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!
William is a 33-year old therapist from Malta. He trained inconsistently with weight lifting for 4-5 years which lead him questioning weather he was not strong enough or maybe there was something wrong with his training. Either way – something had to change,
This is the story of William – The Movement Athlete
“I wanted to prove myself that despite not eating meat or whatever,
I can still be insanely strong.”
As a Vegan, there are stereotypes that he needs to prove wrong. He wanted to show him what he is capable off. But not only that, he needed to train because it’s his way to cope with his occupation.
““…in my line of work, we are always exposed to different forms of negative experience that children go through. So you need to not distract yourself, but you need to learn how to cope with it. That’s my own way of coping with it.”
After years of training with lifting weights, it ended since he doesn’t feel motivated anymore. He also got stuck in his fitness journey. He needs an approach and platform that gets him the goals he has always wanted.
He learned calisthenics thanks to youtube and some research on the internet. This didn’t become fruitful so he tried out some calisthenics apps. The apps just led him to a dead end like weight lifting.
He tried out The Movement Athlete and now he’s thankful he did!
Read on how William became stronger, healthier, happier with calisthenics and The Movement Athlete.
“When I used to weight train before it used to be
like a chore.”
William didn’t feel motivated training with weights. He saw it as a chore that he just has to do.
He used as an example,
“Today I have shoulders, I have to do that machine, that machine, that machine. So it wasn’t very enjoyable. And I used to stop a lot”
He got tired of the repetitive motions of weight lifting. He finds the idea of weight lifting boring. He added,
“ [Weight lifting] was kind of boring to be honest. You count to seven and you push something for seven times.”
Not being able to enjoy his workout produces heavy negative effects on his training efficiency and effectiveness.
Hiatus every month
Since William didn’t find his workout enjoyable, he found himself training very inconsistently.
“Start very well for about three months, and then stop for about one month, so there wasn’t any [progress].”
Even though he was able to train for a good three months, he soon got tired of it. Stopped, then trained again for some time then stopped.
Remember that he trained with weight lifting for 4-5 years. He’s been training inconsistently with weights for quite some time and didn’t get the results he wanted.
Can’t blame him. It’s too difficult to continue something you don’t enjoy.
Real world strength issues
With his stop-go experience in weight lifting, he still did manage to become strong, but that’s where the next problem lies.
“Even if you bench press how many kilograms, how are you going to use that in the world out there.”
William realized where is he going to apply the strength he gained from lifting. It doesn’t necessarily translate to real world use. He didn’t find the function for his strength. So what is he training for with weight lifting?
Stuck without progress
At some point, even with so much effort, he found himself stuck in a weightlifting ditch and unable to get out. He said,
“ Because I used to write each and every weight, I ended up bench pressing that amount. And I used to see myself getting stuck, so it wasn’t that enticing, it wasn’t very appealing.”
Repetitive motions doesn’t always yield the same progress as you get stronger. There will, and always will, be a point that a proper progression should be in order to break the plateau!
Calisthenics platform search begins
And YOU TUBE IS NOT THE ANSWER
He finally decided that it’s time to move on to a different approach. He found about calisthenics that seemed very promising. He continued with his research and training bodyweight style.
“Basically I had started calisthenics for about a year and a half, and on my own, I can get a bit of help through YouTube videos.”
This didn’t produce much difference. Being in his country also didn’t help in his research of an excellent method to train calisthenics. He said,
“Here in Malta, calisthenics is still something new, so I have to report to other means such as apps.”
He still didn’t get what he wanted with his training and resources in his country about calisthenics is limited so he resorted to using calisthenics apps. He trained with a few of them, but it also led to a problem.
MYRIAD OF USELESS APPPS
“Seeing the end goal always, I always wanted to reach that end goal. But had I continued their use, I might have ended up frustrated having not reached the goal I had intended. “
The apps he found didn’t give him the proper steps that leads to his goal. He learned some progressions that doesn’t translate properly to his intended move to learn.
What happened to him made him similar to what happened to him in weight lifting: STUCK. Stuck at a move and unable to make any progress with his training.
It just made him so frustrated and ready to quit calisthenics.
I did consider once or twice of giving up on
everything, but I didn’t.
Luckily he didn’t and found out about the one thing that transcended his calisthenics game: The Movement Athlete
With The Movement Athlete, William finally got insanely strong with function strength to boot!
Here’s how William describes The Movement Athlete:
“It’s a step-by-step guide for people who have started calisthenics, and even for beginners.It gets you to reach the target goals that you’re aiming for. Such as for example one-armed hand stands and all that fancy moves in calisthenics.”
And that exactly what the app did for William.
He added,
“There is a very good explanation of how it works, and the idea of progressions. And the website says, it does mention at one point it’s like a game with levels and all that, so that was a bit exciting, it was very interesting to see.”
The Movement Athlete app is a well-put-together app that’s very easy and fun to navigate. All of that together with a scientific and efficient format to train you in your fitness journey.
The Movement Athlete is your personal trainer
Amazingly, the app acts as your personal trainer. It doesn’t just show a one-fits-all program that you have to do religiously and strictly. The Movement Athlete adjust to you as William said;
“My program might be different than yours depending on certain skills, and my present abilities.”
The app first assess your current skill level and situation just like a personal trainer. Then it tailor the program that would be best for you to work on. It’s like you’ll be able to train with your personal trainer with getting yelled at for not being able to burn the cupcake you ate last night.
The Movement Athlete is the step-by-step guide
William was able to achieve his goal through a step-by-step guide. This guide is powered by a set of proper progression that gives him the results in each and every training.
“ The progressions are so subtle, that you do notice them, but you’re not exhausted or frustrated, or on the verge of giving up. You reach a number, then by the next time you get to this exercise, in three days or whatever, you know that you’ve passed that number and even added four more.”
That’s exactly what he needs in his training, progressions with slow increments. Not too much that it causes too much fatigue which ends up to setting him back in his goals. Not too less that it causes no progress at all.
These small progress inevitably leads to goals and fulfilment.
Concrete, trackable progress through the app
With The Movement Athlete, his progress was also made more quantifiable, more concrete and more ‘trackable’.
“The fact that there’s a progression, there is a percentage ,for example, with regards to back up you’re getting to this percentage. For me it’s as an incentive, not like you don’t know where you are, calculating yourself with seconds. Obviously the app gets to that percentage through your own progress. But the fact that you can see the percentage, and where you’re going, that’s cool.”
The app basically gives you a percentage on where you are in your calisthenics journey. This is to help you strive more, to progress more and get you to your goal. You’ll also know that you are progressing slowly, but surely and efficiently.
That’s how you get things done in calisthenics and also in life!
Benefits William gained
from joining The Movement Athlete
Train consistently
As said earlier, William had problems training consistently with weight lifting. With calisthenics and The Movement Athlete, training consistently became a piece of cake!
“With Calisthenics I’ve been training a year and a half and haven’t stopped since. And I even do it daily.”
This is thanks to the fun and non-repetitive nature of the training approach. And of course, each level (progression) will be another new move. Unlike with weight lifting, it’s the same move with heavier loads only. You’ll also see and feel progress every time you train, that’s why you feel motivated to train every time.
Get insanely strong
It’s a no-brainer that calisthenics get you strong, but not only that, strong enough to do amazing calisthenics skills.
“Strong, and also do moves which other people might not consider, for example, if you consider the beginning move to skin the cat.”
Calisthenics has helped him keep lean because you can’t rely on dieting alone. He claims that eating too much, even the right food, can still hinder your progress.
Stuck no-more
“The progressions aren’t exaggerated. They are relatable and realistic.”
These are the reasons William and you will never be stuck. Progressions are well planned in your training program that it guarantees progress. The progression doesn’t are slowly added without huge jumps that will cause you to get stuck at a certain level.
Progressions are and should always be step-by-step in order to progress. The Movement Athlete provides exactly that!
Minimal equipment needed
“You are your own gym, and you just need a couple of equipment. I have my own equipment in my garage, and I’m there. You don’t need a lot of machines and all that, your own gym.”
With calisthenics, you can surely afford to make your own garage your gym. You’ll just need a few pieces of equipment. Take William’s word for it!
If you really need to save money, you can always choose to find alternatives instead of buying equipment. You can use your environment instead. For example, use your garage support beams as your pull-up bar. Just be sure to be safe and choose your equipment wisely.
Amazing body control
“Before I used to only get a handstand done by just sheer force, lifting my leg with force, and then the wall. But now it’s more control, I’m gaining more control, I think that’s the perfect stance.”
Alongside with getting insanely strong, William also got to control his body more. With the proper progressions The Movement Athlete app provided him, William trained each and every part of his body in every exercise. Training this way lead to better body control.
You’ll be aware with each muscle and function with calisthenics and The Movement Athlete. Unlike weight lifting that splits muscles in your workout.
Functional strength
“…getting off a chair with just or whatever, you carry your body around, but you’re not going to carry bench press, and squat machine.”
William’s right. You’re going to carry your body throughout your life. With calisthenics, you’ll get to master your body that can directly translate to your everyday life. You’ll master your bodyweight and control it so every movement will be much easier and more comfortable.
Strong core
Display of excellent body control and strength should have a solid base, and this solid base is the core. With calisthenics, you’ll gain body control and strength because calisthenics will train your core to the fullest.
“I’ve been using it for just one month, I’m already seeing the difference, especially with the core. So it’s working.”
Working with the app already produced much progress in terms of core strength for William. This translates to so much applications; body control and strength are just some of them.
Healthier mentally
“If you’re training, chemically there is something going on in the brain, it feels good. And even the fact that you’re using your own progressions, that’s very encouraging.”
You’ll get healthier mentally through exercise; whatever exercise you do, since being physically fit also keeps you mentally fit.
But calisthenics and The Movement Athlete also helps you mentally in other aspects too. It keeps you motivated with the progressions so you don’t get frustrated and down.
He added,
“Despite the age, despite getting there, first it encourages the idea that age is just a number. And secondly, even the fact that you’re fit, you’re there, and it feels good.”
As a therapist, William deals with a number of problems,
“…in my line of work, we are always exposed to different forms of negative experience that children go through. So you need to not distract yourself, but you need to learn how to cope with it. That’s my own way of coping with it.”
William transcended his training and way of life thanks to calisthenics and The Movement Athlete. He stronger, healthier and happier with the new platform and approach he has now embraced.
These are just some of the benefits William now enjoys with calisthenics and The Movement Athlete:
- He’s now training consistently without feeling as if he’s doing a chore. He’s enjoying and embracing the process while seeing results.
- He got insanely strong that opens him new doors for new skills and moves.
- He doesn’t get stuck anymore in his progress thanks to the proper progressions the app provides.
- Only a few pieces of equipment is needed and that’s why he was able to turn his garage in to his own gym.
- William now controls his body and didn’t only master a move only intended for the gym.
- With the body control and new strength, he’s able to apply these directly to the real world.
- Body control and strength came from the amazing solid core William got from the training.
- He’s now having a stress-free training and more mentally motivated.
Advice
Here’s how William got started with The Movement Athlete:
“I might as well try. What’s the worst that can happen, get a membership, and then it’s over, and that’s it. So the most I can do is try.”
Here’s what William think you should do:
“If the person is into calisthenics it’s a must try, definitely. It’s a must try, because it caters to you, to each and every person’s individual skills. Besides that, it’s different from one person to the next, so it’s not a fixed program, where some people might be able to pass, and some people won’t be able and it’s their problem. So the fact that it’s catered for each and every person depending on their own skills. And plus the assessment can be a change as well throughout. So I’d tell them it’s worth a try.”
Give The Movement Athlete a try and see the life-changing results!