When you start Street Workout, the ambition to master impressive static figures like the plank or the front lever is often the driving force that pushes us to start this discipline.
However, before achieving these feats, it is essential for any beginner to strengthen their joints, tendons and muscles. This strengthening is essential to prepare your body for the physical demands of Street Workout.
Strengthening your body to master these tricks will significantly reduce the risk of injury while learning them. Indeed, strong joints and tendons, as well as well-conditioned muscles, are major assets for rapid and safe progression. Avoiding injuries not only preserves your health, but also helps you maintain consistency in your training, thus promoting smoother and more efficient progression.
In this guide, we present 10 essential exercises to strengthen your muscles and prepare your body for learning the most stylish moves of Street Workout. These exercises are designed to develop your strength, endurance and mobility, while minimizing the risk of injury. Whether you are a beginner looking to build a solid foundation or an intermediate athlete looking to improve your performance, these exercises will definitely make you a stronger athlete!
Exercise 1: Push-ups
Execution
Push-ups are a fundamental exercise in street workout, perfect for developing upper body strength. To start, get into a high plank position with your hands flat on the ground, slightly wider than your shoulders. Keep your feet together and your body aligned, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. While maintaining this position, bend your elbows to lower your body towards the ground, while keeping your back straight and avoiding digging or arching. When your chest is close to the ground, push up through your hands to return to the starting position, keeping your elbows slightly bent at the top of the movement.
Effect
Push-ups primarily target the pectorals, triceps, and deltoids, while also engaging the core muscles to stabilize the body. This exercise strengthens the muscles needed to push for moves like the planche or handstand push-ups, and is also a good introduction to dips. By regularly incorporating push-ups into your routine, you will effectively prepare your body to master more complex calisthenics movements.
Exercise: Australian pull-up
Execution
Australian pull-ups, or horizontal pull-ups, are a great introduction to full-body pull-ups. To perform them, stand under a barbell set at hip height and grasp the bar with an overhand grip, palms down. Place your feet in front of you so that your body is angled. Keeping your body straight and your shoulders aligned, pull your chest toward the bar by bending your elbows. Once your chest touches the bar, slowly lower yourself back down until your arms are straight.
Effect
This exercise works your back muscles, especially your lats and traps, as well as your biceps and forearms. It also strengthens your core muscles. Australian pull-ups prepare your body for full pull-ups and other advanced movements like the front lever by gradually building upper-body strength.
Exercise: Pull-ups
Execution
The pull-up is the king of movements for developing your pulling strength. Hang from a bar with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your body straight and your legs slightly crossed, pull your body up until your chin is above the bar. Then, slowly lower yourself back down until your arms are fully extended.
Effect
Pull-ups intensely work the lats, traps, biceps, and posterior deltoids, while also engaging the core muscles to stabilize the movement. They are crucial for strengthening the upper body and preparing for advanced moves like the muscle-up and front lever. Regular practice of pull-ups improves functional strength and shoulder stability.
Exercise: Dips
Execution
Dips are a must-have exercise for developing the triceps and pecs. To perform them, stand between two parallel bars with your arms straight and your shoulders slightly lowered. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your arms form a 90-degree angle. Then, push on the bars to return to the starting position.
Effect
Dips primarily target the triceps, pecs, and deltoids, while also engaging the core muscles. They strengthen the muscles needed for moves like the plank and muscle-up, while building upper-body strength and endurance. Incorporating dips into your routine improves shoulder stability and functional strength.
Exercise: Hollow body gainage
Execution
Hollow body planking is essential for strengthening the core. Lie on your back with your arms extended behind your head and your legs straight. Lift your arms and legs slightly off the floor, keeping your lower back glued to the floor. Hold this position by engaging your abs.
Effect
This exercise strengthens your abs, hip flexors, and core muscles. It improves core stability and strength, which are essential for moves like the plank and front lever. Hollow body planks prepare your body to hold static positions without bending.
Exercise: Pike-push up
Execution
The pike-push up builds shoulder strength. Get into a plank position with your hips lifted into an inverted "V." Bend your elbows to lower your head toward the floor, keeping your hips high. Push through your hands to return to the starting position.
Effect
This exercise primarily targets the shoulders, triceps, and deltoids, while also engaging the core muscles. It prepares your shoulders to support your body weight in moves like the handstand and the planche. The pike-push up also improves coordination and balance.
Exercise: Pseudo push up
Execution
The pseudo push up is an advanced variation of the push up. Get into a plank position with your hands placed lower than your shoulders and your fingers pointing outward. Bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor, then push through your hands to push back up.
Effect
This exercise strengthens the chest, triceps, and shoulders, while engaging the core muscles. It prepares your muscles for advanced push-up movements and the plank. The pseudo push up also improves wrist strength and stability.
Exercise: L-sit
Execution
The L-sit is an advanced ab and shoulder exercise. Sit between two parallel bars with your arms straight and your hands on the bars. Raise your legs straight out in front of you, forming a 90-degree angle with your torso. Hold this position.
Effect
The L-sit strengthens the abs, hip flexors, shoulders, and triceps. It improves core stability and strength, which are essential for moves like the planche and front lever. The L-sit also prepares the muscles for advanced movements.
Exercise: Skin the cat
Execution
Skin the cat develops shoulder flexibility and core strength. Hang from a bar with an overhand grip. Wrap your body around the bar, crossing your feet between your hands and continuing until your body is completely turned around. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Effect
This exercise works the shoulders, back and abs. It develops flexibility and shoulder strength, which are essential for movements like the back lever and front lever. Skin the cat also improves coordination and stability.
Exercise: Wrist rotation
Execution
Wrist rotations strengthen the wrists and forearms. Get into a plank position on your knees with your hands flat on the floor. Slowly rotate your wrists clockwise and counterclockwise, keeping your palms on the floor.
Effect
This exercise works the forearms and wrists. It strengthens the wrists to support the body weight in moves like the handstand and the planche. Wrist rotations also improve wrist flexibility and mobility.