Streetlifting: Building Strength, Endurance, and Grit

Intro

Streetlifting. You may have heard of it, or you may be asking yourself, "what is he talking about?" Today, we dive into a growing sport that can be done virtually anywhere. 

What is Streetlifting?

Streetlifting, also known as street workout or calisthenics, is a form of physical fitness training that uses bodyweight exercises performed in outdoor settings, typically in parks, streets, or public spaces. Streetlifting workouts often focus on building strength, endurance, and flexibility using minimal or no equipment. Participants use their own body weight as resistance and leverage to perform a variety of exercises.

What Kind of Exercises Are Performed?

This can get a little tricky, so I turned to the International Streetlifting Federation or ISF for clarification. According to the official rules, Streetlifting has three official competitions: 

1. Streetlifting Classic
This competition is simple because it includes only two events: pull-ups and dips. In each of the exercises, a competitor has three attempts in which he must show the greatest result-the maximum weight
in one repetition. Total is the sum of the best results of two lifts.

2. Streetlifting Multilift
This is also pull-ups and dips, but competitors have a kettlebell hanging from their waist and attempt as many repetitions as possible. The amount of weight depends on your age and the men's ranges are 8-32 kg for pull-ups and 16-48 kg for dips. On the women's side, the ranges are 8-12 kg for pull-ups and 12-16 kg for dips. 

3. Weighted Calisthenics 
This includes 4 exercises: weighted pull-ups, dips, muscle-ups, and barbell squat. 

What Are The Age Brackets?

Streetlifting has 8 age categories for men, starting at age 13 and ending with the 60 and older category. 6 age brackets exist for women, starting at age 13 and ending with 50 and over. 

Additional Rules

For a competition like the Classic, athletes get 1 minute to perform the lift. Unlike CrossFit, kipping and are swaying aren't allowed in Streetlifting. In each exercise, every athlete gets a maximum of three attempts and can use a pronated or suppinated group. Using a "mixed grip" is agains the rules. Last, the legs must remain closed, but athletes aren't allowed to cross their legs when performing either the pull-up or dip. 

So, Let's See It!

Here is a streetlifting competition in all it's glory. 

Ok, That's Cool, But How Should I Start?

The exercises themselves are basic. I'd recommend mastering the right form before you start adding weight. This video has some good advice on tips: 

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A post shared by Muhammad Hakim Bin Azahar (@hakim.azahar)

Final Thoughts

Back in the day, we actually used to a do a lot of weighted pull-ups and dips as part of our basketball strength and conditioning sessions. Unlike bodybuilding, the goal wasn't to look like Adonis but to gain functional strength. 

What I really like about this is that anyone in the world can probably find a place to do pull-ups and dips. Creating a belt with a rope attached to a weight is also pretty easy. So, while some sports are quite expensive to get started, this one is virtually free. 

Streetlifting communities are also popping up around the world. All Things Streetlifting is a nice resource for competitions and also has updated records for various age groups. Again, I'm all for exercise and a sense of belonging. If you can work out with a group, you're that much more likely to stick with it because you have others holding you accountable. 

So, while I probably won't be ripping off pull-ups with 32 kg strapped to my waist any time soon, I'm actually really motivated to add some weight and see if I can get stronger. Wish me luck!