Street training or street workout is a relatively new socio-sporting phenomenon, but currently very widespread. It consists of exercising outdoors, generally on the street, in parks or public spaces.
However, this discipline is much more than just physical training; constitutes a whole lifestyle and has a cultural and social background.
What is the Street workout?
The street workout consists of a series of exercises that are performed to shape the body and acquire greater resistance and agility. It requires skill, balance and above all strength; the The main instrument is the body itself, which with its weight resists movements.
As accessories for this sport, all kinds of metal bars found in parks are also used. It is a free alternative that does not require weights or go to the gym.
The exercises are primarily reps of pull-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups. The effort and resistance increase as the difficulty of the exercises increases.. In some cases, training often turns into a true show of strength and a display of athleticism. In freestyle, even extreme stunts are performed.
Philosophy
This street discipline is part of a new concept of healthy life and well-being, which seeks to end the sedentary lifestyle of current life. The idea is that you don't need anything material to do sports; the street will be a sufficient stage.
The goal is not only the physical appearance, but to have a more agile, more functional body and get more control over it. The practice of this activity also has a direct positive influence on the cardiovascular and circulatory system.
It is also about achieving a mental and emotional balance. And at this point the street workout differs from bodybuilding or the gym; it is not only sought to satisfy personal self-esteem. It is also a more natural and accessible activity for anyone.
This phenomenon has great social value, since has been able to reach young people from marginalized and conflictive sectors and make them engage in a healthy activity and play sports. Guys who train daily create strong bonds with each other, which encourages camaraderie and teamwork.
Another of the achievements of this activity is that create habits of responsibility and discipline. It also promotes values such as solidarity, tolerance and trust and enhances the personal and work capacities of practitioners, often improving their living conditions.
The street workout has played an important social role in integrating minorities, educating and instilling respect among its members.
Origins of the street workout
This sports practice was born on the streets of America's poorest suburbs. It was practiced by young African Americans in the streets and squares, using the urban environment as a tool to carry out the exercises.
From its beginnings, the street workout developed very quickly and is now also practiced in many cities in Europe and the world. The streets become large gyms and any space is used for sports.
Currently, a very varied network has been created in which there are no longer only young people of black race or in a situation of social exclusion. Young people tired of the gym environment have also joined, people wanting to leave aside his prejudices and wanting to dedicate himself to training in the street.
The rise of this discipline worldwide is largely due to social networks, which have made it visible. The practitioners' videos have gone viral and are a reference for many young people. The main way to learn the exercises is the YouTube channel. This has been the mechanism used to spread the movements and show the world the places where this discipline is practiced.
The best place to compete
At the beginning this activity was practiced only in the street, with spontaneous furniture. But little by little More specialized spaces have appeared, with an infrastructure created for this purpose, where some competitions take place.
Currently there are numerous official competitions, both in Spain and internationally. These championships are more and more complete and host more categories in terms of men's and women's styles. In them, the correct way of doing the exercises is valued, which shows that you have enough strength to be able to control the different movements.
The competitions contemplate different modalities. In freestyle or freestyle, contestants can show off their skills in a limited time. While in the workout style, music and exercises must be combined to demonstrate coordination, strength and creativity.
The endurance modality forces participants to reach the limit by submitting to different physical tests. In the strength category, athletes try to overcome resistance as many times as possible. And finally, in the tension mode, the participants perform high-difficulty static exercises.
Social Initiatives
Official competitions are often accompanied by social initiatives, such as food or clothing drives, workshops or other activities focused on the theme of the street.
In Spain there are numerous associations and clubs. The Spanish Federation of Street Workout and Calisthenics has also been created (FESWC), legally recognized by the Government. This non-profit organization seeks to promote a level playing field within the community of street workout and calisthenics practitioners.
Although the degree of professionalization is increasing, it is necessary to be able to maintain the street spirit that gave rise to this phenomenon.
Street workout and calisthenics
The street workout is often associated with calisthenics. Although they are not exactly the same, they do have a very close relationship. You could say that the street workout has its origin in calisthenics.
Calisthenics is an ancient training method that is based on human biomechanics. It reproduces all the movements that the human body is capable of performing and increases strength until reaching any objective.
This type of training progressively increases the difficulty. Each person who practices it advances at the rate of their own weight, making it a very safe activity for everyone.
The main difference is that Calisthenics uses only bodyweight exercises, which can be performed on the floor or with items such as high barbells or rings. It is a methodology that focuses on the movements of muscle groups.
The street workout, on the other hand, mixes movements of tension and explosion, and even extreme stunts. They are two variants of the same philosophy.