by Corey McMickle

Let’s take a moment to think about our troops.

Not for the lives they risk daily on our behalf, not for the freedom they constantly protect for each of us, heck, not even for the snazzy movies I love to watch, like “Top Gun.”

Let’s think about that flab we ship them off with, and then how they magically return needing to revamp their closets because they somehow trimmed fifteen pounds of body fat. Last week I highlighted how lifting heavy weights properly can have a remarkable impact on our bodies, but how can they seem to have such similar results and never have touched a heavyweight? Bodyweight workouts are to blame for those results.

Before I go any further, I want to address this off the bat. We live in a politically correct day and age (unfortunately), so I’ll have to call this type of bodyweight exercising by its newly adopted name to avoid any potential confusion. Technically, the new term of this is called “Calisthenics.” Aren’t you thrilled you actually learned something from one of my articles?

Calisthenics, let’s go! This is something surprising I felt like I’ve cast little, to no light at all on and for that I apologize. The reason I apologize is because of the vast results you can get with this incorporation of fitness in your routine… even from your own home! Yes, I’m speaking of push-ups, planks, wall squats, lunges, calf-raises, dips, etc. All these are unbelievably efficient for transforming your body; ask the troops we paused for earlier, you think PT during boot camp looked anything like your friendly neighborhood CrossFit session? There are lads and ladies around the world defending you and me with bodies solely honed by calisthenics; you dare tell me bodyweight routines couldn’t offer the same results you’re searching for?

Besides the ease of being able to do these workouts from the comfort of your guest bedroom, the form isn’t quite an issue either. Without any external load being placed on our joints during a lunge or wall squat, I dare safe these are a fair bit safer to slack a little of form with. Now am I saying do half push-ups just because they’re easier? No! But if you are still struggling with your mobility and can’t get that proper parallel depth on your wall squats, that’s fine! There isn’t a 300-pound bar looking to crush you into the floor with wall squats.

“But Corey, all calisthenics are the same, right?”

Heavens, no! The variables are just as vast with bodyweight routines as they are with free-weight or machine training. Tempo can be manipulated, you can isolate just as easily with calisthenics, higher repetitions are typically easier to achieve with calisthenics and the movements aren’t revolved around a piece of equipment and can fluently be transitioned into another movement. Save time, do it at home and get results. Where’s the problem with any of that?

I hope I can continue to share the vast variables that fitness has to offer each of us. I understand not everyone likes hearing fitness isn’t solely achieved from hours on a treadmill. But are you willing to argue with someone reaping the rewards of calisthenics just because you love lifting weights, or swimming, or running? Let’s not be so shallow and start embracing the refinement of our health, no matter which direction the results are heading towards us or our friends from.