progressive calisthenics

My Calisthenics Journey to the PCC

September 4, 2021 By Al Kavadlo Leave a Comment

Hey hey hey! I’m Al Kavadlo. I’ve been doing calisthenics and nothing else for twelve years.

I remember in 2009 – a little before my 30th birthday – I decided I wanted to learn the handstand. The early days involved a lot of falling, but after a while I was able to catch myself and little by little those holds became longer and more consistent.

I’d been working out for over 15 years by that point and I was already a successful personal trainer–yet I was just starting to realize there was more to fitness than simply being able to lift something heavy. Something about the synergy of calisthenics was irresistible to me: the raw minimalism, the self-empowerment, the creative element… or maybe just that the moves looked so bad-ass!

Handstand push-ups replaced military presses. Pistol squats replaced leg machines and alternative push-up variations replaced traditional chest and arm exercises. Front levers, one arm chin-ups and other esoteric bodyweight exercises gradually became more interesting to me than conventional gym workouts.

I didn’t plan for it to happen, It’s not like I suddenly woke up one day and decided to be a bodyweight guy, but by the time I turned 30 my training was pretty much 100% calisthenics.

Back then there was hardly any information available about this type of training, so most of my learning came from my own trial and error. Fortunately I’d been lifting weights and doing pull-ups for a long time already, so I was able to progress fairly quickly. These days, my years of trial and error can work to your advantage!

Social media was still pretty new at the time but at a friend’s suggestion I started posting videos on YouTube and blogging about my training. I got my brother Danny involved and he and I kept challenging each other to improve and grow.

I started to gain a following online and I connected with others in the local calisthenics community. Eventually, Danny and I appeared in the Convict Conditioning series and I even landed my own book deal with Dragon Door Publications. I published Raising The Bar in 2012, which became a cult phenomenon. The book was ahead of its time, and was the first to deeply explore the possibility of training with nothing but a pull-up bar and a pair of parallel bars.

I continued publishing more books about calisthenics and in 2013, Danny and I started teaching the world’s first ever calisthenics based fitness certification, the now legendary Progressive Calisthenics Certification. It was dream come true!

The PCC has been often imitated but never duplicated. Over the years we taught and certified hundreds of trainers in over a dozen countries and scores of cities. We’ve connected with like-minded calisthenics enthusiasts all around the world. You cannot beat the energy, passion and attitude at PCC. It has to be experienced!

I kept refining my skills over the years – and through teaching them to others I further enhanced my own understanding of them. I’m 42 years old now and I’m in better shape than I was in my 20s.

I’m still teaching, still training, and still having fun. In fact, October 9-10, 2021, the Progressive Calisthenics Certification makes its return to my hometown New York City, the place where the bodyweight revolution got started all those years ago!

If you’ve ever wanted to train with Danny and me in person, then now is the time! If you’ve ever wanted to share in the excitement that is PCC, then your day has come! If you’ve already taken the PCC and are hungry for more, then this is your chance to re-certify. Come have a new life experience you’ll never forget. The PCC has grown and changed over the years, just as I have. Just as you have.

Check out this video and learn more about my journey:

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my story – if you did, then I hope to see YOU at PCC this October.

Til next time, I’m Al Kavadlo…

Trans-Atlantic Antics: Behind the Scenes At PCC 2018

December 11, 2018 By Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My PCC In Amsterdam

November 13, 2018 By Vít Stefanovič Leave a Comment

Vit Stefanovic PCC Certified in Holland with Al and Danny Kavadlo

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

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

Day One

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vit Stefanovic Muscle Up at the Holland PCC

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

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

Day Two

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

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

Vit Stefanovic Bridge at Holland PCC

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

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

PCC Century Test

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

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

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

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

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

Vit Stefanovic Pistol Squat

The End

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

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

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

Vit Stefanovic PCC Holland Group

***

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

How to Stop Sucking at Pull-Ups

October 16, 2018 By Al Kavadlo Leave a Comment

Al Kavadlo Pull-ups

I used to suck at pull-ups. It’s true.

When I first got into calisthenics as a teenager, I was able to manage a couple underhand chin-ups, but I could not do a single overhand pull-up with a full range of motion.

So what did I do?

Well, I started by doing what I could, which meant lots of chin-ups. Even though I could only do a few at a time, I would just do as many as I could, then rest and repeat. I did this every other day for months. Then one day I tried an overhand pull-up again and I could do it!

Soon after this, I encountered a pair of wide grip pull-up handles at a local gym and I was back to not being able to do a single rep. So I kept doing them on my doorway pull-up bar with the narrower grip.

Again, I just did as many as I could, then I’d rest and repeat the process several times. Since I was a teenager, I had a lot of testosterone and was able to recover pretty quickly. I did this every other day for a while and eventually I was able to do 10 in a row. Then I went back to that wide grip set-up and was suddenly able to do a few reps!

Over the course of the next several years, I continued to discover challenging new pull-up variations: Commando pull-ups, L-sit pull-ups, archer pull-ups and of course, the muscle-up. They all gave me a major humbling when I first encountered them, yet they were all ultimately achievable with consistent effort.

I’m far from being a teenager these days, and I don’t recover quite as quickly as I used to, but I still apply the same principles to all of my workouts.

The key to conquering any physical goal, whether it’s to do 10 wide-grip pull-ups, perform a human flag, or run a marathon, is the same regardless of the task. All you have to do is find a regressed version of your goal (a less difficult progression, fewer reps, shorter distance, etc.) and practice that consistently for several weeks or months. Once it gets easier, you slowly start inching your way toward the goal.

So, what if you can’t even do a chin-up yet? Then start by just hanging from the bar!

Al Kavadlo Bar Hangs Dead Hang

From there, you can eventually build toward flexed arm hangs and negative chin-ups. (A flexed arm hang is when you hold the top position of the chin-up; a negative chin-up involves slowly lowering yourself down from that position.) If you’re patient, consistent and dedicated, the results will come. Guaranteed.

I did not get good at pull-ups overnight. It took many years and countless reps, and I experienced numerous setbacks along the way.

There wasn’t any magic pill or secret formula, so I just focused on my training and did the work. I still do.

There will never be any other way.

***

Al Kavadlo is the Lead Instructor for Dragon Door’s Progressive Calisthenics Certification and the author of several best-selling books, including Get Strong, Street Workout and Pushing The Limits! Al has been featured in The New York Times, Men’s Health, Bodybuilding.com, T-Nation, TRAIN magazine and many other publications around the world. To find out more, visit www.AlKavadlo.com.

Lost in Austin: Progressive Calisthenics in the Lone Star State

October 2, 2018 By Danny Kavadlo Leave a Comment

The last time that my brother Al Kavadlo and I rolled into Texas was back in 2015. It was also the last time the Lone Star State had hosted a Progressive Calisthenics Certification. It had been too long…

A lot has happened between then and now. Our latest Dragon Door title (and the only one to provide a definitive 16-week program) GET STRONG went to #1 on the Amazon charts. We also released our “calisthenics encyclopedia” of sorts, Street Workout: A Worldwide Anthology Of Urban Calisthenics. We’ve been busy!

And speaking of “worldwide”, in addition to the many PCC certifications throughout these great States, we’ve also had the privilege of instructing numerous workshops in Europe, Asia and even Australia. Between then and now, the PCC family has gotten even bigger!

In fact, last week in Austin was very much indeed a family affair… literally!

The father/daughter team of Mark Walker and Julia Harris proved their mettle as they re-certified and certified, respectively. They cheered each other on all weekend and ultimately smashed the Century! Also in attendance was calisthenics-couple Joe and Kristy Agan, who celebrated their 17^th wedding anniversary by attending PCC! Happy Anniversary guys—Joe’s first flag (pictured above) is our gift to you!

There were multiple PR’s over the course of this two-day event. It was truly an amazing thing to behold. The calisthenics killers of Capital City popped pistols, pressed push-ups and muscled-up high. There was even a first time stand-to-stand bridge in the group. There is something about the exquisite energy of a motivated and passionate team that cannot be replicated. It must be felt firsthand.

Al Leading Pushups

At the end of the day, what really made this PCC special was the experience: That feeling of being surrounded by like-minded individuals—us “freaks and geeks” of fitness—training, learning and living life together. That’s where the bonds grow; it’s the magic of calisthenics and community.

There are three more Progressive Calisthenics Certifications scheduled for 2018 in three spectacular cities: New York, Amsterdam and Shanghai. I hope to see you there! If Austin is an indicator, then you don’t want to miss these. HELLYEAH!

Austin PCC Workshop 2018

The posse’s getting bigger,

-DK

Finding Strength in Strength

December 5, 2017 By Steve Llewellyn 12 Comments

Steve Llewellyn bridge

It has been well documented that exercise is good for our physical health but more recently the benefits of exercise have shown to have a great impact on our neurological and mental health.

Stress, anxiety and depression are conditions which are incredibly common in modern day western society. Our bodies and brains are susceptible to becoming overawed by the increasingly demanding pace of our lives as we attempt to manage a career, family life and eating healthily while still finding time to exercise. Add to this the fact that a rapidly increasing number of adults spend two hours commuting to their day job and then spend eight hours or more hunched over a desk–we have more than a few reasons that self-care gets neglected.

And while the general populous are well informed of the psychological effects of traditional cardiovascular pursuits (mostly running), it is less well known that strength training can have a profound effect on the human brain and a recent study made a direct link between resistance training and a decreased risk of dementia.

My own story draws lots of parallels with the points already touched upon.

I am someone who has experienced feelings of depression and generalized anxiety since my teens. I won’t delve into the reasons and just keep it relevant to the article, instead I want to share how strength and fitness has given me the tools to deal with it.

For years I masked these overwhelming thoughts and feelings through self-medication and isolation from situations which were uncomfortable, thus compounding those original triggers and behaviors.

I wanted to change my thoughts, behaviors and environment and escape the mental prison I had built for myself. Self-medicating was the only (albeit temporary) way out I knew. I had also been prescribed various medications which did not help and probably even made things worse.

It was then at the age of 25 that I decided I wanted to join a gym. I figured I could find a new outlet, a new, healthy obsession that built me up instead of dismantling my already frail body and mind.

So, with the support of an old school friend who had recently got back in touch, I took the plunge and signed a contract at a local chain gym.

It was tough going for a few months at least, out of my comfort zone and into a neon lit space full of people who very body conscious and (in my paranoid head) judgemental of skinny newbies invading their sacred space. On closer inspection however, I realized that I was not the only one who was unsure of themselves. There were lots of people pushing weights, sweating on running machines who looked like they were not necessarily enjoying what they were doing but still they were there, putting in the graft because somehow, they knew it was important. This inspired me to not quit when the going got tough, when I didn’t feel like driving to the gym to workout, when I wanted to lie in bed and eat junk food instead.

Steve Llewellyn crane hold

But gradually, things began to change. I started to notice an increase in energy levels, my physique was changing, muscles were starting to appear, and my mindset began to shift. My mood was more upbeat and my ‘stress cup’ was bigger. When the dark clouds did gather in my mind, they didn’t stay as long, and I could tell myself that they would pass instead of crumbling under the feelings. I started to give thought to how the weekend binges were having on me and I began to question whether I wanted to stifle my newly acquired gains with the habits I knew so well. The biggest shift was in starting to look forward to working out every other day rather than a thing to fear and dread like some necessary evil that must be endured to feel good about myself.

Over time, I curbed the drinking (no more binges) quit smoking and a new-found sense of belief and confidence took their place thanks to my now fully ingrained ‘gym addiction’. A few years later I discovered the magic of bodyweight calisthenics and from then I knew that I had found something that would keep giving back to me as long as I paid my dues.

As we draw towards the end of another year, men and women everywhere will begin a period of self-reflection, they will question the way they look, the way they perceive themselves and then tell themselves they really ought to start looking after themselves more in the new year. Many will join a gym (not for the first time) and will tell themselves they must go. That’s all good. However, it’s a sad fact that most gyms are full to bursting in January with eager new recruits but by March too many have lost patience or will to succeed and fall off the fitness wagon before repeating the same cycle next year.

The irony is that nobody actually needs a gym membership to improve any part of their health. Part of the beauty of bodyweight calisthenics and all the progressions taught at the PCC require nothing but something to pull on and the floor beneath you. And as Al Kavadlo says, “If you don’t have the floor beneath you then you have much bigger problems”.

Steve Llewellyn dragon flag

Even thirty minutes of brisk walking a day in the fresh air can have a hugely positive effect on both physical and mental wellbeing. These days, my training equipment checklist consists of little more than a skipping rope, a pair of gymnastic rings and a tree in the park to hang them from.

Of course, I am not suggesting that doing a bunch of push ups and pull ups will completely rewire your brain and make the pain of having a mental health difficulty go away. I still have days where I feel low for sure. No, I am saying that training my body gives me the most incredible coping mechanism imaginable, which means I can accept myself, my thoughts and feelings without drowning in them. Strength training has given me self-respect and made me a better husband and father, not to mention a pretty decent body for a guy over 40. I am truly thankful for having found strength in strength. Now, as a coach and personal trainer, my mission is to inspire other men just like me to be the best they can be.

****

Steve Llewellyn is a personal trainer and PCC Instructor from Birmingham, UK who specializes in helping men over 40 discover a passion for becoming stronger, healthier and changing mindset around nutrition and recovery. He runs 1:1 and small group training at The Bodyweight Basement. He can be contacted at bodyweightbasement.co.uk or email: stevellewellyn99@hotmail.co.uk Follow him on Facebook facebook.com/trainersteve99/

Borrow These Calisthenics Cues From the Recent NYC PCC

November 21, 2017 By Adrienne Harvey 6 Comments

One of my absolute favorite parts of any teaching situation is the opportunity to troubleshoot and help teach the troubleshooting process. This not only helps the participants with their own workouts, but teaches them how to help their clients make big changes quickly.

And whenever there’s a new group of people at a PCC, there are new questions, issues, and viewpoints. This was certainly the case at the most recent PCC held at Crunch Gym’s flagship location on 59^th Street in Manhattan. As the Kavadlo brothers always say—and they’re totally right about this—on the first day we enter the room as strangers, but leave as friends. The amount of networking, cooperation, and brainstorming among the participants this time was especially high. Can’t wait to see what comes of these new friendships and alliances.

While it’s unrealistic to claim that everyone who attends a PCC workshop is guaranteed to experience a big breakthrough in their training, it seems to happen frequently. People attending a PCC are usually either trainers, instructors or serious enthusiasts, but we all have our blind spots. The combination of the demonstrations, lectures, Q&A, and the partner practice sessions on all three days of the PCC creates a powerful learning environment. Even though I’ve been involved with the PCC since the very first workshop back in 2013, I still learn something new every time. Should also add that since even the most recent time I helped instruct, the curriculum has continued to evolve and improve.

All of that being said, it is extremely rewarding to give someone a game changer cue or idea that almost instantly takes them to the next level. So, in this recap of the NYC PCC workshop I’d like to revisit a couple of my favorite cues that came up at the workshop. To those who might think I’m giving away too much, understand that these ideas really are best absorbed real-time in the context of a PCC workshop.

“Point at Yourself” and “Pew-pew!”

Something I’ve seen both online and at PCC workshops with people who are so close to performing a perfect pistol squat is a slack looking foot on the leg held in front. Often, these same people will have the idea that they somehow aren’t strong enough to do it. But with one (or both) of the following cues they are often able to generate enough tension to pull off the move with precision.

The first cue is a personal favorite, it’s simply to think of pushing through the heel of the suspended leg while pointing the toe back TOWARDS you. “Point your toe back at your nose.” You’re basically flexing the foot as hard as you can, which causes the quad to contract very strongly, keeping the straight leg straight out in front of your pistol squat. You will want to stretch out the quad a little after this, and some folks (myself included, especially if I’m a little dehydrated) may actually get a little cramp in the quad. Common sentiment, “Oh I didn’t know I needed to contract the quad THAT hard”

Al also reminded us that generating extra tension from the upper body can also really help the pistol squat. Get in touch with your inner 007 and make the “pew-pew” fingers while strongly clasping your hands together. This can make for much more stable pistol squats in terms of tension and balance, and as in the example above, cute photos.

“I’m gonna hit you in the tummy, ok?”

By the time someone attends a PCC workshop, they’ve done a LOT of push-ups in preparation for the Century Test. But, changing the angle or the points of contact from a standard pushup in one of the many advanced progressions taught at the PCC can make the exercise feel brand new again. Old habits can sometimes creep back when the focus moves from the familiar standard pushup. The novelty of trying a new progression can cause even the most advanced of us to forget the crucial basics.

Such was the case with a participant I helped at the workshop. He had been repping out fantastic standard push-ups and all the other variations perfectly until this point. While raising one hand high on a platform to try a nearly one-arm uneven push-up, he seemed to forget about his midsection. But, without trunk stability, this advanced push-up would be impossible. I knew he could do it based on previous performances, and after seeing his lower back sagging on the attempt, I said, “Wait! Use your abs, I’m going to hit you in the tummy, ok?”

He said, “OK,” so I gently gave him a couple little chops right in the tummy. The first one let both of us know that he had let his core go slack, and the second one revealed that he’d fixed the situation. His back was suddenly straight again and he was able to successfully complete a rep of this difficult and frankly extreme push-up variation.

No matter what push-up variation we’re discussing, the push-up at its heart is a moving plank. And that of course requires abdominal stability The more advanced the progression, the more extreme the stability requirement.

PCC NYC Participants Muscle-Ups

One Last Thing…

At the workshops I’ve been invited to help teach over the years, I’ve noticed that while we have a ton of fitness professionals attend, we also have many people from other fields. As someone with a computer science background I’m always pleased to see developers, engineers, and other technical professionals show up to a PCC and perform extraordinarily well. The idea that they are setting such a strong example in their lives outside the fitness industry is also excellent for public health. Fitness and the ideas in the PCC and Convict Conditioning really are for everyone.

NYC PCC November 2017 at Crunch Gym 59th Street

While we may all admire and aspire to the most advanced steps, and videos and photos of those feats are typically the ones that go viral, the bread and butter basics of calisthenics are applicable to all human bodies. The early progressions, especially as taught at the PCC and in Convict Conditioning are powerful for any level. And the newly certified PCC Instructors from this most recent NYC PCC at Crunch’s flagship gym are ready to bring these transformative ideas to the world.

****

Adrienne Harvey, Senior PCC Instructor, RKC-II, CK-FMS, has been RKC Certified since 2010, and RKC Level 2 certified since 2011. Kettlebell and bodyweight training have been crucial in Adrienne’s personal quest for fitness. A core member of the PCC team, Adrienne loves sharing her knowledge with small groups and individuals. She has modeled in multiple Dragon Door titles including The Neuro-Grip Challenge, Rings of Power, DVRT, Neuro-Mass, Pushing the Limits, and several others. For her recipes and workout programs to further support performance, body composition, and of course—FUN, check out her website: http://www.giryagirl.com.

Getting Started with the Freestanding Handstand

October 31, 2017 By Krista Stryker 3 Comments

Krista Stryker Handstand

I didn’t grow up as a gymnast.

As a kid, I played basketball and soccer, but was fairly uncoordinated and had very little body awareness. In fact, handstands didn’t even come on the radar for me until my mid 20’s, and at that time I had just barely built up the strength to do proper push-ups and my first pull-up. Handstands seemed like something only superheroes could do.

Fast forward to today, and I’m happy to say I’ve built a pretty solid handstand. It’s one of the things I get asked about most when I’m training (I also get asked a lot if I’m a gymnast, which always makes me laugh because at 5’9” with fairly long limbs I don’t exactly have the ideal gymnast build).

But it hasn’t been easy. It’s taken me around three years of extremely consistent training to get where I am today, and while I probably could have progressed faster if I knew what I know now from the start, I’ve actually really enjoyed the ups and downs of the journey. It’s been frustrating and yet incredibly satisfying at the same time—and the constant challenge has meant that I’ve never been bored or lost interest in practicing.

If your goal is to learn to handstand, here are my best tips on making progress, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been struggling to make progress for a while now.

No One is Too Good for the Wall

I train outside a lot, and out of everything I’m doing the main thing people like to stop and ask me about is my handstand and how they, too can work up to a freestanding handstand one day.

Without a doubt, my biggest piece of advice is to use the wall.

When I first started seriously working on handstands, I spent around six months practicing solely on the wall, and it made the absolute biggest difference in my handstand progression.

Now, I totally get that some of you will want to bypass the wall. After all, for a strong, athletic person, relying on the wall may seem like an unnecessary step. But working on the wall has countless benefits, including helping you to build endurance, establish a straight, solid handstand line, teaching you the beginnings of balancing in a handstand, and much more.

When getting started with wall handstands, most people will practice with their back to the wall. However, I’ve personally found that practicing with my chest facing the wall has been even more helpful.

Start in a plank with your feet touching the wall, then walk your feet up the wall until your body is completely vertical and your hands are only a couple of inches away from the wall (if it’s too scary to get that close at first, don’t worry, just work up to it). Once you’re there, push up through your shoulders as much as you can, tighten your core and glutes, and hold for time. This is going to help you build endurance upside down which is absolutely necessary to hold a longer freestanding handstand down the road.

Wall Handstand Balancing Drill

Once you’re able to hold a handstand for at least 30-45 seconds against the wall, you can start working on figuring out the balance portion of the handstand.

Here’s one of my favorite drills for balance:

Start by walking up the wall as described above.
Walk your hands away from the wall so that they’re about a foot away
Slowly remove one foot from the wall and balance it overhead so that your shoulders and hips remain in a straight line. It’s okay if your leg goes slightly past your hips, just focus on your hips being directly over your shoulders.
Even more slowly, remove the other foot from the wall and try your best to hold your handstand briefly. If you fall backward, just put your feet back on the wall. If you fall forward, simply cartwheel out.
Split your legs back and forth, working to feel the balance in your fingertips and the alignment in your shoulders and hips.

You can practice this drill for time to build even more endurance. Just be patient with it and go slowly—this type of training can’t be rushed.

It also really helps to film yourself doing the exercise so that you can see whether you’re actually as aligned as you think you are. Videos don’t lie!

Working Away From the Wall

Once you start to feel the balance against the wall, it’s time to start working on getting away from the wall.

There are countless ways to get into a handstand, but most people will start with the basic kick up. This can be frustrating at first, and you’ll have to work on figuring out how hard to kick up to hit that sweet spot. If you don’t kick hard enough, you won’t make it to vertical—if you kick too hard, you’ll fall or cartwheel over. It just takes time and practice.

Even when you start working away from the wall, don’t give up your wall training all together. While working your freestanding handstand is a necessary step in handstand training, you should still work on the wall to keep building up endurance and working on your balance and alignment in a handstand.

A good recommendation is to spend about half of your time practicing on the wall and half of your time working on kicking up into a freestanding handstand until you get really consistent with your freestanding handstand—then you can spend most (if not all) of your practice away from the wall.

Consistency is Key

If you’re serious about being able to rock a handstand, the number one thing to keep in mind is that you have to be consistent with your training. Since handstands are more of a skill than a strength exercise (although don’t get me wrong, they can definitely tire you out!), you can practice handstands nearly every single day.

And you should—even spending 5-15 minutes a day working on your endurance and balance holding a handstand will make a huge difference towards your progress.

Ultimately, though, you have to really want a handstand and be patient with the process. It can take a great deal of time before you feel consistent and comfortable in a handstand, but take it from me, the process is absolutely worth it.

And of course, it you want to learn more about handstands, come to the PCC!

Krista Stryker With Kavadlos at PCC

***

Krista Stryker, PCC is an NSCA certified personal trainer and the founder of 12 Minute Athlete, a popular website and app helping thousands of people get fit in as little time as possible. Krista has been featured in The Washington Post, SHAPE Magazine, Muscle & Fitness Hers and MindBodyGreen. Find out more about Krista on her blog and connect on social media @12minuteathlete.

Internal Martial Arts and Calisthenics

May 30, 2017 By Ray Shonk 6 Comments

Ray Shonk Flag Lead Photo

A long time ago, before I became a trainer (and after a long hiatus in my own fitness and martial art training), I decided to get back on the scene. I began training a martial art called Taijiquan, also known as Tai Chi. To be perfectly honest, I chose this after watching late night Kung Fu movies. Inspiration comes from many places!

Without much research on it, I jumped in. The first few classes were exceptionally frustrating. I was super uncoordinated and it felt like I was doing “the robot.” I was unprepared for the fluidity of many of the moves, as well as for the full body unity that is required. However, after about a year, things eventually started smoothing out, and I finally got into the martial side of Taijiquan.

Ray Shonk Tai Chi

I started working on “pushing hands” or chi sau, and once again the frustration kicked in. As I had previously experienced, I felt clunky in many of my movements.

I decided to get into weight training in hopes of improving my performance. Like many folks from my generation, weight training seemed like the most viable way to get better physically equipped. And while it’s true that my weight training at this time incorporated a few push-ups and assisted pull-ups, the primary focus was still on external resistance.

Speed ahead years later and I got a bit stronger and leaner. I won my first gold medal for Taijiquan. I even left my corporate job to become a trainer. But something was still missing in my own development. I needed to try something different…

At this time, a good friend of mine introduced me to the Kavadlo Brothers by showing me a YouTube video. Like many, my first thought was, “How can you possibly get stronger using no weights?” But I kept an open mind and gave it a shot. I started my training with the basic, fundamental movements of bodyweight strength training: push-ups, squats, lunges, dips and, of course, pull-ups!

Ray Shonk Pull-Up

After several months of training in both calisthenics and Taijiquan, I noticed that I was not only getting faster, stronger and leaner, but all my movements flowed more freely. I had found what I was missing! The movements in all aspects of Taijiquan required control of multiple muscles at the same time and calisthenics promotes multiple muscle recruitment in each exercise. I mean, lets look at it. A bench press uses the pectorals, triceps and deltoids, but a push-up hits all those muscles, as well as just about everything else. A strong man may be able to control others, but a truly powerful man can control himself.

It’s been five years since I put the weights down for good. Now that I’ve established a solid foundation in the basics, I’ve incorporated more advanced bodyweight exercises like the pistol squat, muscle-up and human flag. I have since attended the SCC in New York with Danny Kavadlo, and the PCC in Boston with Al & Danny Kavadlo. I’m finding that I’m stronger, faster and more agile in my late 30’s than I ever was in my 20’s. A huge part of that has been training my body with my body, an art that extends as far back as man. My Tai Chi practice and all aspects of my life are better with calisthenics!

Ray Shonk Jungle Gym MuscleUp

****

Ray Shonk, PCC, SCC is a personal trainer in Grand Rapids Michigan, a adjunct professor at GVSU and owner of Quest Fitness. He currently specializes in Calisthenics, Sports Performance and Martial Arts training. When he is not training he spends time brewing beer, and spending time with friends and family. Learn more at www.questfitnessgym.com.

How to Restore Desk-Damaged Physiques with Calisthenics

May 9, 2017 By Adrienne Harvey 23 Comments

Adrienne Harvey UnDesk Lead Photo

Years ago, well before the PCC, and just after Convict Conditioning began to get extremely popular, I heard Andrea Du Cane say that we shouldn’t live in the posture of our sport. In many cases, we should also not live in the posture of our work.

It seems as though many of our clients (and in some cases ourselves) spend the majority of their working hours seated at a desk looking at a screen, then spend hours staring at a small screen. So, let’s take a moment to work with some do-anywhere calisthenics exercises to help build healthy habits while undoing some of the desk-damage so we can continue to help our students, clients, and ourselves safely build strength.

In 6th grade, a brilliant friend (math genius and fellow computer nerd) and I would get to school early to boot up a lab of dinosaur-era computers. Already at that young age, my friend had the dreaded forward leaning head, hunched shoulders, and rounded upper back from hours and hours of programming. Thankfully, I was still spending a reasonable amount of time playing in the backyard on the monkey bars—while getting regular reminders from Mom to stand up straight and keep my shoulders back—which saved me from the same situation.

But, pulling long hours at work, then tapping at tiny screens has left almost everyone pretty susceptible to bad habits and weaknesses that can hold us back in our calisthenics training—and in our everyday enjoyment of life.

First, for those of us who are instructors, it’s important to remember our scope of practice. If a student or client is in pain or has a medical issue—or even if you’re just unsure about the situation—always refer them to an appropriate medical professional.

As much as it would be great to think that a standing desk would solve all the sitting related problems of the world, some of us have noticed that intense cognitive tasks requiring full concentration and extreme focus just don’t seem to go as well when working at a standing desk. That has definitely been my experience, as my typing speed and overall productivity seem to suffer if I try to do highly mental tasks at a standing desk. So, under the assumption that we or our students/clients will need to work at a desk for a significant period of time most workdays, let’s discuss how we can help.

We already know that it’s important to take breaks from seated work. I’m a huge fan of the Pomodoro technique—it can also boost productivity at the same time. Basically, set a timer for 25 minutes of work, then take a 5 minute break to walk around, do a few movement exercises, then repeat the 25min, 5min cycle four times before taking a longer break.

Poor posture habits while standing and sitting often stem from a lack of core or (as Paul “Coach” Wade would say) midsection strength. It’s also pretty common for people with weak midsections to have or develop back issues. Think of the midsection as a cylinder, if the “front half” isn’t doing its fair share, then the back half will be carrying an extra burden. If the abs aren’t able to hold us upright while standing or seated, then the back has to compensate that much more—often leading to discomfort or worse.

The great news is that instead of doing endless questionable crunches, the PCC and Convict Conditioning methodology emphasize training the midsection specifically, and instruct us to engage it when performing most (if not all) of the other calisthenics exercises. For example, It’s hard to even imagine performing a pistol squat without abdominal involvement—the same is true with any advanced push-up (it’s critical for Neuro-Grip push-ups)—and just about every other exercise in the PCC and Convict Conditioning curriculum.

While many different schools of training have their own approaches to counteracting the very modern problem of too much sitting, in this post I’ll mainly focus on calisthenics strength, and very basic mobility. Nothing too fancy is necessary for most of our general population clients to work on counteracting the dreaded desk body. But, if you are inclined to work more on mobility and flexibility alongside your calisthenics strength, definitely check out Al Kavadlo’s Stretching Your Boundaries.

I think of “un-desking” as having the following components:

Unlocking the hips and hip flexors
Abdominal/midsection strengthening
Stretching and strengthening the shoulders and upper back

Unlocking the Hips and Hip Flexors

The short bridge (also sometimes called the hip bridge or shoulder bridge) is a regular part of my mobility warm-ups and those I teach to others. It’s accessible for nearly anyone. When practicing the short bridge, the beginner is comfortable and in control as they work towards bringing the hips higher while engaging their glutes.

Start on the ground with your hands at your sides. Push down hard through your heels and strongly activate your glutes to get your hips as high as possible. This is nearly the opposite of slumping over at a desk. It’s sometimes helpful to think of pushing the hips up and over towards your head (but only THINK this, your feet need to stay on the ground).

Adrienne Harvey Short Bridge

The straight bridge is another extremely valuable early step toward a full bridge in Convict Conditioning that is very useful long after achieving a full bridge. Like the short bridge, you may also know it by other names. Those of use who spend a lot of time typing—and who are also pull-up enthusiasts can greatly benefit from this move. I love it and love to hate it. At the top of this bridge variation, be sure that the shoulders feel rotated back and down. Experiment with different hand positions (fingers facing forward, to the side, backwards) while working to bring your chest and body high off of the ground in a reverse plank position.

Adrienne Harvey Straight Bridge — Remember to try different hand positions when trying the straight bridge: fingers pointing towards the toes, out to the sides, or pointing backwards.

A favorite bodyweight stretch from the RKC curriculum also has great value for calisthenics practitioners. It’s no secret that I love kettlebells as much as I love calisthenics, and I’ve found that including this RKC hip flexor stretch in bodyweight only workout warm-ups can do wonders for bridging. If you find your hip flexors are tight and have never tried this drill before, give it a go! It’s a lifesaver after long car rides, or marathon writing sessions at the computer.

On a padded surface, get in a half-kneeling position. Without pushing forward in any kind of extreme lunge, simply think of tucking your tailbone while strongly activating your glutes. The front of your hip and thigh on the leg with the knee on the mat should feel a strong stretch. Take time with this powerful move and be sure to try it on both sides.

Adrienne Harvey RKC Hip Flexor Stretch

Abdominal/Midsection Strengthening

As mentioned earlier in this post, most if not all of the calisthenics exercises in the PCC curriculum and Convict Conditioning involve the abdominals. But if you or your students are having desk-related issues, focused abdominal strengthening can really help. The leg raise series beginning on the ground all the way up to the most exotic lever strongly impact the abs. Since the midsection recovers quickly, it can be trained much more often than most muscle groups—some may opt to train the midsection daily.

Adrienne Harvey Hanging Knee Raises — Double down on “un-desking” by combining slow and controlled hanging knee raises with a timed active hang. How slow can you go?

Stretching and Strengthening the Shoulders and Upper Back

Weak upper backs and weak shoulders tend to round forward during desk work—but so do the shoulders of active people—especially boxers and pull-up addicts! Spending time hanging from a pull-up bar can not only greatly increase grip strength, but it’s an opportunity to relax and activate the back with dead and active hangs—done for reps, this move is sometimes called a “scap-up” referring to the movement of the scapula. (In a past PCC blog post I outlined several different bar hang grips but in this case, even the most basic bar hang grip will fit the bill.)

Pay particular attention to how your shoulders and upper back are feeling, and if you’re a beginner, take it easy.

Adrienne Harvey Bar Hangs — The dead hang and active hang look and feel completely different!

Last but certainly not least, the Aussie pull-up, especially performed to the chest can help remind our shoulders to stay back where they belong. Far from being just a step on the way to the pull-up, the Aussie pull-up (aka bodyweight row) performed slowly with a nearly isometric hold at the top can help posture, upper back strength and lead to better lockouts at the top of standard pull-ups. Be sure to experiment with lower bars of various heights. The Aussie can be further regressed for beginners or deconditioned students by bending the knees. This shortens the lever of the body and places some of the body’s weight on the feet.

Adrienne Harvey Aussie Pullups, Bodyweight Rows

One of the great and occasionally frustrating things about progressive calisthenics is that there are so many options and there’s never time to talk about or do them all! I’ll just briefly mention dips here for intermediate folks, since the delightful chest stretch at the bottom of the dip (don’t dip so low as to risk impingement) is great after a day at the desk. Likewise a strong active hold at the top awakens many of the upper body muscles that suffer when we sit and slouch.

Adrienne Harvey Bodyweight Dips

Example Un-Desk Warm-Up Sequence (repeat for a few rounds if you have time):

Optimally begin by taking a short walk.

Short bridges: 5 reps, pausing for height and max tension at the top
RKC hip flexor stretch 1-2 per side
Dips and/or straight arm holds above dip bars
Bar hang alternating between dead hang and active hang (scap-ups) + a few pull-ups if they’re not maximum effort for you. This is not PR time.
Aussie pull-ups (aka bodyweight rows) 5 slow reps with max tension at top of each rep.
Short Bridge a few test reps to note improvement.

While it would be ideal for all workplace settings to have space for—and the social acceptance of—spontaneous exercise sessions, coming up with minimalist sequences for the work day can at least alleviate some of the issues until you can destroy the stress of the day at the gym or at home.

Bonus Slouch Slayer:

If you’re not sure if/when you’re slipping into a slouch at the desk, Place a mirror to the right or left of where you’re seated. While you work, take a second to catch a glimpse of your profile. Catching myself slouching a couple times was enough to build great upright posture habits at the desk. The moment you catch yourself in a really hunched slouch in that mirror, you’ll be motivated to sit up straighter, check your shoulders, abs, etc. At that point I’d also encourage you to stand up, and try a few of the calisthenics “un-desk” moves.

My home office is always a work in progress, but if I feel like I’m slumping, I’ll place that mirror to my left for a day or two – sure enough that fixes the problem!

****

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