Calisthenics: From the gym to the beach
Six months ago, I did what every other guy in my age does. I lifted weights in the gym. One muscle group per day as usual. My workouts were consisting of sets and reps in the hypertrophie range ( 4 x 8-12reps per exercise).
Because I was bored of my everyday I decided to take half a year off to enjoy life in California. This was one of my best decisions in my life so far and I think everyone should do something like that but that’s another thing…
I’ve spent three months in Santa Monica where the Muscle Beach is located. There is different kind of public workout equipment like paralell bars, monkey rings, pullup bars etc. People are working out and messing around every day and you’ll never exercise alone, what this place definitely makes a good possiblity to make new friends and exchange knowledge.
From the first day I was inpsired by those people with crazy skills. Guys practice flips, handstands, levers, planches and all of this named Calisthenics moves. For all those who have never heard Calisthenics before: it’s kind of working out with only bodyweight and includes similar moves like in gymnastics.
I started working out at the muscle beach (simple bodyweight exercises like pullups, pushups etc.) at the end of every workout I practices some basic Calisthenics moves. At this point I was not even able to hold a handstand.
Because I had only half of the day to go to school, I had enjoyed a lot of my freetime working out at the beach. It’s pretty cool to get stronger and tanned at the same time 🙂
I got better and better every time I hit the beach. Well – I have to say that I still lifted some weights in addition to this bodyweight training and sometimes I was so fcking sored that I were not able even to to a handstand. However, I made good progressions and as you can see, I’m able to do things like press-handstand, back- and frontlever, muscle ups, ring muscle ups and the movement I’m most prooud of: the Iron Cross.
Calisthenics
You can find movies of me doing this things on my instagram account.
Instagram: GymPerformance
I’m at the end of my US trip and I still have trouble to find the balance between weights and bodyweight training.
Calisthenics is damn time intense, that’s being said. I stretch A LOT and I really mean A LOT! Sometimes, my stretch sessions are longer than my workouts, but stretching in a group or joining a yoga class definitely makes it easier.
In future, I will definitely keep practicing Calisthencis moves, but unfortunately I won’t have that much time and I’ll see how I can manage fitness with my job.
Well, that’s my story so far – let me know if you have questions or are interested in further information.
– Tinu
