Today it has been 3 years since I started doing calisthenics-based training.
I started doing calisthenics-based training as a result of gyms closing down due to the pandemic in 2020.
Previously, I had been training with weights (Bodybuilding) for approx. 7 years and during this time period I achieved incredible strength and size results coming in at 5ft8 200lbs at 15%BF. At this point I felt like I was close to reaching my natural potential in terms of muscular size and strength.
Due to my ignorance I always thought that calisthenics was all for show and that it wasn't an optimal training method for increasing size and strength. I knew about pull ups and dips and I did include these exercises in my workouts but always at the end of my back/chest days. Keep in mind, I primarily train to gain size and strength I do not care about calisthenics movements such as human flag, muscle ups, barspins etc. I was eager to not lose size and strength until the gyms would open up again.
Nevertheless I had no choice but to specialize in pull ups and dips variations for upper-body as these exercises were the ones with excellent load-potential. Initially, I started training without any weights attached and was amazed by the pump that I could achieve with these exercises doing high volume. My lats, shoulders, chest and arms felt amazing and sometimes even better than training with weights in my gym. As I got stronger and more accustomed to bodyweight movements I started implementing direct arm-work (as I used to do in my gym for years). Bicep-focused chin-ups, bodyweight curls (rings), triceps extensions on low-bar, impossible dips etc. For legs I started doing pistol squats as that was the only challenging squat variation I could find.
I started seeing even better strength results and wasn't bothered about going back to the gym. I bought a weighted vest, heavy dumbbells (80lbs to 110lbs) that I used to load my pull ups/dips and dumbbell squats for legs, and the muscular gains that I've made during these 3 years have been absoulutely incredible despite having 7 years of previous lifting experience. I am currently at 205lbs at 15%BF, thus I have gained 5lbs from when I started which is amazing considering my training experience.
Here are certain points of improvements that I have noticed about my physique:
- Bigger arms. For some reason my arms respond incredibly well to low-bar triceps extensions combined with bicep-focused chin-ups/bw curls. I have finally achieved 18-inch arms despite being stuck at 17 inches for more than 4 years at the gym.
- Wider back. I have always had a nice thick back and traps but for years I had been working on adding width unsuccessfully. I thought I was just genetically built this way but doing tons of pull ups (weighted and BW) since 2020 has improved my lats and has given me a much better V-taper.
- Healthier/better shoulders. Before I started doing calisthenics-based training I would frequently experience shoulder discomfort while doing heavy bench-press or other push-movements. Specializing in ring dips has greatly improved my shoulder mobility and strength. In the beginning I was struggling to do 10 reps of dips and now I can easily do 10 reps with 90lbs added weight.
- Core strength. I used to believe that I had a good level of core strength when working out in the gym. I had achieved a 550lbs deadlift which I thought was a good indicator. But doing calisthenics movements requires a different level of core strength in every exercise that you do regardless of it being weighted or not. For example, exercises that requires you to stay in a plank-position (low-bar triceps extensions e.g) used to be incredibly hard at my BW but now it feels way more natural and less straining. Best way to describe it would be that I feel more athletic compared to when I was doing weights only.
All in all, I can definitely recommend making the move from weights to calisthenics-based training if you feel that you've hit your natural potential or if you have plateaued in the gym.
I started doing calisthenics-based training as a result of gyms closing down due to the pandemic in 2020.
Previously, I had been training with weights (Bodybuilding) for approx. 7 years and during this time period I achieved incredible strength and size results coming in at 5ft8 200lbs at 15%BF. At this point I felt like I was close to reaching my natural potential in terms of muscular size and strength.
Due to my ignorance I always thought that calisthenics was all for show and that it wasn't an optimal training method for increasing size and strength. I knew about pull ups and dips and I did include these exercises in my workouts but always at the end of my back/chest days. Keep in mind, I primarily train to gain size and strength I do not care about calisthenics movements such as human flag, muscle ups, barspins etc. I was eager to not lose size and strength until the gyms would open up again.
Nevertheless I had no choice but to specialize in pull ups and dips variations for upper-body as these exercises were the ones with excellent load-potential. Initially, I started training without any weights attached and was amazed by the pump that I could achieve with these exercises doing high volume. My lats, shoulders, chest and arms felt amazing and sometimes even better than training with weights in my gym. As I got stronger and more accustomed to bodyweight movements I started implementing direct arm-work (as I used to do in my gym for years). Bicep-focused chin-ups, bodyweight curls (rings), triceps extensions on low-bar, impossible dips etc. For legs I started doing pistol squats as that was the only challenging squat variation I could find.
I started seeing even better strength results and wasn't bothered about going back to the gym. I bought a weighted vest, heavy dumbbells (80lbs to 110lbs) that I used to load my pull ups/dips and dumbbell squats for legs, and the muscular gains that I've made during these 3 years have been absoulutely incredible despite having 7 years of previous lifting experience. I am currently at 205lbs at 15%BF, thus I have gained 5lbs from when I started which is amazing considering my training experience.
Here are certain points of improvements that I have noticed about my physique:
- Bigger arms. For some reason my arms respond incredibly well to low-bar triceps extensions combined with bicep-focused chin-ups/bw curls. I have finally achieved 18-inch arms despite being stuck at 17 inches for more than 4 years at the gym.
- Wider back. I have always had a nice thick back and traps but for years I had been working on adding width unsuccessfully. I thought I was just genetically built this way but doing tons of pull ups (weighted and BW) since 2020 has improved my lats and has given me a much better V-taper.
- Healthier/better shoulders. Before I started doing calisthenics-based training I would frequently experience shoulder discomfort while doing heavy bench-press or other push-movements. Specializing in ring dips has greatly improved my shoulder mobility and strength. In the beginning I was struggling to do 10 reps of dips and now I can easily do 10 reps with 90lbs added weight.
- Core strength. I used to believe that I had a good level of core strength when working out in the gym. I had achieved a 550lbs deadlift which I thought was a good indicator. But doing calisthenics movements requires a different level of core strength in every exercise that you do regardless of it being weighted or not. For example, exercises that requires you to stay in a plank-position (low-bar triceps extensions e.g) used to be incredibly hard at my BW but now it feels way more natural and less straining. Best way to describe it would be that I feel more athletic compared to when I was doing weights only.
All in all, I can definitely recommend making the move from weights to calisthenics-based training if you feel that you've hit your natural potential or if you have plateaued in the gym.