If you’re new to the gym or you really want to improve your full-body fitness, strength, mobility, and become leaner all at the same time, then all this can be achieved using just your own body weight as the resistance, or otherwise known as calisthenic training. Calisthenic training is a modality of training that utilises full body strength and co-ordination from head to toe. Squats, planks, push ups, pull ups, burpees, and many variations in between, are all good examples of calisthenic exercises that work multi-muscle groups all at the same time. A quick and focused calisthenic workout can take less than 30 minutes to complete from start to finish, and can leave you dripping with sweat in no time. It’s a convenient way to be able to fit in regular exercise into even the busiest working lifestyle. The benefits of a short calisthenic workout can challenge you in ways you just won’t touch with the default weight-training workout. A productive 30 minute body weight session can often produce greater results than the typical 60 minute gym session.

A common sight at the gym with people wanting to lose body fat and build lean muscle is that they focus too heavily on the ‘body-building’ style approach; often performing a set of chest press for example, then resting for 1-2 minutes, then repeating again and again. Sure these ‘isolation’ type exercises will build muscle and strength to specific areas of the body, but in terms of giving you the most ‘bang for your buck’, this higher intensity type training will optimise your gym time, providing a more efficient workout.

As the body holds itself up and works hard against the forces of gravity your muscles are forced to work a lot harder when compared with more ‘simplier’ isolation exercises. It is when the body has to stabilise and recruit the muscle fibres of many muscle groups simultaneously is why calisthenics is so effective. Your typical exercise session will be intensified, you’ll be working your heart and lungs sooner, and it will promote a greater symmetry of lean muscle development. A body that is more cohesive and collectively strong as a unit, is a body that is more resistant against muscle imbalances (which will reduce potential for injury) and will result in a body that is not just ‘strong-looking’ but will also produce a body that is functionally strong to the core.

All different levels of fitness can be catered for. If you’re a beginner, body weight training is a great place to start. Otherwise, if you’ve been training for a while, there’s many variations of exercises that you can incorporate to challenge almost anyone. How well you can move your own body weight provides a good barometer of where your real-time fitness is headed.

​Give it a try today, and learn the benefits of how using just your own body weight can tick-off many of your fitness goals in just one hit. I’ve included below a ‘beginner’ style calisthenic program for you to try. Push play, and workout along with me – it’s harder than it looks!