For many college students, daily exercise is essential to preserving one's well-being. Taking time to better oneself in the midst of mountains of work can be incredibly relieving, but going to the gym may appear too daunting. Whether self-conscious, time-conscious, or reluctant to indulge in gym culture, students may enjoy the benefits of exercise in the comfort of their dorm room—practicing calisthenics.
What is Calisthenics?
Calisthenics is a form of body weight exercise emphasizing muscle control through various progressions of different movements. This type of exercise is perfectly suited to a dorm room, as it requires no external weights or machines while allowing the same muscular strengthening as modern weight training. Notwithstanding, calisthenics is a type of compound exercise—requiring activation of multiple muscle groups. This results in an increased metabolic rate but also a decreased ability to target specific muscles.
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| Decline push-up |
Beginner Calisthenics Exercises ● Lunges
● Sit-ups
● Push-ups
● Planks
● L-sits
One great thing about calisthenics is that you can progress at your own pace; all of these exercises can be modified for variable difficulty. For example, putting your feet at a higher level will create a negative angle during push-ups, increasing difficulty. It is really exciting to learn new exercises, and setting goals can encourage you to better yourself physically.
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| Planche |
● Handstand-pushups
● Human flags
● Front levers
● Muscle-ups
Pros of Calisthenics Cons of Calisthenics
● Increase flexibility ● Fail targeting individual muscles
● Decrease social interaction ● Take longer to learn exercises
What Do You Think?
What calisthenic feats do you think are most impressive?
Do you believe practicing calisthenics is more suitable than weightlifting for college students?
Do you agree that feats of calisthenics—like performing human flags or one-arm handstands—are more impressive than feats of weightlifting?
