If you’re having trouble getting to the gym, calisthenics for women may be for you!
Calisthenics is essentially a fancy way of saying ‘bodyweight exercises’ These exercises build muscle, prevent weight gain, and can improve mobility and flexibility. An added bonus is that you don’t need any equipment to perform calisthenics!
Many fitness fanatics opt to go to the gym and use free weights and machines. However, if your gym options are limited, which has been a common complaint in 2020, calisthenics may be an excellent alternative!
Check out these tips below to get started.
Quick Guide
What is Calisthenics for Women?
The term calisthenics originates from the Greek words kálos and sthénos. These words literally mean beauty and strength.
Calisthenics is technically defined as training the body for physical improvement and strengthening your muscles by using the body as the training equipment.
Many gym-based workout plans only consider strength training. However, calisthenics exercises take into account the three main pillars of fitness:
- Strength
- Flexibility/Mobility
- Speed
And because many women may feel overwhelmed when beginning a fitness journey, calisthenics is a great place to start to learn proper form so you don’t injure yourself.
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Calisthenics Exercises for Women
You should ensure that you are adequately warmed up before starting these exercises. Below are some of the calisthenics for women exercises that you can do without equipment or a trip to the gym!
Inverted Row
The inverted row is one of the best exercises for strengthening back muscles, especially for beginners.
One of the main reasons why this exercise is perfect for women is because many women are unable to perform a full pull-up. The inverted row is the perfect alternative.
How To Perform The Inverted Row
- Start by hanging from a barbell.
- Keep your body straight and use an overhand grip. You may also use heels as an anchor.
- Pull your chest upwards towards the bar while keeping your core tight.
- Lower your body back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- Repeat steps 1-4 until muscle exhaustion.
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Bodyweight Squats
There a number of benefits of squats for women including strengthening the entire leg, core, and pelvic floor. This is especially important if you’ve had children. The squat is arguably the most effective exercise on the planet. It’s an exercise you should be practicing regularly, with or without weight.
Of course, here, we’re discussing the bodyweight version of squats which are extremely effective. You can up the difficulty by incorporating squat jumps, sumo squats, or squats with calf raises.
How To Perform This Exercise
- Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
- Tighten your core and slowly begin to bend at the knee while lowering your body.
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the floor. If you are able to lower further, continue lowering your body.
- After a brief pause at the bottom of the movement, use your leg muscles to lift your body to a starting position.
- Repeat steps 1-4 until muscle exhaustion.
Negative Pull-Ups
This exercise focuses on the second portion of the pull-up: the lowering phase.
By slowing down this portion of the exercise you force your back muscles to work extra hard.
An eccentric pull-up is ideal for women who cannot perform a full pull-up!
How To Perform This Exercise
- Stand shoulder-width apart below a barbell.
- Jump high ready to land in a pull-up position.
- In a pull-up posture, reduce the bodyweight slowly and under control until you fully extend your arms.
- Release the bar and bend your knees upon touching the floor.
- Repeat steps 1-4 until muscle exhaustion.
Bench Dips
Bench dips are great for strengthening the triceps. This exercise is a staple in many calisthenics routines because you don’t need any equipment to perform it.
It is incredibly effective, yet simple. You can perform it anywhere if you have a supportive surface.
How To Perform This Exercise
- Sit down on a bench.
- Place your hands on either side of your body on the bench.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Scoot your bottom forward off the bench.
- Lower your body weight slowly towards the floor until you get the position where the angle under your elbow joint is less than 90 degrees. Make an effort to keep your elbows back and tucked in during this movement.
- Use your triceps to push you back upwards.
- Repeat steps 1-6 until muscle exhaustion.
- Optional: Extend your feet to make the exercise more difficult or bring them in to make it easier.
Pistol Squat
This exercise often a tough move for beginners, but many people aim to work up to the ability to perform a pistol squat. This variation of a squat will aid in building strength and will also improve your coordination and mobility.
This exercise requires a strong core and lower body muscles. Therefore, this exercise should be performed slowly and controlled.
How To Perform This Exercise
- Start with your feet hip-width apart.
- Begin bending your knees slightly.
- Gradually lower yourself into a squat posture by flexing your hip and knee joints.
- At the same time, extend one leg out in front of you while putting your bodyweight on your other leg.
- Keep your core tight and use your leg muscles to push yourself back up to a starting position.
- Repeat steps 1-5 until muscle exhaustion.
Health Benefits of Calisthenics Exercises for Women
There are a number of health benefits that you can gain from calisthenics, which we discuss below.
High Calorie Burn
Calisthenics for women include exercises that are different from many weight training workouts.
These beneficial exercises that mix the two systems allow you to burn extra calories while strengthening your muscles at the same time.
Some examples of these high-calorie burning exercises are burpees, bear crawls, mountain climbers, and squat jumps.
Time Efficiency
Calisthenics exercises are perfect for anyone with a busy schedule.
No need for a long trip to the gym when you can perform calisthenics in the comfort of your home, office, or backyard!
Improved Sports Performance
Plyometrics is a type of calisthenics that involves jumping horizontally and vertically.
Plyometrics also come with intense calorie burn, as mentioned earlier. Additionally, plyometrics may even promote the movements needed to play a large number of sports.
Many sports require explosive movements like instant side-to-side sprints. These can be enhanced by calisthenics like plyometrics.
Incorporates Whole-Body Movements
Unlike typical isolation weight training exercises, most calisthenics exercises incorporate the entire body into the movement.
This means that you are able to improve your strength throughout your body, rather than just individual body parts at one time.
Improved Functional Mobility
These exercises are “functional” movements. This means that they may aid with coordination, stability, and strength in your daily life beyond the gym!
Conclusion
Calisthenics for women is a great alternative if you’re unable to use a traditional gym. Calisthenics is extremely effective and functional. Importantly, these exercises translate into everyday activities makes. This makes them perfect for people of all skill levels.
With calisthenics, you don’t need to trek to an expensive gym and compete with sweaty strangers for your workout! What’s not to love?
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