Every Saturday afternoon, about 50 students gather at the ARC pods to push, pull and squat.
With music playing in the background, they complete several sets of rigorous exercises, from push-ups to pull-ups. It might seem like a regular workout, but in reality, their exercises share one common factor — calisthenics.
Calisthenics, a form of strength training, relies solely on body weight. It uses this weight as resistance to build muscle, endurance, flexibility and coordination.
UIUC Calisthenics is an RSO dedicated to all things calisthenics. The group strives to create a welcoming space where interested students can train together.
Alex Wang, the club’s president and senior in Engineering, spoke about how calisthenics has both physical and mental health benefits, particularly when done in a group setting.
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“I feel like it’s very nice every week to have a community I can just go to and then have fun with,” Wang said.
The club splits into groups based on skill level during each meeting. Coaches help groups progress toward their goals with that day’s workout plan.
These meetings allow everyone to learn from each other. All members have improvements to make, regardless of their skill level. The club accepts anyone, from beginners to calisthenics veterans.
“You teach someone something, and they teach you something,” said Danilo Markus, coach and senior in Engineering. “So it’s like a symbiotic relationship.”
Questions and curiosity are encouraged to promote growth in this judgment-free zone. Some new members are working toward completing their first pull-up.
“It’s so great to see people grow around you because we have this peer (relationship) going on where no one’s afraid to ask for help,” Markus said.
Markus also emphasized the responsibility that comes with coaching such a large group of people, especially as someone who has never coached before.
“When Alex gives you the title of coach, you realize you are responsible for helping people and teaching people and fixing people’s mistakes and helping (them) grow,” Markus said. “You have 10 people looking at you, waiting for you to tell them what to do and how to fix their stuff.”
Markus said the executive board and coaches have seen their members’ hard work pay off. If a member achieves a goal during a meeting, they always celebrate. Cheers erupt through the room when someone completes their first push-up or pull-up.
Vishal Kavitha, junior in Engineering, is one member that the coaches have seen grow immensely since the club’s beginning. When he joined, he benched 160 pounds and couldn’t do a dip or a pull-up.
“Vishal has had insane progress in the last year,” Markus said. “I was just at the gym with him yesterday. He’s just running up dips — perfect form, perfect everything. To quantify, I think he increased his bench press by 100 pounds.”
Kavitha initially joined UIUC Calisthenics to begin working out consistently. Not only has he improved in his strength training, but he’s also made new friends.
“The exec have made every workout, every meeting incredibly enjoyable,” Kavitha said. “We spend the first 30 to 45 minutes working out, and then we spend the next 15 minutes doing a fun challenge. It’s a really nice way for me to get to know new people.”
Calisthenics, a seemingly male-dominated activity, can often be intimidating for women. However, Fjona Bakollari, the club’s secretary and junior in LAS, reassures that the group supports everyone. It recently collaborated with more female-oriented fitness clubs on campus.
“Since there’s not that many women, I try during each club meeting to talk to them and make sure that they are comfortable because I’ve heard from some that it can be intimidating to be around so many men,” Bakollari said. “But I think the club, in general, is really supportive.”
Since 2023, the club has made significant progress from when Wang stood outside the ARC, holding up a poster to recruit members. Once timid and introverted, he said he has now grown into a strong leader.
“I also struggle with a stutter,” Wang said. “Within the club, I often have to give speeches and whatnot, so it’s a good opportunity for me to practice not stuttering.”
Wang is confident that he has found lifelong friends who share a deep passion for calisthenics within the club. The tight-knit community is always looking for new members.
“If anyone’s interested, you can just pull up,” Wang said.
