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The Handstand Press: Complete Control Through the Handstand

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Vic Handstand Press Calisthenics

The handstand press is a perfect demonstration of strength, control, and body awareness. It exemplifies a kind of elegant ease that is seen only in handstand masters. Or so they would have you believe.

It’s true, the handstand press is a difficult skill – but it is very achievable for anyone who already has a decent freestanding handstand. This is a prerequisite – as balancing through the handstand press adds another level of complexity. If you can’t do a handstand off the wall for at least 15 seconds, then you will need to work on your balance before proceeding with this tutorial.

It should be noted that there are many different types of handstand presses, and this tutorial will be focused on the easiest of these – the straddle handstand press. We will simplify this to just ‘handstand press’ moving forward.

What is the Handstand Press?

The handstand press, not to be confused with the handstand push up, is a controlled entry into handstand. The hands start on the ground slightly in front of the still grounded feet. The legs are straight and the hips are raised, creating an ‘A’ shape from hands, to hips, to feet.

The handstand is then achieved by leaning forward and allowing the feet to float up off the ground, and in a circular motion, move upward, and connect at the top. The movement is slow and controlled, with the aim to maintain straight arms and legs throughout.

Tackling the Handstand Press … Where To Start?

If you can already hold a freestanding handstand then you should already have the core strength to do the handstand press, or at least you should be very close. By simply working the handstand press, you will specifically engage the correct core muscles and so it shouldn’t be necessary to supplement with other exercises. Of course you’re welcome to throw in hollow body hold and toes to bar leg lifts if you want to speed up your progress even further!

The handstand press can be approached from 2 different angles.

The first is to start learning it while leaning against a wall – preferably against a padded wedge. By placing your hands close to the wall and leaning forward into the wall while your feet are still in contact with the ground, you are learning one of the most fundamental principles in the handstand press – raising the hips. Once the hips come up, the legs will follow. By doing this drill you will train your body to recognize the correct amount of tilt you need to bring your hips into the correct position.

The second drill is called hovering. In this drill, the idea is similar to the first, however the main focus is not so much raising the hips as it is balance. The goal when hovering is to lean forward and take the feet very briefly off the ground before coming back down again. Remember not to jump, the motion should come from leaning forward and changing the centre of gravity rather than from momentum. Hovers are done without the wall and better replicate the handstand press. The drawback is the imminent risk of faceplanting. Most surfaces don’t agree with the face so try to catch yourself!

Hovers should be done at ground level initially. This will allow you to get used to the feeling. Once you get a hang of this – and become proficient at preventing 3rd degree burns on your face – it’s time to make the hovers easier and increase the stakes.

To do this, start by elevating the feet. By elevating the feet, the hovers become easier as the hips have a higher starting position. This also means that you have further to fall if something goes wrong! If you need even more of a boost, consider using a resistance band to pull your hips forward or even have a partner do this.

Vic Spotting Coaching Handstand

Advancing the Handstand Press

So you have mastered the handstand press and want some bonus challenges, or you still haven’t got it by you want to know what’s next? Well, there’s good news because the handstand press journey doesn’t stop there! As mentioned before, there are multiple variations of the handstand press. We will cover them in order of difficulty.

L-Sit to Press to Handstand (Parallel Bars)

This handstand press variation is done on parallettes or parallel bars. It’s a basic alternative that uses the same principles as the original handstand press. The starting position, however, is an L-sit. By pulling back through the L-sit you will hit the same starting position as you would on the ground – except now you are higher off the ground and you have more wrist control to manipulate the handstand with. This press is only slightly more difficult than the original, the main barrier being a psychological one.

Pike Press

The pike press is considerably more difficult than the original handstand press as it ditches the straddle for a pike. Instead of the legs going around, they come through the middle – and as such they feel heavier due to a longer lever length in relation to gravity. Most pros struggle with this one – it’s not for the faint of heart!

Wide-Arm Handstand Press

This is the ultimate press to handstand variation. The setup is similar to the original press to handstand, however the hands are placed much wider apart and the fingers are typically pointed outwards. This creates a much more difficult balancing position and forces the core to do a lot more work. Hard to do and even harder to balance the finished product, the wide arm handstand is one hell of a move!

Vic Handstand Press Pull-Up Bar

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Vic is a Melbourne-based Personal Trainer, Calisthenics Athlete and the Founder of Street Workout St Kilda. and Liquid Chalk Shop. He has a passion for bodyweight training and the art of movement. Follow him on Instagram: @streetworkoutstkilda, Facebook: facebook.com/streetworkoutstkilda, and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJvI67d8yXvh9gHDVVc2wsA

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The Get Strong App is Here!

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Kavadlo Brothers Get Strong Workout TriadXP app

Since the release of our bestselling Dragon Door title Get Strong, we have received countless messages from fans relaying their success with the program. We love to hear from you!

Sometimes these messages also have questions. Other times they have requests.

The most common request has been for a smartphone app specifically designed to help track your progress on the Get Strong program

We’re excited to tell you the Get Strong app is finally here!

The new Get Strong app is part of Triad XP, an easy-to-use mobile tracking system that Dragon Door has partnered with.

The app will help you stay motivated and provide additional accountability to complete the program.

Plus the convenience of it all being on your mobile device for review rather than a paper log book will make it easier than ever to monitor your progress.

If you’ve been doing Get Strong and need some extra accountability, this is perfect for you. It’s also a great time to start the program if you’ve never tried it before.

You can use the app in conjunction with the book or on its own, so whether you have the book already or not, make sure you check out the new Get Strong app!

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Isometrics, Prison Training and Bodyweight: A Match Made in Valhalla

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Hey, you guys!

It’s been a long time. I missed ya! How’s the wife? I always thought she was a honey…a real catch!

…Wait, what? She did what with the mailman? She took the kids, too? Damn.

I never liked her anyway bro. …Uh…some training talk might take your mind off it, huh?

I’ve sure been thinking about training a lot these days. One type of training in particular—isometrics. I’ve also been working isometrics—hard—for the last couple years or so, and feeling stronger and tougher than ever as a result. Let’s chit-chat about ‘em; tumble some thoughts around in the brain-laundry, and see what colors run, eh?

“Isometrics” is a word virtually everyone who trains knows pretty well. We’ve all heard about isometrics; static training; “isos”. We’ve all read an article about their benefits, thought about seriously applying them, then put the ideas back in a dusty mental drawer and continued with our usual old training. Since Dragon Door is about to release the ISOCHAIN—a project I’ve been heavily involved in, from the get-go—I thought I’d talk a bit about bodyweight and isos to my PCC brethren. (And sistren.)

I’ve used isos in some manner for decades; since the earliest days of my training, in fact. In Convict Conditioning I wrote about how I used to pull on prison bars for an iso workout. I didn’t invent this; inmates have been doing it for hundreds of years to get strong. It’s amazing how varied and productive bar pulling can be. I had a little, dog-eared notebook full of different techniques, bad pencil sketches of different angles and holds to work different muscles. I even included a handful of examples in Convict Conditioning.

Something I talk about a lot in all my books are the old-time strongmen and their methods. All the old timers used isometric holds, particularly as feats of strength: I’m thinking of the human bridge, various back lifts, crucifix holds, ridiculously heavy support holds, restraining wild horses—all this must have put thousands of pounds of force through the human body! But those guys thrived on it, and many of them were performing well into old age.

The Mighty Maxick (1882-1961): one of the great pioneers of isometrics.
The Mighty Maxick (1882-1961): one of the great pioneers of isometrics.

Maxick stands out as a guy who build his entire system around loadless isometrics: pitting one muscle against another. He built an amazing physique on it, too, and his “muscle control” exhibitions were famous throughout the world. Angelo Siciliano—a.k.a. “Charles Atlas”—was another former strongman who took isometric tension seriously, and his Dynamic Tension system pretty much started the modern bodybuilding craze. Nobody wanted sand kicked in their face, did they? (Apologies if you’re into that kinda thing.)

It’s an interesting but little-known fact that the history of the old-time strongmen, isometrics, and prison training are all intertwined. Nobody personifies this more than the great Russian strongman, Alexander Zass—The Amazing Samson. Zass always used isometrics, even from a young age. His first workouts involved pushing and pulling against trees in the local forest. Before he could fulfill his dream of becoming a famous strongman, World War I rolled around, and Zass was nearly killed by the Austrians, then made a prisoner of war. Despite unbelievably poor training conditions—and food that would make a billy goat puke—Zass never lost his passion to become strong, while injured and locked away. He began grimly pushing and pulling against his cell bars, on a daily basis. When he was put in shackles, he would pull against the chains, over and over, from different angles. Zass was using whatever he could to train. This is the tradition that continues in jails to this day. I’ve seen inmates use towels, walls, even each other to generate some brutal isometric workouts.

Zass was training with chains a century before powerlifters thought of it.
Zass was training with chains a century before powerlifters thought of it.

Did these isometric workouts produce results? Unbelievably, Zass became so powerful from this training that he could split chains and bend bars. He was made a prisoner of war four times: he escaped prison, four times. It seems he was just too damn strong for the early twentieth century military jails. And yeah, that’s not hyperbole. Zass was inhumanly powerful. (You may have seen the famous photo of him taking a horse for a walk: with the colt on his shoulders.) It was Zass who began the bar bending and chain breaking that became synonymous with the old-school strongmen.

Numerous athletes took Zass’s chain-pulling system to heart, and built enormous strength from it. But by the time the fifties had rolled around, strongman training was out in Europe and America, and Olympic weightlifting was in. Chain isometrics were still used, but some bright spark—history seems to disagree exactly who it was—attached a bar to the chain, to better replicate the barbell lifts. This simple—but very powerful—chain-and-bar unit was found in elite gyms throughout Europe and America, but it was stolen by other athletes who craved power, too. You might have seen the famous images of Bruce Lee using one. Lee swore by isometrics as a training method, claiming it increased his strength and speed.

Bruce Lee Training With Homemade Isometric Device

Although isos have largely gone by the wayside these days—our loss—some well-read athletes still use these cool old hardcore devices. Ross Enamait is one famous strength and conditioning coach who still promotes isometrics. (A few years back he wrote a great article teaching athletes how to build their own chain-and-bar unit. Check it out, here.)

I’m old (read: decrepit) enough to remember actually seeing the first generation of these chain-and-bar devices being used, in strength magazines and whatnot. They always intrigued me at the time. I didn’t ever get round to trying to construct one though. The lack of measurement was the only thing that bothered me: how do you know how much force you are generating? You don’t. At least with bodyweight training you know you are getting stronger because you move from progression to progression. With conventional weight-training, you move from heavier to heavier bars. But with traditional isometrics without weights? Sure, you feel stronger—but you just don’t know how much, or what’s working.

This has been the major stumbling block for most isometrics. I think it’s the one issue—in today’s era of measuring everything—that has turned the modern generation off isos. We know, thanks to anecdotal and scientific evidence, that isos get you very strong—rapidly. But how strong? How do you know what’s working? How do you motivate yourself to hit a new PR?

This is what first intrigued me so much about the ISOCHAIN. It has a digital force meter that measures the “weight” you are lifting with pinpoint accuracy: on curls, presses, squats, deadlifts, etc.

I know from experience, also—particularly as I get older—that isometric work is good for building muscle while being amazing for the joints. I have been very critical of lifting “external” weights in the past; one reason is the potential damage heavy weight training can do to the joints. With chain-and-bar devices, your joints are under heavy load, but not moving: this results in almost zero friction inside the joints. Imagine pushing coarse sandpaper against a wall, then rubbing. Does a lot of damage, right? Now imagine pushing down on the sandpaper just as hard, but keeping still. Virtually no damage. This is the difference on your joints between loaded isometrics and loaded dynamic lifting.

One of the reasons I’m reaching out to you guys here is that I’d like you to start thinking about incorporating some isos into your program. Isometrics are one of those training topics everybody has an opinion about—but never actually tries, seriously. That’s a damn shame. Isometrics has a ton of proven benefits—from amplified strength and muscle gain to increased speed, reduced joint pain, fat-loss, lower blood pressure, improved heart health, and so on. (Check here for an in-depth article on the science, egghead.)

Truth is—three steps behind, as old Paul always is—I’m probably preaching to the choir right here. If you are seriously into bodyweight training, chances are you already perform isometrics in some form. Isometrics, in its purest sense, just means holding a position to build strength. Damn, it’s hard to do bodyweight training in any form without doing isos:

  • Holding a handstand (or even a headstand): isometric.
  • The plank (RKC plank, anyone?): isometric.
  • Wall squats: isometric:
  • Bridges: isometric.
  • Hollow body holds:
  • Elbow lever variations: isometric.
  • Grip hangs:
  • Front and rear hanging levers: isometric.
  • L-holds and V-holds for abs: isometric.
  • The human flag and the clutch flag: isometric.

…And so it goes on. The most impressive gymnastic strength feats that exist—the Iron Cross, the planche, the inverted cross, the Maltese Cross, and so on—are all isometric holds. Hell, even holding a classical yoga position is isometrics! So us bodyweight guys and gals are probably already well ahead of the curve when it comes to isos.

Classic bodybuilders weren’t averse to getting some isometric action: Mr Olympia, the late Franco Colombu, rocks a front lever.
Classic bodybuilders weren’t averse to getting some isometric action: Mr Olympia, the late Franco Colombu, rocks a front lever.

I’d also like to ask you guys a favor. The ISOCHAIN has been tested in prototypes, but to get the project off the ground—to fund the tooling, the best materials, the programming exactly as we want it—we need pre-orders. If we don’t get them, this project won’t succeed, and that would be a damn shame. I would love for this old-school piece of gear to come back, better than ever, for modern athletes to benefit from. Please, go take a look at the device—it’s amazing. Even if you don’t want one, please send the link to a friend. Or an enemy. Hell, someone you are ambivalent about. Spread the word. Please.

Read about the ISOCHAIN design, here.

Pre-order your own ISOCHAIN, here.

I know what you’re thinking. But it’s a gadget! Some of my hardcore bodyweight bros are probably about ready to track me down and give me the old baseball bat massage, eh? Uncle Paul, you always told us we don’t NEED gadgets or equipment to get in peak shape!

I did say that—and it’s TRUE. It’s as true today as it was yesterday, and it will always be true. I stand behind the ISOCHAIN because I believe, hand on heart, that it will help a lot of athletes, young and old, reach their full potential. It’s the most important piece of training equipment to be released in my lifetime. I hope people who read this know me well enough to know that I would never put my name behind something I didn’t believe in, 100%. Fact.

That said—you don’t need an ISOCHAIN to perform isometrics and gain the benefits. One of the bonuses of isometrics is that it can be performed anywhere. You can do loadless isometrics—muscle-vs-muscle training, so beloved by Maxick. You can do low-to-zero tech isos using a chain, a rope, a towel. You can perform static-state isos, using a doorway, a wall, or so on. And—saving the best for last—you can do bodyweight isometric progressions, like levers, flags, L-holds, grip work, and so on.

So what do you guys think? Do you want to see isos make a big return? Please hit me up in the comments below. Let me know if you’ve used isos, and benefited from them; let me know if you want some more articles here on loadless or zero–tech isos. Shoot me a comment if you have any questions, and I’ll answer them if I can.

Heck, please leave a comment just to say hi. I’d love to hear from all of ya!

Paul

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Next Level Strength is Here!

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Next Level Strength Book Announcement Al Kavaldo and Danny Kavadlo

When we got started in fitness, we didn’t have many options. We were just two broke kids from Brooklyn, so we began with what was available to us: push-ups and pull-ups. This was not because we were necessarily “calisthenics guys” but simply because we didn’t have access to any equipment other than a basic doorway pull-up bar and the ground beneath our feet.

During the course of our journey, we would explore other methods of training. Once we were old enough to join a gym, free weights began to dominate our workouts. Though we never stopped doing push-ups and pull-ups, weight training had become the focus. We also experimented with machines, sandbags, medicine balls and everything else we could think of to maximize our strength gains. Additionally, as personal trainers in New York City, we wanted to familiarize ourselves with as many disciplines as possible so that we could provide the best service to all individuals.

Each of these modalities offers its own unique challenges and benefits. However, after years of experience with these different options, we eventually came full circle and returned to training with only our own bodyweight.

Pistol squats replaced barbell squats, L-sits replaced ab machines, handstand push-ups replaced military presses. The transition was so gradual that we hardly saw it coming. Little by little, we were slowly swapping out our favorite weight training exercises for their calisthenics counterparts. It is hard to say whether calisthenics chose us or we chose calisthenics.

Over the years, we have cultivated a following around the world for our unique style of bodyweight training, and we’ve been heralded for our ability to help our clients make maximal gains with minimal equipment.

We’ve written books about training with just a pull-up bar or no equipment at all. In Street Workout we even showed you how to make the world your gym.

In our previous release, Get Strong, we gave you our most stripped-down calisthenics program for building muscle and strength.

Although we have written extensively about bodyweight training, we still haven’t covered it all. Not by a long shot. In fact, within the bodyweight kingdom there are two important pieces of apparatus which we’ve never addressed until now: rings and parallettes. We’re still just getting started!

Next Level Strength Danny Kavaldo Abs

Why Rings?

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the pull-up bar. You can do a lot more with a simple straight bar than many people realize. And while many of the exercises in our new book, Next Level Strength, can also be done on a pull-up bar, there are numerous subtleties rendering them quite different on rings:

-Rings require extra core recruitment. Unlike a fixed pull-up bar, rings are free-floating and unstable. They can swing back and forth, rock side to side and even rotate. This forces your body to stabilize itself to a greater degree. As there is always a risk of injury when working with an unstable apparatus, be cautious and take your time.

-Because they are not connected to one another, rings allow you to pass in between them on moves like the skin-the-cat and muscle-up. Whereas you must maneuver around a pull-up bar, rings will not get in your way.

-Training with rings can potentially be more forgiving on your joints, particularly those of the wrists, shoulders and elbows. By allowing your hands to rotate, your joints may move in a more personalized range of motion.

-Though some exercises are more challenging when performed on rings, others are more accessible. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. Regardless, if you are used to training exclusively with a bar, those first few weeks of ring training may surprise you.

Next Level Strength Al Kavadlo Parallettes Pushup

Why Parallettes?

Parallel bars that are low to the ground are known as parallettes. Though they might not appear to offer anything special at first glance, these little, low bars are an amazing tool. Here’s why:

-Wrist pain is one of the most common issues associated with floor exercises like planks, L-sits and handstands. Since parallettes allow your wrists to maintain a neutral position during these and other exercises, they offer a great way to work around (and possibly help eradicate) any issues that may plague your wrists.

-Squeezing parallettes while practicing these exercises creates more tension in your upper-body, which can facilitate a greater mind-muscle connection. This will help incur greater strength gains, especially with regard to your grip, core and shoulders.

-Elevating your hands with parallettes makes many exercises more accessible than when they’re performed on the ground. Oftentimes, beginners lack flexibility and/or core strength. Having extra clearance beneath your body can make just enough of a difference to help you nail your first L-sit or tuck planche.

-You can adjust the width of your parallettes to suit your individual proportions, which you cannot do with affixed bars.

The Next Level Strength Program

The Next Level Strength program offers something for everyone. The workouts in our new book build strength, flexibility, control and body awareness. There is also a unique skill element to many of these exercises. To be clear, however, Next Level Strength is not gymnastics. Though some of the exercises may look like gymnastics movements, we are not competing with anyone but ourselves.

Are you ready to take your strength to the Next Level?

Get our new book Next Level Strength today and get started on building the body you deserve!

Next Level Strength Book Banner

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The Joy of Simplicity

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Julie Briggs PCC

“Does this bring me joy?”

Such a simple, yet profound question. This quintessential advice from organizational expert Marie Kondo has spurred millions to begin downsizing, de-cluttering, and “tidying” their physical belongings. However, this question applies to all areas of our lives.

Think about your friends and acquaintances. Are you left feeling energized after spending time with them? Do they fill you up, or do they drain your cup?

What about your daily activities, the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, and the products you use? Do your choices enliven and enlighten, or weigh you down?

If you decisions feel like burdens, then you are not filling your life only with things that bring you joy.

Modern life is complicated. It can feel like our attention must be divided into a million different places. Many of us are already overextended, yet we still try to pack more into already over-booked calendars. But sometimes having more responsibilities leads to more anxiety, more headaches, or more exhaustion, not necessarily more joy. Ultimately—if this pattern continues unchecked for too long—we will inevitably burn out.

Julie Briggs, PCC

I believe the solution is to subtract rather than to add. Taking away things can minimize sources of stress and drastically increase your overall joy. Consider this scenario as it pertains to your fitness: You’ve been told you have to do your daily stretches, your cardio, strength training, HIIT, spinning, and of course the five “latest-and-greatest” ab exercises you just saw in SELF magazine! But is all of that appealing to everyone? And who has time for all that anyway?

You may feel like you barely have time to get to the gym twice a week (and when you do, it’s a huge success!) Or maybe you’ve already been training regularly and you have specific exercises that make you feel amazing. Exercise is not “one size fits all” and joy is a uniquely personal experience. Chances are, all the advice you see and hear is well intended, but may not have the same results for you.

Eliminating the excess and trimming away all the waste leaves only the highest quality. Like trimming away the fat from a good slab of steak, or carefully picking away the wilted lettuce from a fresh head of romaine. When we trim the excess, what remains is the highest quality and often the very best for our physical and mental health.

Julie Briggs, PCC

When we remove what’s unnecessary, we are left with only things that we truly value, things that truly bring us joy and enhance our lives. Simplicity creates more energy and mental clarity. Decisions become easier when options are limited. This saves time and precious mental energy, which you can then redirect towards things that bring you joy.

Simplicity also fosters creativity. Guidelines and parameters actually force you to stretch your creative muscles. For example, try naming five ways you can spice up your push-up using hand positions. Try thinking of three different pull-up grips. Try to name as many different squat variations as you can.

With less options, you spend less time deciding and more time getting straight to the heart of the workout. Not sure what to do for your workout today? Instead of researching a bunch of fancy new moves on YouTube, you can’t go wrong with a few rounds of the basics: good ol’ pushups, squats, pull-ups, and planks will take you far – its the biggest bang for your buck.

When you think minimally, you free your mind as well as your body. No fancy gym equipment is necessary–all you need is a floor! As Al Kavadlo says: “If you don’t have a floor, then you have bigger problems!”

In your workouts and in your life, find out what brings you joy. Subtract and adjust as needed, so that only what remains is only what truly makes you feel energized, whole and alive. Curate your own joyful existence.

Julie Briggs PCC

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Julie Briggs is a PCC instructor, personal trainer, and performance coach who helps her clients live more productive, fulfilling lives by targeting the brain and nervous system. Ms. Briggs works with private clients in Brooklyn, NY, speaks at workshops and conferences, and was featured on the Dr. Oz show. She shares her insights on fitness, health, and happiness on Instagram @fit.insight, Facebook (Fit Insight), and email: hi@fitinsight.net

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Winter Motivation

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Dan Earthquake Snow Workout Dips

“It takes 4 weeks to get used to anything,” said Dino Antinori, who I used to run with in the early 1990’s. “It’s true for exercise, work, or even living with another person.” He was 20 years older than me. We ran together regularly and he was full of practical advice on fitness, strength and life in general. As I’ve worked through the last two decades, I’ve seen it proved many times. “The first week is hard, and the second week is harder. By the third week it starts to get easier and by week four you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about.”

The exact thing I was doing at the time that needed this four weeks of dedication was increasing my stamina to run a faster ten mile race. Dino had kindly taken me out for a “ten mile plus” run which ended up being fourteen with some very tough hills included. The following week he made it eighteen. I was very sore the following days, cycling to work and laboring on construction sites. As promised, week three was easier and by week four I was a different runner. Dino ran every day, mostly on his own whatever the weather. I aspired to be as dedicated, but it took a number of years.

Wrestler Arn Anderson was interviewed with Ric Flair about training in their day and he reminisced about daily wrestling and training – aches and pains were “like a callous on the hand,” he said. It all rang true with what Dino had said.

Getting fit or strong for the first time is tough. It’s a step into the unknown. Lots of aches and pains add to the doubts. The ambition seems too far away, and impatience is usual. The wish to be faster, fitter, stronger and better conditioned never goes away. Between achievement of the ambition and the now of identifying it exists a lot of work.

Dan Earthquake Channel Swimming

It was 2004. I had a leg injury and it was hurting me a lot. Relief came from swimming outdoors in the cold so I did more of it, associating relief with being cold. Consequently I became very good at swimming in cold conditions. On land, I sometimes had a limp. Physical work was not always enjoyable and on this particular day, the sun was beating down and my task was to break up a giant concrete slab with a sledgehammer. A pneumatic jack hammer would have been easier and quicker with less pain for my leg. However, the homeowner did not wish to inflict such noise on his neighbors and hired me to break it up. I was struggling financially so turned up with sledgehammer accordingly.

Every hit sent pain through my leg. It took three hits to make a crack in the concrete. Sweat poured into my eyes and I felt alternately grumpy and elated. Grumpy because I was hurting. Elated because I had not let it stop me. I daydreamed–the secret pleasure of every manual worker–and ran through scenarios. My friend John Rickhuss had died a short while before. He’d been training to swim the English Channel.  Two years earlier, we’d both swam the length of Windermere, 10.5 miles. It had taken me seven hours and twenty nine minutes. I was glad to stop. John, much older than me and faster congratulated me at the finish: “That’s your six hour swim done, Dan,” he said cheerfully. “It’s the Channel next for you.” The thought of doubling that effort seemed impossible. For him though, it wasn’t. He built on that swim for the next few years gradually.

I went to Loch Ness and repeated the 10 miles more comfortably, swam Ullswater (7 miles) the following year and shortly after had some personal misfortune which meant at the time of hammering the slab I was living in a one room bedsit, struggling to pay the rent. John was gone, but his words lingered. Had he been humoring me? Or did he see something in me that I didn’t? I thought of Dino who had also made predictions that came true. I swung the hammer again and another jolt went up the leg. “Swimming the Channel can’t possibly be worse than this,” I said out loud to no-one in particular. The future me, the me of now smiles again remembering this and I return again to encourage the younger. “Stick at it. Things will improve. You’ll find a way to overcome the injury and bridge the gap between there and here.”

I finished the slab. Gradually I worked my way to better personal circumstances. Hard decisions had to be made and I took a lot of wrong turns, worked a lot of dead ends. I swam outdoors, trained in the woods with some pull ups, dips and lifted logs. I cycled, ran, rowed, paddled and swam, worked manual labor on farms and construction/maintenance and dreamed what it would be like to swim to France. I returned to the slab often. It became my symbol of overcoming difficulty.

Dan Earthquake Ring Pullups Snow Workou

Eventually I did swim the Channel. Before I did it I wondered if I could. Now I wonder how I did. It never looks smaller or less of a challenge. During the swim I had plenty time to daydream, remember and plan. I remembered the slab a number of times, each time comparing the experience. “Is this harder than the slab?” “No.” Towards the end, when my head was hurting, my shoulder grinding and my stomach nauseous, I reflected with a smile that “at least it’s not as bad as breaking up that slab.” I returned to my younger self. “Keep it up, Dan, you’ll end up here, in the Channel–doing it.”

This winter has bought new challenges and opportunities along with fresh ambitions. On good days, I find I am pulling high in my pull-ups and the assisted pistols are improving. The injuries of the summer that seemed so serious are now memories. I smile and return to those days of doubt with a smile. In recent difficult days – well, I grind through the daily minimum and take extra warm up sets because I know that some enthusiasm will surely follow. Everything that has gone before has led me to here. “These struggles will soon be fond memories,” I hear a voice say, and I smile once more as I return to the slab and tell the sweating youth the good news.

***

Dan Earthquake is involved in event safety and hosts winter swimming training camps for Channel Swimmers. In 2013 the Channel Swimming Association awarded him the trophy for “Greatest Feat of Endurance” for his 21hr 25 minute crossing of the English Channel. In August 2018 Dan was part of the 4 person relay team that set a new record for the Enduroman Arch to Arc triathlon between London and Paris. For more info, visit http://www.danearthquake.com/

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Trans-Atlantic Antics: Behind the Scenes At PCC 2018

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Those of you who have been following this blog for the last six years know how serious we are about calisthenics. If you’ve spent any length of time at all on these hallowed pages, then you’ve heard about the amazing purity of owning a body that is truly “self-made.” We speak of minimalism in equipment, clarity of mind, strength in simplicity. And ripped abs.

You’ve also read the incredible stories that surround every single Progressive Calisthenics Certification: the friendships formed, the fantastic networking opportunities, and the timeless bonds created between calisthenics freaks and geeks from all over the world. At PCC, we encourage an experiential learning environment, where everyone is involved in every step of the process—you can almost feel yourself getting stronger!

Here on this blog, we’ve waxed philosophical about the numerous PR’s, feats of strength and profound life experiences shared PCC weekend, but what we rarely talk about is this: the wacky antics that ensue!

Rock n roll dreams come true at this post-PCC tattoo convention!

That’s right. When the Century Test is over and the Certifications have been handed out, after the love, the hugs and the high fives, we all like to have a little fun. Perhaps, punch-drunk on adrenaline, we stick around to hang out with everyone who wants to spend time with us on that final day of PCC.

And believe it or not, there are always some folks who want to get back on the bar for a few last reps. Sometimes it’s a free-style pull-up jam!

womens pullups London PCC 2018
Representing the strong women of PCC!

If you’ve ever wanted to dragon flag off Danny, stand on Al’s bridge, try a crazy move or take a crazy photo, then now you know: it all happens after hours at PCC!

As 2018 winds down to a close and we reflect back at the places we went and the people we met, we can’t help but to feel like the luckiest guys in the world. It’s a privilege that we get to spread the word of progressive calisthenics. It’s an honor to train with each of you. The PCC community includes us all.

This past year was host to Progressive Calisthenics Certifications in Beijing, Shanghai, London, New York City, Amsterdam and Austin. Each one was unforgettable.

And 2019 is looking just as bright! With PCCs already scheduled stateside in Colorado and Georgia, and overseas in Vienna, England, and Taiwan, next year promises to be even more over-the-top than ever!

In the PCC Universe, we are all more than simply calisthenics instructors and practitioners: we are family. If you’ve ever considered attending a PCC, this is the time. We wanna see your pull-ups! Hey hey hey! Keep the dream alive!

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Time Under Tension

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Ray Shonk Pistol Squat

Progressing in your calisthenics quest doesn’t always mean that you master the next big movement or duplicate a zany stunt. Another way of scaling the difficulty of just about any particular exercise is to simply employ time. No, I don’t mean making your workouts longer—in fact this method could make your workouts shorter—what I am referring to is time under tension.

The phrase “time under tension” refers to how long a muscle (or group of muscles) is under stress for a given rep or set. This can be achieved by lengthening the concentric, eccentric or pausing phase of an exercise.

I used this technique back in my weight lifting days. In fact, most methods of progressive resistance in calisthenics can apply to the weight room as well. When I was focused on lifting (and training people to do the same), there were times I would use less weight, instead choosing to focus on a slow tempo. Oftentimes, my clients would question my method, as they were only thinking in terms of lifting as much weight as possible. But to their surprise, when I had them do a 3 second eccentric and concentric (3 seconds down and 3 seconds up) movement for each rep, they would burn out sooner and get more out of the exercise—even at less external resistance.

Of course, you are also not limited to a 3 second tempo, you can also slow it down more so, such as a 5 second tempo. You could even add pause at the bottom of your movement. All of these are effective ways of increasing your muscles’ time under tension.

The concept of time under tension is arguably even more important when applied to bodyweight training. Because of our minimalist approach (and equipment set-ups), we are constantly using methods of increasing resistance without adding external weight. In fact, calisthenics newbies often wonder how it’s done. Well, again, time under tension is one of the least complicated ways!

Slowing an exercise down—or pausing at the bottom—are both ways to employ time over tension. This is one of the least complicated methods of progressing an exercise without adding external resistance.
Slowing an exercise down—or pausing at the bottom—are both ways to employ time over tension. This is one of the least complicated methods of progressing an exercise without adding external resistance.

In fact, for me personally, when I put the weights away and became completely calisthenics focused, I was able to achieve very high rep counts in my basic 3 exercises: push-ups, pull-ups and squats. For a while, I thought progressions were the only way to go from there, so that is what I did.

Over the course of time, and after many steps, classic push-ups became feet-elevated push-ups, two-legged squats became pistol squats, and pull-ups became muscle-ups.

Eventually, my numbers started to pick up again. So I thought back and remembered the slow tempo workouts I use to do. I decided to give it a shot and they were more challenging than I expected. You see, not only does the slow tempo maintain the tension on the muscles for longer, it also requires you to be more attentive to form, thus giving a greater yield from every single repetition.

Ray Shonk Feet Raised Push-up variation
It’s true that elevating your feet or using your knuckles are ways of progressing the push-up, but did you know that simply slowing it down is a progression in it’s own right?

Feel free to experiment. I’ve found that pausing at various points throughout the range of motion (as opposed to just the top or bottom position) can help overcome sticking points. Think about a pull-up, for example, where you pause for 2 seconds at the top, then again with your elbows at 90 degrees, then 120 degrees, with a final pause at the dead hang—ouch!) Furthermore, you can even experiment with super-slow reps, such a “the one minute push-up” which is 30 seconds on the way up and 30 seconds on the way down! Just make sure to take your time on the eccentric phase for max results!

Remember, fitness isn’t just being able to knock out 100 push-ups, or bench press double bodyweight: it is more about embracing the process, living in the present, and ranking quality over quantity when it comes to movements. Take it slow, build real strength, and focus on your form: you will see quality changes!

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Ray Shonk, PCC is a personal trainer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, an adjunct professor at GVSU and the owner of Quest Fitness. In 2017, he authored his first book, appropriately titled, The Calisthenics Quest. Ray specializes in Calisthenics, Sports Performance and Martial Arts training. When he is not training, Ray spends time brewing beer, and enjoying time with friends and family. Learn more at www.questfitnessgym.com

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My PCC In Amsterdam

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Vit Stefanovic PCC Certified in Holland with Al and Danny Kavadlo

The Progressive Calisthenics Certification is a unique life experience. This two day event allows exercise enthusiasts to gather, train and get certified as progressive calisthenics instructors by none other than the Kavadlo brothers, the world famous trainers and pioneers of the Street Workout movement!

The decision to attend PCC this past October in Amsterdam, NE was a definitive moment of crucial importance in my life. My expectations were very high. I am a dedicated teacher and student of calisthenics and both Al and Danny are role models for me. I’ve been reading their articles and watching their videos for years.

Day One

The dawn breaks outside and I’m one of the first attendees to arrive. I see some familiar figures in the back of the training hall and, sure enough, based on a big beard and lots of tattoos, I recognize the Kavadlo brothers. A thought slips into my mind: I know how they present themselves on social media, but what are they going to be like in reality?

I barely manage to learn the names of other participants, when Danny comes to us with a big smile and shakes everyone’s hand. Al joins us few minutes later, sits among us and we begin talking about the flight, about life and about how this is the first time he left his newborn daughter for this long. It feels like I’m talking with an old friend, not with someone I just met. But there’s no more time to talk – it’s 8:30 and PCC is about to officially begin!

Danny is the one to make the welcome speech and claims that when people arrive at PCC they are strangers, but when they leave, they are a family. Even though my expectations of this weekend are high, I remain skeptical.

We get started on push-ups, pull-ups, muscle-ups, bar levers and more! All of these modules start with beginner-oriented exercises and progress to more difficult ones, like one arm push-ups or muscle-ups.

As we practice the moves, it is interesting to notice, that no one is best in everything. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses – and that is how it’s supposed to be! I helped explain a one arm push-up negative to Ben, my training partner, but it was Ben who left ME speechless, when he did a perfect one arm pull-up, a move, that is far beyond my grasp at this point!

We experienced many beautiful moments when we arrived at the muscle-up module. Muscle-ups, while requiring a fair amount of strength to perform, are also a skill, and there is no better way to learn a new skill than to have it explained in person and try it for yourself. Everyone gets super excited. It’s clearly a room full of bar maniacs!

Vit Stefanovic Muscle Up at the Holland PCC

Motivated by the mood in the room and the successes of others, everyone gives their best to the muscle-ups. Our energy appears to have no limits. Once the first person gets their first muscle up, a chain reaction is ignited. By the end of muscle-up session, five people get their first rep. If I haven’t seen it with my own eyes, I probably wouldn’t believe it.

When it’s our turn to try the human flags, we give it everything, just like when we did muscle-ups. Personal records are achieved on many flag variations. Once we are all done with the flags, it was time to cool down. Later that afternoon, Master Al shined, as he taught us more about the principles of progression, and his story of fitness and life. It was inspiring to hear his own story of going from a “towel boy” to becoming a world class calisthenics icon.

Day Two

We were all a little bit nervous on the morning of Day Two. Was it really such a wise idea to exhaust ourselves so much yesterday? After all, the Century Test remained. But once we start moving, these thoughts just vanish. We go through leg exercises and we learn, among other things, that clutching your palms like a pistol while doing a pistol squat doesn’t only look good, there is a practical benefit to it as well!

Somewhat wiser, we move on to back bridges. During the “free jam” ten minutes, that follow the back bridge module, I am honored to follow PCC instructor Robbie Taylor and show others a stand-to-stand back bridge. The applause makes me feel like a superstar for a minute. I was also able to test how strong my back is during the back bridge module.

Vit Stefanovic Bridge at Holland PCC

There is a short break and I think to myself: okay, squats and back bridges! Perfect! This should keep our arms fresh for the century test! Wrong. We then move on to handstands and floor holds, and our upper bodies are back to work!

As the morning’s training winds down, Danny leads us on a seminar of programming in the gym and putting the pieces that we have learned together. True to form, he also shares some hard-won wisdom and life lessons. We settle into the moment, but we all know what awaits…

PCC Century Test

The test is called “Century.” It requires 100 repetitions of 40 squats, 30 push-ups, 20 hanging knee raises and 10 pull-ups in perfect form and under eight minutes. These demands are not excessive for anyone with a solid foundation in calisthenics, but the tricky part is to do all it after two days of grueling training with sore muscles, not to mention the psychological pressure. Everyone has only one shot at passing the century test on location.

Two participants test at the same time: one is supervised by Al and the other by Danny. The others wait, cheer and congratulate. After eight rounds, I am in the last pair to test. By that time my nerves are almost killing me. Wearing a semi-sinister grin on his face, Danny tells me that this is what he has been looking forward to all weekend. I choose not to inquire at this moment – I hear the gong and I start.

My nerves calm down completely as I begin testing. I feel like a fish that has just been thrown back into water. I realize that this is what I do, this is what I live for and this is where I have broken, overcome and raised my limits countless times. Calisthenics is my passion and the blood in my veins pumps for it! I keep my reps slow and enjoy every single one of them. I finish my tenth pull up, even add an eleventh and shout Danny’s trademark “HELLYEAH!” Others gather around, congratulate me and I can hear from many people that my knee raises were really nice to watch: top form, zero swing, slow and in controlled fashion.

Danny is genuine pleased and says, “Thanks Vít, you just made my day!” It is a perfect ending to a perfect weekend.

In the end, three people did not pass the test.  One attendee even managed to do 99 perfect repetitions, but failed to finish his tenth pull up. It was heart breaking. But none of the people who failed let that fact affect the mood in the room. PCC is more about the experience than the certificate. (Plus, they still have 90 days to submit a passing video.) It was now time to celebrate, ask questions, practice the movement we learnt, and of course pose for some crazy pictures!

Vit Stefanovic Pistol Squat

The End

At the end, I hug both brothers and I thank them for all the articles they’ve written and published, and how much they’ve helped me on my calisthenics and personal trainer journey. I can honestly say that they are the same awesome people in reality, as they are in media, and that it is so refreshing to experience such integrity, because it is so rare these days.

But did we arrive as strangers and leave as family? Yes, I truly believe that we did. But this doesn’t mean that we will all necessarily stay in touch or write every day. Quite the opposite: I may never see most of the people that I met that weekend again. But, the truth is that we were already a family; we just didn’t know it yet.

Everyone who is a longtime teacher and/or student of calisthenics has the same passionate soul, that steam engine that drives us to go on. It’s created by the never-ending hunger to break our own limits and help others do the same. This everlasting desire to improve ourselves, inspire others and let others inspire us is what united us all along. This is who we are and what connects us all.

Vit Stefanovic PCC Holland Group

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Vít Stefanovič (born 1991) is a passionate teacher and student of calisthenics. As a personal trainer, he loves to inspire and help others on their own calisthenics journey. He shares his insights on calisthenics on Czech website www.cvicenisvlastnivahou.cz, his Facebook page facebook.com/vita.osobni.trener and on Instagram instagram.com/vitatrener/.

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Women in PCC

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Kristy Agan PCC Pistol Squat

For many years, I have wanted to attend the Progressive Calisthenics Certification, and it was a thrill to finally get to do it last month in Austin, TX. After all of the anticipation, I knew it would be an unforgettable weekend. The best part was that I was able to take my husband along with me. After all, we’re a couple of calisthenics freaks, and it was our 17th anniversary. This was the best way to celebrate!

But enough about him… he already got a little taste of the limelight in a previous blog. And while I’d love to talk about ALL of the amazing people I met there, I’m going to take a different approach: This is for all my strong girls! (It’s okay men. You can keep reading too.)

Throughout my 15-year tenure as a trainer, I have taken part in a great number of fitness related workshops. Over the years, I’ve noticed an interesting pattern. The “tougher”, for lack of a better word, the workshop is perceived to be, the fewer women are in attendance. Allow me to elaborate:

Several years ago, at my first RKC, there were approximately the same number of women and men in attendance. I was happy to see the ladies well represented! However, that was not the case at my RKC Level II, where I was very much in the minority. There were only three women (including myself) in the group. Rather intimidating! Nonetheless, we kicked ass right alongside the men. Since that RKC Level II workshop, I have recertified, and/or assisted at, several Dragon Door workshops. Sadly, this trend of fewer and fewer women in attendance has remained the same.

In fact, when I arrived at PCC, it appeared that I was the only female in a room full of 20 super strong men! Though I wasn’t completely surprised by this, I must confess that I was relieved when another female walked through the door.

This particular female, Mrs. Julia Harris, is 14 years younger than me, and a former gymnast. But I didn’t let that intimidate me either. I was stoked to have another woman there to share the experience with!  Over the course of the weekend, Julia and I shared lots of laughs, high fives, and PR’s. We encouraged each other every time we performed on the bar, pole or mat.

PCC Austin Julia Clutch Flag

Here are some of the take-aways from that weekend that I want all women considering PCC to know: 

– Both Julia and I were already well rehearsed in squats, push-ups and pull-ups. So ladies, I highly recommend that you show up with a solid foundation in the basics. Those three movements, believe it or not, are the baseline from which almost all the more advanced moves are built. Even if you cannot do a full pull-up (many women can’t… yet), I still encourage you to practice Aussie pull-ups, bar hangs, and other upper body pulling motions. There is no need to be nervous, regardless of what your fitness level is—PCC is for everybody! Be prepared and work on your version of “squat-push-pull” and you won’t find yourself struggling.

Kristy Agan Austin PCC Handstand– Amazingly, we both worked on “skinning the cat”, bar levers, floor holds and more! I might not be able to do a full bar muscle-up yet, but with the guidance of The World-Famous Kavadlo Brothers and the other amazing instructors, were able to attempt each and every movement on the schedule. We females were given the tools to either succeed in those movements that very day, or to take with us so that we can approach and conquer them in our own time.

That’s the point I’d really like to drive home: The level of instruction you will receive will enable and encourage you to do things you may not have expected. You may just surprise yourself!

– The PCC is an incredibly diverse curriculum. In a way, calisthenics is a great equalizer. Even if you reach a sticking point in one area, you will find that there is room to excel in others. In fact, in my unbiased opinion, the ladies ruled the squat and handstand portion of the weekend. Move over boys!

But this is the most important thing I observed during PCC. Pay close attention ladies….

– Throughout the weekend, Julia and I went shoulder to shoulder with the men. We attempted every exercise. Sometimes we failed. Sometimes we succeeded. And guess what? The men in the room also failed and succeeded right alongside us.

That’s right! No one got every technique. Additionally, all of the men cheered us on the entire time. I never felt that I wasn’t a part of the group, nor for one moment did it feel like I was in a “man’s world”. I honestly can’t put into words the camaraderie that I experienced. It has never been men vs. women. It is always athlete supporting athlete.

At the conclusion of this amazing weekend, after the PCC Century tests, the hugs, tears and high fives, I was approached by several of the male participants. They wanted to tell me that I “inspired” THEM! Go figure!

Many of the men wanted my husband’s and my info so they could stay in touch with us and visit our gym. Some also had training questions they wanted to follow up with me on—they were impressed with me as a trainer. Zero egos. Lots friendships were made that weekend that will not be forgotten. Words alone cannot do justice to bonds formed at a PCC certification. The weekend made such a great impression on me personally that I will be hosting a Progressive Calisthenics Certification at my gym, KA Athletics, in Rome, Georgia.

So, to all my girls out there, don’t let PCC intimidate you. Or any event for that matter! We are fully capable of standing side by side with the boys, and we should do so with our heads held high. Why?? Because strong people inspire each other, regardless of gender!

That’s right, ladies… we can swing from those bars too! We are strong. We are PCC!

Kristy Agan L-Sit Bar Hang

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Kristy Agan is a RKC Level II and PCC Instructor. She and her husband, Joe Agan, own KA Athletics in Rome, GA where she offers Personal and Group Training. Follow her on Facebook @Kristy Agan – RKC, Instagram @kristyagan and Twitter @kristyagan. Visit her website at kristyagan.com. She can also be contacted at kristyagan@gmail.com

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