Hey everyone. I am here to gain balance and control over my body while building strength and toning at the same time. I am 52 years old and have decent upper body strength with poor core stability and leg strength.

I am trying to get my back together after having two children. I used to love calisthenics, but it has been a while since I incorporated into a routine. Excited to learn more and meet everyone 😊 My IG is @candievettmiles. Goal is to feel like myself again. Would love to master handstands!

Walking hurts today, but can still do calisthenics 😆 Better form for pull ups, then higher and more power. Trying to not collapse the knee in shrimp Squat. Should my hips be level or is it normal to have to dip? Working on less swing in my ttb. Working on more swing in my knee to elbow. Ring push ups closer to level and Russian push ups feeling easier.

If you only invest in TWO pieces of equipment for calisthenics… these are the ones that will help you get stronger and learn skills faster than almost anything else. And the good news? They’re cheap, portable, and ridiculously effective. — 🤸‍♂️ 1) Parallettes (Push-Up Handles / Mini Dip Bars) These little bars do WAY more than people think. First, they give you extra range of motion. That means deeper push-ups, deeper pike push-ups, deeper dips, and more muscle stretch = more strength gains. Example: On the floor, your push-up stops when your chest hits the ground. On parallettes, your chest can go past your hands → more strength → faster progress. They also make skills easier to learn. L-sit: The extra height makes tucked L-sits and compression work way more realistic. Elbow lever: They let you stay slightly bent and “banana-shaped” while you figure out balance and positioning. Handstands: Much easier on the wrists. Neutral grip = less pain, more practice time. They’re often easier to balance on for beginners too. Bottom line: Parallettes make strength work stronger and skill work easier. — 💍 2) Gymnastics Rings (Way Better Than a Pull-Up Bar) If I had to pick only ONE piece of equipment forever… it would be rings. Why? They scale every pulling exercise. Inverted rows → easier or harder just by moving your feet. Pull-ups → assisted, strict, or false-grip. Dips → deeper range of motion and more stability work. They build insane joint strength. All those tiny stabilizer muscles you never hit with normal bars? Rings force them to wake up. They unlock skills. Muscle-ups: Rings are the BEST way to build real muscle-up strength. Assisted reps, negatives, false grip work, transition drills. Skin-the-cat, back lever prep, front lever rows, L-sits on rings, support holds. This is gymnastics-level strength with $40 equipment. They’re portable. Tree branch. Playground. Garage beam. Boom. Full gym. — 🧠 Why These Two Matter So Much They give you…

Hi! I'm Annie, currently in SF Bay Area, California. I've been fitness oriented pretty much all my life. I love to dance (for fun, very unskilled) but I have always, always, wanted to break dance. So I figured calisthenics could help get me there in terms of getting my strength and body control where it needs to be to even attempt break dancing. My biggest challenge is consistency and regimen. I want to do it, but then I get the mehs and off the rails I go. I hope in joining this group it helps keep me accountable, so here goes! My IG @ anniemal12