Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature Review

Introduction and purpose:    Calisthenics is a sport in which the load and resistance is the body of the person exercising. It can be practiced indoors or in outdoor gyms, and to perform exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks and lunges, no special equipment is needed or only bas...

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Main Authors: Wiktor Werenkowicz, Aleksandra Boral, Bartłomiej Czarnecki, Dominika Kryś, Julia Koczur, Michał Górski, Wiktoria Pniok, Wojciech Kurkiewicz, Joanna Brzoza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Kazimierz Wielki University 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Education, Health and Sport
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Online Access:https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/60373
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author Wiktor Werenkowicz
Aleksandra Boral
Bartłomiej Czarnecki
Dominika Kryś
Julia Koczur
Michał Górski
Wiktoria Pniok
Wojciech Kurkiewicz
Joanna Brzoza
author_facet Wiktor Werenkowicz
Aleksandra Boral
Bartłomiej Czarnecki
Dominika Kryś
Julia Koczur
Michał Górski
Wiktoria Pniok
Wojciech Kurkiewicz
Joanna Brzoza
author_sort Wiktor Werenkowicz
collection DOAJ
description Introduction and purpose:    Calisthenics is a sport in which the load and resistance is the body of the person exercising. It can be practiced indoors or in outdoor gyms, and to perform exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks and lunges, no special equipment is needed or only basic equipment in the form of a bar and parallel bars. Due to the ease of performing most calisthenic exercises, their availability, and the health benefits of practicing it, its popularity is constantly growing among people of all ages. The purpose of this article is to collect information on the possible health benefits of calisthenics and the most common injuries associated with practicing it. A brief description of the state of knowledge:   During calisthenics training using your body weight, people who exercise face a number of mental and physical challenges that depend on the level of advancement of the exercise or gymnastic figure being performed. During calisthenics training using your body weight, exercisers face a number of mental and physical challenges that depend on the level of advancement of the exercises or gymnastic figures performed. These exercises can lead to health benefits as well as injuries. Injuries during body weight exercises can affect any limb. The most common joints that are injured are the knee, shoulder, or wrist joints. The health benefits of this type of exercise are many, both physical, such as reduced cardiovascular risk and muscle growth, and mental, such as reduced anxiety, a lower chance of depression and better sleep.   Conclusions:   The risk of injury during calisthenics is relatively low, and the health benefits of the exercises are undeniable. Calisthenics is a good choice for people who do not want to spend a lot of money on equipment or a gym membership and want to improve their physical and mental health with a low risk of serious injuries.
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publisher Kazimierz Wielki University
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spelling doaj-art-f65d634bc8b84fe2a1b8b477cfaa4a7f2025-08-20T03:22:52ZengKazimierz Wielki UniversityJournal of Education, Health and Sport2391-83062025-06-018210.12775/JEHS.2025.82.60373Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature ReviewWiktor Werenkowicz0https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8487-2426Aleksandra Boral1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0342-5349Bartłomiej Czarnecki2https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8960-5760Dominika Kryś3https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5183-7008Julia Koczur4https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8578-0866Michał Górski5https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5147-0192Wiktoria Pniok6https://orcid.org/0009-0004-0287-8527Wojciech Kurkiewicz7https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0137-1311Joanna Brzoza8https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1076-5461Powiatowe Centrum Zdrowia sp. z o. o. w OtwockuKatowickie Centrum OnkologiiProvincial Specialist Hospital No. 5 named after St. Barbara in Sosnowiec, Plac Medyków 1, 41-214 Sosnowiec, Silesia, PolandSamodzielny Publiczny Zakład Opieki Zdrowotnej MSWiA im. Sierżanta Grzegorza Załogi w KatowicachSt. Elizabeth Hospital in Katowice, American Heart of Poland GroupSamodzielny Publiczny Zakład Opieki Zdrowotnej MSWiA im. Sierżanta Grzegorza Załogi w KatowicachKatowickie Centrum OnkologiiHospital of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in CracowFaculty of Medical Sciences of the Silesian Medical University in Katowice-Ligota Introduction and purpose:    Calisthenics is a sport in which the load and resistance is the body of the person exercising. It can be practiced indoors or in outdoor gyms, and to perform exercises such as pull-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks and lunges, no special equipment is needed or only basic equipment in the form of a bar and parallel bars. Due to the ease of performing most calisthenic exercises, their availability, and the health benefits of practicing it, its popularity is constantly growing among people of all ages. The purpose of this article is to collect information on the possible health benefits of calisthenics and the most common injuries associated with practicing it. A brief description of the state of knowledge:   During calisthenics training using your body weight, people who exercise face a number of mental and physical challenges that depend on the level of advancement of the exercise or gymnastic figure being performed. During calisthenics training using your body weight, exercisers face a number of mental and physical challenges that depend on the level of advancement of the exercises or gymnastic figures performed. These exercises can lead to health benefits as well as injuries. Injuries during body weight exercises can affect any limb. The most common joints that are injured are the knee, shoulder, or wrist joints. The health benefits of this type of exercise are many, both physical, such as reduced cardiovascular risk and muscle growth, and mental, such as reduced anxiety, a lower chance of depression and better sleep.   Conclusions:   The risk of injury during calisthenics is relatively low, and the health benefits of the exercises are undeniable. Calisthenics is a good choice for people who do not want to spend a lot of money on equipment or a gym membership and want to improve their physical and mental health with a low risk of serious injuries. https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/60373calisthenicsbody weight exercise injuriescalisthenics health benefitselderly exercisespush-ups injuries
spellingShingle Wiktor Werenkowicz
Aleksandra Boral
Bartłomiej Czarnecki
Dominika Kryś
Julia Koczur
Michał Górski
Wiktoria Pniok
Wojciech Kurkiewicz
Joanna Brzoza
Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature Review
Journal of Education, Health and Sport
calisthenics
body weight exercise injuries
calisthenics health benefits
elderly exercises
push-ups injuries
title Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature Review
title_full Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature Review
title_fullStr Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature Review
title_full_unstemmed Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature Review
title_short Potential Health Benefits and Risks Associated with Calisthenics, a Sport of Increasing Popularity – A Literature Review
title_sort potential health benefits and risks associated with calisthenics a sport of increasing popularity a literature review
topic calisthenics
body weight exercise injuries
calisthenics health benefits
elderly exercises
push-ups injuries
url https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/60373
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