Bodyweight exercises can build muscle but also turn you into an athlete if you know how to choose the right exercises. Here you will find out how to make calisthenics more functional to your body to move better and to live longer.
Calisthenics is a highly effective form of bodyweight exercise known for its ability to improve strength, flexibility, and endurance. However, there is an inherent flaw in traditional calisthenics routines: they often focus on movements within a single plane, the sagittal plane, which involves forward and backward movements.
To make calisthenics more functional and applicable to daily activities, it’s essential to incorporate exercises that move through the frontal and transverse planes. In this article, we will explore how to diversify your callisthenics routine to enhance functionality, incorporating multiple planes of movement for a well-rounded workout.
The information you will see in this article is largely based on a video shared by Ryan Sadilek.
Ryan Sadilek, known for his YouTube page “Minus the Gym,” is a fitness enthusiast, certified personal trainer and content creator who focuses on sharing fitness tips, routines, and advice, particularly around bodyweight exercises and maintaining a healthy lifestyle without the need for a traditional gym setting. His content often includes tutorials, exercise demonstrations, and routines that viewers can follow to achieve their fitness goals, emphasizing the convenience and effectiveness of working out with minimal or no equipment. He is also an advocate for plant-based nutrition and how people can get fit while choosing to go vegan.
Related: Quick Reads: 3 Calisthenics Skills All Beginners Should Learn
So let’s check out what he said about how to make calisthenics more functional.
How to Make Calisthenics More Functional
Before diving into specific exercises, it’s crucial to understand the three primary planes of movement:
- Sagittal Plane: Involves forward and backward movements. Common calisthenics exercises in this plane include push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and lunges.
- Frontal Plane: Involves side-to-side movements. Exercises in this plane help develop lateral strength and stability.
- Transverse Plane: Involves rotational movements. These exercises enhance rotational strength and improve the body’s ability to handle twists and turns.
The Sagittal Plane: A Quick Recap
Most traditional calisthenics exercises operate within the sagittal plane. Exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats, and lunges are all performed with forward and backward motions. While these exercises are effective, relying solely on them can lead to imbalances and limit the functional application of your training.
Incorporating the Frontal Plane
To add more functional variety to your routine, incorporate exercises from the frontal plane. Here are a few suggestions:
Jumping Jacks
- Execution: Stand upright with your legs together and arms at your sides. Jump your legs out to the sides while raising your arms overhead, then return to the starting position.
- Benefits: Improves cardiovascular fitness, coordination, and lateral movement.
Archer Squats
- Execution: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Shift your weight to one leg, bending the knee while keeping the other leg straight. Return to the center and repeat on the other side.
- Benefits: Strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and adductors, and improves lateral stability.
Side Lunges
- Execution: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Take a large step to the side, bending the knee of the stepping leg while keeping the other leg straight. Push back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Benefits: Targets the inner thighs, glutes, and improves lateral movement.
Side Delt Raises (with Bands)
- Execution: Using resistance bands, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding the bands at your sides. Lift your arms straight out to the sides until they reach shoulder height, then lower them back down.
- Benefits: Strengthens the deltoids and improves shoulder stability.
Adding the Transverse Plane
Incorporating transverse plane movements enhances your rotational strength, which is crucial for daily activities involving twisting and turning. Here are a few effective exercises:
Rotational Push-Ups
- Execution: Start in a push-up position. As you push up, rotate your torso and extend one arm towards the ceiling. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Benefits: Engages the core, shoulders, and improves rotational strength.
30 Push-Up Variations from Beginner to Advanced
Trunk Rotations with Lunges
- Execution: Perform a standard lunge. At the bottom of the lunge, rotate your torso towards the leading leg. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Benefits: Enhances core stability and rotational strength, and improves balance.
Hanging Leg Raises with Twist
- Execution: Hang from a bar with your arms fully extended. Lift your legs towards one side of your body, then lower them back down. Repeat on the other side.
- Benefits: Targets the obliques and lower abs, improving rotational strength and stability.
Utilizing Gymnastics Rings
Gymnastics rings can significantly enhance the functionality of your calisthenics routine by engaging deep stabilizers that are hard to activate with static bars. Here are a few ring exercises to consider:
Ring Support Holds
- Execution: Hold yourself up on the rings with arms fully extended and body straight.
- Benefits: Engages the core, shoulders, and stabilizing muscles, improving overall strength and stability.
Ring Dips
- Execution: Perform dips using the rings instead of bars.
- Benefits: Activates more stabilizing muscles and enhances shoulder stability.
Best Types of Dips for Chest Development
L-Sits on Rings
- Execution: Hold an L-sit position on the rings, with legs extended and parallel to the ground.
- Benefits: Strengthens the core, hip flexors, and improves overall stability.
The Importance of Play and Experimentation
One often overlooked aspect of functional training is the concept of play. Incorporating playful movements and experimenting with your workouts can make them more enjoyable and functional. Here are a few playful exercises to try:
Bar Hangs
- Execution: Spend time hanging from a bar, experimenting with different grips and positions.
- Benefits: Improves grip strength, shoulder stability, and core engagement.
Primal Movements
- Execution: Perform movements that mimic animal locomotion, such as bear crawls and crab walks.
- Benefits: Enhances coordination, core strength, and overall body awareness.
To make your calisthenics routine more functional, it’s essential to move beyond the sagittal plane and incorporate exercises from the frontal and transverse planes. This approach not only makes your workouts more dynamic and engaging but also ensures that your training is well-rounded and applicable to everyday movements.
By adding a variety of planes of movement, utilizing gymnastics rings, and embracing playful experimentation, you can achieve a more functional and effective calisthenics workout. Remember, the key to functional fitness is diversity and adaptability, so keep challenging your body in new and innovative ways.
Read Also: The Only 8 Bodyweight Exercises You Need to Build Muscle Fast