I met a young man in his early 20's today when I was at my neighborhood park doing some calisthenics, we talked briefly about working out and ways of going about it. I told him that there was a guy on RU-vid I like to go to for excellent tips and practices...Hey, if you're watching young bro, glad you made it.
I agree. I started doing calisthenics when I was 15 and during my first year of training I gained a good bit of muscle then 1.5 year later I started doing weighted calisthenics. I'm 18 now and I'm able to do 3 plates of weighted pull ups and dips.
I appreciate that Sean! I'm definitely feeling strong & fit while digging this hybrid zone of leanness. Let's see what happens when I hit 10% and possibly below.
Calistenics is fun , cheaper, more rare and can build just as good of a physique. My arms, back, chest, and shoulders have gained significant size and definition from only calistenics for over a year. Plus there is always a new progressiom to master, unlike with weights its the same movement but with more load, which is cool and all but not as mentally stimulating in my opinion. Plus ring curls and extensions will make you learn how to contract your biceps and triceps harder because at first its harder to establish a mind muscle connection with those exercises then with say a barbell curl. As someone who struggled to build arms for years this has been a game changer the pumps are unreal
I wouldn’t say just as good a physique unless your standards is a physique far below your full potential or your genetics are so good that you only needed a few years to reach it regardless
@@iliveinsideyourhouse3943 It can’t be close because max strength=max size. I think this type of training could be a good supplement to weightlifting but not enough on its own and really not even necessary just a new fun way to mix it up
I've been doing mostly calisthenics for the past couple years. I've worked up to some pretty cool moves. 1-arm push-ups, pistol squats, handstand push-ups, ring dips, L-sit, straddle back lever, etc. Lately I've been doing a lot of weighted calisthenics. It used to always be about the weight for me, like adding on 5 lbs to my deadlfit or something. But nothing beats the satisfaction of learning a new skill.
The people who compete in Streetlifting (weighted upper body calisthenics with barbell squatting and deadlifting) tend to all be in peak aesthetic condition
The people who compete in anything tend to be the ones with the most luck and genetics on their side. We cannot necessarily draw conclusions based on these people when it comes to conditioning. Powerlifters, olympic lifters etc. are obviously muscular but there's a ton of wasted effort and harmful strain involved in those movements when it comes to muscle building. Doug Brignole has also made the argument that dips are horrible for triceps in the sense that the range of motion is pathetic compared to isolation exercises but so many guys are doing weighted dips because all that weight makes them feel like superman even though most of the effort goes into waste.
i do feel like streetlifting actually took the barebones of training, all of the lifts are heavy compounds and make an amazing physique for a very minimalistic workout(i'd add farmer walks and some type of pressing 'up' like pyke PU or shoulder press though)
I started my "fitness journey" a year ago by doing calisthenics, and until recently transitioned to weightlifting. As a novice, many important concepts such a progressive overload were easily understood since I grasped them intuitively by doing calisthenics. As well, many weightlifting concepts, such as the importance of technique, enhance my calisthenics exercises. So doing both kind of exercises is definitly a plus from a general performance perspective
Been doing callisthenics for a year now. Since COVID started I bought a pull up bar and have been doing calisthenic circuits 4 times a week as a warm up before weight training. The best training method I have ever incorporated. I cannot recommend enough. I went from not being able to do one pull up to being able to do 12 sets of 6-10 reps using different variations multiple times a week at 100kg body weight. Great video as always bro
Calisthenics is so great because it lets you do so many training styles. Conditioning, skills, weighted(for bodybuilding or streetlifting). Rings are fun.
Please make a video on combining weighted calisthenics, calisthenics and lifting weights in the gym. If possible, how to combine 3 of them in a 3 days(monday, wednesday, friday) a week programme for a gaining a greater strength on the compound movements and gaining endurance. Thanks for everything Alex. Cant wait for you to train me. Still waiting on the email response! Cheers legend!!!
I threw in calisthenics with my weight training split and without sacrificing size I became much more dense and aesthetic with a more dominant physique. Calisthenics are a must
Completely agree with you in this video man ! Last few years I have concentrated on handbalance and calisthenics. About 90% of my training is a combo of those two. With about 1 weighted calisthenics workout a week and I look and feel so much better then I did with about 8 years of “bodybuilding “ type workouts. Love your content man.
5 years ago I was getting ready for bootcamp and wanted to be as physically prepared as possible so I got to the point of doing around 400 pushups, 200 dips and 200 pullups on a daily basis. Definitely was in the best shape of my life and despite not doing a lot of running I was still able to run the mile and half requirement in just under 9 mins(you had to run it under 11 min and 57 secs to meet requirements). Calisthenics are definitely great for overall fitness and you can do them anywhere :D
I can vouch for having cardiovascular benefits from calisthenics with no running. I can run an 8 minute mile because bodyweight squats add leg endurance, and higher rep ranges in squats and pushups and pullups all started to increase cardiovascular endurance which made it easier to run.
You completely hit the nail on the head why I turned away from calisthenics. Every RU-vidr talks about the basics, but few actually talk about what those basics are and all those that do all have different answers. It gets to the point where you don’t know what to choose, what if you’re not doing the right exercises according to this new RU-vidr? That’s why I just started weight lifting and personally I found weight training to be more fit with me, but I’ll be interested to start calisthenics after I make some progress in the gym.
Sometimes it's best not to get caught up in information overload... most guys who make videos are trying to be different and stand out or trying to have unique information, rather than just going over boring basics. The best way to *really* learn what's best is not from a random You Tuber, but by trying things out for yourself and experimenting... it's a constant learning process even for advanced trainees.
The only exercise that I needed to get a huge back was weighted pullups. I guarantee you that if you work up to pulling 70% of your bodyweight, you will look like a fake natty Edit: and don’t forget rows too (body weight and heavy cheat rows works the best for me for upper back and front lever training)
This is true, but horizontal pulling is key for functional reasons. Plus, horizontal pulling helps building not only a thicker but a wider back as well. Plus, having some thickness on your back contributes to the aesthetic, or else you'll have this wide but very flat back. At one point this was the case for me. So horizontal pulling is needed for complete back development, IMO.
You didn’t find a lack of horizontal pulling to leave your back lacking in any significant way? Did you supplement your traps and rhomboids in any way?
hi alex, your videos on calisthenics have helped me put things in perspective. I used to exclusively train calisthenics and long distance running but decided to switch to the gym as I felt bored. However, when the gyms closed i reverted back to my high rep push ups pull ups and dips as well as running - i noticed that my work capacity had dropped dramatically and that i'd been wasting time in the gym. As a result of your advice, i've integrated calisthenics with a linear periodizaiton programme and cardio and I feel much more comfortable with the integration of all 3 aspects of fitness. Thank you very much for these videos!
Ive incorporated inverted rows, dips and chin ups (weighted and bodyweight) and totally replaced back squats with weighted bulgarian split squats (Form is way easier and doesnt feel like death without a squat rack) and physique is better than ever. Also enjoying my workouts a lot.
@@gilby4495 that still just weighted calisthenics imo. it would be the same as doing weighted pull ups or dips, you're adding weight to a body weight movement.
Love the idea of calisthenics, but when you are overweight your muscles can not rep out 10+ reps on bench dips or pullus so its not as fun as going to gym and bench 80% of your bodyweight for 10+reps
i did bodybuilding type of training before in the gym for a few years but calisthenics as a whole(bodyweight,weighted and ring work) seems to be the best for my torso,i look leaner,stronger and more aesthetics,i combine calisthenics with bodyweight and weighted leg/core work too,best of both worlds
There's alot of good movements like the bridge which work the posterior chain but to be honest deadlifts are the one thing that always look like I'm missing out on when not going to the gym lol. Defenetly looks like a fun grind
Pull ups and push-ups in the house helped me maintain some muscle as a slimmed down to ultra lean last summer while out of the gym, and now weighted pull/chin-ups are integral to my routine along with weighted dips. Definitely incentivizes being aesthetic which I value more than just being massive.
i got into it about a year ago because i wanted to do the major skills (planche, front lever, etc..) and it has completely chisled me out and made my physique elite. I'll be 37 in 4 months, so i would say calisthenics is highly effective.
Appreciate the love for bodyweight on your channel 👍 I stayed at a very novice level while weight lifting. After finding my goals in elite calisthenics skills, I've been able to get to a moderately advanced level of calisthenics and physique.
I'm not sure about what has made me look better, but what I can say for sure is that it's been about 6 months of only calisthenics and I'm not missing workouts or talking myself out of working out lol. I look forward to it everyday. Finding something I love has made it so easy to get my ass up and actually do it!
Paralysis by analysis. I like that, and I can relate. It’s hard to know where to start with fitness but your channel does a great job at making it simple
Getting a pair of rings was for me the best thing I ever done. Now in summer its amazing to just go around looking for new places to workout. My physique is progressing like never before
Sacked off lifting and going to gym for calisthenics. Best decision I have made. No rushing to gym in morning or after work. Best shape I have ever been in and I am 34. So much more variety aswel
Your videos made my workouts so simple!!!! Thank you very much! I’ve been focusing on weighted calisthenics and all I can say is that I wish I I started earlier. So excited to see where consistency and hard work takes me! I feel like something clicked after taking time to understand what calisthenics does to my body.
At the moment I'm too beat up for calisthenics, need the "safety" of weights in terms of stability and bein' able to use the exact resistance you want but once I get rid of my tendonitis(already got better) I will attack the pull ups once again and well, as anyone who's serious there are of course exercises I do with body weight or even added manual resistance by pullin' down on somethin', for example on the bench when doin' one legged calve raises, but the bigger movements need to be weights/machines for now
Yeah man, totally agree ! the first 4 years of training I did only calistenics and achieved very good results. And the great thing is that when I start liftng my strenght absolutely exploded. Right now I do both - high volume street fitness, as we called it here and low volume, high intensity free weights. Honestly I think it is the best from both worlds.
Alex, can you please outline some strength standards for a novice as to when to start incorporating weights into calisthenics. Specifically for pull-ups and dips. Love from North Dakota. I listen to your videos sometimes during my pushups, squats, or pulls on lunch break at work while my electrician coworkers stare at their phones in their cars. GPP every day!
Been doing wieghted calisthenics for a year and half now and legit every once in a while its good to know that im still able to maintain endurance style of training ( 50 pull ups, 100 push ups in 5 min) without really training for it.
Spot on. It's far more beneficial to learn how to activate your muscles through your own bodyweight - and really, that makes total sense. You're body is going to respond to that stimulus more than simply using momentum to move weight, even if you complete reps in the said movement.
I work long hours and iv started prioritising calisthenics more into my upper body routine because it saves so much time. Instead of setting up the bench press and fiddling with the barbells and dumbbells which always takes time, i'll just do several sets of pushups, dips, pull ups, chin ups and crunches to failure. I don’t count the reps, I just keep going until I physically cant do anymore. And when I reach failure I do half reps until i can’t do them anymore. And in 30 mins Iv had a full upper body workout! On Saturday I still do the conventional bench press variations and barbell rows but when time is short basic calisthenics is 👍
daily max effort calisthenics sessions only takes about 30-40 minutes, it's super functional strength, and yes it will drastically affect your physique (especially forearms, veins will be popping)
I'm 65 training calisthenics for 5 years. I've gone from not being able to do full ROM on the basics, pull-ups, dips, ATG goblet squats, to being able to do 12 pull-ups, may sets of 10 rep dips and goblet squatting with good form to a 6 inch depth. Calisthenics rebuilt me! Great video! Thanks Alex!
One thing Alex said and I can personally vouch for and that is doing calisthenics can make you stronger and make the transition to free weights much easier. I did pushups every day and it helped my bench tremendously. I just needed to get the balancing part down and once I did my bench went up 65 lbs
I mainly do push up, pull ups, and dips for upper body And lunges, squat, skipping, jumping, running, and their variations for lower body I only use dumbbells for biceps and sometimes I go to the gym if I need to do full body workout and need high volume training. That's better because I mainly do calisthenics and a little of gym training to avoid boredom
I’ve got 9 years of training by now in total.. I’ve quit weightlifting for a whole year and focused on calisthenics only (+ weighted calisthenics).. I came back after a year, more ”defined”, stronger on most lifts (especially chest and back).. But the craziest thing was.. I didn’t get smaller at all! So for those afraid of ”losing mass” if not doing weights for 1 month.. you’re safe😂 I highly recommend incorporating och changing it up completely! You’ll get humbled fast! Right now I work on rings.. Ring dips, ring push ups etc.. Can easily do 20-25 reps on p-bar dips but I can barely do 2 reps on rings😂 (hence I weigh 240+).. All that being said, challenge yourself! Also… we want a video on Weighted Calisthenics❤️
I went from mediocre athleticism (did boxing for a bit and on and off weight lifting over the years) with a sad looking skinny fat physique at 275 lbs and after 6 months of training Calisthenics only for my first cut, I have a well defined chest, back, and I have a faint but noticeable 6 pack at 150-153ish lbs. Never in my life have I looked this good and I fucking love it. Ending my cut this week and can't wait to start my lean bulk.
Best video on training I've seen so far, and it's not even close. People are trying to perform insane freestyle saxophone solos, or triple-double-back-to-front somersaults from the 10th floor, but they don't even know how to make a solid tone or swim. That stuff comes *after* you figure out the fundamentals.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. My chest never looks better than when I do a pushup training block. I'm not joking, I'm starting to think that metabolic stress is a better muscle builder than ultimate load. Mind you my bench is barely 300 lbs max, so as my numbers go up I might change my stance.
There is some (or whole) truth in pump training. I’ve recently just transitioned to moderate intensity, higher volume, chasing the pump and it does give me better gains than the usual heavys
I’ve always been that hybrid guy. I’m usually 70/30 calisthenics to weights in the spring summer and early fall and about 50/50 during the colder months.Best of both worlds. You can’t go wrong.
I’m just coming back from shoulder surgery, weighted pull ups and dips has always been a massive part of my training, but this is making me consider going to a full calisthenics route, once I’m back, love your content man😅🤔
Such great points! I agree when you think about Bodybuilding with weights at the gym, there are so many routines and protocols you run into that you will come to a dead stop wondering which way to go. The confusion is real and no one seems to understand doing concentration curls for a biceps peak is useless on a 14" arm. In bodyweight training though, it's all about which compound exercise can I advance to next. Doing pushups? Try it on the knee's until you get strong enough to do them on your feet. Work towards doing them with feet elevated. When you get lost, just do more of what you can already do. The body works as a unit and Bodyweight training is all about training the body as a unit. There is no fluff and no guess work. You can either do something or you're working towards doing something. Simple. Great vid!
As a middle aged lifter, I love the increased mobility I’ve developed since I started adding more bodyweight movements into my workouts. Hit the main lift for absolute strength then after that do plain old calisthenics with full range of motion for assistance work. Super simple. Super effective
No I agree with Alex 100%. Most people today want a good aesthetic look. With with the development of the muscles in the right areas data visible when you have a shirt on or off. Calisthenics is a great way to really build a lot of muscle strengthen your core and allows you to train is free space.
It’s all about the proportions of the muscles you train. The most attractive ones are lateral delts, abs (mostly lower), lats, chest, and even the neck. The goal is to get that V taper baby.
I completely agree with this video. I’ve done both but I’ve always looked my best when doing calisthenics. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that my appetite doesn’t increase when I do calisthenics so getting lean is much easier. My joints feel better with calisthenics as well.
Been working on pullups and nothing but pullups for the past 7-8 months. My back and shoulder pain is almost entirely gone, my grip has improved and i am finally starting to make actual progress.
So many people had no idea what to work on during the heavy lockdowns but somehow also had low pullup numbers. Calisthenics is dope cause you don't even really have to program. Bang out some pushups while your bagel is in the toaster, some pullups as the water heats for your shower, hold an atg squat while brushing your teeth etc I bet a program like that would make most people stronger than hitting a body part split.
I first started working out with Calisthenics consistently for a full year. Then was convinced that I should start weight training. Little did I know that I was still considered a novice in the fitness world and probably needed another year or two in Calisthenics because of my genetics. I weight trained with a PPL split for a whole year and saw minor gains but absolutely nothing close to what I had the first year in Calisthenics. Now I'm more focused on strength training with Calisthenics movements and the help of weight training and finally I'm seeing some more linear gains again. But I feel that whole year of PPL split was wasted because of the fact that it just wasn't the right time for me to do it.
Ooh Alex that upload frequency. Also I’m happy you are looking more into body weight training. I think there is a deeper layer you can go into that we overlook because we focus so much on the big three or just weights in general.
This might be bro science but 9 out of 10 people who even bulk with calisthenics have good ab development. Feels like your body doesn’t wanna put on excess weight that won’t be any useful for the exercises you’re doing in calisthenics. Also considering the fact that your core literally gets used in all the exercises either as a stabilizer or direct muscular contractions. You do get that lean muscular look that everyone wants to have. I feel most people would have a lean physique instead of being at a higher body fat percentage.
It does feel like bro science, but it makes a lot of sense, our bodies adapt to whatever condition we put it in. If you work using your hands a lot, you develop calluses. It makes sense that if you start forcing your body to do something you need to be lean to be effective at, it will respond by "encouraging" your body to be leaner thru a multitude of hormonal and phisiological mechanisms not yet fully understood. Some people say its the opposite that happens, and that people who are leaner to begin with tend to do well with calisthenics therefore tend to stick to it. Like most things in life, reality is usually in the middle, so I'd say both leaner people tend to do cali and that cali somehow tends to make your body not hold onto so much fat due to phisiological adaptations to achieve effectiveness in the conditions you're making it go thru.
_"Feels like your body doesn’t wanna put on excess weight that won’t be any useful for the exercises you’re doing in calisthenics"_ Well, that is exactly broscience. Your body doesn't "adapt" to the type of workout, it just doesn't make sense to be overweight while doing calisthenics, given that you're using your bodyweight, so you keep it to a level to where you can manage to still lift your body. That's why marathon runners are skinny and sprinters are jacked: marathon runners train for endurance, as such, their muscles don't develop in size, but they also lower their fat percentage as much as they can, as more weight = worse endurance. For marathon runners, even extra 5lbs can make a difference. Keeping their diet in check is intentional. On the other hand, sprinters need explosiveness, which is why they often do olympic lifts and don't care about size or weight, as they need strength exerted over a very short period of time. In those cases, carrying 5 or 15 extra lbs doesn't feel different. The body doesn't adapt to the type of thing you're doing, you are adapting your diet to your needs. Otherwise, all powerlifters would be fat, but some are just jacked.
@@rappatenebrense It's not... _"Feels like your body doesn’t wanna put on excess weight that won’t be any useful for the exercises you’re doing in calisthenics"_ You doing calisthenics has nothing to do with what your body decides. Your body just doesn't "decide" to keep or lose weight, you do.
@@petaryordanov1844 Actually, neither you or your body "decide" to do anything, you just react to the pressures you expose it to, just like the calluses I talked about in my comment. So it does make sense that in some level, if you expose your body to a situation in which being leaner is a necessity, it'll somehow adapt to that situation by regulating hormones that make you either want to eat less or that make you spend more calories, we dont know. We both did state we have no way of proving this and that it could be "broscience".
And there are pleny of youtubers who give very detailed videos on form for the basic, intermidiate and advanced static holds along with progressions for the other exercises that will make you look fucking awesome if you just work your arse off for a long time.
Weighted calisthenics are in my opinion, the way to go. My bodyweight goes up and yet I am getting stronger at various other bodyweight movements without training them. The carryover to weights is great and that is why I like them a lot. I feel like when you do bodyweight only, you're limiting yourself to being a "specialist". Which is fine if that's what you like, I just like that weighted calisthenics can make you both stronger at weights and stronger at skills. Of course, if you want to optimize your proficiency at a skill you would want to specialize but I don't care much for it at this point in my training career. Weighted pullups blew my back up like no other movement in terms of width. Weighted ring dips give a great pump to the chest, delts, and tri's. For aesthetics, bulking with calisthenics, preferably weighted is friggin awesome. On a side note, if you guys want to up your pulling game whether it be for calisthenics or weights I highly recommend implementing some grip training. It has been a real benefit as my grip is no longer a limiting factor in my pullups, deadlifts, and rows. A few sets of wrist curls and extensions have been a big help.
I've been spinning my wheels for about 2-3 years, maybe even more. Lately I've realized that i need to focus on getting stronger, basic movements, high protein enough carbs and fats, and gradual progression. Its what I have known for the last 5 years, but this month this kind of sinked into my brain perfectly. And paralysis analysis, yo, that shit can do you wrong
Really informative video that actually explains WHY calisthenics works so well for building an aesthetic physique. 100% would love to see a video on weighted calisthenics/mixing weights & bodyweight training together. This content really helps a lot cause the city I live in is currently in lockdown, meaning gyms are closed. Keep it up Alex.
Bodyweight exercises should be part of a well designed strength training program. Bodyweight exercises can be progressed either by moving on to more advanced variations or by adding weights. Both are good. In fact, two of the three powerlifts are weighted bodyweight exercises - squats and deadlift.
truth, weight training also has the potential to lead you to bulk up beyond what is optimal in the pursuit of strength, which is not going to happen in calisthenics, i love the weights, but calisthenics definitely has it's advantages, and should be a staple in your arsenal even if you are into lifting weights
I've done calisthenics for about 15 months in covid times. I've recently returned to the gym, and I can't believe how much my work capacity has improved. I literally have to stop myself from doing excess junk volume because I don't really get tired.
The fact that calisthenics actually makes you fit and healthy is why I prefer it. Its also not complicated. Also I can workout very frequently with it since its not low heavy reps that fatigue you
Excellent video. I like how you mentioned that calisthenics has a good crossover to weight training. I have noticed the reverse is much less true. With smart programming, bodyweight training is near-infinitely scalable, especially with muscle control techniques, isometrics and weight added.
The only weigh lifting exercises i do Is rateral raises because i hate pike push ups And i dont count squats because Its just body weigh exercises with weigh
Totally agree. It's all about aesthetics regardless if it's achieved thru calisthenics or weight training. And, yes, loving the gymnast physique as it comes off really natural and make you look strong thru training with your own body weight
Check out old school calisthenics for good routines. One example- 10 rounds of: 10 pull ups 10-15 full body dips 10-15 push ups Can take 45 minutes to an hour. Next day, 10 rounds of 50 air squats and 30 4 count flutter kicks.
I got heavily involved with calisthenics in 2022 and over time it made a huge difference in my appearance. Also no more trips to the chiropractor thanks mainly to calisthenics. Now I'm doing like 50/50 weights and calisthenics and it feels like the sky is the limit!
