Callisthenics or the gym – what’s better for strength training?

Callisthenics is a type of training where you do bodyweight exercises to build strength. It’s versatile, low cost, and easy to start.

Classic callisthenics moves include:

• push ups

• bodyweight squats

• chin ups

• burpees

• lunges using only your bodyweight.

Advanced callisthenics includes movements like muscle-ups (where you pull yourself above a bar) and flagpole holds (where you hold yourself perpendicular to a pole).

In callisthenics, you often do a lot of repetitions (or “reps”) of these sorts of moves, which is what can make it a hybrid strength and cardio workout. In the gym, by contrast, many people take the approach of “lifting heavy” but doing fewer reps to build serious strength.

Traditionally, callisthenics was more of a muscle sculpting, strength-based work out. It is reportedly based on techniques used by ancient Greek soldiers.

The Oxford Dictionary says the term callisthenics – which is said to be based on the Greek word κάλλος or kállos (meaning beauty) and σθένος or sthenos (meaning strength) – first started showing up in popular discourse the early 1800s.

Callisthenics is often associated with high intensity interval training (HIIT) routines, where jumping, skipping or burpees are combined with bodyweight strength-building exercises such as push ups and body weight squats (often for many reps).

Callisthenics exercises draw on your natural movement; when children climb on monkey bars and jump between pieces of play equipment, they’re basically doing callisthenics.

Benefits of callisthenics

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