If you’re interested in getting fit and improving your overall health, you might be wondering whether to undertake the Street Workout journey or embark on the traditional gym route
In this article, we’ll explore both options by comparing their core aspects like the types of exercises involved, muscle development, equipment needed, location flexibility, and potential benefits for weight loss, strength training, and body fat reduction.
Calisthenics and bodyweight exercises vs weights at the gym
To begin with, let’s understand the main differences between these two popular training options.
Street Workouts often focus on calisthenics and bodyweight exercises, which involve using your own body’s resistance to build strength and muscle definition. Some common examples include push-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats, and handstands.
Overlap with gymnastics and harder moves
There is a considerable overlap between Street Workouts and gymnastics, as they both incorporate movements that engage multiple muscles and joints in dynamic ways.
As you progress with your Street Workout routine, you can eventually learn more advanced techniques and skills, which can include various static holds such as planches, front levers, and back levers, as well as complex moves like flag poles and human flags.
On the other hand, working out in a gym primarily revolves around lifting weights, either through machines or free weights, targeting specific muscles or muscle groups.
While it remains an effective way to build strength and enhance muscle growth, it does not necessarily provide the same level of functional movement and coordination that calisthenic workouts do.
Which burns more calories: Street workouts or the gym?
When it comes to burning calories and promoting weight loss, both Street Workouts and gym exercises can be highly effective.
Ideally, a well-rounded fitness routine will contain some elements of each training style, combining the calorie-burning power and high-intensity option of calisthenic movements with the precision targeting and muscle growth focus provided by weights.
Typically, bodyweight and calisthenic exercises require you to engage several muscles simultaneously, which may contribute to higher overall calorie burn during your workout session.
However, this does vary depending on the specific exercise being performed and the individual’s physical condition.
Strength training: Can you get strong without lifting weights?
It’s often questioned whether or not Street Workouts are as efficient as gym workouts for building strength and muscle mass. To answer this question, let’s dive deeper into the aspects of strength training that these two options offer.
Muscles and resistance
With calisthenics-based Street Workouts, you’re using multiple muscle groups at once and relying on your own body weight as resistance, thereby increasing coordination, stability, and muscle activation.
This approach to training allows you to build functional strength necessary for daily life activities.
In contrast, gym-based workouts mostly target one specific muscle group at a time, contributing to greater muscle isolation and control over the intensity and resistance applied to each movement. Increasing weights over time enhances both strength and hypertrophy (muscle growth).
Progression through reps and weighted aspects
Even though Street Workouts don’t inherently involve additional weights, you can still progress in the complexity and difficulty of exercises by mastering harder moves or modifying existing ones.
For example, it’s possible to transition from regular push-ups to elevated feet push-ups, to single arm push-ups, to handstand push-ups.
Another option to increase the challenge in bodyweight exercises is to introduce some weighted aspect, such as a weight vest or ankle weights.
This combination can provide the best of both worlds: dynamic and functional calisthenic movements enhanced by additional resistance for muscle growth stimulus.
Beauty of strength and muscle definition
Street Workouts tend to build lean muscle mass with significant focus on the individual’s overall physical aesthetics.
Achieving body balance and symmetry while maintaining muscle definition is often considered one of the main goals for Street Workout enthusiasts.
With gym-based workouts, you might end up developing specific muscles or muscle groups, which could lead to bulky muscle mass or disproportionate builds.
However, this does not necessarily mean that you cannot achieve similar levels of athleticism and aesthetic from gym workouts – it just requires a well-balanced workout routine targeting various muscle groups instead of overemphasizing particular ones.
Minimal equipment needed and flexibility of location
One of the key advantages of calisthenics-based Street Workouts is the minimal amount of equipment needed to start training. Most often, simple tools like a pull-up bar, parallel bars, or a sturdy horizontal surface for dips can suffice.
Ordinary spaces used as training grounds
Since calisthenic exercises generally do not require large and specialized machinery, this allows for greater flexibility in choosing your workout location, transforming ordinary spaces into effective training grounds.
Outdoor parks, playgrounds, and even your own backyard can become ideal venues for a solid Street Workout session.
Gym-based workouts, on the other hand, offer the convenience of having all required equipment readily available in a centralized environment but may lack the uniqueness and exciting surroundings found outdoors.
The monthly cost, travel time, and restrictions due to opening hours are some elements to consider when choosing gym workouts as your primary training option.
Wrapping up the Street Workout vs. gym comparison
Both Street Workouts and gym-based exercises offer unique benefits: calisthenics provide functional strength, dynamic movement patterns, muscle coordination, and the flexibility of location while weightlifting focuses on specific muscle development, hypertrophy, and progression through adding resistance.
Ultimately, the choice between Street Workouts and gym workouts largely depends on individual preferences, goals, resources, and accessibility.
