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A few years back, when I did calisthenics everyday. I used to get up in the morning (without fail) and relentlessly hammer out pullups, pushups, dips, and squats until every muscle in my body burned with intensity.
To be honest, it probably wasn’t the most convenient way to train, given my work schedule.
But looking back, I remember being in pretty decent shape. So in hindsight, I must have been doing something right at the time.
Now when it comes to working out. There’s a lot of debate about whether you can perform this style of training everyday.
There’s the community of hardcore gym bro’s who claim that rest is an essential part of allowing the muscles to repair and grow…
And then there are the people who think overtraining is a myth. And that that working out everyday is essential.
So who’s right, and who’s talking out of their A-hole?
Well, it depends on a few things, really.
See, we all have different goals, genetics, and approaches to exercise.
And it’s ultimately these differences that make it hard to give a definitive answer for each individual scenario.
Take the average hardcore bodybuilder type, for instance.
This guy (or gal) will repeatedly smash a particular muscle group into oblivion using a relatively heavy load.
All in one training session, I might add.
Now, if this guy were to repeat the same process on the same muscle group every day, I’d be willing to bet my left nutsack that he’d burn out in a matter of days.
Killing his progress, gains, and his self-esteem along with it.
But if you were to take another guy, who performed nothing but lightweight calisthenics workouts. He’d probably be able to get away with this type of training every day for at least a few weeks or more before needing a much-needed break.
Now, this is only the tip of the iceberg, and there’s a lot of things you need to consider before diving headfirst into performing calisthenics everyday.
So in today’s blog post, I’m gonna be taking your deep into the trenches what happens when you adopt this style of training.
So take a little time to read, and then re-read this post.
Because by the time you’re done, you’ll be able to make an informed, logical decision if this is the path you want to choose. And ultimately decide if it’s worth your time and effort in the long run.
Let’s get cracking…
WATCH VIDEO: Discover How To Build Huge Slabs Of Muscle, Extreme Power, And The Ripped Torso Of A Spartan Warrior Using Nothing More Than A Bar And Your Own Bodyweight…
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Table of Contents
The Effects Of Exercise On The Body
So, let me start by saying that progressive overload is the key to helping your muscles repair and get stronger.
But without essential rest between this overload, then your body wouldn’t have the time to grow and adapt to the stimulus you’re giving it.
And it doesn’t matter if this overload comes from 100 pushups in a row or ten reps of a 500-pound deadlift.
If you push your body beyond its physical capabilities, then chances are you’re going to feel the effects on your body over the next few days.
But with that said, it wouldn’t take nearly as long to recover from the pushups as it would the deadlift.
And this has everything to do with your CNS (central nervous system)
Basically, lifting heavy shit is taxing on your CNS.
And the fact that you’re placing a ridiculously heavy load on your posterior chain. Makes deadlifting a delicate exercise that shouldn’t be taken on while your body is still in the recovery phase.
Pushups, on the other hand, simply won’t have the same catastrophic effect on your CNS as the deadlifts would.
Yes, they’re hard, and yes, you’re going to feel delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) if you do too more than you can handle.
But because you haven’t technically fried your central nervous system into oblivion. You’ll probably be well up for another round of pushups the very next day.
Obviously, this advice should be taken with a bit of common sense. Because too much training and not enough rest is eventually going to catch up with you regardless of how fit you think you are.
However, when it comes to performing basic calisthenics exercises everyday (without going completely overboard). It’s safe to assume that you’ll be ok.
Can I Do Weighted Calisthenics Everyday?
Now, this is an entirely different ball game when you start adding weight to the mix.
Because not only are you making each exercise harder. You’re also placing a lot more stress on your working muscles. Often turning it into a low rep, high demand workout.
Speaking from personal experience. I can tell you that every time I perform multiple sets of ANY exercises in the low rep range (less than 6 reps per set). I find that I need at least one rest day before I dive headfirst into my next workout.
And this goes for weightlifting, calisthenics, or any other form of resistance training where you’re placing heavy stress on your muscles.
The training tool doesn’t matter because your body can’t tell the difference.
Can I Do Progressive Calisthenics Everyday?
Again, the rules remain the same, even for progressive calisthenics.
The only difference here is that it’s relatively difficult to heavily overload your muscles without first working through a few previous progressions.
Take the pullup, for instance…
Now, let’s just say, for example, that you could easily execute 15-20 full range of motion pullups with perfect form.
Does this mean you’ll be able to perform a one-arm pullup?
Chances are you’d be shit out of luck because the extra stress it would place on your grip and scapula strength would be far too much to handle your first time around.
Instead, you’d need to slowly work up to this progression by performing archer pullups, assisted one-arm pullups, and one-arm deadhangs to achieve this incredible feat of strength.
It’s not something that just happens overnight.
So even though progressive calisthenics can take a massive toll on your CNS. It’s not something I’d worry about too much unless you’re overly stressing your muscles.
WATCH VIDEO: Discover How To Build Huge Slabs Of Muscle, Extreme Power, And The Ripped Torso Of A Spartan Warrior Using Nothing More Than A Bar And Your Own Bodyweight…
(Video Will Open In A New Window)
Does Training Volume & Intensity Matter?
Again it all depends on the loading of the exercise.
If you’re performing basic calisthenics exercises within a high rep range and not absolutely obliterating yourself every single day. Then yes, you can generally up the training volume.
But if you’re strapping 100-pounds to your torso and hammering out pullups and dips like there’s no tomorrow. Then recovery is going to be a must.
You also need to remember that what you eat will play a massive role in what you’re capable of on a day to day basis.
If you’re eating enough high-quality food and you’re feeling good during every workout. Then your work output is going to be a lot more effective.
But if you’re spending your days eating cake, pizza, and beer and then pushing your body to the limit. Then it’s only gonna be a matter of time before you hit a snag in your training.
I think the real take-home message here is that it’s important to just listen to your body and know when it’s time to take a little time off to relax and recover.
Trust me, after a few days of chill time and hitting the snooze button on your alarm. You’ll be well and truly prepared to get back into your workout routine with full force and intensity.
Full Body Vs Split Training
Now, before I get into the nitty-gritty of this debate. Let me just start by saying that I’ve rarely ever utilized split training in my calisthenics routine.
I’m the type of guy who likes to keep things simple and effective. So I’m constantly applying the principles of full-body training to get the most out of my workout.
To be honest, my workouts consist of pretty much the exact same movement patterns every time I train.
This includes…
- Vertical pull (Pullups/Chinups)
- Vertical push (Parallel Bar Dips)
- Horizontal pull (Inverted Row)
- Horizontal push (Pushups)
- Squats (Split Squats, Pistols, etc…)
- Hinge movement (hip thrusts or deadlifts)
Now, I know deadlifts aren’t technically calisthenics. But it’s a very effective hinge movement that works around 90% of the muscles in your body.
Not to mention it’s a great hip flexor exercise that massively increasing your strength and mobility. So it’s something I apply to my workout regularly.
So here’s the ultimate conclusion…
If you want to perform calisthenics everyday, I recommend either keeping it at a level where you’re not hammering yourself into the ground…
…Or (if you’re utilizing weighted calisthenics), split the workout into something like a push/pull split and alternate each day.
This way, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of your workout without pushing the boundaries that eventually lead to injury.
Taking Your Calisthenics Workout To The Next Level
Hopefully, this has given you a few ideas on how to get the most out of your workout.
And I predict that if you follow most (if not all) of the training principles I’ve highlighted above. You’ll be well on your way to reaching your training goals sooner rather than later.
However, I also understand that everyone’s different, and there will be a few people reading this (possibly you) who need a little extra nudge in the right direction,
So if you’re looking for something to take your calisthenics skills to an entirely new level, then here’s something that’s going to help raise your game to elite levels and beyond.
It’s called Bar Brothers The System
And it’s a 12-week calisthenics transformation program designed to help your stack on massive slabs of strong, lean muscle using nothing more than a bar, your bodyweight, and the will of a spartan warrior.
Take a look below…
WATCH VIDEO: Discover How To Build Huge Slabs Of Muscle, Extreme Power, And The Ripped Torso Of A Spartan Warrior Using Nothing More Than A Bar And Your Own Bodyweight…
(Video Will Open In A New Window)
Now, as you can probably tell from the video, it’s got kind of a “Go Hard Or Go Home” approach to the whole thing.
So if you’re not willing to put the time and effort in then, I’d recommend giving it a miss and getting your fill someplace else.
But if you want a program that’ll show you the exact step-by-step process to getting…
…Strong
…Ripped
…And basically in the best shape of your life
Then it might be the golden ticket you’re looking for.
Here’s the link again just to tempt you…
Bar Brothers 12-Week Transformation Program
Anyway, that about wraps things up for today’s blog post.
But if you have any questions, comment, or anything you think could benefit this post even more. Then you’re more than welcome to drop them in the comments section below…