Calisthenics and barbells

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

The classic barbell exercises like Power Clean, Squat, Pendlay Row, Bench Press, Deadlift, Shoulder Press, etc. are great for building strength.

But what about Calisthenics, can it do anything special?

By Calisthenics I mean exercises like Ring Dip, Elbow Lever, Muscle-Up, Pull-Up, Handstand Push-Up, Single Arm Ring Row, One Hand Pullup, One Hand Pushup, Pistols etc.

Compared to barbell exercises, Calisthenics requires more stability, and therefore the exercises are worse at training strength. But maybe they are better at training stability? Or what does Calisthenics contribute?

Is it a waste of time to train Calisthenics together with classic barbell exercises, or do they complement each other well?

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Great question, MP.

To start, calisthenic exercises are certainly a type of resistance training in that they require the muscle to produce force against a load in order to complete a task. Let’s make a list of pro’s and con’s for the exercises with respect to strength:

Pros

  • Loads muscle through relatively large ROM
  • Can require max/near-max motor-unit recruitment depending on exercise and the individual
  • Accessible (no equipment required)

Cons

  • Mobility/stability requirements may be too high for an individual to use a variation appropriate for their strength level (e.g. a 600lb squatter can do all the BW squats in the world, but a pistol may not be in their repertoire, or a person who can’t squat the bar may not be able to train BW squats with enough intensity, volume, etc. to derive maximum benefits.

Ultimately, strength, mobility, and “stability” adaptations are specific to how they are developed in training. To your point, I don’t think more stable exercises are “better” for building strength without knowing how strength is being tested. For example, you probably wouldn’t say that the leg press (more stable) is a better strength exercise than the squat (less stable). They both build strength very well, just with different constraints.

I think calisthenics are a fine modality of training to use if someone wants, though any unique benefit from them is mostly going to be related to the specific exercise, and not general function.

-Jordan

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