Calisthenics, also known as bodyweight training or street workout, is a form of sport in which your own body weight acts as resistance. The main goal of calisthenics is to improve muscle mass, strength, mobility, flexibility and endurance. Popular exercises within this discipline include pull-ups, push-ups and dips. Training often takes place in parks or playgrounds, and in the Netherlands there are more and more special calisthenics parks. If such a park is not available near you, you can be creative and use your surroundings. In addition, calisthenics is known as a social sport, because you exercise outside, meet new people and learn exercises from others. The mutual inspiration and motivation contribute to the enjoyable and challenging aspects of calisthenics, making it accessible to everyone, regardless of age or experience level.
The origins of calisthenics lie in Greece, where the word 'calisthenics' is derived from the Greek words 'kallos', meaning beautiful, and 'sthenos', meaning strength, both physical and mental. Calisthenics was part of the training of soldiers in training for the Spartan elite army, where exercises such as lunges, jumping jacks, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats and dips were used to prepare them.
The different calisthenics exercises can be divided into three categories: static positions, repetitions and freestyle.
Static postures:
- Back Lever
- Front Lever
- Planche
- Shelf
- Handstand
Repetitions:
- Push Up
- Pull Up
- Muscle Up
- Squat
- Dip
- Sit Up
Freestyle is a show element in calisthenics, where creativity and explosiveness are central. During a freestyle, different static positions are combined, the athlete jumps between and over the bars, and movements from other sports such as freerunning or gymnastics are integrated to create a spectacular show.
Calisthenics competitions are organized both nationally and internationally, consisting of two main parts: strict form battles and freestyle. Strict form battles revolve around completing the most repetitions of a given exercise with perfect execution, while freestyle judges participants on dynamics, static holds, combos, presentation and audience interaction. Attending these events is not only fun but also impressive for spectators.
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