collection of organs, cells, and tissues that work
together to protect your body from diseases caused mostly
by bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Exercise can help
strengthen this system.
55
Incline Push-ups
If a regular push-up is too difficult to do, you can
raise the height of the object you are pushing up from to
reduce the amount of bodyweight you are lifting.
Joints
The area where two bones are attached for the
purpose of permitting body parts to move, usually formed
of fibrous connective tissue and cartilage.
Jumping Jacks
A repetitive conditioning exercise performed from
a standing position by jumping to a position with legs
spread and arms raised, and then back to the original
position.
Lever Pull-ups
A difficult exercise where your body is kept
horizontal while performing the pull-up. They require a
high degree of back and core strength to do correctly.
56
Lever Raise
Different from a pull-up, in this exercise the body
is lifted to a horizontal position and then down again
while holding on to a parallel bar.
L-Sit
An exercise in which all body weight rests on the
hands, with the torso held in a slightly forward-leaning
orientation. The legs are horizontally and form a rightangle with the torso, giving the body an "L" shape, hence
the name "L-sit". It requires a lot of abdominal strength.
Lunges
An exercise position where one leg is positioned
forward with knee bent and foot flat on the ground while
the other leg is positioned behind.
Muscles
Fibrous body tissue, capable of contracting and
expanding, that affects bodily movement. Exercise
increases muscle mass which in turn increases strength.
57
Muscle-Ups
This advanced exercise combines a pull-up with a
dip. You pull your body up like a pull-up, but then you
keep pulling and then pushing your whole body up and
over the bar.
One-Arm Chin-up
A difficult exercise in which a chin-up is
performed with only one hand gripping the bar. The free
hand does not hold on to other arm.
One-Arm Lever
A lever performed where your entire body in
balanced on one arm.
One-Arm Pull-up
A difficult exercise in which a pull-up is
performed with only one hand gripping the bar. The free
hand does not hold on to the other arm.
58
Pistol/One Leg Squat
A squat performed with one leg held out straight
in front of you off the ground.
Planche Hold
An advanced exercise in which the body is held up
parallel to the ground by only the hands to give the
illusion of floating.
Planche Push-ups
An advanced exercise performed in a prone
position by raising and lowering the body off the ground
using the arms.
Planks
A strength exercise that involves maintaining a
difficult position for extended periods of time. The most
common plank is the front plank which is held in a pushup position with the body's weight borne on forearms,
elbows, and toes.
59
Posture
The way you position your body or arrange your
limbs. Good posture involves training your body to stand,
walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strain is
placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during
movement or weight-bearing activities.
Psychomotor Skills
Skills that involve both mental and muscular
ability where practice or concentration is involved.
Examples include throwing a ball, driving a car, playing a
musical instrument, etc. Calisthenics helps sharpen these
skills.
Pull-ups
A physical exercise in which you hold onto a bar
above your head and then pull your body up until your
chin is above the bar.
60
Push-ups
A physical exercise in which you lay on your
stomach and raise and lower your body by straightening
and bending your arms.
Repetitions
The performance of a single movement or exercise
through a full range of motion. A predetermined number
of repetitions performed in a focused and rhythmic
manner is called the workout set.
Resistance
The amount of force working against your
muscles when performing an exercise. Calisthenics use
the resistance of your own bodyweight to provide this
force.
Respiratory System
The organs in your body that involved the intake
and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, allowing
you to breathe. These include the nasal cavity, pharynx,
trachea, bronchi, lungs, and diaphragm.
61
Routine
A
predetermined
program
of
exercises
incorporating specific types of techniques, number of reps
involved, and total length of workout time.
Sit-ups
A physical exercise in which you use your
abdominal muscles to raise the torso from a supine to a
sitting position and then lie back down again without
moving.
Squats
A physical exercise initiated by moving the hips
back and bending the knees and hips to lower the torso,
then returning to the upright position.
Spotter
The person who watches or helps a trainee during
free weight exercises in case the participant needs
assistance lifting the weight out of harm’s way.
62
Straddle Planche Push-ups
A difficult push-up exercise done with your body
held up prone off the ground by your arms, your feet off
the floor, and your legs extended and spread apart behind
you.
Strength
A muscle's ability to generate force against
physical objects. In the fitness world, this usually means
how much weight you can move for different exercises.
Resistance can come from dumbbells, barbells, machine,
cables, or your own body.
Testosterone
A hormone that occurs naturally in men (and in
small
amounts
in
women)
that
aids
in
muscle
development. It is sometimes taken as a supplement to
build bigger muscles and enhance athletic performance,
but may lead to health risks.
63
Tiger bend Push-ups
A very advanced push-up which involves shifting
from and to an elbow stand as you do a handstand pushup. From an elbow stand, you push forward, then up and
follow the same movement as you come down.
Trainer
A fitness professional involved in designing safe
and effective exercise programs for his/her clients.
Typewriter Handstand Push-ups
Similar to a handstand push-up but the body
weight shifts from one arm to the other and back to the
middle during the rep.
Typewriter Pull-ups
This is a variation on a typical pull-up in which
you shift your weight to both sides. Start in a pull-up
position, palms facing away from you, shoulder-width
apart. Raise yourself up to the top with your chin even
with the bar. Then, shift your body to the left so your chin
is even with the back of your left hand, go back to the
64
middle, and shift to the right. Then lower yourself down,
completing the rep.
Typewriter Push-ups
A variation on a regular push-up. You start in a
normal wide push-up position. But when you start to go
down, you put all your weight over one arm until you are
just above the ground. Then you skim your body sideways
over the ground until you reach your other arm and then
do a pushup while keeping all the weight over that arm.
To start the next repetition, you simply go back down
over the arm you just pushed up with and go the opposite
direction and do the same thing.
Wrist Push-ups
A push-up in which the hands are turned to face
upwards when performing the exercise, putting pressure
on the wrists.
65
CHAPTER 4
Muscle Groups
This chapter discusses kinesiology—the study of
anatomy, physiology, and the mechanics of body
movement. With all fitness programs, different exercises
help build and condition different muscle groups. In order
to work on these various muscles, it’s important to know what they are called, where they are located, and the
specific exercises you should do to address them.
66
There are eight major muscle groups in the human
body—the back, abdomen, chest, arms, shoulders, thighs,
calves, and buttocks. Within each of these groups are
numerous large and small individual muscles.
In total, your body has around 640 skeletal
muscles, or 320 pairs, as most are found on both sides of
the body. I will identify the most important muscles as
they relate to calisthenics. In addition, I will tell you their
purpose and suggest various exercises you can do to
stretch them and build them up. The actual mechanics of
these particular exercises will be discussed in the next
chapter.
THE BACK
Latissimus Dorsi (Upper Back)
Also known as lats, this is the large triangular
muscle, posterior to the arm, that runs from the top
outside of each shoulder and down the back. It extends
and rotates the arm and is used for postural alignment and
motions such as opening a door.
67
Developing lats
give your back
a “V” shape and makes your
waist
appear
smaller.
To
stretch
this
muscle,
put
both hands over your head, then bend one elbow and
place your hand on your back. With the other hand, reach
behind you and try to grab the first hand.
Exercises that help strengthen: Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups.
Rhomboids (Upper Back)
This muscle is adjacent to the latissimus dorsi and
is situated between the shoulder blades. It helps support
the lats and retracts the shoulder blades. Strengthening
your back is an important part of strengthening your front
and core as well. Many people overlook the fact that the
back muscles, which are in opposition to the stomach
muscles, are vitally important for maintaining an even
68
balance of strength throughout your upper body. To
stretch the rhomboids, give yourself a big hug.
Exercises that help strengthen: Chin-Ups and Bent Arm
Rows.
Erector Spinae (Lower Back)
This is a bundle of small muscles that run
vertically and extend up the spine on both sides. Even
though it is called the “low back” muscle, it runs up and
down the entire back. Its main use is postural alignment
but it also helps with the twisting and bending of your
trunk. If you have a weak core, it is these muscles that
take the brunt of it. To stretch this muscle, kneel on all
fours and round the back like a cat.
Exercise that helps strengthen: Back Extensions.
Trapezius (Upper and Mid Back)
This is a large muscle that extends down from the
base of your head, out to the shoulder blade, and across to
the spine. Its function is to move the head sideways and
support the shoulder. When you feel a “knot” in your 69
neck, it’s the trapezius. To stretch this muscle, sit in a chair, put your left hand behind you, tilt your head so
your right ear moves towards your right shoulder. Then
repeat on the other side.
Exercises that help strengthen: Upright Rows and
Shoulder Shrugs.
THE ABDOMEN
Abdominal (Stomach)
Several layers of muscles make up the abdominal
wall. The rectus abdominus is the muscle that is visible. It
runs from the rib cage to the pubis bone. Its purpose is to
support the spine and maintain the stability necessary to
stand erect while decreasing lower back stress. It is also
known as the 6-pack muscle for its rippled look.
The
transverses
abdominus,
which
stabilizes your back, is
underneath the rectus. It
acts
like
a
big
weightlifter’s belt, helping with flexing and twisting
70
at the waist, as well as in protecting our organs. Its main
job, however, is to create a strong core link between upper
and lower body.
Abs muscles get support and assistance from your
hip muscles. These include your hip flexors and abductors
along both the outside and inside of your thighs. All
together, these muscles help with postural alignment, in
sitting up, and protect the inner organs. Most people don’t stretch the abs but work on strengthening them instead.
Exercises that help strengthen: Crunches, Leg Raises,
and Sit-Ups.
Obliques (Side of Body)
The external oblique muscle is the largest and
outermost muscle that makes up the side of our body from
the waist to the rib cage. Beneath it is the internal oblique
muscle. Both help compress the abdomen and rotate the
body. To stretch these muscles, lie on your back with arm
extended out, bend both knees, then rotate your hips and
put your bent legs on the floor to your side.
Exercises that helps strengthen: Twisting Crunches and
Sit-Ups.
71
THE CHEST
Pectoralis (Front of Upper Chest)
The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped muscle
that makes up the main portion of our chest muscles. In
females, it lies beneath the breast. Underneath this muscle
is the pectoralis minor, a thin, triangular muscle.
These
muscles
pull
the
shoulder
and
arm
forward
and
are
used
in
activities such
as pushing open a door. To stretch these muscles, hold
both arms out at shoulder height while standing, then pull
your arms back.
Exercises that help strengthen: Push-ups.
Serratus Anterior (Back of Chest)
These muscles start on the surface of the first to
eighth ribs at the side of the chest and run along the entire
72
anterior length of the medial border of the shoulder blade.
They give the shoulder blade its winged look. They are
sometimes called the “boxer’s muscle” because they are largely responsible for the thrusting of the shoulder blade
forward and around the rib cage when someone throws a
punch. They also play an important role in the upward
rotation of the shoulder blade such as when lifting an
object overhead.
To stretch the Serratus Anterior, stand with your
feet about shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly
bent. Keep your right arm flat against your right thigh as
you reach up with your left arm. Stretch your left arm
above your head and over to the right side as you bend
your torso to the right. Reach with your left arm as if you
are trying to touch a point far to your right side. Repeat
this stretch on the other side.
Exercises that help strengthen: Push-ups.
Coracobrachialis (Under Arm)
This is the smallest of the three muscles that attach
to the shoulder blade and to the upper arm. It is used in
the flexing of the elbow. To stretch, reach the elbow over
73
your shoulder or around the side, as if you are trying to
strike
behind
you
with
an
elbow.
Exercise that help strengthen: Push-ups.
THE ARMS
Biceps (Upper Arm)
This is a two-headed muscle that lies on the upper
arm between the shoulder and the elbow. Both heads arise
on the shoulder blade and join to form a single muscle
belly which is attached to the upper forearm. While the
bicep crosses both the shoulder and elbow joints, its main
function is the latter where it flexes the elbow and rotates
the forearm. It is used for lifting and pulling. Anytime you
move your hand toward your shoulder, you are using your
bicep. To stretch the bicep, sit on the floor and place your
hands behind you with your fingers pointing away from
your body. Then walk your hips away from your hands.
Exercise that help strengthen: Chin-ups, Pull-Ups.
Triceps (Upper Arm)
This is a large three-headed muscle on the back of
the upper arm. It is the muscle principally responsible for
extension of the elbow joint and straightening of the arm.
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It is used for
pushing.
Anytime you
extend your
lower
arm,
you are using your triceps. To stretch your triceps, put
both hands over your head. Bend one elbow and place
your hand on your back. With the other hand, push the
elbow to stretch the triceps, deltoids, and lats.
Exercises that help strengthen: Push-Ups and Tricep
Extensions.
Forearm Extensor and Flexor (Lower Arm)
There are many muscles in the forearm that lie
between the elbow and wrist.
These muscles are
responsible for the movement of the wrist, digits, and the
forearm. To stretch your forearm, hold the arm straight
out before you, with the palm facing down. Flex the hand
so that your fingers point upright. With one arm held in
front of you and the hand flexed, take the other hand and
gently grasp the fingers of the flexed hand. Pull the
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fingers straight back. You should feel a stretch in the
underside of your forearm.
Exercise that help strengthen: Pull-Ups.
THE SHOULDERS
Deltoids (Top of Shoulder)
This muscle forms the rounded contour of the
shoulder. It got its name because it is in the shape of the
Greek letter Delta. It is composed of three parts—anterior,
posterior and medial. It is used for overhead lifting.
Anytime you
flap your arms, you
use your deltoids. To
stretch
them,
put
both hands over your
head,
bend
elbow,
and
one
place
your hand on your
back. With the other
hand, push the elbow to stretch the triceps, deltoids, and
lats.
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Exercises that help strengthen: Push-Ups, Side and
Rear Arm Raises.
THE LEGS
Quadriceps (Front of Thigh)
A large muscle group that includes the four
prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. It is the great
extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large fleshy mass
which covers the front and sides of the femur. Quads are
crucial in walking, running, jumping, climbing, squatting,
and any type of knee extension. To stretch these muscles,
lie on your side, grab your ankle, and push your hips
forward.
Exercises that help strengthen: Squats and Lunges.
Hamstrings (Back of Thigh)
A group of three posterior thigh muscles that bend
the knee and extend the hip. The hamstrings play a crucial
role in many activities, such as walking, running, and
controlling some movement in the trunk.
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They also counter the actions of the quadriceps.
Hamstring injuries occur in sports that require sudden
starts and stops, though are seldom serious enough to
require surgery.
To
stretch
the
hamstrings,
place
the
heel of the
leg to
be
stretched on
a
Keep
chair.
your
leg as straight as possible, your hips square and your back
flat. Bend at the waist toward your leg.
Exercises that help strengthen: Squats, Lunges, Leg
Extensions.
Gastrocnemius and Soleus (Back of Lower Leg)
The gastrocnemius is the bulging and powerful
superficial muscle that is in the back part of the lower leg.
It runs from its two heads just above the knee to the heel.
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Underneath it is the soleus muscle. Together they form
the calf muscle. Their function is involved in standing,
walking, running, jumping, standing on your tiptoes, and
flexing the foot at the ankle joint and the leg at the knee
joint. The gastrocnemius muscle is prone to spasms,
which are painful involuntary contractions that may last
several minutes. To stretch these muscles, do lunges with
a straight back leg for the gastrocnemius and lunges with
a bent knee for the soleus.
Exercises that help strengthen: Standing and seated calf
raises.
THE BUTTOCKS
Gluteus (Buttocks)
The gluteal muscles are a group of four muscles.
Three of these muscles make up the buttocks, the largest
being the gluteus maximus. They are used for climbing
stairs, walking, and standing up. Sitting for long periods
of time can lead to the gluteal muscles atrophying through
constant pressure and disuse. This may be associated with
lower back pain and difficulty with some movements such
as rising from the seated position and climbing stairs.
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The bulk of the gluteal muscle mass contributes
only partially to the shape of the buttocks. The other
major contributing factor is that of the panniculus
adiposus of the buttocks, which is fatty tissue growth, and
gives the buttock its characteristic rounded shape.
Although the gluteal muscle bulk and tone can be
improved with massage and exercise, it is the disposition
of the overlying panniculus which may be responsible for
the "sagging butt" phenomenon.
Total body exercise can contribute to fat loss and
can lead to reduction of mass in fat storage locations on
the body which includes the panniculus. So, for leaner
and more active individuals, the glutes will more
predominantly contribute to the shape than someone less
active with a fattier composition. The degree of body fat
stored in various locations such as the panniculus is
dictated by genetic and hormonal profiles. To stretch the
gluts, sit on a chair, cross one leg over the thigh of the
bent leg, and lean forward.
Exercises that help strengthen: Squats, Lunges, Hip
Thrusts, Climbing Stairs.
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CHAPTER 5
Calisthenics Exercises
Calisthenics exercises can be used to develop
muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance. Muscle
strength is the amount of force generated by one
repetition. Muscle endurance is the ability to exert force
repeatedly over time. Naturally, as each one increases, so
will the other. Muscle strength is best developed by
performing
low-repetition
(6-12),
high-resistance
exercises. Muscle endurance is developed by highrepetition (>12), low-resistance exercises.
If you’re a beginner, you should start out with a low-resistance workout until you are sure your form is
correct and the resistance is not too great to cause any
injuries. Over time, as you progress with your
conditioning and become more comfortable with each
routine, there are several ways to increase resistance of
any particular exercise.
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Ways to Increase Resistance
* Add weight, as with a weighted vest or ankle weight.
* Use a resistance band.
* Exercise only one side of the body, such as doing a onelegged squat.
* Alter the exercise, like with raising the legs during
push-ups.
* Use a partner for resistance. Someone could sit on your
hips while doing push-ups.
* Do a set with many reps.
* Hold an exercise to isolate the muscle in the halfway
position for several seconds.
But remember, what’s most important is that the exercises be performed correctly. If not, other muscles
will get developed and the risk of injury becomes real.
For example, exercises that are too difficult for your
lower abdominals will rely on the hip flexors. Hip flexors
are stronger than the abs and this will cause your stomach
to protrude, which might lead to hurting your lower back.
Here are some of the calisthenics exercises you
should do during your workout. Some are for beginners,
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some more intermediate, some advanced, and some elite.
Most all can be altered to accommodate your present level
of strength, flexibility, and fitness.
BEGINNER EXERCISES
PUSH-UPS
The most common exercise known to man is the
push-up. We’ve all attempted to do them at some point in our lives. Push-ups strengthen the muscles in your chest,
arms, shoulders, and back, as well as improve your core
strength. They are also beneficial in helping with posture.
Push-ups are a universally great exercise for building
strength and improving tone.
There are many variations of push-ups that focus
on different muscle groups and levels of difficulty. These
variations include:
* Wide Grip Push-ups
* Incline Push-ups
* Decline Push-ups
* One Arm Push-ups
* Diamond Push-ups
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* Wrist Push-ups
If you’re a beginner still working on increasing your arm strength, try starting out with a Knee Push-up.
Knee Push-up: How to Perform
Step 1: Begin with
your head and back
aligned, palms against
the floor under your
shoulders, elbows
locked, knees touching
the ground, feet in the
air.
Step 2: Bend your elbows
to lower your body down,
face towards the floor,
back straight, feet in the
air. Do not rest on the
floor.
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Step 3: Use your arms to lift the body back up to the
original position, arms fully extended. Once the rep is
completed, repeat the cycle
Benefits
The benefits of push-ups should be obvious. You
just need to take a few minutes each day to perform them
and you will quickly see an incredible impact on your
body. Every week, when you look in the mirror, you will
notice great changes in your shape and physique. Not only
do push-ups work your chest, hands, forearms, biceps,
triceps, shoulders, traps, lats, core, glutes, hamstrings, and
calves, but they also make your heart muscle get stronger
as well.
PULL-UPS
Like push-ups, the much hated pull-up is an
exercise typically avoided because they are difficult to
perform. But like with so many things, when something is
difficult to do, it usually means it is good for you. Most
heavy weightlifters can pull down impressive amounts of
weight on a machine, but struggle to perform any amount
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of pull-ups. Pull-ups are the ultimate bodyweight
exercise. To do them well requires an incredible amount
of strength. They are a great way to build a lot of lean
body mass in a short period of time, and to build a strong
back and arms. Pull-ups are categorized as a compound
exercise because they require the movement of more than
one muscle while working out a group of muscles. Before
a beginner can do a pull-up, it is important to do a grip
strengthening exercise.
Pull-up Grip: How to Perform
Step 1. An
overhead
bar,
sometimes
called a
chin-up bar,
is grasped
using a shoulder-width grip. Your palms point outward in
an overhand grip so that they are facing away from you.
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Pull-up Grip
Grip
Strengthening
Exercise
Hold this
position for a
period of time
until your arms
and wrists tire.
CHIN-UPS
A chin-up should not be confused with a pull-up,
which is a more difficult exercise. The main difference is
the grip. A chin-up uses an underhand grip where your
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palms point inward so that they face you. Other than that,
the up and down motions are the same. As with a pull-up,
it is good for a beginner to start with a grip strengthening
exercise.
Chin-up Grip: How to Perform
Step 1: Grasp the
chin-up bar using a
shoulder-width grip.
This time your palms
point inward in an
underhand grip so
that they are facing
towards you. Hold
this position for a period of time until your arms and
wrists tire.
Once you are comfortable with the grip, you can
try to do an actually chin-up using a resistance band to
support some of your weight.
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Chin-up With Resistance Band
Step 1: Grasp onto
the chin-up bar,
palms facing
towards you. One
end of the resistance
band is wrapped
around the bar, the
other end around
one of your feet.
Step 2: Lift your
body up until your
chin is above the bar,
keeping your back
straight throughout
and your legs
together. Then lower
you body back down
until your arms are
fully extended. Repeat rep.
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Benefits
Chin-ups also work the lats but shift part of the
secondary workout to the deltoids, and put more emphasis
on the biceps. Because they work out the biceps so well,
they are a great alternative to curling.
Neutral Grip
Again, a similar exercise to the pull-up and chinup but in this case you use a semi-supinated grip where
your palms are facing each other.
INVERTED (SUPINE) ROW
If you have difficulty performing chin-ups, there is
another exercise that you can do to build your strength. It
is the inverted row and is basically a horizontal pull-up.
You’ll need a bar or a bench press to perform it.
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Inverted Row
How to Perform
Step 1: Get down
underneath the bar,
face up, and grab the
bar above you.
Step 2: Stiffen your body and pull yourself up to the bar.
Good form means that the
body
is
kept
straight
throughout the movement.
The chin should remain
tucked during the motion,
keeping
the
cervical
portion of the spine lined
up to the rest of your
body.
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The bar can be moved higher or lower to make the
movement easier or more difficult for the lifter. The lower
the bar is, the more difficult the movement becomes.
DIPS
Dips are a challenging upper-body exercise but
can be modified so that people of all levels can
incorporate them into their workouts. The exercise
requires you to lift your own bodyweight, so how difficult
they are depends on how much you currently weigh. Dips
can be modified to increase or decrease difficulty.
Beginner dips are done as follows.
How to Perform
Step 1: Grasp on to a
low bar behind you.
Your knuckles should
be up, fingers facing
forward. Stretch your
legs out in front of you,
heels on the ground, and
push up on your arms,
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supporting your weight. Your back and head should be
straight and aligned.
Step 2: Bend at
the elbows and
lower your body
down till your
buttocks is just
above the ground.
Keep your legs
straight and back
aligned.
Raise yourself back
up to the starting position and repeat.
Due to natural flexibility in the shoulder joints, it
is important to try to "lock” them as much as possible. Otherwise, the supporting rotator cuffs may become
strained.
Dips can be modified to increase or decrease
difficulty. If you can’t perform the traditional dip on the bars, you can instead do the bench dip as follows.
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Step 1: Sit on the edge of a bench with your legs
extended out in front of you and your heels on the floor or
atop a second bench.
Step 2: Place you hands on the edge of the bench
on either side of your hips and lift your hips forward off
the bench.
Step 3: Bend your elbows to lower your hips
toward the floor.
If you need to make the traditional dip more
difficult, squeeze a weight between your knees or feet,
strap a dipping belt around your waist, or wear a weighted
vest.
Benefits
Dips build strength in multiple upper-body
muscles simultaneously. Narrow shoulder-width dips
primarily train the triceps, as well as the deltoids, the
pectoralis, and the rhomboid muscles. Wide-arm training
places additional emphasis on the pecs and less on the
triceps.
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SQUATS
Squats are excellent for a full lower body workout.
They effectively work most of the muscle groups in the
legs, but they promote body-wide muscle building by
catalyzing an anabolic environment. Some people
consider the squat as the king of exercises and that’s what drives many others away from it. No other exercise
requires as much effort as the squat does. If you add up
the muscles of your arms, chest, back and shoulders,
that’s only 40% of your musculature. The other 60% is found in the lower body. Squatting improves your
cardiovascular fitness much faster than an upper body
exercise does, helps you gain flexibility, and boosts
testosterone levels naturally. A basic squat is a good
exercise for beginners.
How to Perform
Step 1: Start in a
standing erect position,
knees slightly bent.
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Squats
Step 2: Shift
your hips back
and bend your
knees and hips to
lower the torso,
your arms
forward parallel
to the floor.
Step 3: Return to the upright position. Do not lock
knees. Repeat rep.
Squats can be performed to varying depths. When
the crease of the hip (top surface of the leg at the hip
joint) falls below the top of the knee, this is known as
"parallel" depth. Squatting below this level is known as a
deep squat; above it qualifies as a shallow squat.
Two common mistakes include descending too
rapidly and flexing the torso too far forward. Rapid
descent risks being unable to complete the lift or causing
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injury. This occurs when the descent causes the squatting
muscles to relax and tightness at the bottom is lost as a
result. Over-flexing the torso greatly increases the forces
exerted on the lower back, risking a spinal disc herniation.
Another error where health of the knee joint is
concerned is when the knee is not aligned with the
direction of the toes. If the knee is not tracking over the
toes during the movement, this results in twisting/shearing
of the joint and unwanted torque affecting the ligaments
which can soon result in injury. The knee should always
follow the toe. Have your toes slightly pointed out in
order to track the knee properly.
Benefits
The squat is a compound, full body exercise that
trains primarily the muscles of the thighs, hips, buttocks,
quads, hamstrings, as well as strengthening the bones,
ligaments, and tendons throughout the lower body. Squats
are considered a vital exercise for increasing the strength
and size of the legs and buttocks, as well as developing
core strength.
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LUNGES
A lunge refers to any position of the body where
one leg is positioned forward with knee bent and foot flat
on the ground while the other leg is positioned behind.
How to Perform
Step 1: Bring one leg forward and almost kneel on
the back leg. Create a 90-degree angle with this front leg.
Step 2: Stand up and switch legs. Keep your back
straight and chest out for proper form.
There are many variations for lunges. A long
lunge emphasizes the gluteals whereas a short lunge
emphasizes the quadriceps. Lunges are a good exercise
for strengthening, sculpting, and building several muscle
groups, including the quadriceps, the gluteus maximus, as
well as the hamstrings.
JUMPING JACKS
Jumping jacks are a great warm-up exercise for
both beginners and advanced trainees. Ever since you
were a kid, you’ve been doing them. It is a simple
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calisthenics movement that requires no training. It also
needs little coordination and great physical ability is not
really important. Yet jumping jacks are a serious
cardiovascular endurance exercise that is almost always
incorporated into any fitness program. It has tons of
health benefits and is one of the exercises that can be
done by almost everyone, and is fun while doing them.
How to Perform
Step 1: Start by standing with your feet together
and arms at your sides.
Step 2: Jump to a position with the legs spread
wide and the hands touching overhead, sometimes in a
clap.
Step 3: Returning to the original position. Repeat
rep.
A similar jump exercise is called half-jacks, which
were created to prevent rotator cuff injuries. These have
been linked to the repetitive movements of the exercise.
They are just like regular jumping jacks, but the arms go
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halfway above the head instead of all the way above the
head. The arms also hit the sides to help tighten the jump.
Although he played no part in inventing the
exercise, the late fitness expert Jack LaLanne was given
credit for popularizing the exercise in the United States.
LaLanne utilized the jumping exercise during routines he
promoted in decades of television fitness programming.
Aside from its healthy benefits, jumping jacks are
also a calorie-burning form of calisthenics. Studies show
that jacks burn 100 calories for every 10 minutes of
intense jumping when done by a 165-pound person. If
done in 10-minute increments of jumping jacks, three
times a week, you can lose an extra pound every 11 or 12
days without changing your diet.
PLANKS
A plank is an isometric core strength exercise
where you maintain a specific position for extended
periods of time. The most common is the front plank, a
great core strengthening exercise. Beginners should use
their entire forearm to support their weight.
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Plank Hold: How to Perform
Step 1: Start
out, face
down on the
floor, palms
facing down,
forearms
again the
floor, elbows
on the ground under the shoulders, toes curled upwards
against the floor.
Step 2: Look forward, maintaining a straight line
from head to heel. Hold this position for a set period of
time.
There are many other variations such as side plank
or reverse plank. They are generally done to strengthen
the abs, back, and shoulders, and improve the endurance
of your back and stomach muscles.
FLUTTER KICK
Flutter kicks are a popular training exercise in the
military and relatively easy for most people to do.
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How To Perform
Step 1: Lie flat on your back with your feet and
head approximately six inches off the ground. Hands are
under the buttocks to support the lower back.
Step 2: Raise the left leg to a 45-degree angle,
keeping the right leg stationary.
Step 3: Then raise the right leg off the ground to a
45-degree angle while, at the same time, moving the left
leg to the starting position. Legs must be locked, with toes
pointing away from the body. Repeat exercise.
Flutter kicks help to develop the hip flexors,
abdominal muscles, and leg muscles.
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INTERMEDIATE EXERCISES
Many of the beginner exercises are good to
perform no matter what your level of conditioning.
However, as you progress with your fitness training, you
should attempt some of the more difficult exercises. The
following are good for the intermediate athlete.
BASIC PUSH-UP
Once your arms are strong enough, it’s time to move to the regular push-up.
How to Perform
Step 1: Start out
with your palms
against the floor
under your
shoulders, arms
extended, toes
curled upwards
against the floor.
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Basic Push-up
Step 2: Bend your
elbows to lower
your body down,
making sure not to
rest on the floor.
Resting is only
done in the high
position of the
exercise. Then
raise your body
back up. Once the
rep is completed,
repeat the cycle.
Basic Push-up Side View
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PULL-UP
Just like with the push-up, once your arms are
strong enough, you can progress to a basic pull-up.
How to Perform
Step 1: Grasp the chin-up bar using a shoulder-width grip.
You palms
point
outwards
in an
overhand
grip so
that they
are facing
away from
you.
Pull-up Grasp
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Pull-up Lift
Step 2: Lift
your body
up, chin
above the
bar, while
keeping the
back straight
throughout.
Step 3: Slowly lower yourself to the starting position in a
controlled manner. Repeat the rep.
CHIN-UP
A chin-up is very similar to a pull-up except for
the grip. Other than that, the up and down motions are the
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same. There are some differences in how they affect your
body.
Differences Between Pull-ups and Chin-ups
Movement: Both exercises take place with a
vertical pulling movement and target the back and biceps,
but they do so in slightly different ways. Pull-ups
typically use shoulder adduction, where the elbows come
down and back from the sides. Chin-ups, on the other
hand, use shoulder extension, where the elbows come
down and back from the front (neutral grip fits in this
category as well). The difference isn’t huge and it doesn’t make one exercise better or worse than the other. It just
means that both exercises train the lats in a different way.
If your goal is to build muscle and avoid overuse injuries,
it would be a good idea not to neglect one movement in
favor of the other.
Strength: Chin-ups put the biceps in a stronger line
of pull, so most people will usually be stronger at chinups than at pull-ups. If you can normally do ten chin-ups,
you may only be able to so six pull-ups. If you’re using a lat pull-down machine with these grips or doing pull-
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ups/chin-ups with added weight, you’ll often find that you can use more weight with chin-ups then you can with
pull-ups. Most beginners will usually find that they are
able to do a chin-up before they can do a pull-up. Both,
however, are perfectly safe, but you must focus on proper
form.
Beware of using a very wide pull-up grip. It is one
cause of shoulder injuries. People often think wide grip
equals wide lats. Not the case. A wide grip just means a
very reduced range of motion and a very high risk of
shoulder problems. I don’t recommend using a grip any wider than just slightly outside of shoulder width.
People with a preexisting history of shoulder
problems may find that a chin-up grip is a little less
stressful on their shoulders than a pull-up grip. On the
other hand, some people may think that a pull-up grip is a
lot more comfortable for their wrists and forearms. As far
as the most overall safest and comfortable grip with one
or both of the above issues—it’s probably the less-often
available neutral grip. But again, that’s just a generality. Most people will never have a problem with any type of
grip. The ones that do will just need to experiment and
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figure out which one feels best for them. You can also use
a resistance band to perform assisted pull-ups and chinups.
SIT-UPS
The sit-up is an abdominal exercise that works the
rectus abdominus muscles. It was once considered the
gold standard for working the midsection, but must be
done correctly to prevent any lower back injuries. The situp is still used by many military personnel as a gauge of
abdominal endurance. It can be a very difficult exercise
for some people to perform. A good intermediate sit-up
exercise is best done on an inclined plane.
How to
Perform
Step 1: Lie
down with
your back on
the floor, or
inclined plane,
knees bent and
feet restrained
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at the higher end of the plane. Your arms can be at your
sides, across the chest, behind the head, or above the
head.
Step 2: Raise
your shoulders
off the floor by
tightening the
abdominal
muscles and
bringing the
chest closer to
your knees.
Sit-up
Step 3: Lower your back to the floor or plane in a smooth
movement. Repeat rep.
Lifting only the upper torso will engage most
abdominal muscles. Lifting the entire torso will also
engage the internal obliques and hip flexors.
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Benefits
Sit-ups help pop out the abs amongst other things.
They do not burn belly fat from your stomach. This is a
big misconception. They do, however, strengthen and
tone the underlying core muscles, and we all agree that
the core is your center of power. Improving core makes
better posture and balance, reduces back pain, aids in
athletic performance, and makes breathing easier.
CRUNCHES
This is a similar exercise to the sit-up, except that
instead of lifting your entire back off the floor, you only
lift your upper back. This isolates the ab muscles without
engaging muscles in your hips.
CALF RAISES
Your calf muscles are important for stability,
posture and mobility, but they can also be a source of pain
when they cramp up or feel tight. Sitting too much can be
a major source of tightened calf muscles, but exercising
them regularly can alleviate these problems and keep your
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legs in great shape. Calf raises, when done regularly, are a
simple but effective way to strengthen and tone your calf
muscles.
How to Perform
Step 1: Stand on a platform with an edge, or a
curb, so your heels can hang off.
Step 2: Lift the body onto the balls of the feet.
Step 3: Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat rep.
LEG LIFTS
Leg lifts are good exercises for everyone and a
great way to work out your abdominal muscles. For the
intermediate trainee, an incline leg lift works best.
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Leg Lifts: How to Perform
Step 1: Lie
flat on your
back on an
inclined
bench with
your legs
stretched out
in front of
you. Grasp the bar or top of the bench above your head.
Step 2: Lift
your feet off the
ground, keeping
your legs
straight at the
knees. Raise
them into the
air past a 90degree angle to
the torso.
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Step 3: Lower your legs back down but keep you feet off
the bench. Repeat.
SQUAT JUMPS
This exercise takes the basic squat one step
further.
How to Perform
Step 1: Start
in a standing
erect
position,
arms at your
side, knees
slightly bent.
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Step 2:
Bend down
into a squat,
arms out in
front of you,
head facing
forward.
Squat Jumps
Step 3: Jump
upwards as high
as you can,
hands at your
side. Return to
starting position
and repeat rep.
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KNEE TUCKS
Knee tucks target your lower abs and inner thighs
with the abs flattening power move.
How to Perform
Step 1: Sit on the
edge of a chair or
bench and lean
back, supporting
yourself with your
hands, resting
near your
buttocks. Your
legs should be straight out in front of you.
Step 2: Tuck your
knees in towards
your chest while
keeping your
abdominals tight
and your head
level throughout
the entire move.
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Step 3: Extend knees out to the original position without
them touching the ground. Repeat rep.
DIPS
The dips can get a bit more challenging at the
intermediate level.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Grasp on
to hip
level
parallel
bars. Lift
your body
off the
ground
while
bending the knees. Support your weight with extended
arms.
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Dips
Step 2:
Lower
your body
down by
bending
your
elbows.
Keep your
knees bent
and off the ground. Then raise yourself back up and
repeat rep.
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ADVANCED EXERCISES
Here are some exercises to do once you are
proficient in the intermediate routines and are looking for
more challenges.
DIAMONG PUSH-UPS
This exercise is performed by modifying the
position of the hands.
How to Perform
Step 1: Begin in basic push-up position, back straight and
elbows locked. Move both of your hands under your chest
and make a diamondlike configuration
with your hands.
Your pointing fingers
should touch and
your thumb should
touch on the bottom
which forms the
diamond shape.
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Diamond Push-up
Step 2:
Lower
your body
down
without
touching
the
ground.
Step 3: Raise body back up to starting position and repeat
rep.
PULL-UP TO CHEST
In this exercise you lift your body higher up above the
bar.
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Pull-up to Chest
Step 1: Grasp a
bar in a normal
pull-up grip.
Step 2: Raise your
body up, past your
chin, so that your
chest is level with
the bar.
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Step 3: Lower yourself down to starting position.
There are many other variations of pull-ups as well.
HANGING KNEE
RAISES
Step 1: Grasp a bar in
a normal pull-up grip.
Step 2: Raise your
knees into the air so
your upper legs are at
least perpendicular to
your waist.
Step 3: Lower your
legs back down to
starting position.
122
Hanging Knee
Raises (side
view)
HANGING
LEG LIFTS
Step 1: Grasp a
bar in a normal
pull-up grip.
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Hanging Leg Lifts
Step 2: Raise your feet into the air so your entire legs are
perpendicular to your waist.
Step 3: Lower your legs back down to starting position.
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STRAIGHT BAR DIPS
Step 1: Raise
yourself up
onto a bar,
back straight,
elbows
locked.
Step
2:
Lower
yourself down till
your elbows form
a 45-degree angle,
supporting
your
body with
your
arms.
Step 3: Raise
yourself back up
and repeat.
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HANDSTAND
There are a variety of handstands. This is the basic one.
How to Perform
Step 1: Begin with
your feet on the
ground, back straight,
leaning forward with
your palms shoulderwidth apart on the
ground in front of
you.
Step 2: Kick your
feet up so that they
are in a vertical
position with your
body. Hold the
stance.
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ONE LEG PISTOL SQUAT
The one leg squat pistol is a great test of both leg strength
and balance.
How to Perform
Step 1: Stand straight
with one leg raised
slightly above the
ground and your arms
stretched out in from
of you.
Step 2: Bend your
base leg as low as
you can go without
touching the
ground, keeping
your raised leg
stretched out in
front of you and
your arms stretched out in front of you as well.
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Step 3: Stand back up to starting position. After each set,
switch legs.
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ELITE EXERCISES
These exercises require a great deal of strength,
balance, and flexibility, and should only be attempted by
an experienced trainee in great condition
who really
wants to challenge themselves.
DRAGON FLAG
The dragon flag was named after its reported
inventor, Bruce Lee, and provides the ultimate core
conditioning exercise.
How to Perform
Step 1: Lie flat on the ground or bench, reach up over
your head, and grasp onto a bar over your head. With
shoulder blades
resting on the
ground, lift your
legs off the
ground, keeping
your legs locked
straight.
129
Dragon Flag
Step 2: Still
keeping your
entire body
straight, raise
your legs up to a
30-degree
angle…
…then continue
on up to a 45degree angle.
Hold this
position.
Step 3: Lower
your feet back
to starting position, keeping them off the ground. Repeat
rep.
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FRONT LEVER FLUTTERS
How to Perform
Step 1: Grab onto
a bar using a pullup grip and pull
yourself up until
your body is
straight and
parallel to the
ground.
Step 2: Lift one leg
up into the air as
close to vertical as
possible.
131
Front Lever Flutter
Step 3: Lower
the first leg and
lift the other leg
up to the same
vertical position.
Repeat exercise
by switching legs
each time.
HANDSTAND PUSH-UP
How to Perform
Step 1: Begin the
exercise by raising your
body into a basic
handstand by kicking
your feet up into the air,
weight resting on your
palms.
132
Handstand Pushup
(Step 1: Side
View)
Step 2: Bend your
elbows
and
lower
your body down so
that your head is just
above the ground,
weight
resting
on
your palms.
Step 3: Raise your
body back up and
repeat the rep.
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HANDSTAND CLAP PUSH-UP
To make the exercise even more difficult, add a
clap into every rep.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Begin the
exercise by
raising
your body
into a basic
handstand.
134
Handstand Clap Push-up
Step 2: Lower
yourself down into a
handstand push-up so
that your head is just
above the ground.
Step 3: Then spring
yourself up off your
hands and clap your
palms while in the air,
catching yourself with
your hands to remain
in the handstand
position. Repeat rep.
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HUMAN FLAG
The human flag consists into holding a vertical
pole or bars, both arms straight, in order to maintain the
rest of the body parallel to the ground. It is one of the
most impressive looking but difficult exercises to
perform. It really works deltoids, lats, and obliques.
How to Perform
Step 1: Grasp on to two bars, one on top of the other, or
on a
vertical
pole, about
arm’s reach
apart. It is
sometimes
best to pull
yourself up
into a
vertical position first. Then lower one leg, then the other,
until you are parallel to the ground. Hold this position.
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MUSCLE-UP
The muscle-up is a skill that is basically a pull-up
followed by a dip. It is used to take yourself from below a
bar to above the bar. Many can do a pull-up, and many
can do a dip, but transitioning between the two takes a lot
of strength and coordination.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Begin in
a pull-up
position,
hanging
from a
bar.
137
Muscle-up
Step 2: Pull
yourself up to
where your chest is
even with the bar.
Step 3: Then
continue in one fluid
motion to pull
yourself up until
your arms lock and
the bar is at upper
thigh level. Then
lower yourself back
down and repeat.
138
PLANCHE PUSH-UP
A planche push-up uses only the hands to support
the body. The feet do not rest on the floor. The body's
center of gravity must be kept over the hands while
performing the push-up by leaning forward while the legs
are elevated in the air. This requires great strength and a
high level of balance. They can be done on the floor or
holding on to bars.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Grab onto
two bars
with your
hands and
pull
yourself up
into a
horizontal
position parallel to the ground, arms straight.
139
Planche Push-up
Step 2:
Lower
yourself
down by
bending
your
elbows.
Step 3: If
using bars,
you can
lower
yourself
further.
140
SCORPION HANDSTAND PUSH-UP
A very difficult core and upper body workout.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Raise your
body into a
handstand
position.
Bend your
knees so
that your
feet are
over your head.
Step 2: Bend
your elbows
and lower
your body
down,
keeping your
knees bent.
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Step 3: Raise yourself back up and repeat rep.
FRONT LEVER
The front lever is another difficult calisthenics
exercises. It consists of pulling your whole body up until
it’s parallel to the ground, almost like you are floating on
air.
How to Perform
Step 1: Grasp
a bar with your
hands in the
pull-up grip
position.
142
Front Lever
Step 2: Pull
yourself up,
keeping your
head and body
straight and
aligned.
Step 3:
Continue to
pull your
legs and
torso up
until you
are parallel
with the
ground.
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LEVER PULL-UP
The front lever pull-up takes the front lever one
step further by adding in a pull-up to the exercise.
How to Perform
Step 1: Start in a
lever pull-up
position with
your arms
extended and
your body and
legs parallel to
the ground.
Step
2:
Pull
yourself up to the
bar, keeping your
legs
and body
parallel
to
the
ground.
Repeat
rep.
144
ONE-ARM CHIN-UP
If you think a two-hand chin-up is difficult, try
doing it with one hand. The one hand that is off the bar
does not hold on to the other arm.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Using a
chin-up
grip,
grasp on
to an
overhead
bar.
145
One-Arm Chin-up
Step 2: Pull
yourself up using
one hand. Keep
your legs as
straight and
vertical as
possible.
Step 3: Continue
pulling yourself
up until your chin
is above the bar.
Legs and body
stay as straight as
possible. Repeat
rep.
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ONE-ARM PULL-UP
If you’re able to do the one-arm chin-up, then try
tackling the one-arm pull-up.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Using a
pull-up
grip, grasp
on to an
overhead
bar.
147
One-Arm Pull-up
Step 2: Pull
yourself up using
one hand. Keep
your legs as
straight and
vertical as
possible.
Step 3: Continue
pulling yourself up
until your chin is
over the bar. Repeat
rep.
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X-FRONT LEVER
The X-front lever is just like a basic front lever
except the hands are crossed at the wrists.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Grasp onto a
chin-up bar
with wrists
crossed,
using a pullup grip.
149
X-Front Lever
Step 2: Pull yourself up
keeping your head and
body straight and
aligned.
Step 3: Raise
your legs into
the air so that
your body and
legs are
aligned and
parallel to the
ground.
150
X-FRONT LEVER PULL-UP
The X-front lever pull-up is just like a basic front
lever pull-up except the hands are crossed at the wrists.
How to Perform
Step 1: Start out in
an X-front lever
position with body
and legs parallel to
the ground.
Step 2: Use your
arms to pull your
body upwards,
keeping your torso
in a straight line.
Repeat rep.
151
X-MUSCLE UP
The X-muscle up is similar to the basic muscle up
except the hands are crossed at the wrists.
How to Perform
Step 1:
Grasp
onto a
chin-up
bar with
hands in
pull-up
grip,
wrists
crossed.
152
X-Muscle Up
Step 2: Pull
yourself up,
keeping the
back and legs
aligned and as
straight as
possible.
Step 3: Continue
pulling your
body up until
your chest and
waist are past the
bar and your
arms are
extended,
supporting your
weight.
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SAMPLE EXERCISE ROUTINES
The exact conditioning you do, in terms of
exercise choices, degree of difficulty, sets, and repetitions
per set, depend on your current physical condition and the
goals you are trying to achieve. When first getting started,
it’s not a bad idea to work with a fitness professional to outline a routine designed specifically for you. This
trainer can also make sure you are doing the exercises
correctly so that you get the maximum benefits with the
lowest risk of injury.
Here are some sample exercise routines for
beginner, intermediate, and advanced trainees.
Beginner Workout
Rest 15 seconds between sets.
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Jumping Jacks
3
25
Lunge
3
10
Calf Raises
3
12
Push-ups
3
15
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Diamond Push-up
3
10
Sit-ups
3
15
Chin-up
3
8
Pull-up
3
6
Dip
3
10
Plank
3
30 seconds
You might also want to add in a cardio routine on
alternate days.
Run 50 meters
10 Push-ups
Bear Crawl 25 meters
Run 125 meters
25 crunches
Run 50 meters
10 push-ups
Run 50 meters
10 Burpees
Run 50 meters
20 sit-ups
Run 50 meters
155
Intermediate Workout
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest between set
Chin-ups
3
8
15 seconds
Pull-ups
3
8
15 seconds
Dips
4
8
10 seconds
Sit-ups
3
30
10 seconds
Knee Tucks
3
12
15 seconds
Push-ups
3
15
10 seconds
Intermediate Leg Workout
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest between set
4
10
10 seconds
Running stairs 3
8
10 seconds
Jump Squats
Find a flight of stairs with 15-20 steps. Run up and down.
That counts as one set. After the last set of stair running,
do squat (bodyweight) burnout (meaning perform as
many squats as you can to feel the burn).
156
Advanced Workout
Exercise
Diamond Push-ups
Straight Bar Dips
Sets
Reps
Rest between set
4
25
45 seconds
As many as you can do non-stop
within one minute
Pull-ups
5
(variety of handgrips)
10
20-25 seconds
Hanging Leg Lifts
4
10
20 seconds
Hanging Knee Raises 2
15
15 seconds
Advanced Leg Workout
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Rest between set
Squats (bodyweight)
4
50
20 seconds
Pistol Squats (body
(weight, do each leg)
3
10
20 seconds
Jump Squats
(bodyweight)
4
10
20 seconds
Calf Raises
4
50
10 seconds
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There are so many varieties of a good exercise
routine that you should never get bored with the choices.
The main thing is to stick with it, fight off the fatigue, and
build up your endurance. The results will make it all
worthwhile.
158