Who are the 10 best Calisthenics athletes in the world currently?

Who are the 10 best Calisthenics athletes in the world currently?

Grace Waruguru
updated at August 8, 2023 at 5:53 PM

Calisthenics athletes have become increasingly popular over the last few years, thanks to the spread of the sport globally. These bodybuilding experts have mastered gravity and body weight to challenge their fitness levels. Who are some of the renowned Cali - athletes in the world currently?

calisthenics athletes
Vadym Olenyik is among the top calisthenics athletes also serving as a judge and coach. Photo: @vadym_oleynik
Source: Instagram

Calisthenics comes from the Greek words ‘Kalos’ (beauty) and ‘Stenos’ (strength). The sport started to promote physical fitness and is frequently known as a street workout. Calisthenics is similar to gymnastics but is more advanced. Who are the best calisthenics athletes in the world today?

Top male calisthenics athletes

Callisthenics is an incredible way to work out and requires no equipment, especially for beginners. The full-body workout increases flexibility and mobility while improving your functional strength. Today, several men and women have taken up the famous sport and are thriving at it. Here are the best calisthenics athletes globally:

1. Daniel Vadnal

best calisthenics athletes
Daniel Vadnal is one of the heaviest calisthenics athletes, weighing 85kgs. Photo: @fitnessfaqs
Source: Instagram

Daniel Vadnal ranks among the renowned calisthenics athletes whose expertise has spread across Asia, Australia, and Europe. He is a University of Sydney alumnus, having graduated with an Undergraduate degree in Exercise Science and a Masters in Physiotherapy.

Vadnal is among the heaviest Calisthenics athletes, weighing 85kg (187 pounds). He runs FitnesFAQs, a program that teaches, empowers, and motivates calisthenics enthusiasts to understand the sport's what, how and why. The physiotherapist was born in Melbourne, Australia, in October 1992.

2. Simon Ata (Simonster)

calisthenics athletes
Simon Ata is an Australian calisthenics athlete. Photo: @simonsterstrength
Source: Instagram

Simon Ata is an Australian physiotherapist who runs Simonster Strength, teaching and training calisthenics athletes with a scientific approach. Ata started practising gymnastics early and mastered body control and bodyweight strength training.

Simon was born in February 1990 in Australia. The 33-year-old loves demonstrating his skills on Instagram, where he has over half a million followers as of August 2023.

3. Christian Heria

tall calisthenics athletes
Christian Heria is a self-taught calisthenics expert. Photo: @chrisheria
Source: Instagram

Chris is one of the top calisthenics athletes and the brainchild of Thenx School of Calisthenics and the Calisthenics Academy in Miami and Mexico. The American fitness trainer and self-taught Calisthenics pro shares numerous workout routines on his YouTube channel. Heria was born in Miami, Florida, on December 21, 1991.

Additionally, the 31-year-old owns a training app called Heria Pro. Chris boasts over 1.5 million Instagram followers (as of August 2023), where he shares videos and images of his work. In 2013, Chris finished in first place at the Calisthenics World Cup in Germany. In 2019, the athlete bagged the Monaco Fitness & Wellness Influencer Awards.

4. Austin Dunham

oldest calisthenics athletes
Austin Dunham enjoying his outdoor workouts. Photo: @austin_dunham
Source: Instagram

Austin was born on January 2, 1996, in America and is among the tall calisthenics athletes at 5 feet, 11 inches. The fitness trainer and YouTuber offers bodyweight training motivation. He is the founder of AD Workout Programs, a combination of fitness, calisthenics, and nutrition routines.

Dunham is a fitness influencer who shares images and videos of his work on his Instagram account, with over 370k followers as of August 2023.

5. Vadym Oleynik

top calisthenics athletes
Ukrainian Vadym Oleynik is a calisthenics athlete and a two-time Sambo World Champion. Photo: @vadym_oleynik
Source: Instagram

26-year-old Vadym Oleynik is among the oldest calisthenics athletes. He was born in Ukraine and started practising Sambo training at four years old. Today, he is a calisthenics coach and judge who has mastered a unique blend of the sport with CrossFit, weightlifting and powerlifting exercises.

Oleynik is the self-acclaimed strongest calisthenics athlete in the world. The two-time Sambo World Champion has over 227k Instagram followers as of August 2023.

Who are the top female calisthenics athletes?

Calisthenics for women is highly recommended for those who wish to tone their bodies and get in shape. Several female athletes pursue the activity as an alternative to weightlifting.

1. Malin Malle

female calisthenics athletes
Malin Malle is among the top female calisthenics athletes. Photo: @malinmallejansson
Source: Instagram

Malin Malle Jansson is a Swedish freestyle calisthenics champion born on May 4th 1992. The former cheerleader started participating in the sport in 2016 and has earned several awards, including:

  • 2-time Nordic champion (2021-2022)
  • Winner of Beast of the Barz 2019

With over 400k Instagram fans (as of August 2023), Malle advises beginners to start with the basics and build a foundation of strength. She also recommends that those starting out should work with a professional coach to avoid common rookie mistakes.

2. Valentina Di Miceli

is calisthenics good for athletes
Italian Valentina Miceli is a 2022 Burningate Cup winner. Photo: @valentina.di.miceli
Source: Instagram

Valentina is an Italian calisthenics athlete from Sicily, Italy. The details of her background are not public. However, according to her Instagram profile, she won the International Burningate Cup in 2022.

3. Summer Johansen (Summerfunfitness)

calisthenics athletes
Summer Johansen is a self-taught calisthenics athletes who runs Summer Fun Fitness. Photo: summerfunfitness
Source: Instagram

Johansen, who runs Summerfunfitness, is a self-taught calisthenics athlete and trainer whose goal is to help people achieve athleticism for long-term movement. She makes the sport easier for her clients so that they build strength and muscle from wherever without necessarily visiting the gym. She enjoys sharing her work on Instagram, where she has 158k followers as of August 2023.

4. Jess St John

best calisthenics athletes
Jess St. Johns is a Canadian calisthenics athlete and fitness coach. Photo: @jessstjohn
Source: Instagram

Jess St. John is a calisthenics and personal fitness coach. The Canadian athlete started practising gymnastics at seven before transiting to cheerleading at 13. At 25, she included calisthenics in her routine and built a community to help her nurture her skill.

Today, she runs a fitness coaching business (Calisthenics Vancouver) and seeks to inspire her learners to have fun with their training. Her Instagram account has over 25k followers.

5. Natalia Modzelewska

Natalia is the brains behind Natalia.caliathletics.com, an online platform that provides various workout programs and street sessions. The details of her background and training are not public. She displays her work on social media and has over 39k Instagram followers.

Who is the king of calisthenics?

Calisthenics legend Hannibal Lanham has practised the sport for over 25 years. Nicknamed ''Hannibal for King,'' the athlete invented unique routines that included the front lever, human flag, and muscle-ups. King was born in February 1978 in Jamaica, Queens, New York City.

Is calisthenics good for athletes?

Every athlete requires physical strength to improve their overall performance. Calisthenics is an ideal training method because it improves strength, flexibility, coordination, and endurance. The full-body workout includes push-ups and squats, a significant form of training in any sport. Calisthenics helps to boost your athletic performance but still requires you to train in your specific sport.

Calisthenics athletes enjoy working out indoors or out in the streets because they hardly require any equipment. The sport has numerous benefits that keep you mobile and flexible, enjoying your overall health. Fans will be eager to see more fitness enthusiasts take up this activity in years to come.

READ ALSO: What happens at a sports physical?

Sports Brief published an article discussing a pre-participation physical examination (PPE), also known as a sports physical. This activity assesses an individual's health to determine their fitness level for game participation. A PPE reduces the risk of injury while helping participants gain a competitive edge.

At a sports physical, candidates go through a body examination and various tests to determine their health status. Men's and women's PPEs vary in what is crucial for each sport. Check out the above article to discover everything that happens in this exercise.

Authors
Grace Waruguru photo
Grace Waruguru
Grace has over 4 years of experience in article writing and digital media content creation for various local and global brands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication (Public Relations) from Daystar University, Kenya.