Is 25 too old to start calisthenics?

No way! 25 years old is actually a young age to start calisthenics or any form of strength training. At this age, you can make serious muscle mass gains and see quick fat loss results as long as you remain consistent with both your exercise and your healthy food intake. Many people start their calisthenics routines even in their 40s or 50s. If you’re 25, go for it and stay committed to basic exercises, then move to challenging ones. As we’ve discussed, the hardest part is getting started, but once you start to manage several successful days in a row, this calisthenics journey will become your new normal and will fit right into your daily routine.

Is calisthenics hard on your joints?

Calisthenics is easier on your joints if it’s done correctly. Compared to weightlifting, it places less strain on your joints due to not placing an external load on your body. Therefore, if you warm up before each session and focus on proper form, you’ll already be on the right path to gain muscle and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Can you get ripped with just calisthenics?

Building muscles with calisthenics alone is possible. To do this, you need to induce progressive overload. Progressive overload is a strength training principle that’s a requirement in order to see muscle mass or strength gains. It involves manipulating the sets, reps, weight, duration, or intensity of a given exercise/workout. Progressive overload is typically easier to accomplish with traditional weight lifting as you can simply pick up a heavier weight the next time around. For calisthenics, progressive overload is accomplished through increasing rep ranges, speeding up the workout (intensity/duration), and/or trying different variations of similar exercises (think handstand push-up vs. traditional push-up). However, you should remember that getting “ripped” requires consistency in both exercise and food intake. You’ll need to eat a diet that’s high-protein and contains complex carbohydrates and do your best to avoid eating in a calorie surplus. With consistent effort in your workouts and with your meals, you can build/maintain muscle while also cutting down on body fat. More muscle with less body fat gives you that “ripped” aesthetic that’s highly sought after.

What should I eat during calisthenics?

We touched on this briefly in the above section, but in order to excel at calisthenics, you should eat lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. Examples include: chicken, lentils, tofu, Greek yogurt, protein shakes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and oily fish. Such products support strength, recovery, and lean muscle growth.