If you live in a major city, odds are you’ve seen people doing something called freestyle calisthenics or “street workouts.” Loosely defined, those workouts are when a person or a group of people use readily available objects in public—bars, benches, street signs, playground equipment, etc.— as a type of gym equipment that relies only on bodyweight. Participants use the objects for pull- and chin-ups, dips, ab workouts, and more. The movement has become so popular that it has inspired a documentary called Raise Up: The World is Our Gym. Rain Bennett, the film’s director, recently spoke to Men’s Health about the fitness trend and his movie.
When asked what made the sport so unique, Bennett pointed to its inclusivity. “It breaks down all barriers: Age, gender, race, sexuality, nationality, and most importantly, socioeconomic barriers.” he said. “This spoke to underprivileged people most of all. Freestyle calisthenics grew in popularity because literally anyone can do it.”
He also spoke about the power of extreme calisthenics to change lives and shape communities. “I don’t know that there’s a sports culture out there that does so much for people’s lives, in terms of getting them out of gangs, getting them off drugs, out of jail,” he said. “I’m sure basketball has saved someone’s life—I don’t doubt that for a second, but I don’t need a court to go do freestyle calisthenics. I don’t need a basketball to go do this. I don’t need to be a member of the YMCA to go do this. I can go to any park right now. Hell, I can go to the tree that I’m looking at outside my house and start doing pullups.”
“I don’t know why, but it is insane how freestyle calisthenics transforms the confidence, mentality, and spirituality of the people that participate in it,” he added.
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There seems to be some concern among those involved with the movement that it will become too mainstream and lose some of what made it special in the first place. Bennett, however, remains cautiously optimistic. “I think at the end of the day, if we can maintain the heart and soul of the culture, which is bettering one’s self and bettering someone else, I think that’s going to keep the culture alive,” he said.
Read the rest of the Men’s Health with Bennett interview here and check out Raise Up: The World is Our Gym’s trailer below.
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