Disclaimer
Fro fitness provides the context in this eBook for information and entertainment
purposes only.
The information presents elements of personal training advice however nothing
presented should be relied upon by viewers/readers and no results are guaranteed.
This is a general programme and the author disclaims any liability for injuries, damages
or results occuring from the information within this eBook.
When downloading an introduction to Calisthenics you here by acknowledge the risks
associated with using this information and agree to not hold the author or
representatives accountable for injuries, damages or results of improper use of this
information
Fro fitness advises you to consult a licensed health care professional before using this
information.
Copyright © Tayo Awoderu 2017. All rights reserved worldwide
About me
My name is Tayo Awoderu and I have been on a mission to master my own body
weight. 5 years ago I began my calisthenics journey. I struggled to do a single pull up
at the start, now I can perform jaw-dropping gravity defying movements. I would like to
share with you my first hand experience on how to go about starting body weight
training and how YOU can also become an elite calisthenics athlete.
I hold a level 3 qualification in Personal Training and Exercise Nutrition along with a
Bsc (Hons) degree in Accounting and Finance. Over these past 5 years I've gained a
vast amount of knowledge on the health benefits of body weight training and how it can
also lead to a healthier longer-lasting lifestyle.
I hope you enjoy this eBook and congratulate you on making a start on your
Calisthenics journey
History
Calisthenics comes from the ancient Greek word "kallos" (κάλλος) which means
beauty and "sthenos" (σθένος) which means strength. Beauty and strength.
Calisthenics is the art of building an "aesthetic" physique using only your body
weight.
The first encounter of Calisthenics can be argued to be from the Spartan era (600-400
B.C) Calisthenics would have been a major part of a spartan soldiers workout regime.
Lunges, squats, crunches, jumping-jacks, pull ups, push ups, dips and planks were
just some of the many exercises included in their training.
Every culture and civilization has utilized Calisthenics in one way. The Shaolin monks
in China used Calisthenics to build remarkable strength so that they could protect
their monasteries from looters and robbers. Traditional Indian wrestlers used body
weight exercises to condition their bodies. The Roman gladiators trained Calisthenics
in their camps. The army still to this day uses Calisthenics as a way of testing physical
fitness levels.
What to expect?
Calisthenics uses ones body weight as a form of resistance to build muscular strength and endurance.
Your training approach will depend on your individual fitness goals.
If your focus is on building strength to perform skills such as the front lever and planche you must
progressively overload the muscles by performing harder variations of certain exercises week by week.
This can be done by decreasing leverage. Try doing a regular push up. Not so bad right, now go into the
push up position lean slightly forward and try do a push up. It's much harder now! This is an example of
decreasing leverage.
If your focus is on building a better physique time under tension is the main focus. The exercises you
perform must be hard enough to create damage to the muscle/s but light enough to perform for enough
repetitions in order to create the damage. Slow controlled movements will optimize results.
In my opinion working within the 1-5 rep range leads to greater increases in strength. The 8-12 rep range
works best for hypertrophy (Muscle growth) and anything beyond the 20+ rep range is working more on
muscular endurance.
As a beginner expect noticeable increases in muscularity, endurance, strength, flexibility, coordination,
leanness. The lighter you are the easier you will find body weight training because your body is the
weight. The taller you are the harder you may find body weight training hence why most Olympic
gymnasts are small in height and lighter in weight. However If you work hard stay consistent and have
patience YOU WILL become stronger overtime. As Denzel Washington would say.. "I guarantee it!"
Pro's and Con's
Pro's Con's
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere. No gym All exercises are compound so It's hard
membership required to isolate a specific muscle group
Minimal equipment is required Tire easily
Learn new skills such as handstands, It's hard to progress without the right
front/back levers, human flag, planches knowledge
Functional style of training. The strength and Hard to put size on your legs
flexibility gained will relate to real life situations
such as cleaning or carrying your shopping As you progress with your training you
may need to invest in more equipment
It supports weight loss. Calisthenics such as rings or parallettes to continue
movements are compound exercises. Multiple to see results.
muscle groups must work together in order to
perform a rep or static hold. Therefore your
body burns more calories to fuel your muscles.
Its not boring! You have an unlimited variety of
exercises to chose from and your creativity with
it is limitless
How to start?
First things first work towards mastering the basics!
- Pull ups
- Push ups
- Dips
- Core
- Legs
Before you learn any of the fancy stuff you have to build the strength for it otherwise you'll risk injury.
Build your foundation first. Set yourself a target of achieving:
- 10 consecutive Pull ups
- 20 consecutive Push ups
- 15 consecutive Dips
- 30 second Plank hold
- 25 consecutive squats
To achieve these targets create yourself a full body circuit from the YouTube link provided above ^ Pick
4 Pulling exercises, 4 pushing exercises, 4 core exercises and 4 leg exercises. Perform 3 sets of each
exercise, rest 2 min between sets and the rep range will be up to you depending on your level of
strength. Repeat this workout 4 times a week until you reach your targets. As a beginner you should
see noticeable changes in muscularity, endurance and strength.
Nutrition
When it comes down to any form of training nutrition is key especially If one of your goals is to
achieve an "aesthetic" physique. Have a well balanced diet with lots of variety. Drink plenty of
water and avoid junk food such as cakes, crisps, soda etc.
it all boils down to calories at the end of the day:
Eating > Daily Calorie Needs = Gain weight
Eating < Daily Calorie Needs = Lose weight
Calories in = Daily Calorie Needs = Maintain weight
To find out your Daily Calorie Needs (Maintenance Calories) you need to workout your Basal
Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your daily activity levels. BMR is the amount of calories your body
needs at rest. Even when you are not moving your body needs calories to fuel its vital organs.
You can calculate your BMR by clicking here
Your BMR is determined by a number of different factors such as Height, Weight, Age, Gender
etc. Once you know your BMR, you can calculate your Daily Calorie Needs based on your
activity level using the Harris Benedict Equation.
Once you know your Daily Calorie Needs you can create a caloric surplus for yourself if you
want to gain weight or a caloric deficit for yourself if you want to lose weight. Example..
Height - 5"9 Daily Calorie Needs = BMR x 1.55 (moderately active)
Weight - 158 lbs/ 71kg
= 1,777 x 1.55 = 2,754
Age - 22
Gender - Male
To maintain my current physique I need an estimated 2,754
BMR = 1,777 calories
calories everyday. If you wanted to gain/lose weight the online
calculator can work this out for you. Just follow the steps and click
here
Health benefits
Body weight exercises are more functional. Calisthenics is a form of functional training. By
practicing calisthenics you are strengthening your muscles to perform movement patterns which
will maintain or improve your quality of life. Squats mimics the action you take when you sit
down in a chair and get back up. Performing pull ups and dips will strengthen your upper torso
which is needed if you were to carry heavy bags of shopping. As you age continued calisthenics
training will lead to improved balance, agility, muscular strength and will reduce the likelihood of
any unexpected falls.
Calisthenics can build muscle mass if the exercises is hard enough but light enough to perform
for enough repetitions to create the damage. Increased muscle mass raises your metabolic rate
which means your ability to burn calories throughout the day will increase. From this we can say
calisthenics promotes weight loss
Every exercises is a compound movement and performing exercises back to back as a circuit
will have an aerobic effect. This is one of the most effective ways to burn off fat and suggests
why people who practice Calisthenics become leaner and more muscular looking.
@ Abnormal_Beings
