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 Justin

Have you ever reached a point in your fitness journey where you realized you wanted to achieve something different from your routine? 

This is exactly what happened to Justin.😢

Justin is a 34-year-old New York Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist and full-time Movement Athlete. 

Let us now delve into his story. 👇

This is the story of Justin – The Movement Athlete

 “I mostly focused on running and weightlifting during that time.”

Justin is a dedicated soldier who has been actively involved in athletics and fitness since middle school. He usually worked out five days a week for over 12 years. During that time, his workouts were primarily focused on running and weightlifting.🏋️‍♂️

🏃Running is a cardio exercise that improves heart health, burns calories, and increases lung capacity. On the other hand, weightlifting involves lifting weights to enhance strength, muscle size, and power; it is commonly used for bodybuilding and strength training.

“I wanted to change my workout regimen and increase mobility.” 

But despite all these, Justin was looking to switch things up and improve his range of motion when he stumbled upon CALISTHENICS.

✊Even though Justin is greatly involved in fitness, he recognizes that mobility matters. Running is mostly about cardiovascular fitness and endurance, and lifting weights is focused on building muscle strength, size, and endurance, but mobility is different.

Mobility is a cornerstone of calisthenics. Unlike traditional weightlifting, which often focuses solely on muscle development, calisthenics places a significant emphasis on functional movement patterns and joint mobility.

In the context of calisthenics, mobility refers to the ability to move joints through their full range of motion, ensuring efficient and fluid execution of bodyweight exercises.

Here are some of the Benefits of doing Calisthenics routines that work on your mobility:

1. 🏆Enhanced Movement Efficiency

Mobility training ensures that joints can move freely and muscles can function optimally. This results in smoother execution of calisthenics exercises, allowing for better form and increased control.

2. 🏆Reduced Risk of Injury

By improving joint flexibility and range of motion, mobility training minimizes the likelihood of muscle imbalances and overuse injuries.

3. 🏆Functional Strength and Control

Calisthenics emphasizes movements that mimic real-life actions, fostering functional strength. Improved joint mobility enables better coordination between muscles, enhancing the body’s ability to perform complex calisthenics maneuvers like handstands, muscle-ups, and planches.

4. 🏆Balanced Muscle Development

Mobility training ensures that muscles are properly aligned and balanced around the joints. This prevents the dominance of certain muscle groups, reducing the risk of overworking particular muscles while neglecting others.

5. 🏆Progression in Calisthenics Skills

Many advanced calisthenics skills require exceptional mobility. For instance, achieving a deep squat position is crucial for moves like pistol squats, and shoulder mobility is essential for achieving advanced handstand variations.

6. 🏆Injury Rehabilitation

Mobility exercises can be crucial during the rehabilitation phase after an injury. They aid in restoring joint function, improving circulation to injured areas, and preventing muscle atrophy.

7. 🏆Improved Posture

   Calisthenics mobility work often includes exercises that target posture-related muscles, such as the thoracic spine and shoulders. 📍Improved posture not only enhances aesthetics but also reduces the strain on the spine and surrounding muscles.

8. 🏆Holistic Fitness

Incorporating mobility into calisthenics workouts completes the picture of holistic fitness. It ensures that strength, flexibility, and joint health go hand in hand, fostering a well-rounded and capable physique.

There are tons of reasons why you should consider incorporating mobility training into your fitness routine. Mobility is the key that unlocks a world of functional movement, intricate skills, and injury resilience.

Check out our Articles related to mobility: 

• 📍Is Calisthenics Really a Better Way to Train? Calisthenics Pros and Cons
• 📍The Key To Long Term Shoulder Health
• 📍Learning Calisthenics Skills for Maximum Results, Holistic Health and Fun 

🔥The Turning Point

“I saw someone doing a planche push-up. It is something I cannot do.” 😢

Justin’s interest in calisthenics was piqued when he saw someone perform a 📍planche push-up, an exercise far beyond his current abilities. As a soldier, he understood that possessing exceptional body control and spatial awareness could give him a crucial edge in his line of work, potentially saving lives, including his own.

The planche push-up, an advanced calisthenics exercise, exemplifies strength, balance, and control. With the body parallel to the floor and the feet lifted, it challenges the shoulders, chest, triceps, and core. For active athletes, mastering this move yields several benefits:

1. 👊Total Strength: Engages multiple muscle groups, boosting muscle strength, upper body strength,  core stability, and endurance.

2. 👊Core Stability: Develops core strength and balance, which are vital for dynamic sports requiring quick changes in direction.

3. 👊Functional Movement: Enhances functional strength and coordination, applicable to various sports.

4. 👊Shoulder Health: Improves joint mobility and stability, reducing injury risks in sports involving overhead motions.

5. 👊Skill Transfer: Skills learned translate to gymnastics, martial arts, climbing, and more.

6. 👊Mental Toughness: Demands perseverance and cultivates resilience.

7. 👊Balance Correction: Balances muscle development, addressing imbalances from repetitive motions.

8. 👊Body Control: Enhances movement precision and energy efficiency.

9. 👊Physique: Achieving it contributes to an impressive upper body aesthetic.

Mastering the planche push-up requires dedication, but its rewards in athletic prowess are significant.

✨The Search for the Perfect Solution

Justin searched for a program that could unleash his full athletic potential because he preferred functionality to merely muscle growth. 

“Other solutions were geared towards muscle growth, not functionality.”

However, it wasn’t easy to find the right fit until he stumbled upon The Movement Athlete – a comprehensive calisthenics program that promised to transform his physical abilities.

Calisthenics, a fitness discipline centered around bodyweight movements, is uniquely geared towards functionality. Unlike traditional weightlifting, which often emphasizes muscle isolation, calisthenics focuses on cultivating strength, mobility, and control through movements that mimic real-world actions. This approach not only builds an impressive physique but also equips individuals with practical fitness capabilities that seamlessly translate into daily life and a variety of physical activities.

🔐The key aspects of calisthenics’ functionality include the following: 

• ✅Full body engagement
• ✅Core Strength and Stability
• ✅Joint Health and Mobility
• ✅Practical Movement Skills
• ✅Dynamic Balance and Coordination
• ✅Injury Prevention
• ✅Efficient Energy Use
• ✅Adaptability

🎯The Journey Begins

“I want to be an athlete. Able to function in any environment.” 

As Justin began his calisthenics journey with The Movement Athlete, excitement filled the air. Despite his initial skepticism about exercises like wall push-ups, he quickly realized the power of the program’s progressive approach. 

After graduating from knee push-ups and witnessing substantial improvements in his Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) scores, plank, and inverted V holds, Justin J fell in love with the program’s ability to push him out of his comfort zone.

💯Progressive Calisthenics Training 

 “The progression system has already improved my physical ability.”

One of the key aspects that intrigued Justin about The Movement Athlete was its emphasis on progressions. At first, he found himself starting with seemingly basic movements like wall push-ups, which left him wondering about the potential for improvement.

Progression in calisthenics is not only about mastering specific movements but also about pushing oneself out of their comfort zone to achieve new heights of physical capability and mental resilience.

At the core of calisthenics is the concept of progressive overload. It means starting with the basics and gradually working towards more advanced exercises. For example, one might begin with push-ups and then progress to variations like diamond push-ups, pseudo-planche push-ups, and eventually full-planche push-ups.

💯Adaptive Training

“There are small things that this program changes that have increased me scores.” 

Justin’s progress in his calisthenics training can be attributed to the adaptive approach offered by The Movement Athlete app. The app’s personalized training programs cater to individual needs, considering Justin’s fitness level, goals, and preferences. 

This tailored approach ensures that he is not following a one-size-fits-all routine but rather a program specifically crafted to suit his abilities and target areas of improvement. With challenging yet achievable exercises, Justin can avoid frustration and overtraining, allowing him to focus on steady growth and skill development.

💯Personalized Training Program 

“I use the calisthenics program in conjunction with weight and running training.”

The Movement Athlete app has proven to be a game-changer for Justin’s training journey, as it offers a personalized training program that perfectly complements his diverse fitness interests. 

Incorporating the calisthenics program alongside weight training and running, he saw remarkable results that boosted his mobility, strength, and overall performance.

Personalized training starkly contrasts cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all workouts by providing a tailored approach to fitness. For Justin, this means optimizing his progress while keeping injury risks at bay. The emphasis on addressing his strengths and weaknesses ensures that he can safely and effectively challenge himself, leading to consistent growth in his calisthenics journey. 

💯The Impact on Life 

“It forces me out of my comfort zone.”

The Movement Athlete honed Justin’s body and transformed his mindset. Embracing his limits with humility, he gained a newfound awareness of his body, making him a more efficient and effective athlete. 

💯Lessons and Advice

We asked Justin what advice he could give, and this is his advice: 

“Start from scratch. Even if you normally work out, you will find tons of exercise that smoke you, and the growth is exciting to see.”

Throughout his fitness journey, Justin learned the value of starting from scratch, regardless of prior workout experience. He advises others to take the leap and witness the exhilarating growth of pushing boundaries.

💯What’s Next

“…’it’s better to do something, even if it’s only 5 minutes, than do nothing at all.” 

As a passionate athlete, Justin doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. Now that he knows he can do it, he has his sights set on even greater challenges and accomplishments in calisthenics.