FLYING THE (HUMAN) FLAG
FOR CALISTHENICS!
Visually arresting and
incredibly effective, an age-
old style of training is making
quite a comeback, writes
acclaimed bodyweight trainer
Al Kavadlo.
magine a person suspended
sideways on a vertical pole,
completely parallel to the ground,
arms and legs outstretched, with no points
of contact other than their own two hands (or
just look at the picture above!)
Until you’ve witnessed it for yourself, it’s
hard to believe this so-called ‘human flag’ is
even possible. The unique combination of
strength, stability, and control required to
perform this hold is unlike anything else.
Visually, it’s one of the most eye-catching
feats of strength possible, but there’s so
much more to the flag than just showing off
in front of your friends.
Training the body without the use of
external resistance equipment is known as
calisthenics. It’s been around since the dawn
of humanity, but lately it’s been making quite
a comeback.
Calisthenics, or bodyweight training,
is the oldest and noblest form of exercise.
Way before the invention of the modern gym,
I
using only our bodies for resistance was not
just the best way to train, it was the only way!
It’s perhaps no wonder, then, that more and
more people are getting excited, inspired
and motivated by this phenomenon.
Working out, like life, should be fun,
adventurous, primal and pure. No training
style embodies these elements quite like
calisthenics, which celebrates the use of
our whole body cohesively, rather than
attempting to isolate small body parts
one-at-a-time. Furthermore, employing
numerous muscle groups promotes greater
overall strength.
Pull ups, for example, use the biceps,
latissimus dorsi (lats), abdominals, shoulders
and more. No machines come close to
simulating the overall effect and strength
gains. The ability to confidently pull your
body up and over a real object is a lot more
impressive than the ability to move a weight
stack straight up and down a machine.
And while the classic pull up is undoubtedly
NETWORK SPRING 2017 | 17