Calisthenics For Muscle Gain: How To Build More Muscle With Bodyweight Training
Hey Angels and Alphas,
When you first start doing bodyweight exercises, you may be concerned about the amount of muscle that you can develop through these calisthenics exercises alone. In fact, many people shy away from calisthenics training because of this myth about not being able to build as much muscle as you can with weight-training.
The truth is that, if you know what your body needs and understand how to train correctly, you’ll be able to build plenty of muscle with calisthenics alone! Read on for tips on how to build more muscle with bodyweight training.
Introduction to calisthenics
Calisthenics is one of the most popular forms of training for strength. It’s also considered a great form of cross-training for many other sports and activities.
The beauty of calisthensic exercises is that they can be performed anywhere, with minimal gear, at any time. This makes them an excellent choice for those who have limited access to weights and equipment, or who have no desire to use them whatsoever.
Can you gain as much muscle with calisthenics as you can with weightlifting?
People often ask me if you can build as much muscle with calisthenics as with weightlifting. The answer is a resounding yes, but it will take more time and effort. That’s because there are many factors that play into building muscle and the type of training you do is one of them. Weightlifting has a greater potential to increase your strength and power while building muscle due to the heavier loads used in this exercise modality. If you want to get stronger and build muscle quickly, then weightlifting is the best way to go.
What are the best calisthenics exercises?
The best calisthenics exercises are ones that can be performed with your own body weight, rather than needing any equipment. Push-ups and squats are two examples of these types of exercises. You’ll also want to include exercises that can work multiple muscle groups at once, so planks and jumping jacks are great for this. You’ll also want to add some cardio in there as well to help you burn more calories. Jumping rope is an easy way to do this!
Weight and progressive overload with calisthenics
There are a few key things to keep in mind when training with calisthenics, which can help you to make the most out of your workouts, and build muscle. One of the primary keys is progressive overload. Progressive overload means that you’re always trying to increase the amount of weight that you’re lifting, or the number of reps that you’re doing.
In order to build muscle with calisthenics, it’s important that you have a plan for how you’ll do this progressive overload. And make sure that your goal is realistic! If your goal is to bench press 250 pounds by next week, then your plan needs to be more detailed than if your goal was just to bench press 100 pounds by next month.
Tips for gaining more muscle with calisthenics
-Start with pushups and pullups, the two most basic bodyweight exercises. They work a lot of muscles and are great for building strength.
-Do inverted rows to work your back, biceps, and abs.
-Squats help strengthen your quads and glutes.
-Do dips to build your chest muscles.
-Practice handstands against a wall or on a box to build arm strength and balance. You’ll need this for when you eventually do freestanding handstands.
-To build your core, do planks (every variant except the traditional plank) and leg raises.
Pro tip: As you get stronger, add weight to some exercises by using ankle weights or wearing a weighted vest. Just make sure you don’t add too much weight! Start with just 5 lbs if that’s all you have available. If it feels comfortable, then increase the amount little by little as you go along until you reach your max weight limit.