15/03/2026

ON SUNDAY March 15, 2026 theSunday Special VII

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Bounce, burn, build: The power of callisthenics

BY ASHRAF WAHAB

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3XVK XSV 3XOO XSV RU DVVLVWHG URZV 6TXDWV &KDLU GLSV 3ODQNV 3HUIRUPHG LQ VKRUW FLUFXLWV ZLWK PLQL mal rest, these routines deliver strength DQG FRQGLWLRQLQJ ZLWKRXW ORQJ J\P VHV sions. )RU WKRVH ZLWK HYHQ OHVV WLPH 7DEDWD VW\OH FDOOLVWKHQLFV RIIHUV LQWHQVH IRXU minute bursts. “ 7KH NH\ LV FRQVLVWHQF\ )LIWHHQ PLQXWHV GDLO\ LV EHWWHU WKDQ ZDLWLQJ IRU WKH SHUIHFW KRXU ´ :D¿ VDLG Training around injuries C DOOLVWKHQLFV LV KLJKO\ DGDSWDEOH ZKLFK PDNHV LW VXLWDEOH HYHQ IRU WKRVH UHFRYHULQJ IURP LQMXULHV W D¿ EHJLQV E\ LGHQWLI\LQJ WKH LQMXU\ and its stage. Movements are then modi- ¿HG WR UHGXFH ORDG DQG UDQJH RI PRWLRQ W DOO SXVK XSV UHSODFH ÀRRU SXVK XSV $VVLVWHG SXOO XSV UHSODFH IXOO SXOOV 3DUWLDO VTXDWV UHSODFH GHHS RQHV ,VRPHWULF KROGV play a big role. “ 7KH\ EXLOG VWUHQJWK ZLWKRXW VWUHVVLQJ WKH MRLQWV ´ KH H[SODLQHG M RELOLW\ ZRUN LV SULRULWLVHG 7HPSR LV VORZHG +LJK LPSDFW PRYHPHQWV DUH avoided until the body is ready. “ ,W¶V DERXW FRQWURO QRW HJR ´ :D¿ VDLG When callisthenics changes performance O QH RI :DIL¶V PRVW PHDQLQJIXO H[SH ULHQFHV LQYROYHG WUDLQLQJ \RXQJ silat VWXGHQWV VRPH DV \RXQJ DV ¿YH 8VLQJ FDOOLVWKHQLFV KH IRFXVHG RQ building leg strength through natural PRYHPHQW UDWKHU WKDQ KHDY\ H[WHUQDO loads. “ 7KH FKDQJH ZDV REYLRXV 7KHLU NLFNV EHFDPH PRUH VWDEOH PRUH SRZHUIXO DQG PRUH FRQWUROOHG ´ KH QRWHG Beyond strength, students developed EDODQFH FRRUGLQDWLRQ DQG FRQ¿GHQFH “ 7KDW¶V ZKHQ , NQHZ FDOOLVWKHQLFV ZRUNV ´ :D¿ VDLG More than a trend I V FDOOLVWKHQLFV MXVW DQRWKHU ¿WQHVV IDG" :D¿ GRHV QRW WKLQN VR G OREDOO\ WKH GLVFLSOLQH KDV PDWXUHG ZLWK LQWHUQDWLRQDO FRPSHWLWLRQV FRP PXQLWLHV DQG SXEOLF WUDLQLQJ VSDFHV ,Q 0DOD\VLD LQWHUHVW LV JURZLQJ HVSHFLDOO\ DPRQJ XUEDQ \RXWK /RZ FRVW )OH[LEOH VFKHGXOHV )XQFWLRQDO UHVXOWV “ &DOOLVWKHQLFV GRHVQ¶W UHSODFH J\PV ,W FRPSOHPHQWV WKHP ´ :D¿ HPSKDVLVHG ) or martial artists, he believes it is here to stay. “ ,W VXSSRUWV SHUIRUPDQFH HQGXUDQFH and long-term health. That’s not a trend,” he added. $ s he returns to training, the message is FOHDU 6WUHQJWK GRHV QRW DOZD\V QHHG LURQ 6RPHWLPHV \RXU ERG\ LV HQRXJK

I realised callisthenics builds real strength. Strength that you can use.” “Movement in martial arts must be Ḣ FLHQW &DOOLVWKHQLFV WHDFKHV FRQWURO ´ he emphasised. ([HUFLVHV VXFK DV SLVWRO VTXDWV VLQJOH OHJ KRSV WXFN MXPSV DQG H[SORVLYH push-ups develop unilateral strength DQG VSULQJ OLNH SRZHU &RUH IRFXVHG GULOOV LPSURYH VWDELOLW\ IRU NLFNV DQG ODQGLQJV T KHUH DUH DOVR OHVV REYLRXV EHQH¿WV “ )UHHVW\OH FDOOLVWKHQLFV PRYHPHQWV OLNH VZLQJ DQG FDWFK RU UHOHDVH DQG UHJULS WUDLQ IDVW GHFLVLRQ PDNLQJ 7KDW¶V XVHIXO LQ VSDUULQJ ZKHUH QRWKLQJ LV SUHGLFWDEOH ´ :D¿ VDLG I W LV QRW MXVW DERXW VWUHQJWK EXW DZDUH ness. Gym versus bodyweight Wafi does not dismiss traditional gym WUDLQLQJ +H VLPSO\ VHHV LW GL̆ HUHQWO\ “Gym training builds absolute strength. &DOOLVWKHQLFV EXLOGV UHODWLYH VWUHQJWK ´ KH highlighted. I Q D J\P SURJUHVVLRQ LV OLQHDU $GG SODWHV ,QFUHDVH ORDG ,Q FDOOLVWKHQLFV SURJUHVVLRQ FRPHV WKURXJK YDULDWLRQV Moving from a regular pull-up to a PXVFOH XS IRU H[DPSOH “Both have value,” he admitted. Gym training often leads to faster PXVFOH JURZWK DQG PHDVXUDEOH VWUHQJWK JDLQV &DOOLVWKHQLFV GHYHORSV FRQWURO EDO DQFH DQG FRUH VWDELOLW\ 5LVN H[LVWV LQ ERWK “ +HDY\ ZHLJKWV FDQ LQMXUH MRLQWV DQG WKH VSLQH LI WHFKQLTXH LV SRRU ´ :D¿ VDLG “ &DOOLVWKHQLFV LV VDIHU LQ WHUPV RI ORDG EXW UXVKLQJ SURJUHVVLRQ FDQ VWLOO LQMXUH VKRXOGHUV ZULVWV RU WHQGRQV ´ Common beginner mistakes M RVW LQMXULHV :DIL QRWHV FRPH IURP LPSDWLHQFH “ 3HRSOH ZDQW WR VNLS WKH EDVLFV ´ KH said. 3RRU IRUP ,JQRULQJ FRUH HQJDJHPHQW 6NLSSLQJ ZDUP XSV &KDVLQJ UHSHWLWLRQV ZLWKRXW FRQWURO “ $QG WUDLQLQJ HYHU\ GD\ ZLWKRXW UHVW ´ he added. C DOOLVWKHQLFV UHZDUGV SDWLHQFH “

You can train slowly. Isometric. Eccentric. It depends on your goal.”

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GHPDQGV FRRUGLQDWLRQ FRUH VWUHQJWK H[SORVLYH SRZHU DQG EDODQFH &DOOLVWKHQLFV trains all three.

Wafi