PCC Blog

Technology Meets Minimalism in Silicon Valley

October 6, 2015 By Peter D'Epiro 5 Comments

PCC Mountain View Lead Photo

For the first time since its inception, the Progressive Calisthenics Certification (PCC) touched down in the Bay Area, specifically Silicon Valley, California. The land of technological innovation and gadgets was introduced to primitive movement patterns and raw strength development, through the use of nothing more than one’s own bodyweight!

Hosted at the Bay Area’s premier fitness and performance training facility, Evolution Trainers, the beautiful California weather and custom built outdoor scaffolding jungle gym allowed for a wonderful combination of indoor and outdoor training throughout the course.

PCC Mountain View Outdoor

As has become commonplace at the PCC, the group of participants was an eclectic mix that included fitness trainers, military personnel, martial artists, teachers, local tech professionals, and calisthenics enthusiasts. Attendees came from the northern and southernmost ends of California, all over the United States, and even as far away as Hong Kong.

This class was unique for me. Having attended the very first PCC in Minneapolis over 2 years ago, I was back for this one as an assistant, which provided a unique vantage point on the curriculum relative to my first time around. Not having to focus on my own performance, aches, pains and anxiety about the Century Test, I was able to view the class as a whole. Seeing all the participants work on the various skills gave me a new and different sense of the incredible experience that is the PCC.

Dragon Door typically likes to track PR’s, when students are able to perform a skill for the first time. While a requisite amount of power and stability are needed to perform the various feats of strength at the PCC, it is amazing to watch attendees who genuinely cannot perform a skill, work through the progressions during the class, receive cues and coaching pointers, and ultimately succeed in execution. From pistol squats to muscle-ups to hand balancing, it was amazing to see everyone in the room get better together as the weekend went on!

PCC Mountain View Crow

Seeing this process in action validates the well thought out progressions and regressions of the curriculum. This highlights the knowledge, communication and teaching skills of Master Instructors Al and Danny Kavadlo, along with Team Leader Logan Christopher, who also lent his insights to this particular course. It was a pleasure to coach alongside such legendary talent.

PCC Mountain View Coaching

The PCC has evolved since its inception, yet still maintains a wonderfully positive and supportive atmosphere that leads to new friendships, professional connections and gains in physical strength. It is an incredibly fun and inspiring experience. Complimenting the technical insights this weekend were individual talks by both Al and Danny about the paths they’ve taken to the PCC, the principles of progression and program design. These talks are not only engaging, but further deepen and personalize an already powerful experience for the students.

All in all, this newly minted group of PCC instructors walked away with much more than a piece of paper declaring them “certified”. They left with new skills, new friends and membership in one of the most special and positive communities in the fitness arena.

PCC Mountain View Group Photo

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About Pete D’Epiro: A fitness & performance coach in the San Francisco Bay Area for 20 years, Pete specializes in training the unique population that is the Silicon Valley executive/entrepreneur as well as junior athletes ranging from middle school to Division I scholarship athletes. Pete also volunteers his time to Stew Smith’s non-profit Heroes of Tomorrow, providing free training to candidates preparing for careers in military special operations, law enforcement, & fire. Most days of the year Pete can be found at the world-class training facility, Evolution Trainers (www.evolutiontrainers.com), in Mountain View, California.

The Hidden Powers of Short Bridges and Shoulder Stand Squats

September 29, 2015 By Adrienne Harvey 35 Comments

Shoulder Bridge

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been conducting a little experiment. Due to an intense work schedule, combined with not getting enough sleep, I found myself in a condition that was not optimal for intense workouts. So, I decided to revisit a few of the early steps of Coach Wade’s “Big Six.”

In Convict Conditioning, as well as at the PCC, the warm up for the work sets of our training can come from practicing earlier steps of the movements. For example, if our work sets consist of knocking out reps of full bridges, we would warm up for them with a few meaningful sets of short bridges or straight bridges (the first and second steps of the progression in Convict Conditioning).

The first step of the Convict Conditioning squat sequence is the shoulder stand squat. This step is outlined in the original Convict Conditioning book, but explained in a little more detail in the Convict Conditioning Ultimate Bodyweight Squat Course DVD and Manual. This move is controversial because for many beginners (especially those who are overweight), getting down on the floor, and essentially getting upside down, will present a big obstacle right away. Then, if they’ve managed to get into the shoulder stand, it can be difficult for some larger people to get into the end position simply because they may be in their own way. This can be a major obstacle and it really doesn’t take that much extra weight to cause either of these issues. So at the PCC, we teach some other beginner drills which are more easily applicable to people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels.

However, I’d recently managed to mildly annoy—but not injure—my left knee. In general, I tend to err on the side of caution and will make no apologies for stopping an exercise or movement if I feel a certain type of discomfort. Over the years I think this attitude this has helped me remain uninjured even while doing a fair amount of intense training and advanced drills. Exercise should make us stronger, not screw us up!

Shoulder Stand Squat Sequence

Though accidents happen, avoiding injury during training should be a top priority. While we are all continually encouraged to “get outside our comfort zone,” part of our own individual fitness journeys should include learning to carefully monitor our physical selves. This of course will be different for everyone, and will change as we age. I’m not saying that we should be afraid of what we’re doing in the gym or in life, only that it’s a good idea to start paying attention to, and learning to understand the subtle signals from our bodies.

So I wondered what kind of benefits my annoyed left knee could gain from the shoulder stand squat—and if the unweighted movement might give me the chance to analyze what might have happened in the first place, or at the least identify some trouble spots. I also started to consider what some of the other beginner steps could bring to my other challenges and goals.

The following is what I did, at a reasonably slow speed, which took a lot of control:

Two rounds:

Short bridges – 25 reps
Shoulder stand squats – 25 reps
Bar Hang – 1 minute
Full bridge
Plow stretch

The rep range in my example above was chosen since those were the Convict Conditioning “intermediate standards” for the short bridges and shoulder stand squats. This wasn’t meant to be an especially taxing workout, but I did find parts of it surprisingly challenging, in a way that indicated I might be working with my nervous system as much as my muscles. The above rep ranges are not necessarily appropriate for everyone, and will take some experimentation. When in doubt, do less on the first round to figure out where you stand (and where you stand on that particular day).

Adrienne Timed Bar Hangs

Intrigued by the CNS response of the above example, on a day following a very challenging kettlebell workout in the same week, I decided to make a different version but with the same general ideas:

First round :

Short bridges – 25 reps
Shoulder stand squats – 25 reps
Crow stand – 1 minute
Full bridge
Plow stretch

Adrienne Crow Stand

Second round:

Short bridges – 25 reps
Shoulder stand squats – 25 reps
Wall handstand – 1 minute
Full bridge
Plow stretch

I ended with Coach Wade’s “Trifecta” and some deep squats. Everything felt easier and better executed.

Going back to the more advanced drills the next day, I had a new confidence, and could tell that progress was made that week, just from the two small sessions with the earlier steps. Since then, I’ve made it a point to have more sessions like these during a typical week.

I encourage you to revisit earlier steps you have learned from Convict Conditioning and/or the PCC Workshop. Even if you feel like you’ve long-since outgrown them, they still hold their own challenges and can teach you a lot (especially if you go purposefully slow). For those of us who are instructors, they also help us stay sharp and empathize with our clients when explaining and working through those beginning progressions. Never underestimate the power of those early steps!

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Adrienne Harvey, Senior PCC Instructor, RKC-II, CK-FMS, has been RKC Certified since 2010, and RKC Level 2 certified since 2011. Kettlebell and bodyweight training have been crucial in Adrienne’s personal quest for fitness. A core member of the PCC team, Adrienne loves sharing her knowledge with small groups and individuals. She also loves to develop recipes and workout programs to further support performance, body composition, and of course—FUN. Go to http://www.giryagirl.com for more information about Adrienne.

PCC Chicago: My Kinda Town

September 22, 2015 By Danny Kavadlo 6 Comments

PCC Chicago 2015 Dragon Flag

My hands are sore from clapping so hard. This isn’t the first time this has happened. The skin is swollen. The bones ache. My palms are red.

Let me backtrack a little… My brother Al Kavadlo and I have the best job out of anyone I know. We get to travel and meet calisthenics aficionados from all over the globe. We spend three days teaching the moves, spreading the word, training intensely and basking in the love. We get to personally witness and be a part of so many amazing feats of strength and groundbreaking achievements that the outpouring of raw, unbridled joy, coupled with passionate pride and complete confidence almost takes on a physical manifestation of its own. It practically busts down the walls and flows all over the street! We pull-up, we flag, we applaud, we get emotional.

And yes… we clap!

PCC Chicago Brittany Flag

The Progressive Calisthenics Certification’s debut this past weekend in the Windy City of Chicago was no exception. In fact, it was a perfect example of exactly what I’m talking about. Bodyweight beasts from all over these great States were represented… and they delivered the goods!

PCC Chicago 2015 Cody Muscle Up

You see, when attendees and instructors work together face-to-face, we bring out the best in one another. Something magical happens. We train hard and inspire. We stand tall (even if it’s on our hands!)

PCC Chicago 2015 Al Kavadlo and Cassia Handstand

PR’s included Muscle-Ups, One-Arm Push-Ups, Stand-To-Stand Bridges, Back Levers and more. But beyond that, the showing of solidarity is what really stole the show. The PCC community was the most powerful form of strength in the room. The calisthenics brother- and sister-hood is the mightiest force in the universe.

PCC Chicago Namon and Katie Training 5

It is of note that this was a particularly powerful group of females, including two women who performed their very first muscle-ups. Can I get a hell yeah? Bodyweight strength training is for everybody!

PCC Chicago Ladies 2015

PCC, Chi-Town had to be experienced to be believed. In fact, that’s’ what makes the Progressive Calisthenics Certification so special: It is an in person experience. You can read about it or look at it. You can even begin to get a feel for it. But you can’t touch it or taste it until you live it! I’m looking forward to seeing YOU at the next certification.

Keep the dream alive, my friends!

-DK

PCC Chicago Group Photo

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Danny Kavadlo is one of the world’s foremost authorities on calisthenics, nutrition and personal training. He is the author of the Dragon Door titles Diamond-Cut Abs and Everybody Needs Training. Danny is known for his minimalist philosophy, simple approach and motivational talents.

A true in-person experience, Danny is a Master Instructor for Dragon Door’s Progressive Calisthenics Certification. He has been featured in the NY Times, TRAIN, Men’s Fitness and is a regular contributor to Bodybuilding.com. Learn more about Danny at www.DannyTheTrainer.com

PCC Holland: A Gathering of Awesomeness

September 15, 2015 By Silvio Bauer 9 Comments

Danny Silvio Al Kavaldo Holland PCC 2015

I’m still hung over. Not from having one too many—mind you other than maybe one too many muscle-ups.

This whole past weekend, I was on a constant dopamine rush. I took a little trip to the beautiful city of Haarlem, which is a half hour bus ride away from Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

From the time I stepped onto the airplane up until this moment, I’ve been maintaining a sheepish grin on my face.

All this happiness bursting out of me came from attending the Holland PCC . Not only was it a thrill to meet the PCC team for this workshop (Lead Instructor Al Kavadlo, Master Instructor Danny Kavadlo, and Instructor Grace Kavadlo) but also to be around so many like-minded fitness freaks.

Pull Ups At Holland PCC 2015

Once the whole crew and attendees gathered in a circle to introduce themselves, you could almost feel the room vibrating with all the positive energy everybody brought with them. With the first of many of Al’s signature “HEY, hey, heys” of this weekend, the group started to become a little family of fitness weirdos.

It was a blast to see everybody bringing their unique expertise to the table. I met attendees from all over the world (one person came all the way from Taiwan)! We had engineers, IT professionals, personal trainers, physical therapists, CEOs, martial artists, Street Workout World Cup participants, and many more. This is the kind of group you can’t replicate, which is part of the reason why this PCC workshop was such a unique experience.

Al and Danny Demo Shrimp Squats Holland 2015

No matter where you come from, or your occupation, I can basically guarantee you’ll hit several PRs during a weekend like this. If it’s a new move that you’re trying for the first time, or one you’ve worked on for a while and now finally “get it”, you will push your physical limit on a weekend like this.

My own favorite PR was the mighty muscle-up. I’ve worked on this one for quite some time. But up until this weekend, the muscle-up was an elusive skill for me. I could do it on a good day when I was fresh but it wasn’t pretty when I got over the bar most of the time. After some cues from Al and Danny, it finally “clicked” with me. I got over the bar every single time I tried it. Afterwards, I had the urge to do muscle-ups throughout the weekend just to make sure I hadn’t lost it!

A video posted by Silvio (@neatstrength) on Sep 11, 2015 at 8:10am PDT

Not only did Al, Danny, and Grace do a fantastic job by providing helpful cues and tips, they managed to add significant value to everybody’s life just by sharing their humble and simplistic approach to calisthenics. You know these guys know their trade the moment they start to speak to a group. They are attentive speakers and involve everybody during a talk or a demonstration. I was more than impressed by how they skillfully managed to simultaneously tame and energize this group of fitness enthusiasts.

Special thanks goes to John Du Cane for making these events possible and to our host Martijn Bos and his wicked crew from Trainingscentrum Helena for their generous hospitality.

The PCC Instructor Manual, shirt, and certificate made up only a small portion of the things I took home with me. I formed new friendships, gained new insights for training people and I took home a bucket full of new skills and life experiences. I’m absolutely certain that every single one of my co-attendees feels the same way.

PCC Group Photo Holland 2015

I’m grateful to be part of the PCC family and I look forward to welcoming new members to the clan!

-Silvio

Silvio Bauer, PCC Instructor, is an engineer by trade and a passionate minimalist training enthusiast. He writes about his training approach over at his website NeatStrength.com. You can follow him on facebook.com/neatstrength or on instagram.com/neatstrength/.

Introducing the SCC

September 8, 2015 By Al Kavadlo 22 Comments

Why SCC? By Al Kavadlo

When my brother Danny and I teamed up with Coach Wade and Dragon Door to unveil the Progressive Calisthenics Certification in 2013, we knew we were on to something big.

Coach Wade’s Convict Conditioning series had already established itself as the #1 calisthenics program in the world, and my book Raising The Bar was doing very well among calisthenics enthusiasts who wanted to, well, raise the bar with regards to their pull-up training.

These books exposed a huge new audience to moves like the human flag, one arm pull-up and muscle-up. The demand for a hands-on, in person experience to better learn these skills (and be able to teach them to others) was coming to a boiling point. In late 2011, Coach Wade, John Du Cane, Danny and myself began planning the PCC curriculum and assembling what would become the 600+ page manual.

When we finally conducted the initial PCC workshop in June of 2013, the reaction was even better than we had anticipated. Over 50 trainers, coaches and enthusiasts showed up for our first event and the positivity was through the roof! A good time was had by all and PRs were continually set throughout the weekend. Connections were formed that have not only persisted, but grown stronger to this day. Everyone came away from the weekend having learned a great deal–myself included.

Dragon Door CEO, John Du Cane, remarked to me after that initial weekend that typically in his experience, most certs take about 2 years to get the kinks ironed out. “But you guys knocked it out of the park this first time!” he added.

PCC has been rocking ever since, but there was something missing…until now!

What is SCC?
SCC stands for Strength Calisthenics Certification. It is Dragon Door’s one-day, entry-level bodyweight certification, based on Coach Wade’s “Big 6” foundational calisthenics movements: push-ups, pull-ups, squats, bridges, leg raises and inversions. Although an adequate level of strength and conditioning is required to get the most out of the course, the testing is far less severe than for the PCC. All you need to do in order to pass is demonstrate a baseline of calisthenics competency by completing the following in less than 3 minutes:

SCC Testing Requirements

Why SCC?
With PCC going full steam ahead, the number one concern we’ve been hearing from potential attendees is that the 3-day PCC curriculum can be a bit intimidating. Not everyone feels ready to embark on advanced modules like the human flag, back lever or muscle-up. The SCC is the perfect choice for anyone who needs more focused attention on the basics. Others simply can’t afford to commit an entire three days to taking the certification, but are still interested in gaining a legit credential in the field of calisthenics.

Al Kavadlo Coaching Squats

Who is SCC for?

Fitness professionals who want to improve their knowledge of bodyweight exercises, while earning a new credential.
Calisthenics enthusiasts who are looking to grow their personal practice and meet other like-minded practitioners.
Those new to bodyweight training who want a crash course in the fundamentals.
Anyone who is considering taking the PCC, but isn’t sure they’re ready for the financial/time commitment.
YOU!

It’s a No-Brainer
Signing up for the SCC is a no-brainer for anyone who’s seriously considering taking the PCC. It’s also a slam dunk for any fitness professional (or enthusiast) who wants to get in-person instruction from some of the most experienced calisthenics coaches in the world. In addition to Danny and myself, the entire PCC leadership will be on hand for the debut of SCC: Adrienne Harvey, Angelo Gala, Beth Andrews and Logan Christopher will all be there to ensure the best possible experience for all who attend.

The inaugural SCC event will take place this November in my hometown and favorite place in the world, New York City!

It’s going to be epic! I can’t wait to see you there!

Sign up for SCC by September 18th and save $50 on your enrollment! Space is limited – register today!

Cut to the Core

September 1, 2015 By Eric Buratty 14 Comments

Al Kavadlo Front Lever

It’s tempting to use the terms “core” and “abdominal” muscles interchangeably.

After all, having visible abs and sub-seven percent body fat gives us an automatic pass to forget training our core, right?

Not exactly.

You see, the truth is that the abdominal muscles are just a part of our core.

Why?

Because BROscience. And because I said so.

All joking aside, our entire core includes our upper back muscles, our lower back muscles, our psoas muscle and then our abdominal muscles.

That last area becomes especially important for earning our “beach body” card.

However, without a strong core, our “beach body” muscles are just there for show.

The good news is that Progressive Calisthenics happens to be the perfect way to wake these muscles up—even when they’re hidden beneath layers of fat.

What about abs being made in the kitchen (not the gym)? Yeah, yeah . . . we’ve all heard that one before.

We could just as easily counter that question with: What foods STRENGTHEN the core musculature?

So, instead of wasting time on semantics and dogmatic fitness debates, let’s cut to the core with more important matters.

Like WHEN and HOW to train the core for best results.

Who’s with me?

Al Kavadlo Beach Back Lever

WHEN to Train the Core

Ideally, we’ll train the core first thing during our workouts whenever we are:

Making a comeback from a sports injury
Combating some form of lagging or acute inflammation around a joint/tendon so that it doesn’t turn into chronic inflammation (i.e., performing an active recovery workout in place of a regular workout)
Not feeling a solid muscle contraction where we need to on a given movement—which could lead to acute and/or chronic inflammation

Whenever we are feeling closer to 100 percent and beyond, we’ll train our core after emphasizing our lower body muscles.
This is because, when we target our largest muscles first, we elicit a favorable hormonal response that translates into greater energy expenditure from our core musculature.

What if we’re emphasizing our upper body muscles during our main workout?

Well, it’s still recommended to superset some lower body plyometrics and core moves during our warm-up to help get us get in the zone.

We could also consider throwing in some core moves as bonus work if we accomplish our desired training effect earlier than expected for a given workout day.

Just ‘cause, you know, that playing around stuff is good for us every so often.

HOW to Activate the Core

Now that we’re all on the same page with when we should train our core, I’m sure you’re dying to know how you can start applying this info . . . like yesterday.

Kavadlo Brothers Two Flags

In this capacity, here are some drills to help you feel what it’s like to activate the entire core musculature.
These are ordered from least to most challenging and should be practiced as such.

Hollow Rock (Floor)
Hollow/Reverse Hollow Sideways Roll (Floor)
Reverse Hollow (Superman) Rock (Floor)
Hollow/Reverse Hollow Swing (Start/Stop – Hanging)
Sideways Hollow Swing (Start/Stop – Hanging)

Here’s what these moves look like in action in case you’re unfamiliar with the naming system I’ve used for them.

https://youtu.be/OjccrGGndGk

While it’s not necessary to structure your practice too much with these moves, it is recommended to just pick one or two at a time, and really focus on accentuating total body tension with them.

Implication or Application – You Decide!

As you’ll see and feel over time, a stronger core allows you to progress toward more advanced skills without fear of injury.

In particular, the similarities between the positions and transitions of these moves and those of front levers, kipping muscle-ups, and human (press) flags should be fairly noticeable.

Defying gravity rules!

Adrienne progression towards the human flag — Senior PCC, Adrienne Harvey working towards the full press flag with Step #6 Split Press Flag from **Convict Conditioning Vol. 2**

Now that you have further knowledge and tools to help you cut to the core, hopefully you will either imply other intelligent questions from this info, or apply greater integrity when using these muscles, moving forward.

In other words, knowledge is power, and the choice is yours in how you use it!

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Eric Buratty brings six years of experience to the DC Metro Area as a Certified Personal Trainer, Progressive Calisthenics Instructor, Nutrition Consultant and Sports Injury Specialist. For more information about Eric check out his website, EricBurattyFitness.com.

A Meeting of Minds and Muscle—The Dragon Door Health and Strength Conference

August 25, 2015 By Al Kavadlo 9 Comments

Al Kavadlo Presenting at Dragon Door Health and Strength Conference 2015

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of presenting at Dragon Door’s first-ever Health and Strength Conference. The event took place over two full days, consisting of lectures, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities with heavy hitters from various corners of the fitness world.

Nearly 100 coaches, trainers and exercise enthusiasts gathered to listen, discuss and share their varied experiences with one another. Plus there were some pull-up bars, kettlebells and other strength training implements on hand for anyone who had the urge to get some reps in before and after the various presentations.

My brother Danny and I each gave our own separate speeches; Danny spoke about achieving a chiseled set of Diamond Cut Abs, while I lectured on the topic of Zen and how it relates to calisthenics.

Danny Kavadlo Presenting at the 2015 Dragon Door Health and Strength Conference

Including the Kavadlo brothers, there were a total of 13 presenters, each with their own unique stories and experiences. Knowledge was spread, insights were shared and thoughts were provoked. Though the presenters came from various backgrounds and areas of expertise, the similarities and common themes present throughout the weekend were hard to ignore.

Almost everyone spoke about the importance of consistency, while many speakers also stressed spending a good deal of one’s training time developing strong fundamental movement patterns. Whether it was powerlifting legend Marty Gallagher stressing the importance of the squat, deadlift and bench press, or Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner extolling the strength and conditioning benefits of DVRT training exercises like the sandbag clean and press, using your body’s musculature as one cohesive unit was a theme that came up again and again. This concept should also be familiar to anyone who’s practiced progressive calisthenics. Regardless of what modality you prefer or which system you find most effective for your goals, the basic movement patterns (squat, hinge, push, pull, etc.) remain the same.

The business of personal training was also a hot topic at the conference. Equinox’s top manager Rolando Garcia gave a wonderful presentation on the fitness industry, focusing on all the crucial components of success in the personal training industry, other than the actual training itself. Rolando got into some of the least talked about, yet most important topics for fitness professionals.

Other presenters included Dr. Chris Hardy, Max Shank, Zach Even-Esh, Andrea Du Cane, Jon Bruney, Phil Ross, Logan Christopher and Mike Gillette. Though these presenters spoke on a wide variety of topics, including everything from training senior citizens to training for a professional cage fight, similar ideas about cycling intensity, managing stress levels, and staying in tune with the body kept coming up.

As the weekend went on, we came to see that whether our roots are in strongman training, calisthenics, or any other discipline, we all have the same vision to become a better version of ourselves each day.

Surrounding yourself with others who pursue excellence can be a wonderful source of inspiration. The energy (and synergy) of the group was undeniable. We all walked away from the weekend buzzing with new ideas and ready for the challenges ahead.

Dragon Door Health and Strength Conference Group Photo 2015

Hope to see YOU at next year’s conference!

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Al Kavadlo is the lead instructor for Dragon Door’s Progressive Calisthenics Certification. Recognized worldwide for his amazing bodyweight feats of strength as well as his unique coaching style, Al is the author of five books, including Raising The Bar: The Definitive Guide to Pull-up Bar Calisthenics and Pushing The Limits! Total Body Strength With No Equipment. Read more about Al on his website:www.AlKavadlo.com.

Neck Bridges, Squats and the Changing Nature of Ambition

August 18, 2015 By Dan Earthquake 31 Comments

At three years old I wanted to be a wrestler. The local judo club was the focus of my ambition until I was seven and could join the class. The instructor–Ted Spacey–was a large jovial man. Among the calisthenics that he imposed upon us were neck bridges. I complained once to him that they hurt the top of my head. “Then you’re not doing enough of them,” was his reply.

Family legend puts me in the sea with my Granddad at 5 months old and I’ve always swam, mostly for leisure. Vanity lifting caused a few injuries which directed me into doing more swimming and as I found I could go further, my ambitions became more aquatic. Eventually I swam the English Channel at 39 years old. On the way to France I had a lot of time to quietly reflect upon what I wanted to do next.

A little unfinished business with a 40-mile hike was concluded nineteen months later by which time I had started watching pro wrestling again online. My wonder at the spectacle now increased by knowing what injuries feel like and having some idea what strength it takes to lift people overhead. The conditioning aspect of the sport still intrigues me. The volume of calisthenics that many of the wrestlers do is impressive. Throughout all my other activities I’ve continued to do neck bridges, and since the age of sixteen have enjoyed doing pull-ups and dips. Lately I added push-ups, leg raises and bodyweight squats (which I had largely ignored for most of my life).

Pro wrestling legend Ric Flair has spoke of doing 500 bodyweight squats and 200-250 push ups and leg raises daily for about ten years during his busiest period as NWA World Champion. Admiring his longevity & ability to take bumps into his early 60’s, I decided to see if I could get near those numbers. It hasn’t been easy.

Dan Earthquake Backyard Workout

Slow sets of five repetitions are my preference and have been my habit for nearly twenty years. I used to do these in an intense manner so as to struggle to get the fourth and fail on the fifth. This was a once a week program which fit in with an otherwise physical job and active lifestyle.

Last October I bought a copy of C-MASS, which inspired me to look at different strategies. I love that book! I decided to start as if I were a novice, using some basic strength sets multiple times a day, then do a few months of muscle building in the 15 rep range. Coach Wade posted his “Diesel 20” article in January which inspired me further to go for the 500 squats in one day.

Initially a few sets of 15 were as much as I could manage. I’d given up on my training diaries a few years ago but it was Coach Wade saying “Do it for old coach” that made me restart. I’m glad I did. I started out by putting a set of 15 squats between other exercises and I found I could do a hundred and fifty during a session. Soon it was twenty five reps, then thirty and so on. As the reps got bigger, the sets reduced. Some days I do five sets of a hundred. That’s not everyday–I’m not Ric Flair!

Sometimes I combine other movements using bars or benches and squat down whilst pulling on the lats as I descend. At the top I change grip and move forwards into a slow incline push up. This feels like an ideal movement to do in between sets of my favorite exercises: dips, pull-ups and push-ups.

Dan Earthquake Bodyweight Dips

Following the PCC blog is very encouraging. Recent articles of regression, simplicity, focus on the basics and the Replek concept have stimulated my imagination. Danny Kavadlo’s assertion that calisthenics is a creative discipline had me smiling and nodding in agreement.

I didn’t always realize the importance of calisthenics and in hindsight should have favored them more over the lifting in my early days. Big ambitions can distract a person from doing the right thing in many aspects of life. I’ve worked myself into a lot of dead ends. Most importantly I’ve never stopped, always finding something productive to do.

I never became a pro wrestler but I had a taste. Judo, drug-free powerlifting competitions and heats of the UK Strongest Man were as close as I ever got. I wasn’t very good at any of those things. I’m not very advanced in my calisthenics either. Rather than worry about that, however, I enjoy the experience and savor struggle.

Sometimes the small ambitions are the ones that endure to provide the most value. Impressing the judo instructor was once an ambition. I often think of Ted Spacey when I do wrestlers bridges and it always makes me smile. Two years ago I realized that my head had stopped hurting. I guess I’m finally doing enough of them now.

Dan Earthquake English Channel Swim

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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.

Never Stop Learning: My Top 3 Training Tips

August 11, 2015 By Corey Howard 21 Comments

Corey Howard Pull Ups

At the age of 41, I can honestly say I’m still learning something new all the time. There is no straight path to success; it is a crooked and curvy line. I’ve learned some lessons the hard way in my training, but each setback yields another opportunity to refine my craft.

Here are 3 of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned (and relearned) throughout my time as a trainer and fitness enthusiast:

1. Work Your Legs and Glutes

If you were to look through my training log over the past year, you would see most of my workouts are focused on my lower body. Unfortunately, this is due to having ruptured my triceps and biceps in the last year, but honestly it’s been the best thing ever. Even when my upper body has been healthy, I still make my lower half 60-70% of my focus… EACH time I train! Most people would hate this because it’s so physically taxing but focusing on your lower half improves your testosterone levels, builds lower body muscle which helps burn more fat, improves stability in your midsection, improves mobility and helps create more explosive power for sprints and jumps. You just can’t ignore pistol squats, shrimp squats, bridges, lunges, hyperextensions or anything else that puts a beating on your lower half.

Sprinting is also a fantastic way to work your legs with only your bodyweight. If you truly want to feel the benefit of sprints, don’t sprint on a treadmill! The treadmill takes away from you actively creating force. Get outside and make your legs plant and propel you forward. Training outside is awesome, and running as fast as you can for a short period is even better. Again, the research on sprint work is off the charts (Coach Wade talks about it as a finisher in his book C-Mass). Sprints will thoroughly cook your lower half quickly and effectively, plus they help build size and burn fat at the same time. So get out and sprint 20, 30, 40 or 50 yards, in a field, through a parking lot, or up a steep hill. No matter where you do it, make your body move as fast and explosively as you can once or twice a week.

Corey Howard Running

2. Refine The Basics Using Regressions

Two of my favorite exercises are jackknife pull-ups and pike push-ups. These two are simply amazing for adding size in the lats and shoulders, plus they give you a chance to perfect your pulling and pressing groove. The jackknife pull-up has really helped me re-learn pull-ups. It’s given me a chance to work on my height at the top as well as given me an opportunity to work various grips without completely loading my freshly repaired elbows. The pike push-up has done the same thing; given me a chance to work on various pressing widths as well as practice my groove. Don’t scoff at either of these; pairing these two for 5 alternating sets each will leave your lats, shoulders, and triceps feeling it the next day.

3. Stretch!

When I was younger, I mistakenly thought that stretching was a waste of time. Now that I’m older, if I don’t stretch out I’m practically crippled the next day. If you stretch the working muscle group in between sets it not only speeds up recovery but some studies have shown it helps with hypertrophy too. A healthy person should be able to comfortably squat below parallel with their hands behind their head. If you can’t physically do this, you need to spend some time working on your movement quality. I don’t know everyone’s personal movement issues or pains but if I could suggest a few areas to spend some time stretching out: the ankles, hips, shoulder complex and neck.

I’m not going to tell you to spend an hour on this every day, but 10 minutes before and after your workout is a great start. For the ankles, find a step and stretch out your Achilles. If your ankles can move appropriately then chances are your knees will move and feel better. For the hip complex, I’d strongly suggest the pigeon for your glutes and the half kneeling hip flexor stretch. Healthy hip mobility will allow the body to stabilize itself and let your hamstrings and low back relax. As for the shoulder complex, I like to use a stretchy band hanging from a pull-up bar. Hinge yourself forward and let the band pull your arm forward stretching through the lats, then turn around and let it pull your arm back to open up the chest. Healthy shoulder movement will also help the body stabilize and improve your posture. Finally some simple head nods and slow rolls will go a long way to ease tension. Again, this is very elementary but just making time for this will be a great start. For more information, I recommend Al Kavadlo’s Stretching Your Boundaries.

Al Kavadlo Overhead Squat

Tony Robbins once said, “The secret to success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life controls you.” I have chosen to use my pain as speed bumps or opportunities to improve. I can’t stress it enough: train your lower body three times each week, get outside and run like you’re fleeing the scene, don’t be afraid to take a step back to refine the easier progressions, and stretch out! It will pay huge dividends on the harder stuff. Fire it up!

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About Corey Howard, PCC, RKC, CK-FMS: Corey Howard strives to constantly become stronger, and to help others to achieve their fitness goals. He is the owner of Results Personal Training, and can be reached at fithubby.com, resultsptonline.com or coreyhoward.com.

Virginia is for Calisthenics Lovers

August 4, 2015 By Danny Kavadlo 11 Comments

Danny Kavadlo Double Flag Virginia PCC

I’m a lover. I love life. I love music. I love food. I love intensity…

And I love calisthenics!

Four days ago, my brother and PCC Lead Instructor Al Kavadlo and I embarked on a journey, leaving our homes in New York City. We cruised down the New Jersey Turnpike and made our way Southbound through the Harbor Tunnel Throughway, down the Capital Beltway. We were bound for Alexandria, Virginia to instruct the city’s historic second Progressive Calisthenics Certification. Good times!

As is always the case at PCC, fitness trainers, martial artists and calisthenics enthusiasts from many backgrounds and walks of life made the voyage to both test their mettle and share the love at this amazing workshop.

In fact, one enthusiast traveled over 12,000 kilometers to be part of this miraculous weekend! It was worth the trip. Not only did he achieve his first ever one-arm pull-up (a Master Step from Convict Conditioning) and full press flag, Kareem Naseeb brought some new moves to the table, including this “no hands” bar hang.

I love witnessing new feats of strength.

Other PR’s included a first ever stand-to-stand bridge (another Master Step!), eleven clutch flags, numerous L-sits, press flags and one-arm push-ups! Sometimes calisthenics practitioners who have never attended PCC cannot understand how so many earth-shattering firsts can possibly be achieved in one single weekend, what with so many tutorials, training manuals and online resources out there. Well, allow me to break it down for you: There is no substitute for an in person experience. The caliber of the one-on-one coaching, the virtue of observation and the voice of experience simply cannot be duplicated by anything you’ll find in a book or online.

And don’t get me started on the power, presence and solidarity of the group! Even beyond the training itself, the adrenaline and energy of so many of us joining forces simply cannot be replicated. When we’re all together, something magical happens!

There is something to be said about the purity of calisthenics. We are not bogged down by fault-finding dogma, hypercritical conventions or gratuitous fitness equipment. We use our bodies, our experiences and our ascertainment of the world around us. In fact, one of the most wondrous characteristics of bodyweight strength training is the creativity involved. We turn whatever environment we’re in into our own personal training space. Whether that means using a scaffold, a bench, or just the floor beneath us as workout gear, we do it! The calisthenics athlete is original, empowered, honest and true. We use what we got … even each other!

As is always the case at PCC, when you put so many like-minded individuals together under one roof, the bonds that are formed transcend time. Even though the life-changing weekend comes to a close, the friendships last forever. In fact, that’s one of my favorite things about PCC: the connections–both personal and professional–that we get to establish. It blows my mind each and every time I get to relate to so many with whom I have so much in common. We are the freaks and geeks of fitness! Are you one of us?

We have upcoming Progressive Calisthenics Certifications in Holland, California, Guatemala and Norway! I hope to see you there.

Keep the dream alive!

-DK

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