Join the tribe of Movement & Calisthenics Athletes – people just like you that are working with their own body weight to get strength, lose fat build muscle, recover from injuries and live their best lives!

🔥Meet ZJ

Have you ever wondered how a childhood love for sports can evolve into a profound commitment to fitness?

ZJ, a 27-year-old social worker from Singapore, encountered this evolution first hand. 

His journey commenced with a fervent interest in sports that led him to explore various physical activities like volleyball, badminton, and casual running. 

Let us begin! 👇

✨This is the story of ZJ– The Movement Athlete

“Growing up, I’ve always been a huge fan of sports and have always dabbled with it in one form or another…”

ZJ’s journey through sports has been an evolving story, a narrative that began with the unstructured joy of childhood play and gradually transitioned into more structured athletic endeavors. 

The progression from running around to the competitive fields of volleyball and badminton showcases a growing passion for physical activity. 

However, it was the world of calisthenics that truly captured ZJ’s dedication.

👊 A Transformative Fitness Turning Point

“ However, as I continued to do calisthenics-based workouts, I started to develop a strong liking for it – the amazing skills that people were doing, the feeling of control and freedom of your body – these were all a pull factor for me.”

Around three years ago, a pivotal shift occurred in ZJ’s fitness journey. He started doing calisthenics seriously.

ZJ’s introduction to calisthenics unfolded through the influence of a close friend. In the beginning, ZJ got into calisthenics by watching and copying what his friend was doing. However, as time passed and his journey with calisthenics evolved, an intrinsic fondness began to take shape.

ZJ developed a fondness for calisthenics for several reasons. He found the impressive moves that skilled people could perform to be quite cool. Additionally, the remarkable ability to control the body astounded him. These aspects fueled ZJ’s growing interest and motivated him to strive for improvement in calisthenics.

Body control in calisthenics is the precise manipulation and coordination of your body during exercises. It includes maintaining stability, balance, and fluidity in bodyweight movements.

Calisthenics emphasizes body control, which is crucial for mastering advanced skills, improving strength, and preventing injuries. It involves elements like proper form, muscle engagement, and awareness of body positioning during exercises.

Several calisthenics skills specifically emphasize body control. Here are some examples:

• ⚡️ Handstand

Performing a handstand requires precise control of the entire body to maintain balance and stability while inverted.

• ⚡️ Planche

The planche involves holding the body parallel to the ground while balancing on the hands. Achieving and maintaining this position demands exceptional core strength and body control.

• ⚡️ Front Lever

In a front lever, the body extends horizontally while hanging from a bar, emphasizing control over the entire body to maintain a straight line.

• ⚡️ Human Flag

The human flag involves holding the body horizontally sideways while gripping a vertical pole. This skill requires significant upper body strength and exceptional body control.

• ⚡️ L-sit

An L-sit involves lifting the legs straight out in front of the body while holding onto parallel bars or the floor. It requires core strength and control to keep the legs elevated.

• ⚡️ Back Lever

Similar to the front lever, the back lever involves holding the body horizontally but facing downward, emphasizing control of the posterior chain and core.

• ⚡️ Muscle-Up

A muscle-up combines a pull-up with a dip, requiring coordinated and controlled movements to transition from hanging to supporting the body above the bar.

• ⚡️ Dragon Flag

The dragon flag, made popular by Bruce Lee, involves lying on a bench or the ground and using the core muscles to lift the entire body straight up while demonstrating exceptional control.

• ⚡️ Hanging leg raise

Hanging leg raises involve lifting the legs while hanging from a bar, focusing on controlled movement to engage the lower abdominal muscles.

• ⚡️ Pistol Squat

A one-legged squat, the pistol squat demands balance, strength, and control throughout the movement, particularly in the stabilizing leg.

These calisthenics skills not only contribute to physical strength but also emphasize the importance of body control, balance, and coordination in executing these challenging movements.

ZJ’s encounter with calisthenics was a turning point. With an intent to share his fitness experiences online, he stumbled upon the Movement Athlete (TMA) app. 

Skeptical at first due to the abundance of similar platforms, ZJ found TMA’s unique focus on calisthenics and gradual progression a significant draw. 

The emphasis on building a strong foundational base before advancing to more complex movements aligned perfectly with his fitness philosophy.

🙌Program Highlights: Focused on Progressive Overload

“At the core of it all, the concept of progressive overload is something that TMA showcases through its workouts.”

ZJ’s admiration for the Movement Athlete primarily stems from its emphasis on progressive overload. He values the absence of “get-rich-quick-scheme” approaches and applauds. 

Progressive overload is a fundamental principle in strength training and fitness that involves gradually increasing the intensity, duration, or complexity of your workouts over time to continually challenge and stimulate your muscles. The concept is based on the idea that for muscles to grow and adapt, they must be subjected to increasingly greater demands.

There are several ways to implement progressive overload:

1. ☑️ Increasing Resistance: Gradually lifting heavier weights or resistance to continually challenge your muscles.
2. ☑️ Adding Repetitions: Increasing the number of repetitions performed during an exercise.
3. ☑️ Adjusting Sets: Adding more sets to your workout routine.
4. ☑️ Enhancing Workout Frequency: Increasing the frequency of your workouts per week.
5. ☑️ Improving Exercise Techniques: Focusing on better form and technique to engage muscles more effectively.

By consistently applying progressive overload, you can promote muscle growth, strength development, and overall fitness improvements over time. 

TMA’s structured method of nurturing users’ fitness foundation before progressing to more challenging workouts. 

This commitment to gradual, step-by-step advancement stands out in an industry that often overlooks such foundational building blocks.

The Movement Athlete stands out by offering a unique blend of features that cater to individuals. 

👊 Adaptive Calisthenics

The program recognizes the diverse needs and skill levels of its users. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced practitioner, The Movement Athlete provides adaptive calisthenics routines. This adaptability ensures that individuals can tailor their workouts to their current abilities while still challenging themselves to progress.

👊 Step-by-Step Progressions

A key highlight of The Movement Athlete is its commitment to progressive, step-by-step progressions. The program takes users through a structured journey, starting with foundational exercises and gradually advancing to more complex movements. This systematic approach ensures that individuals build a strong base before attempting more challenging skills, fostering both skill mastery and injury prevention.

👊 Personalized Approach

Recognizing that fitness is not one-size-fits-all, The Movement Athlete embraces a personalized approach. Users have the flexibility to integrate the program into their existing fitness routines, allowing for a customized training plan. This adaptability ensures that individuals can address their unique goals, preferences, and fitness levels, enhancing the overall effectiveness of their workout regimen.

👊 Community Support and Mentorship

Beyond the individualized approach, The Movement Athlete fosters a community where like-minded individuals can connect. This community aspect provides a supportive environment where users can share experiences, insights, and advice. 

Additionally, more experienced individuals may offer mentorship, creating a collaborative atmosphere that contributes to the overall growth and motivation of participants.

By selectively incorporating the Movement Athlete app workouts, ZJ not only enhances his current routine but also gains fresh perspectives and new ideas to further develop his training regimen. This fusion allows him to continually build upon his existing fitness base while integrating novel techniques and movements into his workouts.

Embracing this as a natural phase, ZJ has learned that overcoming plateaus eventually leads to emerging stronger on the other side.

Reflecting on his journey, ZJ’s greatest lesson has been to prioritize consistency and patience. He firmly believes that by staying committed and allowing the process to unfold with patience, the desired results will inevitably manifest. This understanding has become a guiding principle in his approach to fitness, emphasizing the importance of persistence and steady progress. 

🙌Integration into Daily Life: Training and Habits

“… make it (workout) an essential and non-negotiable part of your day, and you’ll eventually stick to it.”

For ZJ, adding a workout routine to his daily life is pivotal. He stresses the importance of habit formation and making his fitness sessions, whether they last 20, 40, or 60 minutes, a daily priority. 

By making fitness a priority in his routine, ZJ ensures that he stays committed and consistent with his training regimen. This approach has been instrumental in his ability to maintain a steadfast dedication to his fitness goals.