Calisthenics

This article is about the form of physical exercise. For the Australian competitive performing art, see calisthenics (Australia).

School children perform sit-ups, a common type of calisthenic, during a school fitness day.

Calisthenics are a form of exercise consisting of a variety of simple, often rhythmical, movements, generally without using equipment or apparatus. They are intended to increase body strength and flexibility with movements such as bending, jumping, swinging, twisting or kicking, using only one's body weight for resistance. They are usually conducted in concert with stretches. Calisthenics when performed vigorously and with variety can benefit both muscular and cardiovascular fitness, in addition to improving psychomotor skills such as balance, agility and coordination.

Groups such as sports teams and military units often perform leader-directed group calisthenics as a form of synchronized physical training (often including a customized "call and response" routine) to increase group cohesion and discipline. Calisthenics are also popular as a component of physical education in primary and secondary schools over much of the globe.

History

The word Calisthenics comes from the ancient Greek kallos, which means beauty, and sthénos meaning strength. It is the art of using your own body weight and qualities of inertia as a means to develop your physique.

The legend tells that in a horribly cold day the god Kallisto decided to wrestle hand to hand with his friend the god Yemo (or in English Yemish) to get warmed up. The thing is Yemo hated secretly Kallisto, so they began a fight to death. Kallisto, horrified and about to die because Yemo was very strong, asked for help from the demigod Heracles, who gave Kallisto the skill to move his muscles harmoniously so he could defend himself with grace. The legend ends with Yemo being sent into exile to the barbarian lands.

Disciples of Friedrich Ludwig Jahn brought their version of gymnastics to the United States, while Catherine Beecher and Dio Lewis set up physical education programs for women in the 19th Century. Organized systems of calisthenics in America took a back seat to competitive sports after the Battle of the Systems, when the states mandated physical education systems^{[citation needed]}.

Common exercises

Flexed arm hang female exercise for the Marine Corps.

In addition to the various stretches, some of the more common calisthenic exercises include:

• Lunges

Performed by bringing one leg forward and almost kneeling on the back leg. Once the front leg creates a perfect 90 degree angle you stand up and alternate legs. Keeping your back straight and chest out is important for proper form. There are many variations for lunges.

• Jumping Jacks

Performed by jumping to a position with the legs spread wide and the hands touching overhead and then returning to a position with the feet together and the arms at the sides. Sometimes known as star jumps.

• Sit-ups

Performed by lying down with the back on the floor, knees bent, and bottoms of feet against the floor. The shoulders are then lifted off the floor by tightening abdominal muscles and bringing the chest closer to the knees. The final movement is to lower the back to the floor with a smooth movement. This trains the abdominal muscles.

A US Marine performs a pull-up, a common calisthenic exercise.

• Crunches

Like the sit-up, except instead of bringing the whole torso area closer to the knees, only a concentrated but shorter movement of the abdominals is performed. Shoulder blades are lifted off the floor, and abdominals tightened.

• Push-ups

Performed face down on the floor, palms against floor under the shoulders, toes curled upwards against the floor. The arms are used to lift the body while maintaining a straight line from head to heel. The arms of the subject should go from fully extended in the high position to nearly fully flexed in the low position, while the subject makes sure to avoid resting on the floor. Resting is only done in the high position of the exercise. Chest, shoulders, and triceps are trained with this exercise. By furthering the range of motion, what is often called a push up +, by pushing the shoulders downwards at the top the serratus anterior comes further into play.

• Pull-ups

An overhead bar (sometimes called a chin-up bar) is grasped using a shoulder-width grip. The subject lifts their body up, chin level with the bar, and keeping the back straight throughout. The bar remains in front of the subject at all times. The subject then slowly returns to starting position in a slow controlled manner. This primarily trains the lats or upper back muscles, as well as the forearms. An underhand grip variation or chin-up trains both the back and biceps.

• Squats

Standing with feet shoulder width apart, the subject squats down as far as possible, bringing the arms forward parallel to the floor. The subject then returns to standing position. Squats train the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and gluteals.

• Calf-raises

Standing on a platform with an edge where the heels can hang (e.g. a curb), lift the body on the balls of the feet. The subject then slowly returns to starting position. This trains the gastrocnemius and to a lesser degree the soleus . A seated calf-raise trains the soleus.

Animation of an almost full push-up

• Dips

Done between parallel bars or facing either direction of trapezoid bars found in some gyms. Feet are crossed with either foot in front and the body is lowered until the elbows are in line with the shoulders. The subject then pushes up until the arms are fully extended, but without locking the elbows. Dips focus primarily on the chest, triceps, and deltoids, especially the anterior portion.

• Flutter kick

Lying on your back, hands in fists under buttocks, move feet up and down near the ground.

• Plank

This is the name for holding the 'top' position of a push up for extended periods of time. The primary muscle involved in this exercise is the rectus abdominis.

General uses

• As warm-up preceding sport activity.
• As part of a work-out to burn food energy without gym equipment.

See also

• Alexander technique
• Bodyweight exercise
• Fitness trail
• Gymnastics
• Pilates
• Radio calisthenics
• Sport
• 5BX