The following Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Marksissons and is narrated by Brock Armstrong.

Zen and the Art of Calisthenics. This is a guest post from Al-Clo of Alcavadlo.com.

When it comes to exercise, there are lots of options.

With such an abundance of fitness programs and modalities, it can get overwhelming trying

to discern which method is best for you.

While there are a lot of people out there who will offer you advice on your fitness journey, ultimately it is best for you. While there are a lot of people out there who will offer you

advice on your fitness journey, ultimately it is up to you to make your own decisions.

That's right. Only you have the power to change your body and improve your life.

Others can help illuminate the path, but the responsibility rests on the individual.

Through sharing some of my experiences,

however, maybe I can get you asking some questions you hadn't considered until now. Throughout my life,

I've experimented with dozens of different exercise modalities. I've used barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells,

medicine balls, sandbags, and just about every other heavy object I could think of to try lifting. I've done parkour, martial arts, marathons,

and yoga. I've even tried triathlon. I believe my various experiences have helped me

become a more well-rounded physical specimen, but after all those

things, I always come back to the simplest, most direct way of training I've ever known.

Calisthenics, aka body weight training. I love calisthenics training because it requires nothing

more than your body, your mind, and your

warrior spirit. You don't need to buy anything, go anywhere, or put on any special clothing.

Anybody can start right now. As Maya Angelou once said, ain't nothing to it, but to do it. Or was

that Ronnie Coleman?

There's a lot to love about calisthenics, but my favorite thing is how it keeps you in the present.

...