PCC instructors

PCC Torrance: Once In A Lifetime

October 17, 2017 By Danny Kavadlo 6 Comments

Danny Kavadlo Torrence PCC

And you may find yourself in another part of the world…

That’s what tends to happen when we instruct Dragon Door’s Progressive Calisthenics Certification, the first and best bodyweight training certification on the planet. In fact, in the nearly five years since its inception, the PCC has taken place in dozens of cities and numerous countries, spanning across four of the seven continents.

I guess you guys really love your pull-ups!

Last week, my brother Al Kavadlo and I, along with PCC Team Leaders Annie Vo and Grace Kavadlo, headed from New York to LA for California’s fifth PCC workshop. To say that it was an amazing experience would be to gravely understate the sentiment. This was one for the record books. But more about that later…

The event took place at Kettlebells South Bay, my personal favorite training facility in all of LA County. This self-proclaimed “unconventional training” center features built-in human flag poles, super-high ceilings and more pull-up bars than you could shake a stick at. But for me, the best part of the weekend by far, was the people in attendance.

The energy that filled the room really had to be experienced in order to be believed. As anyone who’s ever been to a PCC can personally attest to, the combined vivacity that erupts when you get a group of calisthenics fanatics together is inexplicable. It’s no wonder there were so many personal records set! From muscle-ups, to pistol squats, and even a one-arm dragon flag, a multitude of first time feats of strength, balance and skill were achieved!

It warms my heart and feeds my soul to be part of the chemistry. But to be clear, I was only a piece of the equation. Everybody played their role in the magic. It was truly a shared experience.

We celebrate the successes of the person next to us. In encouraging them to do better, we also bring out the best in ourselves. That’s really one of the most spectacular parts of the calisthenics community. When you take your neighbor by the hand, you both bring out the best in each other.

And you my ask yourself, has there ever been a PCC where everyone in attendance passed the infamous Century?

Yes. Once in a lifetime there was. And this was it. I told you this was one for the record books!

That’s right; every single man and woman in attendance performed 100 proper reps—40 stellar squats, 30 perfect push-ups (or knee push-ups), 20 hanging knee raises and 10 powerful pull-ups (or Aussie pull-ups). Never before had this happened in nearly fifty certifications around the globe.

Will it ever happen again? I couldn’t say. But you can. That’s right—I hope to see you, dear reader, at a PCC down the road. We’ll see if lightning strikes twice.

Big congratulations to all the newly certified PCC Instructors. You’ve raised the bar for us all and I thank you.

The posse’s getting bigger!

-DK

Photography: Riley Christian

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Danny Kavadlo is one of the world’s leading authorities on calisthenics, nutrition and personal training. He is the author of several best-selling Dragon Door titles including G ET STRONG and STRENGTH RULES. Danny has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Fitness, and the Huffington Post. He is a regular contributor to Bodybuilding .com and TRAIN magazine. When not working one-on-one with clients in his native New York City, Danny travels the world as a Master Instructor in Dragon Door’s internationally acclaimed Progressive Calisthenics Certification. Find out more about Danny at www.DannyTheTrainer.com

New York State of Mind and Body

June 24, 2014 By Danny Kavadlo 18 Comments

Danny Kavadlo One Arm Chin Up at the NYC PCC Workshop

Start Spreadin’ the News

One year ago, when Dragon Door launched the Progressive Calisthenics Certification, we knew we were onto something big. It was an idea whose time had come. As the calisthenics movement exploded worldwide, more and more people wanted to learn about training themselves and others in the art of beautiful strength. A practice we’d been doing for decades started receiving big accolades in the past twelve months.

The Progressive Calisthenics Certification began with a single 3-Day workshop in Dragon Door’s hometown of the St. Paul, and has quickly made its way across the globe. To date, there have been PCCs in places as diverse as Germany, Ireland and Australia, with future certifications scheduled in Sweden, Holland, Italy and more. PCC unites bodyweight enthusiasts from all parts of the world and all walks of life. You could call it a “melting pot.” Reminds me of a place I know well…

Progressive Calisthenics in the New York Times — One year ago. (Click here to read the article)

The Hometown Crowd

My brother (and fellow PCC Instructor) Al Kavadlo and I are native New Yorkers, born and bred in the County of Kings. So was legendary calisthenics forerunner Jasper Benincasa. Many of the earliest, (and most contemporary) practitioners of “Street Workout” are from New York. It’s a magical place. There’s a reason NYC is the quintessential Metropolis: the bright lights of Broadway, the charm of Little Italy, the Coney Island boardwalk.

Like the City itself, the people of New York are known for a great many things, particularly their passion. Just like the people drawn to Progressive Calisthenics.

Whether practicing advanced pull-ups or manipulating mobility, we celebrate every moment.

Al and Danny Kavadlo Archer Pull-ups at the NYC PCC workshop

Fuggetaboutit!

Trainers, fighters, martial artists, athletes and working professionals gathered around and trained side by side. There was no competition. Each individual was focused on being the best version of themselves. We all worked together to bring out the best in each other.

Fellow New York native, forefather of the One-Arm Chin-Up, and training partner of Jasper Benincasa, Jack Arnow was a teacher as much as a student. In his signature style, Jack generously shared his wisdom and knowledge with a new generation of bodyweight aficionados. Jack also demonstrated muscle-ups and front levers. He even did the entire Century test while talking. The man inspires everybody.

Jack Arnow One-Arm Chin-up Comedown at the NYC PCC

Represent

It’s hard to believe that it’s over. After making so many friends and witnessing so many PR’s (levers, flags, pistol squats and more), it seems to have flown by in a New York minute.

Still, the experience we had will last a lifetime. From the bottom of my heart, I am proud of every single one of our newly certified PCC’s. I look forward to having you represent Progressive Calisthenics everywhere. Train hard and be true to you. The posse’s gettin’ bigger.

NYC PCC Workshop June 2014 Group Photo

Keep the dream alive,
-DK

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Danny Kavadlo is one of the world’s most established and respected personal trainers. He is a Master Instructor of Progressive Calisthenics and the author of Everybody Needs Training: Proven Success Secrets for the Professional Fitness Trainer. A true in-person experience, Danny is known globally as a motivator and leader in the body-weight community. Learn more about Danny at: www.DannyTheTrainer.com.

Vibrancy, Athletic Skill and Diversity: The Hallmarks of Dragon Door’s PCC Candidate

September 3, 2013 By John Du Cane, CEO and founder, Dragon Door 25 Comments

Al Kavaldo, Danny Kavadlo, Adrienne Harvey and I were remarking appreciatively to each other about the extraordinary athleticism and the great diversity of the candidates at our second PCC workshop (and the first PCC, for that matter).

The athletic skill level was often off the charts. And yet even the most skillful of the candidates found themselves busting out PRs and discovering new challenges to inspire them forward in their ongoing quest for physical development.

In what other workshop of 21 participants would you encounter this number of Personal Records?:

First Clutch Flag—13

First Full Human Flag—5

First Muscle Up—4

First Full Back Bridge—5

First Back Lever—8

First Elbow Lever—7

First 1-Arm Elbow Lever—1

First 1-Arm Push Up—3

First 1-Arm, 1-Leg Push Up—3

First Freestanding Handstand—2

First Stand-to-Stand Bridge—1

First Wall-Assisted 1-Arm Handstand—3

First Wall-Assisted, No-Arm Headstand—9

How can this be?

Well, to my mind, this is how:

The candidates came VERY prepared.
The candidates often had extensive backgrounds in related disciplines like Martial Arts, Yoga, and RKC.
The PCC system of careful progressions and cueing allowed surprising breakthroughs in physical achievement, almost as a matter of course.
The candidates themselves were encouraged to share their own strength-skill secrets with the group—and often advance each other’s progress exponentially.
The teachers taught from an immense experiential knowledge base—allowing them to convey the absolute nitty-gritty of what works to get results.
The fun, easy, supportive team-feeling of the event enhanced the learning experience immeasurably.
The 600-page-plus manual contained a goldmine of extra tips to leapfrog your athletic progress—It’s the best work of its kind ever put in print, no question.

So, you might be asking yourself—“Do I belong in the PCC?”

You belong, in my opinion, if you possess any of the following:

A burning passion to excel athletically.
A willingness to work hard AND skillfully at your physical practice.
The capacity to enjoy the company of other like-minded bodyweight exercise enthusiasts for three fun-filled days.
The humility and wisdom of a Beginner’s Mind and the willingness to drop your ego at the front door.
The physical preparedness to pass The Century test.

Yes, many of the PCC candidates exhibit eye-popping strength and flexibility skills. Terrific. However the PCC is built to sustain YOUR individual quest for physical development—at whatever level you enter. It’s your body and your life—and the PCC is here to help you make it the BEST body and the BEST life…for YOU.

Interested? We look forward to welcoming you into what we consider the most vibrant new movement of physical culture on the planet. See you soon, we hope… 🙂

Yours in strength,

John Du Cane, CEO

Dragon Door Publications, Inc.