calisthenics

So you’re a noob and you don’t know what kind of training will work for you? In our fitness world, there are two training styles that gym-goers always seem to pit against each other: calisthenics vs weights.

Calisthenics (aka. bodyweight training) involves exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, and dragon flags while weight lifting uses standard gym equipment like barbells, dumbbells, and machines to perform more traditional movements like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.

But which training style actually produces more muscle gains?

Let’s break down the differences between the two, so you can determine which is the best option for you based on your lifestyle and fitness goals.

The hanging leg raise is one of the most intense ab exercises that you can crank out at the gym to tone your abs. The only problem is that they call for a pull-up bar, so you probably won’t be able to do them anywhere but at the gym.

So, we’re going to go over some of the best hanging leg raise alternatives that’ll hit your lower abs without needing a pull-up bar.

The chin-up – not quite as hard as a pull-up but still pretty taxing nonetheless. These remain one of the yardsticks of fitness and health, and the number of chin-ups you should be able to do differs significantly from one person to the next.

However, there is some correlation between the amount you can do and your health. So let’s examine why they’re so important and how many you should be able to crank out.