For fitness beginners, whether you go to the gym or choose to exercise at home, you may face a difficult choice: which fitness equipment should I use for exercise? The gym has a lot of machines, free weights, and resistance bands for you to choose from. If you don’t know how to choose, it’s understandable. But the fact is: you can now choose an effective and efficient way to exercise: exercise your body.
In aerobics, also known as weight training, we can train not only in the gym but also at home. To build a comprehensive functional physique, weight training alone is essential, but it is also necessary to have a method. Next, let’s take a closer look at the content of aerobics, the benefits of weight training, and learn some aerobics exercises suitable for beginners.
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What Are Calisthenics?
Calisthenics refers to a form of exercise that uses bodyweight movements to build strength, flexibility, endurance, and coordination. These exercises typically don't require equipment, though they can be modified or supplemented with minimal tools like pull-up bars or dip bars. The goal of calisthenics is to use your own body to provide resistance, offering a full body workout that targets multiple muscle groups.
Bodyweight-Based: Calisthenics exercises primarily rely on the individual's body weight for resistance, meaning no or minimal gym equipment is required.
Functional Movements: These exercises often mimic natural movements that improve your day-to-day functionality (e.g., squatting, pushing, pulling).
Progressive: You can modify the difficulty of calisthenics exercises to suit your fitness level, making it suitable for beginners to advanced athletes.
Variety: A wide range of exercises can be done, from simple movements like push-ups and squats to advanced skills like muscle-ups and handstands.
Calisthenics is a versatile and accessible form of exercise that uses bodyweight movements to enhance strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. Whether you're looking to get fit without equipment, build muscle, or train for athleticism, calisthenics can be adapted to any fitness level and performed almost anywhere.
Benefits of Calisthenics for Beginners
Calisthenics offers a wide range of benefits for beginners, making it an ideal form of exercise for people who are new to fitness or just starting their fitness journey.
No Need for Equipment
One of the biggest advantages for beginners is that calisthenics primarily uses your body weight as resistance. This means you don't need expensive gym memberships or fancy equipment to get started. You can do calisthenics exercises virtually anywhere — at home, in a park, or even while traveling — making it highly accessible.
Improved Body Awareness
Calisthenics helps beginners develop better body awareness and control. Many exercises require coordination between different muscle groups, which improves proprioception (the ability to sense the position and movement of your body in space). This foundational understanding of your body is beneficial for overall functional fitness and even for performing everyday activities with better posture and balance.
Improves Strength and Endurance
Beginners will quickly notice improvements in key areas such as:
Upper body strength (e.g., push-ups, dips)
Core strength (e.g., planks, leg raises)
Lower body strength (e.g., squats, lunges)
Cardiovascular endurance (when exercises are performed in circuits or high repetitions)
Builds Functional Fitness
The movements in calisthenics are often functional, meaning they mimic everyday tasks. For example:
Push-ups help strengthen the muscles used in pushing actions (e.g., opening doors, pushing objects).
Planks engage the core and improve posture and balance.
These functional exercises make everyday activities easier and more efficient, improving overall quality of life.
Promotes Weight Loss and Fat Burn
While calisthenics may not involve heavy weights or machines, it is an effective way to burn calories and improve body composition, especially when performed in high-intensity circuits or as part of an active lifestyle. The combination of strength exercises and cardio-style movements (like burpees or mountain climbers) can contribute to fat loss and toning, which is often a key goal for beginners.
Improves Core Strength and Stability
Many calisthenic exercises require significant core engagement, such as planks, leg raises, and push-ups. Developing a strong core early in your fitness journey helps improve posture, prevent back pain, and enhance performance in other exercises or physical activities.
Calisthenics for Beginners Exercises
If you're new to calisthenics, starting with basic exercises that focus on building strength, endurance, and mobility is crucial. These exercises can be performed without any equipment or with minimal equipment like a pull up bar or resistance bands. The goal for beginners is to develop good form, avoid injury, and gradually progress toward more advanced movements.
Push-ups
How to Do It:
1. Keep your feet together or slightly apart, and ensure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels.
2. Lower your body by bending your elbows while keeping them at a 45-degree angle to your torso. Your chest should move towards the floor.
3. Push through your palms to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Bodyweight Squats
How to Do It:
1. Keep your chest lifted and your back straight, with your arms extended out in front of you or hands placed on your hips for balance.
2. Bend your knees while maintaining a straight back and making sure your knees are tracking in line with your toes (they shouldn’t cave inward).
3. Keep your weight on your heels and ensure your knees don’t go beyond your toes.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Glute Bridges
How to Do It:
1. Lie flat on your back on the floor or mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Place your arms flat on the ground by your sides for stability.
3. Ensure your head, neck, and spine are in a neutral position.
4. Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward the ceiling.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Plank
How to Do It:
1. Position your forearms on the ground with your elbows directly under your shoulders, forming a 90-degree angle.
2. Engage your legs, glutes, and core. You should aim to form a straight line from your head to your heels, without any sagging in your lower back or buttocks.
3. Push through your forearms and lift your body off the ground, coming into a straight line from your head to your heels.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets, hold for 20-30 seconds
Reverse Lunges
How to Do It:
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, keeping your chest lifted and your shoulders back.
2. Place your hands on your hips, or hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand (optional for added resistance).
3. Step one leg back behind you, lowering your hips toward the floor. Both knees should bend at about 90 degrees.
4. Your back knee should be hovering just above the ground or lightly touching the floor (depending on your mobility and comfort).
5. Make sure that your front knee stays aligned with your ankle (do not let it extend past your toes). The knee should track directly over the foot.
6. Your torso should remain upright, and your core should be engaged to prevent your back from arching.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
Bird Dogs
How to Do It:
1. Keep your back neutral (not arched or rounded), your core engaged, and your head aligned with your spine (gaze down at the mat or slightly ahead).
2. Slowly extend your right arm straight forward, and simultaneously extend your left leg straight back, keeping both limbs parallel to the ground.
3. Keep your hips level and avoid tilting your pelvis.
4. Pause and hold this position for a second or two, squeezing your glutes and engaging your core to maintain stability. Make sure you maintain a straight line from your fingertips to your toes.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10 reps per side
Wall Sit
How to Do It:
1. Stand with your back against a wall, feet about 2 feet (60 cm) away from the wall, and shoulder-width apart.
2. Your back should be flat against the wall, and your feet should be positioned so that your knees can bend comfortably without going beyond your toes.
3. Slowly slide your back down the wall by bending your knees, lowering your hips, and bringing your thighs parallel to the ground (or as low as you can comfortably go).
4. Make sure your knees are directly above your ankles (not pushing out over your toes).
5. Your back should remain flat against the wall, and your head should be neutral, not leaning forward.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets, hold for 20-60 seconds
Superman
How to Do It:
1. Lie face down on a flat surface, such as a mat or the floor, with your legs straight and arms extended in front of you (as if you're flying).
Your forehead should be on the ground with your head in a neutral position (don't strain your neck).
2. Keep your feet hip-width apart, and your arms should be extended straight in front of you, palms facing down.
3. Simultaneously lift both your arms and legs off the ground as high as you can.
4. Engage your lower back muscles (erector spinae), glutes, and hamstrings as you lift your arms and legs.
5. Try to hold the position where your chest, arms, and legs are elevated while your pelvis stays on the ground. Imagine you're flying like Superman.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
High Knees
How to Do It:
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides.
2. Begin by jogging in place, but instead of just moving your legs in a regular running motion, bring your knees up toward your chest as high as you can with each step.
3. Alternate legs quickly, aiming to bring each knee up to at least hip height (or higher if you can).
4. Pump your arms as you run in place, keeping them bent at about 90 degrees. Your arms should move in rhythm with your legs to help maintain momentum.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 30 seconds
Superman to Plank
How to Do It:
1. Begin by lying face down on the floor or an exercise mat.
2. Extend your legs straight behind you and your arms fully extended in front of you, palms facing down. This is the Superman position.
3. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels, with your gaze neutral (eyes looking down at the floor).
4. Lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground simultaneously.
Try to squeeze your glutes and lower back muscles to lift your upper body and legs as high as you can.
5. Slowly lower your chest and legs back to the ground, but keep your arms extended.
Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
