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"When I can, I do 25 minutes of calisthenic every day."
-- Willard Scott
Suggested books and readings
Raising the Bar - The Definitive Guide to Pull-up Bar Calisthenic, by Al Kavadlo
Pushing the Limits! Total Body Strength With No Equipment, by Al Kavadlo
NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training [Il Manuale del Personal Trainer], byT.R. Baechle and R.W. Earle
Isometria per campioni, by C. Mea
Core Stability Training for Injury Prevention, by K. Huxel Bliven and B. Anderson
The Effect of Long Term Isometric Training on Core/Torso Stiffness, by B. Lee and S. McGill
Calisthenic training philosophy
Calisthenic is a philosophy of training, consisting in exercises performed without equipment and by exploiting the body-weight only. Advantages: no need to go to the gym; no need to buy expensive equipment; can exercise at home (and almost everywhere) whenever you want. Disadvantages: there are no excuses to skip training!
I am going to post some basic training routines and tips to progress soon. Nothing is unreachable if you have the only "talent" needed: the willingness to train.
In fact, one does not need a gym season ticket or one of these costly miracle-promising machines they sell on TV to do the proper workout. You only need to get... a yoga mat!!! For those who want to enjoy the full range of calisthenic training, a pull-up bar will be necessary as well.
[UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
No equipment-everywhere training: bent legs v-sit while reading a paper on a train
Disclaimer
I am not a personal trainer or a nutritionist. This blog reflects my personal experience and my readings (a few of them are listed above) only. Always consult a doctor before engaging in training activities.
The myth of the "six pack" or "tartaruga"
If your target is the "six pack" (or "tartaruga"), then the right section to look at is this one. We all have a six pack, even those who never attempted a single crunch. However, it is hidden below a certain (and up to a point necessary) amount of body fat. In order to see the shape of the "tartaruga", you need to have your body fat as low as 10%, a task not so easy to accomplish. And certainly, a task that can only be chased at lunch rather than at the gym, or better over a yoga mat.
Training abs and reaching core stability is much more than a "six pack". Start training and you will forget the words "back pain" forever, getting rid of those painkillers, as it happened to me as soon as I committed to a daily (quick) training routine.
About how to train best abs and core stability, there is a way only: isometric training. Dynamic training is, on the other hand, mostly ineffective, counterproductive and in some cases even dangerous.
Calisthenic training - basic exercises
a. Core
Core fundamentals: planks - Planks are very simple and very effective exercises, affecting not only core muscles but also shoulders, arms, glutes. They are static exercises (isometric training), requiring to hold your body in the correct position. You can start with 20 seconds and increase the timing as you progress. Tips. Your body must always follow a straight line (no hips down/up or tilted; no head up/down; no bent legs). You should perform the standard plank as well as the side plank.
Standard plank
Side plank
Bent legs V-sit hold - V-sit is a very effective isometric exercise. To perform this exercise you need to lift your legs and bring your knees toward your stomach, while maintaining a straight-arm support position. Depending on how much time you manage to keep this form, you will engage also your quads. The more you bend your legs and bring them close to the stomach, the easier will be the exercise.
Dying bug - Start by lying on your back and extend your arms toward the ceiling. Legs are bent at 90 degrees, quad perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower your left arm and right leg simultaneously up to the point they are both straight. Then return to the standard position and repeat the movement using the opposite leg-arm. To be repeated several times.
Dying bug
b. Legs
Squats - Legs training is neglected by most people, the ridiculous reason being that legs are not "showy". Moreover, training legs is mentally harder. Nonetheless, it's necessary to train legs as any other part of the body. Squats are a complete lower body exercise. They primarily target glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings (the back of your legs). But they also engage some stabilizing muscles, and in particular the lower back. As you first start performing squats, your feet should be at the same width of the shoulders, but you could try variation by widening or narrowing the legs. It is crucial that your spine is aligned, that you look ahead, that your toes are firm on the ground all the time and point only slightly outwards.
Squats
Forward lunges - This exercise mainly involves on your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, hips, and glutes. Start by standing with your feet together and engage your core muscles to stabilize your spine. Take a big step forward with the right leg and plant your foot outfront, keeping your body relatively straight. Your knee should stay between your ankle and your toes not to overstress the knee joint. Your back leg should bend at the knee during a forward lunge. The knee of the lead leg should remain over your ankle and form a 90 degree angle. Afterwards, raise your hips and push with the front foot to bring your right leg back to the starting position. Repeat with the left leg. Continue until you have completed the target number of reps.
c. Arms
Knee Push ups - If you cannot properly perform a standard pushup, start with knee pushups, which is a much easier version of pushups: you do not have to push the weight of your lower legs and your body is less engaged by gravity. Your body must form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Your wrists must be lined up beneath your shoulders. You can rest your feet on the floor or cross your ankles and have your feet in the air.
To avoid injuries, put the pressure of the weight on the outside of your hands, not on the wrist. Complete the full range of motion, down until the chin and chest almost touch the floor, and then up to arms straight. Control both the descent and the pushup. Breath in on descent, breath out on ascent.
If you cannot do knee pushups, start with working on the negatives. I.e., you start at the top of the knee pushup position on the floor. Then, lower yourself down as slowly as possible. And repeat.
Push ups - Once you can do at least 30 good knee pushups, move to standard pushups.
d. Back
Standard glute bridge hold - The basic bridge is a great exercise for both back, glutes and hamstrings. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Squeeze your butt and abdominals and raise your butt and hips as high as you can while still keeping your shoulders on the ground. Hold for a few seconds, then lower down very slowly until the back almost touches the ground. Then repeat.
Straight legs glute bridge - Lie on your back with your legs straight. Squeeze your butt and abdominals and raise your butt by a few centimeters (just to lose contact with the ground) while still keeping your shoulders on the ground and legs straight. Hold for a few seconds, then lower down and repeat.
e. Stretching
Standing toe touch stretch - Never force a stretching exercise. Keep your legs straight and bend over at the waist, relax and let your upper body hang down in front of you. Let your arms and hands hang down naturally.
Calisthenic training - basic routine
Before you start - Go to google play store and install on your smartphone an interval training timer app. I suggest "HIIT interval training". This app is very useful and easy to use: you can set up your training timings (both workout and rest time).
How much, when and why - The very least you can think as training is: 15 minutes, every day, preferably first thing in the morning. I suggest to schedule your training as first thing in the morning because in this way it is easiest to program it, as very often unexpected things happen during our days and our programs are screwed. Setting up the alarm clock 15 mins earlier should not be an issue at all.
Basic 15 mins routine. All exercises: 30'' workout, 30'' rest - As you progress, try longer workouts and shorter rests, i.e. 35 & 25, 40 & 20, 45 & 15.
Plank
Side plank left
Side plank right
Bent legs v-hold
Dying bug
Plank
Side plank left
Side plank right
Dying bug
Knee pushups
Squats
(Knee) pushups
Squats
(Knee) pushups
Squats
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