CrossFit or Calisthenics?
The age old question.
For so long, these two schools of discipline have seemed so different, yet so similar.
They use the same type of movements like what's seen with the muscle ups & the butterfly pull-ups and a lot of it's athletes sport the same physique.
But that's about where the similarities lie, because these 2 sports couldn't be more different.
While the gyms are set to re-open soon and for many of you, they already have, some of you have wondered if it's even worth it going back.
You could get the same results at home with a couple of weights and some bodyweight training as opposed to paying astronomical gym membership fees, and being exposed to all those sweaty bodies and "bench press hoggers."
On the other hand, CrossFit gives you that sense of community that's unparalleled anywhere else, and it's one of the reasons why I'm still at my Box even though I have a fully racked gym at home (kinda, sorta).
Well, I'm going to show you some of the drawbacks and benefits to each sports, so you can make your own decisions in the end.
Before I do that though, let's dive into the history of each.
History of Calisthenics
While I couldn't find anything concrete about the founding of calisthenics, since it goes way back to Biblical times, I did find some stuff about the creator of the natural movement that's taking the world by storm, MovNat.
MovNat was founded by Edwin Le Corre.
Edwin believes that the gym is a thing of the past, and you don't need it to reclaim your strength, your mobility and your health. He believes in using the most out of your environment, so his exercises are not strictly relegated to at home.
This is by design because Edwin used to be somewhat of a Parkour expert, and he brought some key foundational principles of that discipline to the new movement.
Something really great about Edwin is that it acts as the counter-culture to the short term and gimmicky goals that run a plenty in the world of fitness. Edwin and MovNat focus heavily on lifestyle & longevity, so you can create this total 360 degree health.
History of CrossFit
CrossFit has been the center of the world recently, for all the wrong reasons.
Last month, Greg Glassman made a joke about COVID-19 and the killing of George Floyd.
While it was in poor taste, it was simply a case of misspoken words.
But that didn't stop the mob.
They claimed he was a virulent racist and worse than the man who killed George Floyd!
They demanded that he step down from his leadership position.
The whole event was out of control and way too exaggerated.
Especially considering the fact that Greg apologized immediately after, and that he's proven time and time again that he's anything BUT the racist these guys made him out to be.
But as the mob wants, the mob gets.
Because every CrossFit athlete is so sensitive now.
But anyways, here's a quick history lesson about how CrossFit got started.
You see, back in 1999, Greg started CrossFit and the whole idea was to combine a number of functional movements from different sports and mesh it together with weightlifting to form this weird hybrid program.
But that randomness actually fuelled CrossFit's coming success as it employed the "mantra" of constantly varied movements. And hence the WODs were born, where each day it's something new.
But to say that it hasn't been without controversy is an understatement. A lot of people say that CrossFit is unhealthy and that it cause injuries way too often because of it's intense workout style.
Which brings me into my next part.
What are the pros & cons of calisthenics & CrossFit?
Pros of Calisthenics
Accessibility
The great thing about calisthenics is that it can be done almost anywhere.
Like I said before, you don't need a fancy gym membership to some upscale gym resort (which is another topic of its own).
If you want to do it in the comfort of your own home, you can.
If you want to go to some rusty playground and do some muscle ups, you can.
The world is your oyster.
You DO NOT need a gym to train effectively
Trains multiple muscle groups
Calisthenics like CrossFit also tries it's best to incorporate different muscle groups into it's training regimen unlike other disciplines of fitness out there like bodybuilding.
This is much more effective because it combines traditional compound movements with smaller muscle groups, which leads to better all-around strength development
Improved flexibility
Because of the various movements that are involved in calisthenics, and the fact that it emphasizes on natural movements as opposed to being restricted by the barbell, Calisthenic athletes are said to be some of the most flexible people on Earth.
I should I know, I used to date one ;)
It makes sense though.
Like it or not, using the barbell or dumbbell does lead to a risk of injury, even if you use 100% strict form.
So if being more flexible is your endgame, Calisthenics is the way to go
Reduced stress
With any kind of weight training, there is always going to be some sort of stress involved. Make that with any kind of training. Why? Because when our bodies go intense pressure, like pushing our bodies to exerting maximum force, it can lead to affecting our cortisol in negative ways. When it becomes too much handle, which happens more often than not, it leads to fatigue & tiredness.
Better on joints
The last great thing about Calisthenics I want to mention before we move on is that it's much better on the joints than weight training. As mentioned before, when you force your body to move unnaturally like what happens with barbells, you're going to run into a risk of injury.
Causing you to feel worse than you started, which leads to inflammation and a build-up of lactic acid
Cons of Calisthenics
Uneven leg training
Here's the thing about training legs with bodyweight only.
You can't.
I'm only joking.
You definitely can but don't expect large leg muscles to grow while doing so.
The reason being is that you need a pretty heavy resistance load to get those quads monstrous, and 50 squats just won't do it.
You could try pistols, but seriously, who would willingly put themselves through that torture.
Not optimal for muscle mass
And here's the biggest problem of Calisthenics.
You won't be able to gain serious muscle mass anywhere.
Even if you've been doing it for long time, there's no way you're going to be looking Rich Piana.
Not to mention, if you opt for this approach, you're not going to be able to isolate any of your muscle groups, meaning you won't be able to push your muscles to hypertrophy.
The key factor in growing muscle.
Progress is slower
Stating the obvious here, but progress is usually slower with bodyweight training.
You don't have any heavy weights to expedite the process, so all you're left is what God gave you.
Doesn't mean you can't see the progress!
You definitely can...it's just that it takes a lot longer.
You might see an ab or 2 pop into place, but generally, it's just a slow & gradual process.
Pros of CrossFit
Great Camraderie
A great thing about CrossFit is the community!
It's unparalleled when it comes to that as everyone is extremely supportive of each other.
They each bring something new to the table and although it could be intimidating at first, there is no doubt they have you in the best interests
Focus on Paleo nutrition
The Paleo diet is one that should be followed to a T and is often cited by many CrossFitters as the key to better performance.
Mostly proteins and veggies and fats, and little to no carbs.
They believe that in order to replicate the most optimal way of living, we have to pay attention to what got us off track in the first place and that has a lot to do with modern day agricultural practices.
To have that 360 degree wholesome living, we have to take it back to its roots.
Fast paced
CrossFit is also very fast paced which means you don't have to spend hours in the gym or hours with Calisthenics to get a good, solid workout in.
Most WODs don't take more than 30 minutes, but don't let that fool, because each exercise is even more brutal than the last
Excellent for fat loss
Losing fat has been a staple of any fitness regimen for a long time.
And CrossFit is no different.
Because of it's intense exercises, you will work up a sweat and guess what?
That leads to more fat being burned
Great for building strength & power
CrossFit is great for building serious strength & power, mostly because of all the complex compound movements which work larger muscle groups with smaller ones to build that full body, explosive power.
That's something that Calisthenics is sorely lacking
Cons of CrossFit
Very physically demanding
CrossFit is an extremely physically demanding regimen and you will no doubt feel excruciatingly tired right after.
You'll feel sore right after and sometimes you'll just want to give up.
Not to mention it takes a serious toll on your energy levels.
Not a good look on you.
Not the best for beginners
CrossFit beginners have it the worst because they have no idea what to expect, so they so often get thrown around like rag dolls.
It's kind of a self-defeating statement then.
How are you supposed to get better in CrossFit if you can't even do CrossFit?
But everyone starts somewhere and the more you practice this sport, the better you get at it
More risk of injury
Risk of injury is probably the biggest complaint of CrossFit and with good reason.
Because the movements are so intense and fast paced, it doesn't give your muscles some room to recover from a gruelling workout.
Leading to sore muscles, and inflammation and bad joints.
That's why so many athletes speak out against CrossFit, but it's not like their respective sports are free from injuries either.
Hello! Football and concussions?
But the ball is in your park now.
It's up to you to decide.
Which one will it be?
Calisthenics or CrossFit?
But if you do need that extra bit of firepower to power through the toughest workouts, I do have something that may help and that's my supplement, SUNFIRE.
All-natural & Paleo-friendly, this supplement was MADE for CrossFitters.
So that they can power through the toughest workouts.
Without crashing with fatigue & tiredness halfway through...
Learn more when you check out the link in bio here: http://www.apollosupps.com
Sean James is a passionate and driven young CrossFitter from Toronto, Ontario.
He created Apollo Essentials with a guiding vision.
That anyone from anywhere could become an athlete. That's what his company strongly believes and he'll do whatever it takes to see it through.
Throughout his life, he's always enjoyed fitness and nutrition. You could even say it saved his life. With him being over 200 pounds in the 12th grade. But he took a long look at himself and became a dedicated fitness enthusiast. Who knows where he'll go?
After many, many months of research, he decided to hop into the supplement industry and started to create his own supplement, SUNFIRE.
The 1st, all-natural & Paleo-friendly pre-workout made exclusively for CrossFit beginners & driven athletes.
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