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Calisthenics vs Weightlifting

Calisthenics is all about training with you OWN body weight.

Weight lifting is about training with EXTERNAL weight.

So calisthenics is everything you do with your body weight, for example walking:

But also running:

And even standing:

Fun fact: Did you know that astronauts need about 3 days of 'training' to even function properly when they return to earth?

Yes, if you walk around on planet earth you are constantly training your body.

By now you know that you are ALREADY doing calisthenics EVERY day, but the question is:

"How hard do you want to train?"

And it's not easy to answer, because it depends on:

• How long you have been training.
• What your goals are.
• How fast you recover.
• How much progress you are making now.
  

The best way to start?

3 days a week.

Doing something over a longer period of time consistently, ALWAYS beats doing something very hard for a short period of time.

Facebook sees 3.9 million check ins in January:

By the time February hits...

...there is a 10% decline in check ins (that's a staggering 390.000 visits).

This happens EVERY year.

Obviously, you don't want to make the same mistake.

Because the #1 factor for results is consistency. 

Follow a training plan you can STICK to.

And if that means you can't do it every day...

...so be it.

Let's discover 3 major reasons for why you should do intense calisthenics training at least a few times a week.

Benefit 1 - Physical Freedom

Here is where you discover that you can train calisthenics EVERYWHERE.

For example, let's say you are short on time.

Well, you could ask yourself: "What equipment do I have?"

Some tools might come to mind like:

• Dumbbells
• Squat stations
• Elastic bands
  

Or you might have discovered that your body is your biggest tool. 

In that case, first head over to, the 14 fast beginner routines:

That will provide you with tons of inspiration:

Then look at your intensity:

And perhaps it's a sunny day, so you take a look at the calisthenics parks in your area:

You can train at any place, at any time.

Pretty cool, right!

Benefit 2 - Functional Strength

Another cool reason to train calisthenics every day is because it develops 'functional strength'.

Here is why:

You are using movements that you ACTUALLY do in daily life.

For example let's say you want to play basketball, go for a swim or play soccer.

Well, you'd want to have some prior training of those movements.

Like the ones you can receive in the warm up post:

If you scroll to the bottom of the post, you'll find the 3 major compound movements that you need for most sports. 

These are PROVEN exercises...

...so you don't have to guess whether or not they work. 

Add a good diet to your calisthenics workout plans and you'll develop both strength, endurance and muscle mass:

All good things take time...

...and you'll have a body that can actually do stuff.

Because that's exactly what you are ALREADY training.

So go out there and DO what you LOVE.

Run, jump, sprint, climb and play. 

Benefit 3 - Social Connection & Motivation

Nothing BEATS training with a group of MOTIVATED friends.

According to the British Medical Journey, people who want to improve their physical fitness and are supported socially are likely to train more consistently and have healthier behaviours. 

More, being related to people and connection is a key factor for general life motivation. 

As illustrated below:

That's motivation beyond just training...

...so having supportive people and connecting to people will not only motivate you to train better.

It will motivate you to become more than you think you can become. 

That's what calisthenics is all about in the end. 

Finding the right people and becoming your best self!