Training with your own body weight is a very useful technique, not only because it is simple to carry out but also because it is as effective as any other method, this technique is called: CALISTENIA.
Calisthenics, like any other training method, will have its pros and cons, it will not be for everyone and it will have certain peculiarities in terms of the objectives you want to achieve.
However, this will depend on certain factors, very relative, and as we have already seen for training with elastics and training with weights, let’s try to analyze these points.
Advantages of doing calistenia
It can be practiced anywhere
Training with body weight allows you to train everywhere. With a net benefit for sports coaches who can skip expensive equipment and large facilities, it is extremely economical at home.
Allows to gain strength quickly
Without taking into account the concept of maximum strength, some calisthenics exercises allow the development of great strength. And if it is possible to establish a correct progression routine, it is possible to acquire this strength very quickly.
Even doing calisthenics can be ideal if you want to gain strength before training directly in the gym and focus on muscle hypertrophy routines in order to stimulate greater muscle development.
No need for a huge initial investment
A big advantage of calisthenics training is that little or no equipment is needed to train.
Not having the need to use specific equipment means that you don’t have to buy anything expensive to start training.
Of course, as you progress, perhaps some equipment may be necessary (for example, a barbell, or rings), but the investment is still very small compared to weight training, where the equipment is expensive or the monthly subscription is adding up.
Doing calistenia allows to develop different qualities
As you progress through the different calisthenics exercises you are going to be challenged in multiple ways and not just in regards to maximum strength.
As a result of this, you will develop strength, balance, mobility, flexibility, etc.
Exercising with our body weight also offers a great variety of movements and exercises to perform, being a great ally for athletes of different disciplines.
Calistenia is ideal for fat loss
Calisthenics is one of the best training tools for fat loss.
I say this because calisthenics can be easily implemented in HIIT training, circuits, etc.
These methods are some of the bests for weight loss, and they all include some bodyweight exercises in their routines.
Disadvantages of calistenia
It can be very difficult at first
Training with body weight can be very difficult, so it ends up discouraging many beginners, something that is worse when you are overweight or do not have a basic athletic structure.
It is difficult to isolate certain muscle groups
When training to gain strength or endurance, isolating muscle groups may not be of interest to you.
However, if you want to target those weak muscles that slow your progress, one of the best options is to practice isolation exercises. But isolating muscle groups or weak points is very difficult to achieve when training with bodyweight exercises alone.
In this sense, weightlifting is superior to calisthenics, since it allows the areas that require more attention to be isolated quite easily.
It has limitations on leg training
This is the biggest downside to bodyweight training.
While calisthenics, and thanks to different squat exercises, can help build muscle and develop strength, as well as strong and resistant joints in the lower body.
If you intend to develop huge legs, it will not be the best discipline to achieve it, since the volume of training does not only help.
Think that you need to exercise with a lot of weight to develop big legs, and in this sense, there is nothing better than weight training to achieve it.
Progressions are not intuitive
Most people who give up calisthenics training are because they can’t figure out how to progress to more difficult movements.
Unlike weightlifting where you simply put more weight on the bar, in bodyweight training you will have to gradually move into more advanced progressions.
Sometimes figuring out these progressions yourself can be very difficult.
Furthermore, these progressions can be measured only in terms of difficulty and not in terms of actual strength acquired.
It is difficult to develop a lot of muscle mass
Yes, you will gain body mass by training with your own body, but while bodyweight exercises are very effective in developing a muscular body, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the body of a competitive bodybuilder when training with calisthenics., no matter how much we use some kind of ballast.
Conclusion on calistenia
There is no question that calisthenics training is a very effective and efficient way to gain strength, lose fat, and build muscle.
However, no method is perfect and the same rule applies to calisthenics.
Although, although it has its weaknesses, these are very few and of little impact compared to all the advantages it offers.
I would say that it is essential that all beginners do this type of training work at the beginning of their sporting life, then depending on their objectives it will be necessary to vary the disciplines, or not.