McGrann - Calisthenics: Calisthenics Bodyweight Training: Becoming A Greek God

Calisthenics: Calisthenics Bodyweight Training: Becoming A Greek God
- Shredded Through Calisthenics with 100 Bodyweight Exercises See
Results Faster Than Ever with the Definitive Guide to Bodyweight
Training

BY:

Martin McGrann

Published by Shepal Publishing

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2016, New York

Introduction

Calisthenics has been gaining popularity over the last few years as more people realize that you do not need to pay an expensive gym membership to gain the perfect body. Many calisthenics exercises help to build muscle, increase fitness, and control weight by using your own body weight, meaning there is rarely any use for additional equipment. These exercises also focus on normal body movements, ensuring that you keep, and in some cases improve, flexibility as you work out.

This book highlights just a few callisthenic exercises, and is divided into sections so that you know exactly what area of your body you are targeting. Some of these exercises may seem simple, but they will all work your body to the max, helping you get one step closer to your dream physique.

Press ups and dips are the perfect way to help build arm and upper body strength, and have the added advantage of working out the core as well.

1. Standard Press Up

To perform a standard press up, first lie on the ground with your arms fully extended and shoulder width apart. Your feet should also be shoulder length apart and you should maintain your balance with your toes. From this position, lower yourself towards the ground by bending your elbows, stopping when they are at an angle of 90. Return to the starting position to complete the press up. Your back should remain straight throughout the exercise.

1. Incline Press Up

You will need a box or aerobics step for this exercise. Begin in the press up position with your arms on the step and your feet on the ground. Lower yourself as you would if you were doing a press up, ensuring to keep your back straight. Return to the original position to complete one rep.

1. Decline Press Up.

First, get a box or aerobics step. Get into the press up position with your legs on the box and your arms on the ground. Perform a press up from this position, remembering to keep your back and legs straight.

1. Crossover Box Press Up

You will need a box or aerobics step for this exercise. Place your left arm on the step and the other on the ground and perform a push up, ensuring that your chest comes as close to the step as possible. When you return to the start position, change arms and crossover to the other side of the block and perform the same push up on the alternate side.

1. Diamond Press Up

To perform a Diamond Press Up, first get into the Press up position. Place your arms below your chest, index fingers and thumbs touching creating a diamond, and widen your feet a little to help with balance. Lower yourself as you would if doing a normal press up, ensuring that at the lowest point your back is straight and that your elbows are pointing at your feet.

1. Spider Press Up

Begin from the standard press up position and perform a standard press up. As you are lowering yourself to the ground, raise a knee and bring it forward to touch your elbow. Return your body to the start position and repeat, switching legs on your next rep.

1. Staggered Press Ups

Starting in the standard press up position, move one hand slightly in ahead of the other and then perform a press up. Once you have completed a set, switch arms and repeat.

1. Bench Dip

To perform a bench dip, first sit on a bench or chair. Then, supporting your weight with your hands, move yourself forward until you are no longer on the chair. Lower your body until your elbows create a 90 angle then raise yourself back up to complete a rep.

1. Elevated Bench Dips

You are going to need two benches or chairs for this exercise. To begin, get into the bench dip position, and place your feet on the other bench or chair so that your legs are elevated. Perform a dip as normal, ensuring that you keep your legs straight.

1. Chest Dips

You are going to need parallel pars for this exercise, though two chairs could also work. Begin by holding the bars and getting off the ground, by either jumping or bending your knees. Supporting yourself using just your arms, lower yourself until your elbows make a 90 angle with the ground. Slowly raise yourself back up, ensuring that you keep your knees straight as you do. Lean forward slightly as you do this exercise to help maintain your balance.

1. One Arm Bench Dip

Beginning in the dip position, raise your right arm and your left leg until they are parallel to the floor. Lower yourself while keeping your arm and leg straight. Raise yourself back up, switch body positions and repeat the process to complete one rep.

1. Incline Dip

You are going to need two chairs or parallel bars for this exercise. Begin by supporting yourself on your arms and raising your knees to your chest, making sure that your thighs are parallel to the ground. Lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90 angle, leaning forward to maintain balance.

Raises and pull ups are some of the more challenging core and upper body exercises. You will need access to a pull up bar for most of these exercises.

1. Bar Leg Raises

Begin by hanging from a pull up bar. Slowly raise your legs until they are perpendicular at the waist, and parallel to the ground. Hold the position for a few seconds before you return to the start position.

1. Lying Leg Raises

Begin by lying on your back with your arms at your side. Keeping your legs straight, raise them slowly until they are perpendicular to the ground. Hold the position for a few seconds and return to the start position.

1. Side Leg Raises

To begin, lie on your side, using one arm to hold your head up, and placing the other on the floor in front of you. Raise one leg slowly, ensuring that you keep it straight as you do so, and only stopping when you have made a 90 angle. Return to the start position and switch feet once you have completed one set.

1. Straight Let Raises

Begin by lying on your back with your arms on your side and a rolled up towel behind your head for support. Slowly raise one leg until you can see your toes, making sure to keep your leg straight. Lower your leg and repeat with the other leg to complete one rep.

1. Torso Raises

Start by lying on your stomach with your arms at your side, around chest level. Slowly raise your upper body until your chest comes off the ground, and look back until you can see the ceiling. Hold that position for a couple of seconds then return to the start.

1. Hamstring Raises

For this exercise, you will need somewhere to brace yourself, or better yet, a partner. To begin, get on your knees, keeping your upper body and thighs straight. Slowly lean forward extending your arms if you need to support yourself as you reach the bottom. Lightly push off the ground to help you return to the start position.

1. Dip to Leg Raises

You are going to need parallel bars or two chairs for this exercise. Begin by performing a standard chest dip (see Chapter 1), however, as you raise your body back up, bring your feet forward so that at the top of the exercise your legs are parallel to the ground. Lower your legs to complete one rep.

1. Pull Up

Begin by grabbing onto the pull up bar with your arms facing forward, and your ankles crossed behind you. You can choose to use a wide grip, medium grip or close grip depending on the difficulty level you would like; the closer your grip, the higher the difficulty. Slowly pull yourself up from this position until your torso is touching the pull up bar, then slowly lower yourself back down to complete one rep.