Feb 7, 2018

Calisthenics with Jeffrey

Duration: 90 minutes
Location: Lyn's Backpackers Inn, Loboc (municipality), Bohol (province), Philippines
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Calisthenics
With calisthenics, Jeffrey and I attempt to build, define and tone muscle mass using body weight. There is no element of cardio here, no flexibility routine - just pumping body weight to the point of failure while synchronizing breath with movement.

Calisthenics vs. Weight Training
I've done both during different phases in my life. Personally, I prefer calisthenics for the following comparisons.

safer - because calisthenics uses lighter body weight compared to heavy plates, there is less injury
cheaper - you can do calisthenics without equipment - just your body. For weight training, you usually have to buy equipment or pay gym fees
accessible - you can do calisthenics anywhere - home, park, open space. For weight training, you usually need a gym. Sometimes, there is no gym around
definition - a calisthenics athlete is always cut, defined and shredded to compensate for the lesser bulk. But you can see weight trainers who are bulky but no cuts and no definition
nimble - calisthenics make you nimble with a bounce on your stride. Doing heavy weights and bulking up usually leads to a sluggish movement.

Of course, if what you're looking for is a Mr. Universe-look, then you have to default to weight training.

The Workout

calf raises - put one foot on a step with the ball of the foot on the step but the heel hanging from behind. Hold on to something for balance, lower down the heel of that foot while inhaling, and with an exhale, lift your entire body weight off the floor until you stand on the ball of the foot. Hold it there for a second and inhale lower down the heel. Repeat until point of failure. Great for calves!
wall sit - lean back on a wall pretending to be sitting down but no chair - knees above the ankles, thighs parallel to the ground, back straight. Hold this pose as long as you can. Great for the thighs and knees.
one-legged squat (pistol squat or Eka Pada Malasana in yoga) - from standing, exhale and extend the right leg and two arms forward with a straight back, as you bend the left leg, dropping your hips down. Take it as low as possible without fully squatting. Hold for a second and inhale push against the left leg to come up to standing. Do the same with the other leg. Repeat until point of failure. Great for the thighs.
one-legged squat v2 (for gluts) - stand one leg on an elevated platform where the other leg can dangle freely. Do the same as the one-legged squat but instead of extending your other leg forward, keep the leg pointed 45° down - this puts emphasis on the gluts. Repeat until point of failure. Great for the thighs and gluts.
lifted knee tuck (Lolasana) - press your palms on the top of a fence, lift your legs up and tuck your knees close to the chest. The entire legs stay suspended. Hold it there until point of failure. Advance workout for the abs.
L-Sit (Bramcharyasana in yoga) - press your palms on the top of a fence while extending both legs forward and lift your entire body by pushing against the top of the fence. The entire legs stay suspended. Hold it there until point of failure. Another advance workout for the abs.
neck-loaded dead lift - with dumb-bells behind the neck while standing up, exhale and lower the body with a flat back into a half forward bend making it parallel to the ground. It helps if the hips are pulled back as the body goes down. Hold it there for a few counts while breathing, and on the next inhale, come up slowly. (technically, we are no longer doing calisthenics because we used weights but we don't have the necessary equipment to do this exercise).
push ups - press your palms on the floor shoulder width apart and lower the body down while pointing the elbows to the back. Hover 2 inches from the floor and push back to high plank. Repeat until point of failure. Great for the pecs or chest muscle.
side plank (Vasisthasana in yoga) - the body is sideways - one arm is fully stretched with palms against the ground, shoulders right above the wrist. The other hand is raised up towards the sky. Breathe and hold it until point of failure. Do the other side. Great for the obliques.
dips - find a suitable prop - we used chairs. Exhale, press the palms against the chairs and slowly lower your body down, tucking-in the knee close to the chest so it doesn't touch the floor. Go as low as you can, hold for a second, and inhale coming up. Repeat until point of failure.

Ending Thoughts
By using your own body as weight, you tend to establish a better relationship with the body, nurturing a 2-way communication that paves the way for increased health. The body talks too. People just don't listen. They just listen when they already get sick.

--- TheLoneRider
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Next workout: 20-Minute Rope Skipping w/ Pranayama and Meditation

Loboc Map

Loboc, Bohol, Philippines

tourist attractions

Cruz Daku - 80-foot white cross erected in 1986 on top of Loboc's highest mountain
Virgen de Guadalupe - giant statue of the Black Madonna perched on a Loboc summit
River Cruise - river cruise on a floating restaurant serving lunch with cultural presentation
Busay Falls - accessible only through the river cruise
Loktob Spring - cold water spring, free admission, huts for rent
Zipline and Cable Car Ride - at the Eco-Tourism Adventure Park

hotel

Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Lyn's Backpackers Inn - family-run guesthouse in the heart of Loboc

Bohol Travel Info/Tips

Bohol FYI / Tips

the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located within the Alona Beach area
the tourist attractions in Bohol are far apart and spread-out. It would be difficult to visit them all using public mass transit. Better hire a van (P3500/day) if in a big group, or rent a motorcycle (P400/day + gas)
Bohol relies on its tourism for revenue. As expected, everything they can capitalize on from tourism is extensively used and developed

Tagbilaran Port to Panglao

You can charter any tricycle from the port all the way to Panglao (~P300), but if you want to do it on the cheap,

don't take the tricycles lined-up inside the port. Walk past the port gate and immediately outside, you'll see many tricycles. Take one to the bus terminal in Dao (~P15)
in Dao, take the jeep that plies the Panglao route (~P20)

Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Cebu City by boat

** schedules and rates keep changing, call for latest schedule

Weesam Express - departs 6:15 AM, 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - departs 6-7:05-8:20-9:20-11:40AM, 1-2-3:30-4:20-5:30-6:30PM, 2 hours, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63(32)255 7560 / +63 (32) 255 0115 / 0917 638 0000
SuperCat (2GO) - departs 5:50-11AM, 3:45-5:25-8:15PM, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000

Things to do, Places to go in Bohol

Chocolate Hills - this is a clustering of more than 1200 hills within a 50km² area. They range in height from 30-50 meters. What's unusual is their near-perfect conical shape resembling an individual chocolate chip. No one knows how they were formed. Entrance is P50/pax.
Tarsier Conservation Area - located Upper Bonbon, Loboc. The tarsiers are no longer being played at by tourists as circus props, but instead, visitors now view them in cordoned-off areas in their natural 6ha habitat. As they are territorial and nocturnal, they are predictable on where they can be viewed. P50/pax.
Alona Beach (Panglao) - Alona Beach is the tourist hub of Bohol. It has 1.5 kms of white sand beach lined-up by bars, hotels and restos. Alona is also the jump-off point for Balicasag Island, a world class dive destination.
Danao Adventure Park - located in Barangay Magtangtang, 72 kms (2 hours ride) from Tagbilaran. Adventure activities include river trekking, tyrolean traverse, rappelling, bouldering, rock climbing and ziplining.