Century Test

Five Tips to Crush the Century

November 1, 2016 By Bret Hamilton 4 Comments

Al and Danny Kavadlo

As a recently christened Progressive Calisthenics Certified coach, the Century Test is very fresh in my mind. The Century tests multiple qualities: speed, strength, endurance, and also has fairly strict technique standards for each rep of your squats, push-ups, hanging knee raises, and pull-ups/Australian pull-ups. Even though it’s not what I’d call easy, don’t let me fool you, the Century Challenge is defeatable, nay, crushable, if you prepare for it properly. Stay with me as I lay out the groundwork for what made me successful when it came time to test on the final day of my PCC.

First off, if any of the guys and gals out there who attended the June 2016 PCC in NYC are reading this…wow! We had some seriously strong individuals attend the PCC in New York, and there were a handful of people who were doing things above and beyond what I’ve ever seen in person before: freestanding handstand push-ups, stand-to-stand bridges, strict muscle ups and human flags. It was seriously impressive. Yet when it came time to do the Century, some of the same people who were performing those moves met it with a huge amount of apprehension, as if they had not prepared for it properly.

Here’s the thing: The Century is NOT a test of pure strength, it is a test of strength-endurance. You don’t need to be the biggest or strongest in order to destroy the 8 minute mark, but you need to train for it in a very specific way to minimize your time and need for recovery. Start preparing for it months in advance to give yourself a few attempts at it to see how you’re progressing, and make tweaks to it. Also, watch the videos of Al, Danny, and Adrienne demonstrating it. These videos were a serious help to me, because they gave me reference points for how quickly it could be done, and also made the technique standards appear more clear to me.

Rather than rehash technique standards for the Century, I’m going to assume you already know them, and if you don’t, go make sure to follow the link above first and then come back and finish this article. But I will say that in order to crush the Century, start by incorporating the following strategies in your training:

Al Kavadlo Pull-up at the UK PCC

1. Use the specificity principle to your advantage.

The test goes squats first, then push-ups, then knee raises, then pull-ups/rows. You should train the exercises in this order in your workouts, even if you are not doing the exact variations included in the Century test (i.e. you’re training movements in the same family of exercises, but not necessarily the ones specifically tested).

For added benefit, minimize your recovery time between those movements, transitioning from one to the next with little to no time between. This will prepare your body, and your mind for moving quickly. Remember, I’m helping you prepare to CRUSH the Century, not just pass by the skin of your teeth. Move with purpose.

2. Be confident doing push-ups that are harder than the ones tested in the Century.

Push-ups are one of the toughest parts of the Century Test, just because there are so many of them. If your pushups stink and you practically exhaust yourself doing them, you will set yourself up to fail when it comes to doing the pull-ups/Aussies because by then your arms will be shot.

In Convict Conditioning terms, this means guys should be able to comfortably do Close Push-ups and Uneven Push-ups, and ladies should feel confident doing 1/2 and Full Push-ups. Even if it’s only for a few reps, working at a strength level that is higher than what is required of you on test day is a smart idea. Your goal should be to have those pushups feel EASY come test time.

3. Save time in the hanging knee raise by mastering the hollow body position.

When hanging on the bar, the hollow body position is achieved by making a slight posterior tilt with the pelvis (belly button tucked up toward your chin), and actively pulling the bar down towards the floor. If you can hold this position, you should start to be able to do your knee raises faster and cleaner than when you just hang out like a limp string bean. Practice explosively pulling your knees to your chest and forcefully extending them straight, all while maintaining the hollow body position, so you don’t sway around like a flag in the breeze.

Bret Hamilton Thompkins Square

4. Train your knee raises and pull-ups back to back.

This is the tip that made the Century such a snap for me. I tested myself a few times before heading to NYC in June, and each time I was able to complete the entire Century in under three minutes. How? When I hopped up on the bar to do my knee raises, I never let go when transitioning to do my pull-ups.

Though it made training higher level strength pull-up exercises harder, it did make me improve my strength-endurance, which is the number one quality tested by the Century. I even went one step farther with myself and purposefully trained my knee raises slowly 5 seconds up, 5 seconds down to force my grip strength to be challenged, then proceeded to get after the pull-ups, which was a real challenge. It over prepared me for the test, which was what I was after!

5. Over-train your grip strength to have peace of mind come test day.

If you lack grip strength, you will fail the Century. Don’t let that be the reason you failed, when grip training is so easily supplemented into a regular training program.

Do it first, when you’re fresh. It makes the rest of your workout challenging.
If you’re a gal, I recommend being able to hang on the bar for a minimum of 60 seconds, preferably more. Overcompensate in your training by hanging from a towel in one hand, and the bar in the other. Build up to 60, then repeat with two towels. If you can do this, your grip is good.
If you’re a guy, the twin towel hang for 60 seconds is my minimum recommendation, but would prefer if you could hang from the bar by one hand for at least 30 seconds each, and possibly with your hands stacked one on top of the other on a towel for 30 seconds each.

Again, make sure your grip is way better than what is required for the Century, and you’ll have peace of mind when it comes test day.

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Bret Hamilton is the head coach and co-owner of Constant Forward Progress-Bodyweight and Kettlebell Training. He and his wife Megan live and train near Portland, OR. When Bret isn’t working with clients in the gym, he loves to jump on the trampoline, play pickleball, read a great book, and relax to video game now and then. You can learn more about Bret and CFP at constantforwardprogress.com.

How To Get Better At Pull-Ups

March 29, 2016 By Al Kavadlo 27 Comments

Al Kavadlo Pull Up

Pull-ups are my favorite exercise. I started practicing them at age 13 and throughout my lifetime I’ve pulled my chin over a horizontal bar more times than I can count. That’s probably why I’m good at them.

But that’s not the case for everyone. In fact, for many PCC candidates, the pull-up is the most difficult and intimidating part of the Century Test. Its placement at the end of the 100 rep sequence only adds to the challenge, but this is no accident. If you want to be a PCC instructor, you must be able to perform 10 proper pull-ups even when you are fatigued.

While there are no secrets or shortcuts in the world of calisthenics, if you feel like you’ve plateaued on pull-ups, there are certain techniques and training methods that may help you blast through those barriers and take your pull-up game to new heights. I’ll share a few ideas with you below, but before we move on, let’s be clear about how the PCC defines a proper pull-up:

The classic overhand grip is encouraged, though the underhand or “chin-up” grip is allowed during Century testing.
The shoulders may be relaxed at the bottom of the rep when the elbows are fully extended, but the scapulae should retract and depress as the rep begins.
The chin must fully clear the bar at the top, and a full extension of the elbows is required at the bottom. The body must also remain relatively straight throughout, with minimal hip or knee flexion.
Though you obviously have to lean back a bit to avoid hitting your head on the bar at the top of your pull-up, your torso should not travel very far forward or backward.

Tighten Up
One of the biggest mistakes people make when performing pull-ups is thinking of the movement purely as an arms exercise. Of course you involve your arms to a great degree when performing any type of pull-up, but the muscles of your back, shoulders, chest, abs and more all play their part. As such, it can help to focus on maintaining tension throughout your entire body as you pull your chin over the bar. Grip tightly with your hands, tense your abs, squeeze your glutes and flex your quads as your drive your elbows toward your hips to fully utilize your lats during the pull. Focus on maintaining total body tension during the descent as well in order to avoid picking up unwanted momentum.

Hang On
The “rest/pause method” is an old-school technique to increase your reps on just about any exercise, and it can be especially useful for pull-ups, particularly once you can do several in a row. After a brief warm-up, simply do as many proper pull-ups as you can, then continue to hang on the bar for a few seconds. After you catch your breath, try to squeeze out one more pull-up, then hang on for a bit longer, take a few more breaths, and try for one more. You might be surprised at how many extra reps you can manage this way, plus you will get additional grip work from all the extra hanging.

Al Kavadlo Pull Up

Pull-Up Pyramid
Implementing a pyramid protocol is a fun way to incorporate a fairly high volume of pull-ups without sacrificing proper technique. The idea is to gradually increase, and then gradually decrease the amount of reps you perform in each of several consecutive sets.

Begin by doing one pull-up, then come off the bar and take a short break. Next, perform two pull-ups, then after another break, do three. As the sets get longer, the breaks between them should get longer, too. Continue this pattern until you reach the point where you can no longer add another rep with proper form, then start working your way back down.

Pull-up Superset
A superset involves taking two exercises and performing them back-to-back with little to no rest in between. Typically the harder exercise goes first and when fatigue is reached, you switch to the less difficult exercise.

A great way to apply this concept toward improving your pull-ups is to perform a set of Australian pull-ups (aka bodyweight rows) immediately following a set of standard pull-ups. Take a long break, then repeat the superset again.

This method allows you to continue to work your pulling muscles once you can no longer perform any more pull-ups. You can do this 3-4 times in a single workout, but you’ll probably want to give your upper-body a day or two of rest afterward.

Learn To Love It
More than any specific training template or method, consistency and effort will always be the two primary factors that determine success. You have to spend a lot of time doing pull-ups in order to get good at them. There’s no substitute for hard work. Learn to embrace your pull-up practice and in time you may even learn to love doing pull-ups as much as I do.

Al Kavadlo Pull Up

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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.

Perfecting The Hanging Knee Raise

March 22, 2016 By Al Kavadlo 21 Comments

Al Kavadlo Hanging Knee Raise I get a lot of questions from potential PCC candidates about our Century Test. It’s understandable that folks want to be prepared for the testing that comes at the end of the PCC weekend, and it’s often the same questions that come up:

Am I allowed to come off the bar during the pull-ups?

Am I allowed to rest in a “down dog” position during the push-ups?

Can I bribe the instructors in order to pass?

Do I really have to go all the way down on all 40 squats?!?

Hardly anyone asks about the hanging knee raises. And this is precisely the problem. (For the record, the answers to the other 4 questions are NO, NO, NO and YES.)

Though far more people have failed the Century during the pull-ups than during the hanging knee raises, I believe that many of those who couldn’t complete their pull-ups had trouble at least in part due to the knee raises having taken more effort than they anticipated. If you’re struggling by your tenth hanging knee raise, it does not bode well for the rest of the test, even if you manage to hang on long enough to finish the 20 required reps. This is why perfecting your hanging knee raise is a key part of training for the Century. It’s a great strategy to make sure you have gas left in the tank to complete the test, and the extra time spent hanging from the bar can only help your pull-up game in the long run.

PCC_UK-Stephen-Hughes-Landers-HangingKneeRaise2 The first few times I taught the PCC workshop I was surprised by how many people could not perform a proper hanging knee raise upon entering. At this point, it no longer surprises me, but it still sometimes amazes me when otherwise solid candidates struggle with this exercise. It’s not the hardest move in the world, but it does take some practice. Particularly in the context of the Century, performing 20 clean reps in a row is a more difficult task than many expect it to be, yet it seems like lots of folks show up for the PCC having never even attempted more than a single rep. People either underestimate the hanging knee raise, or they’re too focused on all the pull-ups to even notice this relatively modest exercise.

As such, many PCC candidates end up getting “no-repped” on a lot of their hanging knee raises due to poor technique, which wastes both time and energy. If you wind up getting no-repped 6 or 7 times during the hanging knee raises, not only does that leave less time to rest before your pull-ups, it can also zap your strength and vitality.

If you want all of your reps to count, the biggest thing to watch out for is excessive swinging. This is especially true during the lowering phase of the movement. Though a slight degree of wavering may be unavoidable, anything more than that is unacceptable.

In order to facilitate a controlled descent, think about pointing your toes and reaching your feet slightly forward in the bottom position, almost like a gymnastic “hollow body” hold. This will help you avoid picking up excessive momentum. Also make sure to maintain tension in your abs, and don’t let your legs swing behind your body at the bottom of the rep.

Al Kavadlo Hanging Knee Raise Focus on raising your knees with control as well. Avoid moving too quickly and aim to pause briefly at the top of each repetition to make sure that you remain steady.

Furthermore, it’s crucial to make sure you have a solid grip. Squeeze the bar tightly, keep your elbows locked, and actively pull your shoulder blades down and back to minimize any swinging.

Though range of motion is less often a concern on this exercise than the others that comprise the Century test, it is essential that your knees are raised above hip height for a rep to count. Focus on tilting your hips and pelvis forward at the top of each rep in order to fully engage your abs and ensure that your knees come up high enough.

It’s great to understand all of those concepts theoretically, but it’s another thing to actually put in the time to get a feel for the exercise physically. The key to perfecting your hanging knee raise is very simple: lots of practice. Do them before your pull-ups to warm up or do them afterwards to burn out. Just make sure you do them before you come to PCC.

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99 Reps

October 27, 2015 By Eric Bergmann 12 Comments

John Du Cane Speaking At PCC

“There’s an epidemic. 99 reps…”

Dragon Door founder John Du Cane uttered this ominous phrase during the PCC workshop I attended.

In order to pass the PCC, you must complete the Century Test, which requires 100 reps. Yet there is a 99 rep curse. One rep shy of the goal. There were multiple such instances when I got my PCC, and I feel they could have been avoided.

If you’re looking to get your PCC or are simply looking for some techniques to help you squeeze out extra reps in your training, this article is for you.

We’ll go through the four movements of the test one-by-one, but first a comment on form: great form will be more efficient and preserve energy throughout the test. Before you worry about increasing reps, be sure your form is approaching perfect.

The Squat

PCC Century Test Squats Position check:

How is your foot position? Do you have contact with the ground through your big toe, little toe, and the center of your heel?

Play with the width and rotation of your feet. Find a position that allows you to feel like you are sitting between your legs while keeping your feet flat on the floor, knees inline with your toes, with a neutral spine.

1) Lower down slowly and with control. On the way up, begin pushing not just down through the floor, but also to the sides, like you’re standing on a towel and are trying to rip it in half using your feet (your feet, including the big toe joint, must remain flat on the ground).

2) As you’re ascending out of the hole, bear down on your abs—think low and deep, like you’re about to get punched below the navel.

3) On the hardest rep(s), try using the Valsalva maneuver: breathe in on your way down, but don’t breathe out on your way up. Hold the air in to keep your intra-abdominal pressure high until you hit the sticking point (the hardest portion of the rep). At that point begin to slowly let the air hiss out as you complete the rep. You should sound like a tire losing air.

4) At the top of each rep get tall and relaxed. Now is a good time to take an extra breath before beginning your next rep. You have 8 minutes. The clock is not your enemy, fatigue is.

The Push-Up

PCC Century Test Push Ups Position Check:

Are your forearms approximately perpendicular to the ground throughout the movement?

Are your upper-arms approximately 45 degrees from your body at the bottom of each rep, so that you look like an arrow when viewed from above?

Have you found a hand position of appropriate width for your upper-arm length and that accommodates your shoulder girdle? Play with hand placement and rotation to find your best position.

Is your body in a straight line from shoulder to heel?

1) Pretend you have a big dial in each hand. When you hit the bottom of the rep, grip the dials hard and turn them as you push into the floor—the left one goes counterclockwise, the right one goes clockwise. Your hand and elbow positions shouldn’t change, but you’re gripping and turning those dials anyway. The harder the rep, the harder you turn those dials and push.

2) Just before the sticking point, bear down on the abs (low and deep, like you are going to get punched in the gut again). Keep that tension until you finish the rep.

3) Lockout at the top of the rep and relax, but don’t linger. Remember: you’re still holding a plank. Don’t sag when you relax—your next rep will be terrible if you start in a weak position.

4) Remember the pressurized breathing from squat tactic #3? Use that again.

The Hanging Knee Raise

PCC Hanging Knee Raises Position Check:

Is the bar deep in your hands, not near the fingertips? Do you have a strong grip on the bar?

Are you shoulders packed down so that you’re not dangling off the structures of your shoulder?

Are your knees and feet together?

Check again. Failure to get into the right position will reduce your body’s willingness to fire the abs and to flex the hips. Don’t believe me? Grab a bar with your fingertips, hang from your shoulder sockets, leave your legs flailing around and let me know how you did versus being in a strong position.

These tactics will be about limiting body-sway, which is typically what wrecks candidates on the hanging knee raise.

1) Lower the legs slowly after each rep. The shorter and lighter your legs, the faster you can go. The more you’re built like me, the more you’ll need to control the eccentric portion of the movement.

2) Do not relax at the end of a rep. You risk losing position and incurring sway.

3) When the reps begin to get hard increase your grip on the bar, your depression/packing of the shoulder-blades, and the pressure you’re applying between your knees and feet—double-down on your starting position.

The Pull-Up

PCC Century Test Pull Ups Position Check:

Do you have a deep grip on the bar—i.e., not near your fingertips?

Are your feet slightly in front of your body?

This is it. The moment when people complete 9 1/2 reps and wonder what just happened. Here’s how to avoid that:

1) Crush the bar. When the reps get hard your grip gets harder. You’re about to go for rep 100? Crush that bar like it’s covered in butter and you’re dangling over the Grand Canyon.

2) Right before the sticking point, bear down on the abs and glutes. Deep and low for the abs, hard for the glutes. This won’t help unless you’re already crushing the bar. You are crushing the bar, right? Good. Crush harder. They should have to pry your hands off the bar after your 100th rep. Want a high-five when you pass? Too bad. Your hands won’t open for the next several minutes.

3) Remember the pressurized breathing? Now’s your time to shine. Get air in at the bottom position. Start hissing out air at the sticking point. Keep hissing until you complete the rep.

4) Savagely rip that bar off the supports. Think about driving your shoulders and elbows toward the Earth, rather than pulling your head over the bar. Refuse to fail.

These techniques, properly utilized, should get you about a 20% increase in reps. Practice them and watch your numbers go up.

See you at 100 reps.

Al Kavadlo, Eric and Beth Bergmanns6

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Eric Bergmann is a New York City based strength coach, movement specialist, and proud member of the PCC family. He co-owns Bergmann Fitness—a boutique training and nutrition service—with his wife, Beth. You can find out more about them at bergmannfitness.com

“Replek” Training for the PCC

July 21, 2015 By Karl Indreeide 24 Comments

Karl Indreeide Replek Training

As I prepared to attend the recent PCC Workshop in New York City, I began using a system inspired by the Swedish running technique known as “Fartlek Training”, a form of interval training where you let the terrain and your mood direct the speed and intensity of your running.

The name “Fartlek” translates to “Speed Play” in English and “play” is a very accurate word to describe it, as it’s close to the way a kid moves just for enjoyment or exploration. It is running by feel, running by inspiration.

I decided to name my system “Replek” as it is a similar method to Fartlek, except instead of playing with your speed, you play with your reps.

The plan is well suited to the PCC Century Test as well as getting the most out of the workshop weekend. In addition to positioning you to pass the Century, it also adapts your body to handle a high volume of calisthenics over several days.

Replek is nice and forgiving. It takes your daily stresses, aches and pains into consideration. Like a sly lover, this plan lets you believe that the initiative and follow through are all yours, that there is no plan, really, no string-pulling, no forcing. It’s all about you and what you feel like doing.

You stay within your comfort-zone, don’t do anything you don’t feel like doing, and yet results appear and motivation grows. Your comfort zone will expand from the inside out, and what seemed like too much work a while ago just isn’t anymore. You didn’t break any barriers. The barriers just moved.

There is a time for working through adversity, facing your demons, finishing unbearable workouts and so on. To be able to fight through discomfort is invaluable. But so is getting results without suffering, and learning how to productively back off at the right moment.

Replek for PCC is done this way: You pick exercises or chains that you want to work on (pull-ups, push-ups, squats, leg raises, bridges, etc.), then you start playing a game with yourself.

Karl Indreeide Replek Training

Here are the rules of the game:

Wherever, Whenever
It is up to you if you want to do all your reps in a condensed workout, spread them throughout the day or do some combination of the two. I recommend that you mix all these modes. After a while, you won’t care, because you’ll have grasped the essence of the program, which is sneaking the reps in whenever possible.

Never to Failure
That means you must always stop at least one rep before your failed rep. Most sets should stay way clear of that. The only exception to this is when you on occasion, do some version of the Century Test.

Avoid Punishment
As this program is based on positive reinforcement, it is your job and responsibility to stay away from the punishment of injury, failure, getting overly exhausted or negative self talk (or negative self talk about you giving yourself negative self talk). Stay away from the drama. Stay away from the heroism and struggle. Observe your form, do your reps, log your sets, stay fresh.

Keep a Log
You always want to capture exactly which exercise/variation you do, your number of reps and sets and the daily total of any given exercise. The log is the most important tool of this method. The log is also crucial in keeping your motivational fire burning (pun not intended, but gratefully received). In the beginning you might actually have to force yourself to log. In a short while, however, you will have a deep desire to do so.

Just write the date and the reps for each exercise. You don’t need to bother with noting rest periods and so on, but can feel free to keep additional notes if you find it helpful. But we don’t want to punish you for training by forcing you to write an essay, do we?

This was my log entry for the 16th of May, this year:
BW squat: 50
Push-ups: 20/22/6/20/24/21/21/20/22/23/15 – 224
Shoulders feeling much better than yesterday
Wheel roll-out: 10/10/4 – 24
Pull-up: 9/6/9/7/10/ 10 (chin up)/5/7 – 63
Pistol:
R: 4/3 – 7
L: 2/2/2 – 6
Push-ups – one hand on basketball
V: 4/6
H: 4/6
Bottom position of pistol: 50 sec/50 sec
Short bridge: 1 min
Crow (sec): 10/20/20
Squat bottom pos: 5 min
Couch stretch: 4 min

Another day looks like this:
Pull up: 1/5/7/13 – 26
That was all the training I did that day. Still, getting the 13th rep in was very nice! It is not my historical best in that department, but the best I had done for a long time.

Personal Records
One of the great features of this program is that you can experience personal records on a daily basis. Your goal is to increase the number of reps during a set as well as the total number of reps of any given exercise during a day. Say your first day you do four sets of push ups: 5/10/15/7 = 37. The next day you do 4/7/16/10/ 3 = 40. Boom! You double-PR’d on the push up! Whenever you PR underline the number or write in bold as I did here, so it is always easy to track the history of PRs, and check your current status. By the way, the PRs we are talking about are the ones within this program. Forget about past glory and previous heights of achievement. Focus on the present.

Less Structure
Some days you’ll have the time or inspiration to collect your reps within the frame of a more conventional workout. Structure those sessions however you like, and feel free to change trajectory mid-flight. Concentrate on one exercise at a time, or do super-sets, tri-sets or circuits. You are guaranteed to stumble upon combos or sequences that work really well for you, and that belong in your arsenal of go-to-workouts. You will also experience that there is drive in open-endedness, especially given that you have your previous PRs to relate to.

Test the Waters
Always be extra careful with the first few sets. Hone in on the perfect rhythm, and at the same time actively search for any discomfort or pain. Go slow. Think of these reps as screening. Maintain tension in all the right places. Does this feel like a good day for squats / push ups / L-sits? If so, go for it! If not, it may be best to back off and try something else. Other times an exercise will feel much better a couple of sets in, so don’t be to quick to abort, but also keep the “ live to fight another day” mentality at heart. If it is not a great day for squats, it might be an excellent day for pull-ups.

Stay Modest
Sometimes you will feel like a star. You become the exercise, you feel power running effortlessly through your whole body as you perform perfect reps. This is when you can astonish yourself with a crushing PR. Most of the time, though, stick to modest ones. Many small PRs are preferable to a few big ones. Try to not get more than one PR per exercise each day, and don’t PR on the same exercise two days in a row. Remember that the PR is the reward that will keep you going. Spread them out. The smaller the increments, the more PRs you can enjoy. You are setting yourself up for a very productive schedule of reinforcement, and are safeguarding against overuse.

Whenever you PR – back off, and then see what you feel like the next day. The next day you might do a very low total number of reps in that exercise, just to recover, or maybe stay away from it completely. If you feel like too much time has passed since your last PR, then do a volume PR – these are always accessible. You can always get in one more rep during a day. Just make sure you don’t sacrifice your form just to get an extra rep. This is why you can rest as long as you need between sets.

Maintain High Standards
The aforementioned point taken into consideration, a standard to reach for might still be a good idea, as long as you don’t rush to get there. If you are preparing for the PCC, then passing the Century Test is an obvious goal. 40 squats, 30 push ups, 20 knee raises and 10 pull ups should feel very comfortable on their own, meaning you should be able to do 60 squats, 45 push ups, 30 knee raises and closer to 15 pull ups.

Prioritize
The last pull-up is where many Century hopefuls fail. Make the pull-up and pull-up related work the centerpiece of your efforts. The push up is also a natural focal point – follow the progressions in Convict Conditioning or Pushing The Limits!

That’s it! Now all you have to do is start somewhere, preferably well within your comfort zone, and then let the Replek catch up with you and unfold. Enjoy the journey, have fun, and get strong!

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Karl Kristian Indreeide, PCC, is part owner of Gym Ila in Oslo, Norway, where he teaches kettlebell and bodyweight training. He also runs HAVA-Instituttet, which provides consultation, seminars and full-scale health and social services.

Preparing for the PCC Experience

May 26, 2015 By Doug Fioranelli 6 Comments

Al and Danny Kavadlo Finger Tip Pushups

In our ever-growing, fast-paced world, the need for instantaneous information extends through many areas in our lives – especially fitness. Topics like: The 5 Best Exercises You’re NOT Doing and Three Secret Hacks to Gain Strength Instantly promise quick results with minimal effort. Much of the fitness industry has gone the way of the late night As Seen on TV infomercial where we bounce from different training ideas, exercises and equipment only to have them all collect dust in either the corner of the room or the corner of our minds.

I do not blame the trainer for getting sucked into this slick style of marketing, nor do I blame companies for using these marketing tactics to gain a wider audience and increase their bottom line. In this day and age we are responsible for ourselves and it would probably serve us best if we took a few deep breaths before we dive into the latest trend.

I have been a proud RKC instructor since 2008 and have been happy with Dragon Door’s products and courses; I’ve also admired their marketing strategies. Like it or not, marketing is essential to grow a brand or business and it usually requires something memorable or out of the ordinary to make a person take action. Seeing the Kavadlo brothers performing feats of strength with only their bodyweight is truly inspiring and sends that immediate shockwave of determination through the body: I want to do that.

Al and Danny Kavadlo Elbow Levers

Still, I didn’t want to jump right into the PCC certification for fear that it was Dragon Door’s way of staying relevant in the ever changing landscape of fitness and it would not be as good an experience as advertised. After taking a step back and doing more research I decided to sign up and I am glad that I did. All throughout the years Dragon Door has remained true to their roots and backed up their marketing by providing a learning experience of the highest quality.

First off, they bring out the best instructor team. Al and Danny are the best not only because they can wow any mortal human being with their movement prowess; they can also actually teach the movements they are performing in a safe and progressive manner.

Like every other Dragon Door course I have attended, Al, Danny, Adrienne and the rest of the team were focused on the curriculum and were direct with their approach. Their primary objective was to not only teach the movements in easily digested portions, they also wanted to teach us how to instruct our clients through the progressions.

The other thing Dragon Door has done remarkably well with the PCC is to make the course all-inclusive for every age and fitness level. People might have one of two types of reservations when considering the PCC: Either it is going to be too difficult or it is going to be too easy. I was in the former class, having only trained bodyweight basics like squats, pull-ups and push-ups; I had never challenged myself with advanced progressions and variations.

Balancing the course to make it appropriate for everyone in attendance seemed like an impossible task, but the instructors handled it beautifully. I can say this is truly a certification that includes everyone. The participants at the PCC I attended in Encinitas this January were a great mix of male and female fitness enthusiasts ranging in age from 18 to over 60, each bringing different training backgrounds and skill sets. For every core exercise presented the instructors had several remedial options as well as advanced options. Everyone was able to find variations to practice that were challenging, yet appropriate for their individual fitness level.

L-sits PCC Encinitas

The PCC Century Test

In true Dragon Door fashion, you have to demonstrate proficiency in basic movements and pass the Century Test to earn the PCC credential.

I had a client ask me recently “why does there need to be a physical test to prove you are a good coach?” I thought about it for a moment and told the client that “testing is a way to truly devote yourself to a challenge and bring out a better version of yourself. You have to put some skin in the game!”

After signing up, I had to ensure I was successful at completing the test and passing the course. Here is the blueprint and workouts I used during my PCC century test preparation. I hope it serves you as well as it did me.

Do Your Homework

Before diving right into a program I wanted to first understand exactly what I was getting into. I found a great article on the Dragon Door website by Adrienne Harvey which helped address the exact exercises, repetitions, techniques, order and time allotment I needed for the test. I wrote all of these on top of my workout training page so I always had them in front of me. They are as follows:

Century Test Chart

I officially began my training six weeks out from the certification. After my research I decided to test myself to see where I was from the start. I went in fresh after my normal warm-up and went through The Century trying to be as strict as possible with form.

I was mostly happy with the results, however there was work to be done and this baseline test showed me exactly where I needed to center my attention. I could feel that my form became sloppy as each exercise wore on. In my previous training programs I had not been performing push-ups and pull-ups in the higher repetition ranges I needed to pass the PCC test, so this would be my primary focus.

Getting your Reps Up

I dedicated three of my five training days to the specific bodyweight exercises of the PCC. After practicing various combinations of calisthenics, I would rest and perform the PCC test at the end of my workout to see if I improved. I liked adding the test at the end of the workout because the PCC certification test is performed at the end of the three-day training course so fatigue will be a factor and being able to pass when you are tired is essential.

One workout I did I called The Century and a Half. Like the name implies, you do the entire Century at the end of your workout and after your pull ups, you start right back with the squats and perform all of the exercises for half the number of repetitions. I allotted myself a maximum of 12 minutes to complete the century and a half routine.

If you find your general conditioning lacking, it may cause a problem during the PCC test. For this, I added some sprints into the training mix. Trust me; you want to be in good cardiovascular shape for the Century. Your adrenaline will be pumping–and after your 40 squats so will your heart rate. If you cannot catch your breath the rest of the test could be a struggle and you don’t want to let your cardiovascular system be your undoing.

I have a local track that has pull-up and dip bars so it was a perfect place to combine calisthenics with cardiovascular training. For my favorite workout I would run 400m at a pace that was comfortable and then I would do as many pull-ups, hanging knee raises and push-ups as I could with good form. When I was done I would repeat three more times.

Not only was I training my cardiovascular system I was performing the calisthenics movements during a state of elevated heart rate and, especially after a few runs around the track, a state of fatigue.

If you live in an area affected by real winter weather or don’t have a track with pull-up bars, simply bring a jump rope to a location that does. Skip for 1-2 minutes and then perform your bodyweight exercises for however many rounds you see fit.

With meticulous thought towards every detail, Dragon Door has truly done it again with their PCC certification course. It is a testament to how they understand fitness and the people who seek knowledge to make themselves and their clients better. If you are willing to practice the basics, you should have no problem passing the PCC exam and enjoying the weekend. I know I sure did!

Danny Doug and Al

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Doug Fioranelli, PCC, RKC-II, holds a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and is the owner of Rise Above Performance Training™ in Belmont, CA. Check out his blog for more training articles and videos at DougFioranelli.com

Upgrade your Life and Looks with the Knee and Leg Raise Chain

May 5, 2015 By Adrienne Harvey 46 Comments

Adrienne Harvey Hanging Knee Raise

The humble but powerful knee and leg raise progressions featured in the PCC Workshop and Convict Conditioning don’t always get as much attention as some of the more visually intense exercises. Even though these moves might not be tailor-made for showing off online, don’t underestimate their importance. These progressions are the sort of “strong silent type” movements which build the muscles and coordination necessary to attempt many more advanced moves. In the context of the Century Test, the 20 knee raises also (along with the bodyweight squats) have the same requirements in the men’s and women’s tests. These 20 knee raises have sometimes been or directly led up to the make-or-break moment in a Century Test.

Testing aside, the hanging knee raise and leg raise progressions are not only great for working on your midsection, they’re a great reason to spend more time hanging on the bar and strengthening your grip. In the video at the end of this blog post, you’ll see just one of the many possible grip variations you can use when practicing hanging knee raises. Almost by accident I started doing a challenging fingertip variation—just because the available overhead support happened to be an I-beam. It was a fun challenge that really raised the difficulty of a few sets of 25 knee raises in my workout that day. Hanging knee and leg raises are also a great way to determine what you need to work on most. What “gives out” first? Your abs? Grip? Shoulder engagement? Start in on a max or near-max set of hanging knee or leg raises and you’ll soon find out!

In a crowded gym with people fighting over the more “traditional” or ab-specific items, all you’ll need to do is find a good overhead bar and you’re set. Out in the “the wild”—on a municipal fit trail (like the one in my video) or even a playground, you can easily get in some ab work, without having to lay on the ground that might be muddy. The powerful knee and leg raise drills leading up to the hanging bar work in Convict Conditioning are extremely valuable, can be practiced anywhere at all, and start at a level where literally anyone can begin and benefit. If you’re still “on the ground” with your knee and leg raise progressions, you can always still work on your strength and strategy with timed hangs on the bar.

To meet PCC standards, you shouldn’t be swinging around with your hanging knee raises. A quick but not-so-easy way to make sure you don’t swing is to really control your grip on that bar. RKC kettlebell enthusiasts will recognize the idea of trying to “bend” or “break” the bar (or in their case the kettlebell handle). In the video below I break some sticks to give you the idea. Thinking of bending the bar in this way will stabilize your upper body and give you a solid foundation for hanging knee raises, hanging leg raises and any number of twisting variations that would otherwise have you looking like an out of control set of human wind chimes. Keeping yourself in control on the bar is a great habit to start developing and to have in your personal toolkit.

Adrienne Harvey Hanging Pike Raise

You can use the hanging knee and leg raises to a work on your grip, and to strengthen your other moves. Really, any time spent working on the bar will have positive effects on your training, strength, and physique. While many of us don’t publically talk about this last item—our physical appearance—let’s get honest about it for a minute. It’s simply human nature for us to want to look our best (at least to our own definitions). While the real benefits of these hanging knee and leg raise progressions are increased usable strength, a great side effect is some muscular development in the midsection. Provided your nutrition is in line, this can result in the coveted six pack, or the “flat tummy” touted in women’s fitness marketing. While I personally think performance and strength are better long-term motivators, having those positive visual side effects certainly doesn’t hurt! I will say that most people seem to have better long term training commitment if outward appearances are not their ONLY motivator.

Having a strong, trained midsection really sets you up for success (and safety, since a strong abdomen protects your back) with all kinds of lifting and other fun activities. I could even go so far as to say that having a strong midsection can generally improve your quality of life. (You can do everything from lift everyday heavy objects without injury to holding your own while trying a new activity like stand-up paddleboarding.)

Once you’re comfortable doing a few hanging pike raises (the PCC term for a leg raise taken up to shins to the bar) and have a reasonable grasp on pull ups, you can also try a fun and useful move called the “rollover”. While some people like to kip into this move, if you have the requisite strength, you don’t have to! Perform about ½ of a pull up, then pull your straight legs up and slightly past the bar, you’ll easily roll right over and be on top of the bar. This is a great way to practice bar dips or negative muscle-ups without burning yourself out trying to get on top of the bar. It’s also a lot of fun and looks cool! Towards the end of the video below, I demonstrate the rollover somewhat slowly so you can see what’s happening. While I had the necessary strength to do this move for a very long time, figuring out the timing of it was the crucial key.

This video is a medley of hanging knee and leg raise tips, variations, and training ideas I’ve put together just for you:

How are you using the hanging leg raise chain in your training?

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Adrienne Harvey, Senior PCC Instructor, RKC-II, CK-FMS, originally RKC Certified in 2010, and RKC Level 2 certified in 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!

My Mind-Blowing PCC Experience

December 9, 2014 By Lori Crock 9 Comments

Lori With Al And Danny Kavadlo PCC

At the Chicago RKC-II earlier this year, one of the participants caught my eye when she did a move called “skin-the-cat”. She was showing us a bit of what she learned at the PCC.

She was doing some really athletic moves, and I love to climb and do pull-ups, so I decided I have to attend the PCC to learn how to incorporate more calisthenics into my training and into my classes.

I registered for the Milwaukee PCC Workshop this past November and gave myself a couple months to prepare. I was doing a lot of mobility work so I’d be able to do as much as possible at the certification event.

I practiced the Century Test weekly. And then I did what any woman would do. Reach out to another woman, or two, for advice.

I contacted Senior PCC Instructor Adrienne Harvey to look at my Century Test technique. I sent her some video of me practicing and she coached me on my knee pushup technique (I don’t usually do knee pushups) and she helped me refine my Australian pull-ups, which were also new to me.

PCC Instructor Grace Menendez gave me some mobility drills to do for bridging and elbow levers. Her tip to practice bridging on the stability ball daily really helped improve my spinal mobility.

As I began to experiment with other moves, I realized, and Adrienne confirmed this, that many calisthenics moves can take a long time to achieve!

I admit that I was a little nervous. I could only do handstands and headstands against the wall. I discovered that I had limited internal shoulder rotation when I began trying elbow levers on my own—that usually resulted in face plants! I wasn’t able to do a full bridge even though I was working on it with spinal mobility.

I referred to PCC Lead instructor Al Kavadlo’s books to prepare: Pushing the Limits, Stretching Your Boundaries, and Raising the Bar. I set aside two days a week to train calisthenics. It wasn’t easy to put my kettlebells down.

Interestingly, on my kettlebell training days, I was moving with more ease than I remembered. Could it be the calisthenics? (Two weeks after the PCC, I had a PR on the two-arm swing—56kg for five reps—I credit the addition of calisthenics training.)

As a gym owner, and kettlebell coach, my job is to identify weaknesses in my students and help them get stronger. We are only as strong as our weakest link.

I had to do the same with my own body. Things weren’t happening as fast as I wanted them to. It was humbling, but I continued to move, stretch and practice.

Once I arrived in Milwaukee, it all came together.

Lori Crock Support Press At PCC

Achieving personal bests was something we all experienced, daily, for three days. It was pretty unbelievable. It will sound corny, but the PCC environment was, well, magical. With patient practice, and varied cues from five coaches, amazing things were happening for all of us–yes, even those new to calisthenics.

If we couldn’t achieve a move right then, there was always a regression to set us on a clear path.

Some of us were just beginning our calisthenics journey, while others were doing very advanced moves under the careful guidance of the PCC instructors. Even the instructors were achieving PRs as they demonstrated for us!

It didn’t matter where we were on our calisthenics journey; the PCC environment was both safe and exhilarating. We reveled in the advancements of others almost more than our own. The instructors and PCC candidates were inspiring and patient and I am proud to call them my friends and mentors.

Lori Crock and Desi at the PCC

I learned a new way of thinking about fitness … and it has a lot to do with more freedom in my training–thanks to Al and Danny, John Du Cane, the PCC instructor team and my peers at the PCC.

I am having a blast incorporating calisthenics into my small classes with what seems like a million variations of squats, pushups, pull-ups and inversions… along with consistent mobility work.

I continue to practice calisthenics on my own. Since I’ve been home, I can now skin-the-cat! I am doing handstands and headstands away from the wall. I am doing pushups with the Neuro-Grips, frog stands, one-handed chin-ups, full bridges and more.

So if the PCC looks a little advanced for you right now, some preparation doesn’t hurt, but don’t hesitate to sign up. It is a mind-blowing experience that will push your limits, stretch your boundaries and raise the bar.

Milwaukee_PCC_Group_Photo

***Lori Crock is an RKC Team Leader, PCC, FMS-II MCT-II who is a strength and movement coach and owner of MoveStrong Kettlebells in Columbus, Ohio. Lori teaches kettlebell classes at her gym, in the schools, with police officers and city employees. She continues to be inspired by the commitment and progress of her students. Lori can be reached at lori@movestrongkbs.com and on Facebook.

Conquering the Century Test

November 18, 2014 By Adrienne Harvey 51 Comments

Adrienne Testing Pushups At Sweden PCC — Adrienne closely observes push ups during the Century Test at a PCC Workshop

The Century Test is the climax of every Progressive Calisthenics Certification event. After three days of intense training, the Century is the only opportunity for prospective candidates to prove their mettle and earn the title of PCC Instructor.

While helping Al and Danny teach at several PCC workshops, I’ve noticed the same common issues continually come up during the Century Test. Before you think these don’t apply to you, remember I’ve actually seen many accomplished and highly athletic people make these very mistakes! Of course we make sure to point out the complete rules and standards at each workshop, but why not work to avoid these hidden perils from the beginning?

First, let’s talk about speed—you will have a total of EIGHT minutes to complete your Century Test. Somewhere along the line, a terrible rumor started about doing the test “as fast as you can.” Unfortunately, this is the opposite of how the test should be approached; the Century is not a race!

While we don’t want you to fall asleep mid-test or run out of time, we do require you to use a moderate pace that allows you to complete each rep with your best form, crisply and cleanly. We also need to be able to evaluate and count your reps in real time. If someone gets into speed demon mode, it’s very difficult to evaluate AND count each rep while making sure they are up to our standards. We shouldn’t be seeing “motion blur” around you!

Once you begin a set, you can’t stop until you have completed the required amount of reps (which will be counted by whoever is testing you—Al, Danny, or an assisting PCC instructor). For example, the first set is 40 bodyweight squats. Once that set begins, there’s no stopping until you complete all 40 reps. After a set is completed, you can take as much time (within that total of eight minutes) as you need to rest between sets—more on that later!

For many PCC attendees, an odd issue happens with the squats, but it is easily corrected. Sometimes people focus SO much on the “down” portion of the squat that they don’t always fully complete the “up” portion! Make sure you stand ALL the way UP at the end of each squat rep. Again, if this can happen to some of the most athletic and accomplished people then it can happen to anyone. If you have a training partner, ask them to keep a close eye on your full squat movement (or record a short video of yourself).

Testing Squats at the PCC

As for the lowering phase, the top of your thighs must come below parallel with the ground without any bouncing at the bottom. Some people have had issues here as well, so make sure you go all the down before you come all the way up!

Next up are push-ups, 30 reps. Men will do these from the feet, and the ladies will be doing them from the knees. (Feet must be together for men; knees together for women.) Again, be sure to come all the way up to a full lockout at the top – much like the squats, it’s easy to become preoccupied with the bottom portion of the exercise, the required depth, etc. while shortchanging the completion of the rep. Use a comfortable, moderate pace so we can see that all your reps are up to our standards.

Al Kavadlo Testing Pushups at a PCC Workshop

Many of the women who come to the PCC are super fit and have not done push-ups from the knees in a while—these same women often tend to have some very fashionable workout wear. This can be perilous when these high performance fabrics make our knees slide during the push-up. Suddenly our hands and knees are very far apart, and it’s against the rules to re-adjust them during the set. Make sure you have a non-slip mat below you, and/or hike up those shiny capris past your knees so they do not move on that mat!

Another issue that even very fit women will have with the knee push-up (especially if we’re used to doing push-ups from the feet) is the idea of keeping the body in a perfectly straight line from the knees to the shoulders, without bending at the hips. Have a training partner observe you, or shoot a video to watch and make sure for yourself. One cue I have used successfully with clients is to have them practice by starting in a “straight arm plank” position, then while keeping the trunk straight, drop down to the knees to find the proper alignment to begin a knee push-up.

Danny Testing Hanging Knee Raises

Hanging knee raises are a real equalizer! Like squats, they’re tested the same for men and women. You must not swing or use momentum to make these reps, and you must hang onto the bar for the entire duration of the set. Make sure to grip the bar tightly while squeezing your shoulders down and back (basically, don’t hang like a limp noodle!) Imagine trying to bend the bar in half to intensify this feeling. Make sure to practice this at home!

Don’t underestimate a set of 20 knee raises. Bringing your knees above your waist takes a surprising amount of abdominal strength when you don’t use any momentum. When your feet come back down (also under control), I’ve found that aiming to put them just below (or even slightly in front of) your body is a great way to prevent momentum. People have found themselves in big momentum-trouble when they’ve extended their feet behind them on the “down” portion of the knee raises, because they start swinging back and picking up momentum. It almost becomes a mini-kip. Control is the name of the game with knee raises!

Finally we have the pull-ups, which are often the most challenging (and potentially heartbreaking) part of Century Test. Sometimes someone with plenty of time to spare just wants to get the test done and he or she does not give themselves adequate rest between the hanging knee raises and the pull-ups. I’ve seen very strong (but reasonably fatigued from 3 days of fun and intensive PCC work) people fail the test at the workshop because they couldn’t finish those last 1-3 pull-ups. An extra 30 seconds to 1 minute rest time between sets could have meant the difference between passing at the PCC or having to go home, regroup, train and submit a test video. It’s moments like these that we all wish for an “undo” or “rewind” button on life! Don’t underestimate the adrenaline rush of “test time”! Remember, it is not a race; you have 8 full minutes, so use it!

For the pull-ups, men will be doing 10 dead hang pull ups from a pull up bar with their choice of underhand or overhand grip. (If the bar is too high, and/or your hands are somehow shredded because you were inspired to overdo it a bit on the previous days, do not hesitate to ask us for a step stool!) Women will be performing 10 “Aussie” pull-ups (down under the bar—also known as bodyweight rows) from a waist-height bar. Again, I can’t encourage the ladies enough to experiment with these bodyweight rows. When practicing for the PCC, find a bar that’s the right height for you, and make sure that your body is positioned in such a way that you’re able to pull yourself up to the bar without having your feet slide—experiment with a mat, or a good shoe choice, etc. Pull yourself up close to the bar at the top of each rep, stay engaged (think plank) without having your body bow up or slump down.

Adrienne Demonstrates Aussie Pull-Up

Men, make sure that you are doing full pull-up reps, as half reps won’t count and can be costly in terms of fatigue! A SLIGHT kink in the elbows at the bottom of the rep is technically allowed, but make sure to have someone check you and video yourself to make sure that you aren’t slipping into doing half-reps. And, no kipping or momentum allowed!

I hope that these details have been helpful, and please feel free to ask questions here and always at the workshop. We really do want everyone to pass if they are truly ready and able to represent the PCC as a certified instructor, while helping their students/clients improve their fitness and quality of life.

Hope to see you at a future PCC Workshop!
Adrienne

Adrienne at the PCC Workshop with Adam

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About Adrienne Harvey, Senior PCC Instructor, RKC-II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat’l Instructor: Originally RKC Certified in 2010, and RKC Level 2 certified in 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!

Preparing for the PCC Experience

September 30, 2014 By Adrienne Harvey 29 Comments

Adrienne Pull-Up

While we’ve shared a lot of information about what happens at PCC workshops, there are always still questions revolving around the same couple of topics: How do I prepare for the Progressive Calisthenics Certification, and is the PCC right for me?

Unlike many certification workshops in the modern fitness world, the PCC is a highly physical three-day workshop AND it has a strictly judged physical test (The Century!) to ensure you’re fit to present yourself to the world as a PCC Instructor. While this can seem daunting, there are some clear-cut strategic approaches which can help you both be prepared to pass the test, and be physically (and mentally) prepared to really get the most out of your PCC experience. (Be sure to click here for Paul Wade’s excellent PCC Q+A article written in January of 2013 which I hope you haven’t missed.)

One of the things I like most about The Century is that it’s a balanced test. While the numbers may not look frightening, having to perform each rep to our standards for the required number can prove to be challenging to say the least. I’ve personally seen very fit, very experienced people who were well prepared for the test need to take a second to mentally reset between exercises in the midst of testing.

Practicing the basics to the point that they are second nature is not only great for testing, but is also helpful for situations where you find yourself having to instruct a large group of people, or multi-task in some way while troubleshooting a client or student’s technique. In other words, performing the exercises during testing can tell us how you might perform as an instructor and leader. Not to mention, the testing occurs after three days of exhilarating and fun physical learning!

Attention to Detail During Testing at the PCC in Sweden

We usually have to remind especially inspired attendees not to go to complete failure while they are trying out some of the progressions we present during the workshop. It is hard after you get that first muscle-up to slow down and not immediately get back up on the bar for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th attempt at another. I’ve seen guys so overjoyed at their own progress after getting a game-changing cue from Al, Danny or myself that they’ve shredded up their hands while practicing it over and over again. (Yikes!)

Someone preparing for the PCC should really have two goals, passing the Century test is the more obvious of the two, but the other goal should be a focus on general strength, skill, and volume. The volume will also help prepare your body (and hands) for spending more time on the bar, pole, or floor. Suppose your most favorite (and/or most challenging) exercise falls on the 2nd or 3rd day? You will want to have as much strength and mobility at your disposal for trying as many of the progressions as possible—especially since the PCC instructors and your fellow attendees will be there to help you past any sticking points.

Adrienne coaching Tony towards a clutch flag at the PCC

When mentioning this particular topic, people often voice concerns that they think we will be doing muscle-ups and front levers 8 hours a day for three days in a row. Don’t be intimidated by the range of material the workshop offers, but do be prepared to attend at your best.

Also, I hope that you will bring us questions and moves you’ve been struggling with—we can help you work on them, and at the same time, the other attendees benefit from seeing how a given issue can be resolved. This is incredibly helpful for everyone’s own practice as well as that of their clients. I try to bring up stories of how either my clients or I overcame an issue so that others can try the approach too. So bring your strengths, but bring your “weaknesses” too.

By preparing for the Century, you will be drilling yourself well for the basics, which is often the most important aspect of being a professional trainer. While we would all love to be constantly coaching others on extremely advanced exercises, the reality is most of our clients will be everyday people who will need to start out at the very beginning. While many of us have long since progressed from the initial steps in Convict Conditioning (the basis of the PCC) and are slowly approaching the master steps, we need to remember how to really drill down and help someone who is just starting out. Often, beginners bring restricted movement patterns that can prove perplexing to an instructor who isn’t fully prepared.

It’s easy for us to be tempted to skip over that “easy stuff”, but I always remember an attendee at one of the very first PCC Workshops who was incredibly fit and able to do rep after perfect rep of “regulation” push-ups. But, when working through the progressions he was unable at first to correctly demonstrate a push-up from the knees. Fortunately with some attention to detail, and activation of the abdominals and glutes, he was not only able to demonstrate a knee push-up that would truly help a beginner, but he was able to progress further with his own push-ups because of this extra knowledge and experience. Similarly, when I get stuck on a given progression I go back and make sure I’m not taking my own strength for granted, simply because I’m able to “muscle through” a particular move.

The great thing about the PCC is that ALL levels of the progressions are useful—no matter your client’s fitness level. So, getting proficient with the Century Test is a crucial task, as is working up to a volume level that will allow you to fully participate in the workshop.

Jen Kalmes Pull-Up — PCC and RKC Instructor Jen Kalmes confidently completes a pull-up rep at a PCC Workshop in Minneapolis, MN

While we’ve seen a trend towards more men attending than women, everyone who has come to the PCC has been able to fully participate and learn from the experience. Women often ask me if I think they should “even bother” signing up, because somewhere along the line a rumor must have gotten started that we’re going to be doing backflip muscle-up spinaround jump squats (don’t ask me how to do that, I just made it up for emphasis) for three days in a row. But, the women who have shown up to past PCCs have not only thrived at the workshop but always seem to surprise themselves. Similarly, women with training backgrounds not as grounded in raw bodyweight strength often discover a whole new world of training to explore. As I’ve said many times before, if you understand the principles, you can really coach anyone—even people who have different strengths than your own.

The real treasures of the PCC are not just being able to perform or work towards performing cool moves and exercises, it’s being able to break down the movements for any situation. If there’s a common thread I’ve noticed among past attendees of the PCC workshops it’s a willingness to try new things, an innate form of leadership, and an intense desire to help others.

The PCC is an instructor course, and while many people do attend for their own knowledge (which we think is fantastic, by the way) we do find out that after a while those same people can’t help but share the information with others.

The world needs this accessible do-it-anywhere route to fitness, as well as instructors of all shapes, sizes and abilities to lead the way. I hope to see you bring your “A Game” to an upcoming workshop!

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About Adrienne Harvey, Senior PCC Instructor, RKC-II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat’l Instructor: Originally RKC Certified in 2010, and RKC Level 2 certified in 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!