You might have noticed that recently, students have been attending Calisthenics lessons organised by the Student Experience team! During these classes, our awesome teacher Lee Wade Turner has walked us through various levels of Calisthenics allowing us to challenge the limits of what our bodies can do.
So, what is Calisthenics? Well... it’s a form of strength training, often performed with minimal equipment and your own body weight. These exercises can vary from a bodyweight squat to handstand training. I have always had an interest in trying calisthenics classes but pre lockdown, I felt too nervous to try something out of my comfort zone out of fear that I wouldn't be able to keep up. When the team mentioned starting calisthenics classes, I was super excited to get involved! How can this be practiced at home? Through the lockdowns, I'm sure many of us have discovered that we can achieve more at home than we once thought. We, as a nation, have found ways to adapt to smaller spaces and achieve more with minimal equipment. The best part about these Calisthenics classes is that they can be practiced with minimal space from the comfort of your home! In classes, we have been practicing using our own body weight to strengthen our body with the help of resistance bands. The exercises offered, have a range of variations to allow all levels to participate.
These classes have helped build my confidence in my own abilities. Following Lee’s guidance and having him watch our form through zoom has really helped me build my confidence in my own abilities and allowed me to train safely. For me, Calisthenics has been a fun way to bring ‘childlike joy’ back into traditional exercise. The classes have allowed me to practice things I have always wanted to achieve such as push up variations and handstands. The support allowed me to train safely and prepare my body. The past 4 weeks with Lee have allowed me to test my own strength and believe in my abilities more.
Hope to see you there!