A Beginner’s Guide to Calisthenics with Lucy Saltmarsh

When it comes to exercise, so many people seem to have an excuse. Many common excuses include being too old, not knowing where to begin, or not having access to a gym. But that’s where calisthenics workouts come in. 

The true beauty behind calisthenics and why so many people of all fitness levels include them as part of their health and exercise program is because all excuses are eliminated. Their simplicity, accessibility and movements perfect for every body type make this workout style ideal for beginners to experienced athletes alike. We teamed up with movement and fitness coach Lucy Saltmarsh to create a beginner’s guide to calisthenics to help you get started.

If you’re like Saltmarsh, it’s only going to take one opportunity to experience calisthenics before you, too, find yourself going down the rabbit hole. Let’s dive into things!

What is Calisthenics?

Calisthenics is a type of exercise that involves using only your body weight to perform various movements and exercises. These exercises typically do not require any equipment or weights and can be done anywhere, making them a popular form of exercise for people who want to stay fit without going to a gym.

Calisthenics exercises include things like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and planks, among others. Depending on a person’s fitness level and goals, these exercises can be modified to make them easier or more difficult.

Calisthenics can help improve strength, flexibility, overall fitness, and can be a great way to challenge yourself and stay motivated. They are also a low-impact form of exercise that can be easier on joints than other forms of exercise like running or weightlifting.

How to Get Started with Calisthenics According to Lucy Saltmarsh

After chatting with Saltmarsh, she has some tips for you to utilize in order to safely get started with calisthenics. Below is what she feels would benefit you the most and her tips to keep in mind:

“My number one piece of advice is simply to go for it! I know many calisthenic movements can seem intimidating, but they break down into smaller foundational pieces you can stack together. 

• Conditioning and learning shapes will help immensely. This would look like things such as plank holds, holly body holds, superwoman holds, and wall handstand holds to learn alignment and body awareness. 

• If you want to focus on bar movements, I’d encourage you to work on grip strength with dead and active hang holds, pulling movements like chin-ups and pull-ups, and beginning to get comfortable swinging back and forth with control. 

• For flips, you’ll want to get comfortable with being explosive and quickly driving feet overhead. 

• My favorite explosive movements are different variations of box jumps and body weight jumps. Make sure to focus on the landing as well as the takeoff. 

• For driving feet overhead, I would start with backward and forward rolls before advancing to bridge kick overs and back walkovers. 

Just remember, everyone started where you are at one point. Consistency is key to building, maintaining, and perfecting skills!”

The Secret Behind How Lucy Saltmarsh Maintains Her Mobility

Your ability to move freely without pain is essential to longevity and independence. The ability to maintain strength, structure, and functioning is crucial. 

Below are some ways that Saltmarsh focuses on and maintains her mobility.

“The style of movement I love definitely takes a toll on my body, so I am adamant about my recovery, mobility, and rest days. I place mobility drills into my workouts each time I train and spend more extensive time on it 2-3 times per week. 

“I focus a lot on my ankles (as I’ve injured them several times), wrists, hips, and shoulders. Additionally, I take at least one full rest day each week for my body, where the most activity I’ll do is a walk with my dog. 

“Additionally, I build in de-load weeks. During these weeks, I drop the volume of my training, don’t push advanced skills, and drop weights to no more than 50% to give my nervous system a break and time to reset. 

“Something else I’ve found helpful is adding chiropractic care, compression therapy, and sauna/cold plunge to my toolbox. Over the last year, it has dramatically improved my muscle recovery.”

To learn more about Lucy Saltmarsh and her training, follow her on IG @lucymvmt and YouTube, or give her a podcast Monday Motivational Minute, a listen on any of your favorite audio platforms. 

‍You can also check out a few of her favorite products: 

Dynamic Pursuit Supplements (code “LUCY” saves you 10%)

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Liquid IV (code “LUCYMVMT” saves you 20% + free shipping)