“Know why you are doing calisthenics. If your answer is that you want to look ripped and get huge as quickly as possible, don’t do calisthenics. If your answer is that you want to feel stronger, more flexible, more connected to your body, then calisthenics is the way to go. It is hard to explain, but I feel more in control of my body and muscles than I have ever before, but I don’t look big – but I’m ok with that because how I feel and what I can do is way more important to me than looking big.” – Noah 

Noah’s right. Though you can get colossal arms, washboard abs, shirt-popping chest and pants-ripping legs through calisthenics, it is not the primary goal of this approach and it would take some time. The aesthetics is the result of getting stronger and getting better. 

Calisthenics focuses on training body control through skill training. If you prioritize your overall body development, then welcome to the world of Calisthenics. You’ll gain mobility, flexibility, strength and skills while getting buffed (in time) to boot. 

If you want to train calisthenics and get big faster, we suggest training with weighted calisthenics to get the job done.

Also, calisthenics would be fit you best if your enjoy the exercise. There’s no point in training if you’re not going to have fun. For sure you’ won’t last in calisthenics or any other type of exercise if you’re not enjoying it.

“Take the fitness test, accept the results. Start slowly and realize you are on a journey. Do the warm up and cool downs which are so important to avoid injury. Be patient and if you are after the gymnast look in addition to functional strength it will come in time( not my primary goal).” – Donald

Everyone has to start somewhere. Taking the fitness test gives you an idea of what to do next. Don’t worry if you didn’t get the results you’ve expected. Even the great Muhammad Ali wasn’t born a champion.

The Movement Athlete’s programs take on scientific approach to calisthenics training. Follow the program but don’t forget to listen to your body and analyze where you can improve more.

As we’ve mentioned – if you really want that physique, it will come as soon as you get to a certain level of training.

Never leave out warm-ups (but remember, static stretching isn’t a warm-up) before your workout. The last thing you want is an injury. Add to that warm-ups may prevent DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness (the dreaded aching feeling the next day after workout). And finish your workout with cooldown – it will increase your flexibility and help you relax.

TRY THE MOVEMENT ATHLETE ACADEMY AND SEE HOW YOU STUCK UP ON THE JOURNEY BY TAKING OUR ASSESSMENT

“Keep a log so you can see your progress. Calisthenics Academy does that for you. Create a vision board of what you dream of looking and feeling like. Get a buddy.” – Carol

Tracking your progress gives you an idea of where you are in your journey. If you have no record, then you’ll probably have a hard time gauging your ability and how close you are from your goal. It will also be tough for you to plan your workout routine. Good thing The Movement Athlete’s got you covered. 

Get workout buddy to train with you if you can. You’ll keep each other motivated and help maintain that perfect execution of every exercise. Remember that form is everything. Carlo’s advice also helps you stay consistent and fun throughout your fitness journey.

“Read and research as much as you can (check out the blog!), clearly define your goals and then go for it 110%.”  – Michael

They say that knowledge is power. Let yourself be guided with proper knowledge to save time and effort rather than doing a workout routine without any guarantee of getting results. 

There are plenty of resources since you probably have access to the internet. Everything’s just a search away in your everyday friendly search engines. Buy books, listen to podcasts, watch videos, read accessible and credible calisthenics blogs. 

With this knowledge in mind, don’t forget to set your goal. Your goal depends on your preference. What do you want to achieve with calisthenics? Do you want to learn a specific skill? Get stronger or lose weight? Set specific goals you can work towards and get personalized programs. 

Speaking of personalization, The Movement Athlete can get you a personalized routine. Check it out!

 “It’s all about doing more, no matter how little. Doing one more push up this week than last week, no matter how slow you go, progress is still progress!” – Mark

No matter how cliché this sounds, consistency is the key. Always challenge your body and don’t let your routine be too comfortable. If you still can’t upgrade to the next progression, add a rep or hold or set to the current one to make sure you’re progressing.

Think of training as an investment for your body. Each progress is important, no matter how small. In time, you’ll just reap the benefits of having a strong, well-controlled body. Take Mark’s word for it!

Take it slow, and listen to your body. Aches and pains are there for a reason. And take a rest day! – Timo

After pushing yourself  in your workout sessions, it’s only natural that you will be tired.Without resting, you won’t achieve desired results. Your body needs to recover.

Training recovery is your break in between your workout sessions. You could train 2 times a day granted the program is properly adjusted to your capacity and properly designed.

Recovery is necessary to avoid overtraining. Recovery is also the moment when your body becomes stronger and adapts to the stress you’ve experienced. Focus not only on your training. The recovery phase, which includes nutrition, is just as important to get your gains!

“Put your ego aside. Take small steps and continuity is the key to every success.” – Tim

Not only is it a Kendrick Lamar reference, it is a value that everyone should strive for. Training with calisthenics is a very humbling experience especially after realizing the limitless potential our bodies are capable of. Progress to the top could be steep but each session with Calisthenics Academy is a step closer to the top.

Taking your time in progressing will also ironically speed your progress. Rushing to increase your intensity, frequency, or other training variables will only lead to injury and a bruised ego.