Desire to have an athletic body with well-defined muscles is common. One of the choices is calisthenics. What are the movements involved in this exercise? Read on to find out!
Pengenalan Kalistenik
Kalisthenics, or calisthenics, originated in ancient Greece and gained popularity during the 19th century. The term “kalistenik” is derived from the Greek words “Kalos” meaning beauty and “Stenos” meaning strength.
Generally, calisthenics is a set of motor movements designed to build muscle in the body.
Calisthenics movements include pulling, pushing, jumping, and head lifting without any equipment.
The basic calisthenics movements include push-up, pull-up, squat, crunch, and lunges.
The exercises help build strength, endurance, flexibility, and body coordination.
Cara Melakukan Olahraga Kalistenik
For beginners who want to try this exercise, here are some steps to follow:
1. Pull Up
After warming up, the first movement that can be done in calisthenics is the pull-up.
Here are the steps to perform this movement:
- Stand in front of a pull-up bar or a single bar.
- Hold the bar with your arms. Make sure your arms are shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your body up by bending your shoulders. Try to align your chin with or above the bar.
- Lower your body back to the starting position.
- Repeat the up and down movement 2 to 3 times. Take a 5 to 15-second break between each set.
2. Squat
This movement is beneficial for training the lower body muscles and core muscles. Besides, it also improves body flexibility.
The steps to perform squat are as follows:
- Stand with your feet slightly apart.
- Bend your body until it is in a half-squat position.
- Push your chest forward.
- Hold this position for about 5 to 10 seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement 25 times.
3. Crunch
Crunch exercises are useful for strengthening the abdominal muscles. Here’s how to perform this calisthenics movement:
- Lie down on a mat.
- Place your hands behind your head, but avoid using them to support your body weight.
- Slightly lift your upper back and shoulders, aiming your head towards your knees.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement, first aiming your head to the left side, then to the right side.
- Do this movement 60 times (20 times forward, 20 times to the right, and 20 times to the left).
4. Push Ups
This exercise can train the upper body muscles, such as shoulders, triceps, and chest muscles. If done correctly, push-ups can also strengthen the lower back and core muscles.
The steps to perform push-ups are as follows:
- Lie on a mat, facing down, with your palms and toes as support.
- Make sure your arms are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, while your legs should be straight.
- Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows. Make sure your chest does not touch the floor. Hold for about 3-5 seconds.
- Return to the starting position by pushing your arms upward. Make sure your body is in a straight line.
- Repeat the movement 20 times.
5. Lunges
Lunges are one of the calisthenics movements that you can do. This movement is beneficial for training the lower body muscles, such as calves, glutes, front thighs, and rear thighs.
You can perform this movement using the following steps:
- Stand tall, then take a large step forward with your right foot in front, while your left foot is behind.
- Hold onto your hips before starting the exercise.
- Bend your right leg in front and use it as a support. Keep the other leg straight.
- Hold for a few seconds.
- Repeat the movement by changing leg positions. The left foot should be in front and the right foot should be behind.
- Do this movement 15 times for each leg.
6. Plank
Plank is a calisthenics movement that allows the body to be in a static position. This movement is beneficial for strengthening the core muscles and helping to tighten the abdominal muscles.
Interested in trying it out? Here are the steps:
- Lie face down, as if you are doing a push-up.
- Lift your body using your arms and palms as support. Keep your legs straight, with your toes as support.
- Hold for about 10 seconds.
- Repeat the movement for 2 minutes.
7. Cardio
The next movement is performing cardio exercises. You can choose the type of cardio exercise you like, such as running.
You can run for 10 minutes or do 10 x 30 sprints. Remember to take breaks of 1-2 minutes between each session.
That’s an explanation about calisthenics exercises you should know. Remember to warm up before starting the exercises to minimize the risk of muscle injury. Good luck!
That’s an explanation about calisthenics exercises you should know. Remember to warm up before starting the exercises to minimize the risk of muscle injury. Good luck!
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