Callisthenics can be performed anywhere, although your Instructors will always include two or three as part of your Gym sessions. They will also provide three or four for you to do at home.
There is no need for equipment when doing callisthenics as your body provides all the resistance your muscles require. Doing a ‘sit up’ for example involves using the weight of your upper body to ‘work’ the tummy muscles.
There are some 70 plus callisthenic exercises and your Instructors will select the ones most appropriate for your needs. Very important to do them correctly of course or you can easily end up working the wrong muscles or even injuring yourself!
Your Instructor will ensure that you learn how to perform each callisthenic exercise correctly, making sure that you know when to inhale and exhale.
Incidentally, many callisthenic exercises that we used to do in PE years ago have subsequently been shown to be dangerous, i.e. straight leg lifts when lying on your back! The ‘Plank’ is another dodgy exercise which Physios report is the cause of so many lower back problems that they are treating.
So when you start your callisthenics prescription, always follow your Instructor’s advice.
To finish on a positive note. Just ten minutes of callisthenics performed daily on the bedroom floor can make a huge contribution to the strength and tone of your musculature. Never underestimate the effect it can have on your figure in just a few weeks when you perform callisthenics each morning in conjunction with your Gym sessions.
