Exercise, in general, aids in maintaining our circulatory, muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems and other systems vital to human immunity intact and healthy.
Specific physical activities and exercises such as calisthenics and CrossFit significantly help achieve and maintain physical and psychological health and also protect our bodies from the harmful effects of several diseases.
Although a lot of people get confused between the two, calisthenics and CrossFit actually have distinct qualities that fitness enthusiasts know about.
Let us first review the definition of calisthenics and CrossFit.
What Is Calisthenics?
Calisthenics is a type of strength training in which a person’s own weight is used as a counterforce. Using one’s own body as a counterforce means that you are maneuvering your own body as resistance against gravity to increase strength, fitness, and flexibility.
The word calisthenics is derived from the Greek word ‘kalos’ meaning beautiful, and ‘sthenos’ which means strength. As the name implies, this type of exercise primarily relies on a person’s weight in performing different levels of intensity and rhythm.
Calisthenics exercises include balance, coordination, and full body movement.
What Is CrossFit?
CrossFit, on the other hand, comprises both physical exercise and competitive fitness.
CrossFit is particularly designed to augment strength and improve athletic performance. It is characterized by strength conditioning and an overall fitness program which includes sound nutrition.
It is mainly a form of high-intensity interval training with functional multi-joint movements. Its strength conditioning program is consistently changing functional movements performed at high intensity depending on the phase of the trainees. This type of strength training aims to improve the ten components of physical fitness which are cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, stamina, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, accuracy, agility and balance.
Both forms of physical training are good, however what are their differences and how can you distinguish which is better for you?
Let us scrutinize the complex details of each strength training.
The Difference Between Calisthenics and Crossfit Exercises
With regard to hypertrophy or in other words muscle development, calisthenics concentrates on compound and complex muscle development since it focuses on muscles for in-depth and rigorous exercise, whereas crossfit workouts focus on specific muscles necessary to improve performance. In crossfit, if you desire to improve muscle hypertrophy, supplement it with further physical activity specifically to increase muscle volume and enhance muscular physique.
Another aspect that we should look into comparing crossfit and calisthenics is balance. Balance training includes performing exercises to strengthen certain muscles to improve your body’s stability and helps you avoid falls.
Given that crossfit often utilizes gym and other sports equipment during training, there are training regimens that will inevitably help you in maintaining or increasing your balance. For example, these regiments are helpful during the so called ‘workout of the day’ (WODs) which is composed of metabolic conditioning (like running, jogging, or skipping rope) and weightlifting (olympic and powerlifting movements).
These training regimens used in crossfit help in maintaining or improving balance. However, crossfit does not only focus on maintaining balance, but you also need to customize the training methodology to immediately increase balance and stability.
Since calisthenics is already focused on core movements, inevitably you will improve balance as you regularly do it. Your muscles are slowly developing through varied muscle-based skill exercises.
There is no denying that you can increase speed immediately with CrossFit. It enables you to achieve things in a short period of time. There is no wonder why Crossfit was prescribed as “constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement” (Glassman, 2010).
As mentioned before, CrossFit includes functional movements which are specifically multi-joint movements used during the contractions from the core to the extremities. CrossFit ought to maximize physical competence in the fitness domain and speed is one of those. However, it doesn’t mean that you will not achieve the speed that you want. It will only unfold slower compared to when you are training through CrossFit. In calisthenics you not only achieve speed but at the same time the body form that you want in a more gradual and stable process.
Now with regards to risks and safety, calisthenics is considered to be one of the safest physical exercises since there is usually no other equipment and other external forces at work besides your own body.
It is easier to get injured with CrossFit primarily because it is about speed. In wanting to achieve things quickly, you will find yourself reaping counterproductive effects since it can eventually kill your form and you will be more exposed to injury when you rush.
One must undergo an initial orthopedic examination before engaging in CrossFit. Well-educated mentors and coaches will also help in decreasing the injury rate. A beginner must first complete a CrossFit training program that is slow in pace and he/she must be oriented with the instructions of the fundamentals of CrossFit. Moreover, the previous injury must be taken into account since CrossFit will most likely increase the risk of re-injury.
Steadily accomplishing calisthenics exercises will incur less injuries and hazards over CrossFit training.
Benefits of Calisthenics and CrossFit Programs
Despite the risks included in training using CrossFit programs, there are also significant benefits that come with it. Crossfit provides a holistic approach to fitness wherein your lifestyle must adhere to the prescribed program. That will entail change in diet particularly food intake and the amount of rest you are taking.
You can customize the program to achieve personal goals, may it be improved health, weight loss, or even to improve your performance in any specific sports if you are a professional athlete or even a sports enthusiast. CrossFit exercises can be custom fit according to the needs of the trainees and based on their age and level of fitness. Like any other exercises, it will not be as effective as expected if your lifestyle does not support the physical training you are undergoing.
With calisthenics, you will have an overall awareness of your own body since you rely mainly on it for the whole training. It only involves very minimal use of apparatus and on any gym equipment.
Calisthenics exercises are widely accessible and can be done almost anywhere because it only relies on your body weight to execute very common and compound exercises that may advance as you continue.
How to Choose Between Calisthenics and CrossFit Exercises
In choosing which is the better choice for you between calisthenics and CrossFit, these are the following factors that must be put into account.
Fitness and Difficulty level
Calisthenics exercises are easier especially for beginners since these exercises do not require a lot of training experience whereas in CrossFit, one must be prepared enough to handle intense and rigorous workouts.
Not to mention that with CrossFit, you must be under the guidance of a knowledgeable coach and it is recommended to go through orthopedic examination to assess your physical condition.
Muscular Hypertrophy and Fat Burning
Your ability to increase your muscles must be considered in choosing between calisthenics and crossit.
Crossfit workouts tend to be intense to enhance muscular hypertrophy in a short period of time compared to calisthenics. Having clear goals is absolutely relevant in pursuing any physical training.
When you already have targets in mind, it’s time to assess your own body if you have what it takes to complete the training. Consider how far you will go in developing your muscles to increase fitness and how much fat you must burn to achieve the physique that you desire).
Risks, Cost and Convenience
Another very important factor that must be considered are the risks that come with the type of training you choose.
Will you be willing to take the risks of possible injury? Are you prepared mentally, financially, and physically? How about your location and availability? Is it convenient for you to do CrossFit rather than calisthenics?
Facts About Doing Regular Exercise
Regardless of your choice, the non-negotiable effects of exercise still stand. To further encourage you to start or continue working out here are the amazing facts about doing regular exercise according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
- Enhanced cardiovascular and respiratory function which has direct positive effects on our heart and lungs.
- Reduced cardiovascular disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and others.
- Decreased morbidity and mortality rates
- Lessened anxiety and depression
- Increased cognitive function
- Improved physical function and independent living in older individuals
- Amplified feelings of well-being
- Strengthened work performance as well as recreational and sports activities.
- Lowered risk of injuries from falls in older people.
- Lessened of functional limitations that the older adult will normally undergo.
- Effective therapy for several chronic diseases older people will experience.
So, whichever you choose between calisthenics and CrossFit, one thing is for sure: regular exercise helps a lot!