Calisthenics may look simple at first glance, but at a serious level, it demands years of discipline, joint resilience, and mental fortitude. Yu Jun, a two-time National Calisthenics Champion and fitness coach, has spent close to a decade refining his craft through progressions, setbacks, and long periods of stagnation. In this interview, he shares how his journey began, the fundamentals many athletes overlook, and what it truly takes to progress sustainably in bodyweight training.
Q1. How did you first discover calisthenics and what drew you in?
Since I was a kid, I always saw people doing push-ups. Then I had this absurd imagination of what it would be like if you could do push-ups with your legs lifted off the ground. At that time, I did not think it was possible, until I saw it on YouTube one day. That sparked my interest in the sport. Fast forward, it has been a long nine years since I started this journey.
Q2. What made you choose bodyweight training over traditional gym lifting?
I tried gym lifting over the years since social media heavily promoted it and my friends were actively gymming as well. I did not actively enjoy it as it looked boring, but I was forced to do it long term after an injury that lasted about nine months. During that period, it felt repetitive doing the same movements over and over again, which made me dread training.
Calisthenics, on the other hand, provides many gateways in terms of different skills like the planche, front lever, and maltese. These require a significant amount of mind-muscle connection and coordination compared to gym lifts, which makes it more challenging overall.
Q3. What was the first skill you nailed that made you feel you belonged in this sport?
The first skill I nailed was the L-sit. I had friends training for the move and they were struggling with it during the process. I found the move intriguing and tried it myself. To my surprise, I was able to hold it, although I did struggle.
Q4. How do you structure your progressions when learning advanced skills?
It is best to focus on one skill at a time to avoid overtraining and spreading your energy across too many movements. I put most of my energy into one move until I achieve my goal, then I start working on another skill.
Q5. Which foundational drills do beginners skip that they really should focus on?
The most common mistake beginners make is skipping basic progressions and attempting flashier moves like muscle-ups and planches. A solid prerequisite would be achieving at least ten pull-ups and forty push-ups before moving on to calisthenics skills.
Q6. What is the most misunderstood aspect of calisthenics training?
Most people think calisthenics only requires training specifically for skills. In reality, there are many unseen fundamentals that require work. A prime example is joint conditioning, especially wrist and elbow conditioning. Higher-level skills like the planche and maltese require a certain level of joint strength and stability to access the skill without pain or discomfort.
Q7. How do you balance strength, control, and mobility in your weekly routine?
I usually train strength and control three times a week, with each session lasting about two to two and a half hours. In between those days, I add one to two days of mobility work, focusing on stretching and joint conditioning to prevent injuries and improve overall stability.
Q8. What mobility work changed your performance the most?
The wrists, without a doubt. The two movements I practice the most, planche and front lever, both require exceptional wrist mobility. Planche places a lot of strain and flexion on the wrist because the shoulders and elbows are positioned in front of the wrist. For front lever, the false grip is commonly used, which keeps the wrist curled downward. Without sufficient wrist flexion, people will experience extreme pain and discomfort.
Q9. How do you stay motivated during long plateaus?
I went through a plateau that lasted over two years due to improper training and national service commitments. No matter how hard I trained during that period, progress remained stagnant. The thought of quitting came up often, but I reminded myself that I had already invested five years of effort, sweat, and even tears into this sport. I still had many skills left to achieve, and quitting would only lead to regret later on.
Q10. What is your approach when you are stuck on a skill for months?
I usually take a step back and use resistance bands. I return to simpler movements while focusing on mind-muscle connection and correct activation. Training with friends also helps, as it creates a comfortable environment to share ideas, motivate one another, and stay accountable.
Q11. How do you manage joint health, especially your wrists and shoulders?
I will take at least two days of rest between training sessions to allow more time for recovery. This duration can be extended depending on how my body feels. If joint pain is still dominant after two days of rest, I will take a longer break.
Nutrition-wise, protein and calcium are a must. I typically eat more eggs and drink soya milk.
Q12. What recovery habits keep you training consistently?
I stretch for at least five to ten minutes after every training session, although some days I may get lazy and skip stretching. On certain rest days, I will stretch for about fifteen to thirty minutes. The stretches are specific. For example, if I work on my lats on a particular day, the stretches will focus specifically on the lats.
Q13. What injury taught you the most about your body or training style?
I once had golfer’s elbow for a year and an infraspinatus injury that lasted five years. During those injuries, I would still push through the pain because of the discomfort of being unable to do something I loved so much. You could call this being stubborn, which ended up prolonging the injuries. What would normally take six months to heal ended up taking a year.
From this, I learned the importance of joint strength and conditioning, how essential stretching is, and most importantly, knowing when to take a step back. That step back can carry you two steps forward in the long run.
Q14. What do you think separates a good calisthenics athlete from a great one?
I have been doing this sport for almost a decade, and most of the people who started with me, or whom I met along the way, have already quit or diverted to other sports. Interests can change over time, along with many external factors, but I feel what separates a good calisthenics athlete from a great one is obsession with the sport.
Without that obsession, I would have thrown in the towel years ago, especially with the repetitive nature of injuries. It is the obsession and mental capacity to push beyond normal limits while staying true to the goal until it is achieved.
Q15. How important is community to your training and progress?
Access to a community is vital. It provides a platform where like-minded individuals can come together, feel comfortable with one another, and share their struggles and perspectives. Everyone has different experiences and goals, and some may falter faster along the way. The journey is arduous, and community becomes a beacon where people can support one another, learn from mistakes, and optimise their learning potential.
Q16. What misconception about calisthenics athletes would you like to correct?
Some people think calisthenics athletes are egotistical or show-offs because we often train and perform in public spaces. While this may give the wrong impression, I believe it comes from our love for the sport and the immense time and effort spent achieving these skills.
Calisthenics is easily accessible. All we need is basic flooring or a public area with bars, which is why it is often associated with street workouts. It is a form of expression, although I do agree that athletes should also understand when and where it is appropriate.
Q17. How has this sport shaped your lifestyle outside of training?
What carried over most strongly is the mentality. As a freelance personal trainer who also creates content, it can be challenging to juggle everything. Some days, my schedule starts as early as 5:45am and stretches until 10pm or 11pm, with only a short break in between.
What could have been rest time is often reinvested into editing training footage. Training itself also needs to be scheduled intentionally. It takes a lot of mental drive to keep going and not tell myself that I can just skip a session or take a day off.
Q18. What skill or combo are you currently chasing?
I am currently chasing the Zanetti on rings. I achieved it about six months ago after two years of training, but I have only managed to do it about five times. After that, I experienced bicep soreness for weeks and chose not to attempt the skill again to avoid injury.
Unfortunately, during this period, I fractured my elbow and tore my tricep tendon while training for a competition. I was performing a dynamic element that required flipping off the pull-up bar and re-catching the grip, but I missed and landed on my arm. This happened four months ago, and I am still rehabilitating and conditioning in hopes of achieving the skill again.
I also unlocked a high-level front lever element, the straight-arm touch on the bars, about a month before my injury. At my current state, it will take a few more months before I can regain that skill, as the triceps are the main driver.
Q19. What do you hope to achieve in calisthenics over the next few years?
I hope to be able to compete on a world stage within the next few years and bring Singapore into the spotlight through this sport.
Q20. What message do you want beginners to take from your journey?
Beginners should focus on strengthening their fundamentals and stop rushing into hard, flashy movements. These movements will come much easier once you take the time to master the boring and repetitive aspects of training, which is drilling your basics.
You will thank yourself for it. Eat well, sleep well, and find someone like-minded to talk to when you face obstacles. Tough times will not last. It is not discipline, but mentality that ultimately drives you to achieve your goals.
To know more about Yu Jun follow him on his Instagram. Know any budding local athlete? Speak to our team editor@metropolitant.com