People indulge in sport for different reasons. Some to keep fit, some to develop their muscles, some to keep a certain shape while others indulge in sport to reach a certain target. No matter your reason, indulging in sport is one of the best things you can do to your body.
Callisthenics and weightlifting are two sports or exercise that involves physical strength so we would be looking at the different sports individually so we can compare and contrast.
Callisthenics
This is a word that is gotten from the Greek words Kalos and Sthenos meaning beauty and strength. It is an exercise that involves the use of the body’s weight while exercising. This involves the movement of the body with little or no instrument. It involves using the body and mind to achieve different movements, with Callisthenics, you are not restricted by physical location or equipment you can do a workout anytime and anywhere.
Callisthenics offers different exercise routines such as
- Pullups: This involves grabbing a high bar and pulling one’s weight up the bar with the shoulder muscles, one’s head must be pulled over the bar.
- Chin-ups: This is similar to pullups but in this case, the biceps is used for the pullup bringing one’s head up over the bar.
- Dips: This is the use of one’s arms and shoulder to lift one’s weight above a dip bar.
- Jump squat: This involves getting into a squat position and leap forcefully upwards into a jump.
- Pushups: This involves resting your body weight on your hands and toes in a plank position. Lift and lower your body using your elbow, keep your core and abdomen flexed during this movement.
- Crunches: lay on the ground with your back on the floor bending your knees up to 90 degrees then use your core muscle to pull your body towards your knees.
The benefits of Calisthenics include
- You need little or no equipment
- You do not need a particular location, it can be done anywhere
- You can build muscles
- It helps you burn fat
- It improves your mobility
- It builds endurance
Weightlifting
This is a sport that involves the lifting of a barbell with plates. Weight lifting can only be done when you have equipment for the sport. There are different forms of weightlifting and these are;
- Bench Press: This is also known as chest press, this involves the pressing of weight upwards while lying on a bench.
- Squat: This entails lifting weight from a squatting position. This increases the size and strength of the lower muscle and also aids in developing core strength. It aids in relieving the tension in the back.
- Deadlift: This form of exercise involves lifting weight from the floor to the hip position and then lower the weight to the ground again.
Benefits of weightlifting
- Convert fat to muscles
- It fights Osteoporosis, keeping your muscles as you age
- It gives one balance
- It helps in controlling one’s blood sugar
- It prevents back pain
- It keeps your bones and joints strong and healthy