What is Street Work Out
Origins
As the name suggests, street workout is essentially doing a physical workout consisting of different exercises, using predominantly your own bodyweight, in an outdoor space. For us urban dwellers this means being in “close proximity to the streets”. Its roots can be found in gymnastics and calisthenics, which are both consist of movement patterns that humans have been doing and experimenting with since the ancient Greek times. The reasons for developing these exercises and trying new movements were to become stronger and more agile to perform daily tasks better as well as be prepared for imminent warfare. As centuries passed, gymnastics became a sport, new movement elements were added, and calisthenics was named a branch of gymnastics. The different street workout exercises and movement patterns have their bases in the aforementioned disciplines. Street workout has maintained the basic aims of gymnastics: people want to become stronger, more skilled, and build their bodies, therefore engage in this type of physical activity. All street workout exercises, if performed correctly, contribute to giving you a comprehensive full body training, while improving your coordination and body awareness.
Today
By the 21st century, street workout has become a sport and a movement. Arguably, this social movement had its start in the USA, from where it grew in popularity and spread all around the globe. It started out as a pass time thing to do in deprived areas. It acted as an alternative thing to engage with next to more anti-social behaviour involving substance abuse and criminal activities. Today, street workout has grown into a sport in its own right. It keeps on uniting people in their love for exercising, bettering their body, thus themselves not only physically but mentally too. It is evident that this sport can also owe its popularity to the fact that it is a free and accessible for all and the community around it supports anyone wanting to exercise their body, regardless of their background.
Russia must be mentioned as a forerunner in professional street workout circles, as the Russian athletes are worldwide known for their amazing skills.