Is calisthenics a good choice for women who want to get strong and build muscle?
Calisthenics – aka bodyweight training – is a fundamental form of strength training. The key movements of calisthenics underpin every other type of training you can do. But is calisthenics the best choice of strength training for women? And how should women get started in calisthenics?
Is calisthenics good training for women
Calisthenics is an incredible form of training for anyone regardless of gender, age, fitness background or goal. It’s easy to access, doesn’t need any equipment, and can be practiced in a short bursts whenever you have time.
For women, calisthenics is a brilliant way to build muscle tone and strength without needing to pick up weights or go to the gym. Not that there’s anything wrong with those things, but if you’d rather do a functional form of bodyweight training then calisthenics fits the bill.
Is calisthenics better than weight training for women
Calisthenics isn’t necessarily better than weight training for women, but it’s definitely more accessible, more versatile, and easier to build into your day. You can do calisthenics at home or at the gym, with or without equipment, for 5 minutes or an hour.
Calisthenics movements can start off very basics – bodyweight squats, lunges, press ups and some kind of pull up movement – and can get as challenging as you want.
And best of all, calisthenics delivers all the strength and wellness benefits of other forms of resistance training. You’ll build muscle, protect your bones, keep your metabolism higher, help your posture, and boost your mood and self-confidence.
Will calisthenics build bone density
It’s no secret that women lose bone density at an alarming rate past the age of about 50. If you don’t do any activity to address this, you really do run the risk of being a frail older person. And nobody wants that!
Calisthenics is really good at boosting bone density and helping you stay one step ahead. There have been plenty of studies comparing calisthenics with other forms of exercise, and calisthenics consistently comes out on top for increasing bone mineral density and reversing age-related bone loss.Women really need to be doing some kind of strength or resistance training, especially as they get into their 40s and beyond. Calisthenics is a fantastic option because it’s low impact, effective, and can be done regularly.
5 reasons women should do calisthenics
Build lean muscle – calisthenics bodyweight exercises build muscle tone and strength through the whole body
Reduce risk of osteoporosis – calisthenics boosts bone density to help offset age-related bone loss
No need for a gym membership – you don’t need to go to a gym to do calisthenics exercises
Can be done in quick bursts – calisthenics is just as effective in short bursts as one long workout
Teaches you new skills – learning to control your body and do strong movements is a big confidence boost
10 best exercises for women in calisthenics
Here are 10 exercises to get started with – the maximum equipment you’ll need for these is a plyo box or bench to step up onto, gymnastics rings, and a pull up bar or similar to do dead hangs and hanging knee raises. If you don’t have access to those, just skip those exercises and do the bodyweight exercises. They’re a legit form of strength training by themselves.
Bodyweight squats
Backwards stepping lunges
Narrow push ups
Dead hangs
Ring rows
Hanging knee raises
Box step ups
Negative pull ups
Plank
Side plank
How to get started in calisthenics
You don’t need any equipment (although it’s useful to get some as your journey progresses). You don’t need a coach, trainer, or gym. You don’t need to already be fit or strong. The whole point of calisthenics is that it shows you how to master your own bodyweight with the level of strength you’ve currently got.
