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PR

PCC Italy – A “Penne” for my Thoughts

April 28, 2015 By Grace Kavadlo 21 Comments

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In the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to assist at 4 PCC events throughout the US and Europe. Attendees often come in feeling like they’re the only ones in their town practicing Progressive Calisthenics, but leave knowing they’ve found a community of people to which they now belong.

Ever since I attended my first PCC workshop exactly one year ago, I’ve felt my confidence skyrocket. Though my self image has improved, the way I approach training myself and my clients has transformed even more. PCC makes you see the world as your playground and reminds you that anyone can train ANYWHERE! There is something truly liberating about having that realization, because it constantly encourages you to push your own limits.

Some of the moves we teach at PCC are not for the faint of heart, but you’ll feel empowered with the encouragement of everyone else in attendance to at least give it a shot. Sometimes you even surprise yourself!

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People who aren’t trainers also leave knowing that something in them has changed. They’ve allowed themselves to be courageous, to go into the unknown, ready to succeed, or fail – and not worrying – because they’ve earned the confidence to try.

I’ve seen everyone from fitness trainers and martial artists, to computer programmers and accountants smash the Century test. Though on Day 1 some have assumed they would humbly fail, the collective energy of the group takes over. No matter how large or small, passing the Century is achievable for anyone willing to put in the work.

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There’s nothing dogmatic about the way the Kavadlo bros present their workshop, which is part of what makes it so appealing. Everyone from Crossfitters to pole dancers can relate to the curriculum. The brothers make it a point not to knock any other fitness modality in favor of bodyweight training.

In fact, the Kavadlos encourage people to move in whatever way makes them feel best. They emphasize the fact that there are no special hacks, tricks, or programs that can magically make you get the muscle-up, pistol squat or neck bridge, but they provide the guidance and encouragement to help you achieve new skills.

Al and Danny will make you an offer you cannot refuse: Trust in yourself, practice, and the rest will follow.

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The looks on some of the attendees faces were priceless while succeeding at a move they thought perhaps they would be unable to do. At PCC, blowing your own mind is a constant theme.

I remember one attendee mentioning to me the day after the abs module, that he’d had a dream about how he could get one of the moves and wanted to try it once more. Using the techniques discussed on the previous day – and the power of the PCC – he totally scored! The dragon flag was his!

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Since this was an international PCC, I went in thinking that language might be a barrier in teaching, but as the weekend wore on, I realized that calisthenics is a language unto itself. Having to demonstrate and teach each other with fewer words only made our bond stronger. By day two, connections were formed that made perfect strangers seem as if they had been life-long friends. The passion for calisthenics is the “glue” that brings us together.

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When I think back to my initial post-PCC experience, I remember having such a strong desire to search for bar parks in my area with the eagerness to start a calisthenics class shortly after. PCC ignites a fire in people that enthuses them about their training and makes them want to share the experience with others. The number of PRs at this workshop was staggering. Day 1 of PCC Italy was una maravilla! PRs on muscle-ups (including my own) as well as something completely unheard of in all of the PCC events thus far: 2 people achieved their first ONE ARM CHIN-UP!!

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Progressive Calisthenics compliments all other expressions of fitness. Different ways of achieving the same thing – getting stronger using minimalist equipment: your body, the floor, and a basic bar. Since I’ve been practicing, I feel more comfortable being myself. I’ve even found myself wearing less make-up when going out!

If the name Convict Conditioning sounds intimidating to you, you have not met the same classy calisthenics gentlemen I have trained with at every one of these events. These guys will help you out anytime, and are more than happy to give you any assist and cheer you on – nothing like the dudes who hang out at those other bars!

Miracles happen when the collective energy at these workshops uplifts the rest of the group.

The legacy of PCC Italy will be a “pizza” history!

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****

Grace Menendez, PCC, HKC is a personal trainer and group exercise instructor located in New York City. She is a columnist for Bodybuilding.com and can be seen in several Dragon Door books, including Coach Wade’s Explosive Calisthenics. For more information about Grace, check out her website, www.DieselGrace.com

Filed Under: Workshop Experiences Tagged With: Grace Menendez, PCC Italy, PR, workshop experience

PCC Germany: Rock You Like A Hurricane

April 21, 2015 By Danny Kavadlo 17 Comments

Danny At PCC Germany 2015

Here I am. Munich’s second Progressive Calisthenics Certification workshop. It seems like only moments ago, my brother and PCC Lead Instructor Al Kavadlo and I traveled to KRABA, one of the most spectacular training facilities in the world, to deliver Germany’s first ever PCC. Well, history repeats itself and our second event in “The Fatherland” proved to be just as awe-inspiring as the first.

Bodyweight enthusiasts, professional trainers, students of movement and teachers of strength came together to change the world… one pull-up at a time! PCC is never your typical certification. Our group was hungry and focused, eager yet humble. Not to mention passionate. My kinda people!

PCC Germany 2015 Group Photo

This crew came from far and wide. Bodyweight beasts from nine countries in all were represented: In addition to Deutschland and the United States, those in attendance hailed from Switzerland, Austria, Spain, France and Croatia. There were even participants who traveled from Egypt and Abu Dhabi! This event may have been the greatest calisthenics cultural mecca I’ve ever personally witnessed—the experience of a lifetime! Highlights included over 25% of PCC attendees executing a muscle-up for the first time!

Muscle Up PR at Germany PCC

If you think that’s amazing, then how about this? 24 out of 26 achieved their first clutch flag; we even had some first press flags! And that was just Day One! The following days saw record numbers of L-sits, dragon flags and pistol squats. There were even a few gecko bridges in the mix!

Gecko Bridge Germany PCC

History was made and personal bests were shattered again and again –but the solidarity amongst us was the most amazing thing of all.

There’s no one like the PCC candidate. It’s a very special person to forgo the tired, beaten path of modern, conventional fitness and aspire to inspire (and perspire) in the wild bodyweight kingdom. No equipment ­– just us! It’s time to accept that this new breed of fitness professionals is here to stay. The winds of change, if you will.

Scorpion At Germany PCC

Al and I are keeping busy. PCC makes its debut in Italy this weekend. May and June sees the PCC coming to Dallas, New York City and the then back to Europe for the UK’s first PCC. I can’t wait to see YOU there!

Keep the dream alive.

-DK

***

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

Filed Under: Workshop Experiences Tagged With: Danny Kavadlo, Germany, Munich, PCC, PCC Workshop, PR, Progressive Calisthenics Certification Workshop, workshop experience

PCC DC – A Historic Occasion

July 15, 2014 By Al Kavadlo 33 Comments

Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo at the Washington Monument

Last weekend my brother Danny and I visited our nation’s capital en route to our latest PCC event in Alexandria, Virginia. Between touring sights like the Washington Monument and witnessing so many historic PCC firsts, it was a weekend I will never forget!

As is always the case with the PCC, calisthenics enthusiasts from various backgrounds and disciplines gathered together to hone their bodyweight skills, draw inspiration from one another and push their limits to set new personal achievements.

Every time we do a Progressive Calisthenics Certification, it’s a whirlwind of a weekend and I can’t believe how quickly it’s all over. But like the old saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun!

Time was not the only thing flying at last weekend's PCC!
Time was not the only thing flying at last weekend’s PCC!

The caliber of athletes attending the PCC continues to impress and amaze me. We had so many incredibly strong individuals gathered together in one room that the collective energy was off the charts! The number of firsts that took place was truly awe inspiring.

A First Muscle-up at the DC PCC
There’s no better feeling than the satisfaction of getting your first muscle-up!

For the first time in Progressive Calisthenics Certification history, each and every PCC candidate who took on the Century test met the challenge and earned their ranking to become an official PCC instructor. The collective energy amongst this group was so intense, once the Century momentum got going, it was unstoppable!

In addition to the unprecedented passing rate, we also saw lots of first muscle-ups, first back levers, first handstands and other groundbreaking achievements. Many a plateau was destroyed. It really felt like there was magic in the air!

Al Kavadlo Spotting a Handstand at the DC PCC
Calisthenics magic!

In fact, I even achieved a personal best myself! I did what I’d consider my cleanest, slowest muscle-up I’ve ever done. Or at least the best one I’ve gotten on video!

Notice that I am rolling my hand slowly over the bar rather than beginning with a false grip, which adds an extra challenge. Thankfully the bar is relatively thin!

Congratulations to all the newly certified PCC instructors! Knowing that this group will be out there spreading the word about calisthenics and changing lives in the process is a wonderful feeling.

There are currently PCC events planned in 9 different cities over the next several months. I hope to see YOU in the next group photo!

We’re Working Out!

-Al

Group Photo at the July PCC in Washington DC

***
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 four books, including Stretching Your Boundaries, 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.

Filed Under: Workshop Experiences Tagged With: Al Kavadlo, Century Test, handstands, muscle-up video, muscle-ups, PR, Washington DC PCC Workshop

The Week of a Thousand Push-ups

December 10, 2013 By Danny Kavadlo 23 Comments

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As 2013 winds down and I reflect on the days and months behind me, I find that it’s impossible for me to go a moment without mentally celebrating the launch of the Progressive Calisthenics Certification. From the United States to Sweden (and soon to Australia, Ireland and more), the energy and talent that fills these rooms is simply magnificent. It is almost becoming a common occurrence to witness amazing feats, such as a first ever muscle-up, back lever, or pistol squat. As mind-boggling as that seems, these spectacular displays of strength, balance, and sheer training ethic are becoming what could almost be considered “normal.”

But it isn’t. Not to most.

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The truth is that in the world of commercial fitness, these feats are about as far out as it comes. With machines comprised of shining stacks on sliding tracks have become the standard, our simplicity is bold like a ruby in a pile of rocks. We stand proud, defiantly deviating from product-based workouts encouraged by the man. Given the tightness of the calisthenics community, it is sometimes easy to forget how far we fall from the mainstream. We’re not looking for 7-minute abs and 21 day transformations. We seek something more. We are on the outskirts of physical culture, the edge of the norm. Dammit, we are the freaks and geeks of fitness!

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So, what does that have to do with the Week of a Thousand Push-ups? Well, quite a bit. Even though the noble push-up is one of the most popular—and best—upper body exercise of all time, like the room full of Personal Records at the PCC events, the thought of doing nothing but a thousand push-ups for a week would blow most people’s minds. But that is exactly what my personal training client Mike did recently. As you know by now, we are definitely not “most people.”

Mike’s Story

Mike was going out of town for a week and planned on continuing his training even though we would not be meeting. We have trained twice a week for years and he is serious. On this particular business trip, his time was limited and he was going to be without a gym, bicycle, or pull-up bar. Although my personal clients know better than to make excuses, they are sometimes uncertain of what to do without me. I am often asked some version of “what should I do while I’m out of town?”, to which I generally reply: “Keep it basic–squat, push-up, pull-up.”

But this time Mike already had an idea in mind… and it was more basic and brilliant than I could have imagined!

“The week of a thousand push-ups,” he said.

The way it came out of his mouth, I thought it was a movie title: Simple. Concise. Even catchy.

Mike had it figured like this. There are seven days in the week, therefor an average of over 143 per day would put him at a numeric advantage. He intended to keep his plan as simple as possible, doing his first set to failure every day, then doing recurring sets throughout the day until he surpassed his daily goal 143.

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Though it’s nice to start with a plan, like many activities in life, it’s often best to improvise. As I would have done under the same circumstances, Mike changed his intended plan throughout the week. Some days, he did indeed go til failure on his first set; others, he did multiple sets of twenty or thirty throughout the day. There were days of over 300 push-ups before noon. There were also days where he barely met his goal. There are many ways to skin a cat.

Needless, to say, my man Big Mike wound up doing way over the thousand push-ups he planned on! (The next time I saw him, we trained legs.)

Keepin’ It Real

Prior to his week of a thousand push-ups, Mike informed me that to “keep an even playing field’” he would be doing only push-ups of the classic variety—feet together, two handed, no incline. He explained that this method would eliminate the temptation to switch to easier variations if his goal of 1,000 proved too challenging. I respect his decision. The classic push-up is honest, strong and true. It’s a classic for a reason.

However, there’s also something to be said mixing it up, in push-ups and life.

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Mix-Master Mania

Any one who truly knows me is well aware of my passion for the push-up in all of its wonderful forms. From the fragility of knee push-ups, to the muscular methods of plyos, to me, every single type of push-up has an art and beauty intrinsic to it that makes it stand on its own.

We already discussed some training techniques and methods (Divide evenly, go until failure, multiple daily sets), but what about different kinds of push-ups?

Although some push-up varieties are more challenging than others, it can be fun to do a thousand push-ups of several variations. Have fun and be creative. Mix it up! Here are just a few of my favorites:

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The narrow grip push-up, shown here, places more emphasis on the arms.

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The wide push-up is also a great variation and is a precursor to archer push-up.

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Doing push-ups on your fists places a unique challenge on your hands, and extends the range of motion of your push-ups.

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Get creative. Employing inclines is an excellent way to step up your game. Combine this method with different grips (like fingertips) for an added challenge. Have fun with it. The sky’s the limit!

As with the Week of a Thousand Push-ups, Mike and I have continued to keep our training exciting and, of course, effective. That’s what it’s all about. As is often the case, the client inspired me!

***

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.

 

Filed Under: Motivation and Goals Tagged With: calisthenics, Danny Kavadlo, feats of strength, freaks and geeks of fitness, goals, personal record, personal trainer, physical culture, PR, pull-ups, push-up progressions, push-up variations, push-ups, squats

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