A difference between calisthenics and bodybuilding It's quite simple: while the first uses your own body weight to perform physical exercises, the second generally involves the use of dumbbells, weight plates, machines and other equipment.
In other words, any exercise that uses exclusively your body weight, without adding any extra weight, can be considered calisthenics. During the practice of this modality, the individual resists the action of gravity. Here are some examples: jumping jacks, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups, planks and lunges.
If you're a beginner and still can't support your entire body weight, it's okay to use some aids, for example, supporting your knees when you're doing a push-up or hanging a resistance band to do a pull-up. However, the ultimate goal should always be to be able to execute them without these assists.
Health benefits of calisthenics
From a physical point of view, the calistenia It is a very effective means of increasing muscle strength, stability, joint range of motion and general body coordination.
“Like all sports, it needs to be adjusted for each person, which is done by the physical education professional. There are many steps before a person can lift their own weight on a bar, for example, and for this to happen, the teacher will select initial, intermediate and more advanced exercises, depending on the student's progress”, he comments. Cacá Ferreiratechnical manager at Cia Athletica.
Thus, training with your own body weight ends up contributing to a stronger body, mobile e coordinatedwith the great advantage of not needing any accessories and being practiced anywhere, whether indoors or outdoors.
“Furthermore, it is a training that, with correct follow-upo, it is quite safe and not harmful to joints and muscles”, he concludes.
