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Progressive Calisthenics - The Official Blog for the PCC Community

workshop preparation

“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!

****

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.

Filed Under: Progressive Calisthenics, Tutorial Tagged With: Century Test, Convict Conditioning, Convict Conditioning Training Log Book, Karl Kristian Indreeide, PCC, PCC Workshop, preparing for the PCC, progressive calisthenics, Replek, training log, training strategy, tutorial, workshop preparation

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

***

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Century Test, Doug Fioranelli, how to pass the Century Test, PCC Workshop, progressive calisthenics, Progressive Calisthenics Certification Workshop, workshop experience, workshop preparation

Be Warned, You Have to Earn It!

July 7, 2014 By Claude Castro 8 Comments

Al and Danny Kavaldo with Claude Castro

I have a new fondness and respect for all things bodyweight since completing the Progressive Calisthenics (PCC) course in Australia this past February and successfully passing the “Century” test.

As a lifter, I typically liked to lift what I thought of as “heavy stuff.” However this “stuff” was rarely my own bodyweight. It was obvious from the start that I would have my work cut out for me!

When the PCC initially came to my attention approximately 6 months before the workshop. I immediately jumped on it, and paid my registration while thinking, “Time to get it done and earn another worthwhile certification!”

My next thought was that I’d never been heavily into bodyweight training…  What would I do to prepare? Had I mixed up my ambition with my ability?

This had to change!

Previously, I dropped my own body weight down from a solid 92kg frame to a leaner (and much more comfortable) 78kg .  I had made that change with a focus on running and the desire to be a more complete trainer.  So, it wasn’t long before I was playing around with my own weight while preparing for the PCC. Fortunately I have both of the Convict Conditioning books along with a reasonable library of other resources which allowed me to plan accordingly and meet the workshop testing criteria.

My programming was designed around the following basic movements. Please note these were not all performed on the same day.

  • Chin-up & push-up variations.
  • Pistol squats
  • Hanging leg raises (now my go-to abs exercise)
  • Running. Well it is bodyweight!
  • Bridges
  • Handstand /play holds and handstand pushups
  • Bodyweight dips on gymnastic rings
  • All the stretches I knew!!!

I worked with a basic 5×5 based strength protocol for all the movements. The benefit of this for me was that I had already applied it to barbells and kettlebells with success.  Now, given my fondness of the protocol, it worked for my bodyweight training.

Sometimes I needed to switch to a simple 3×3 depending on how fried my body felt from an overloaded workout the day before–a rookie mistake that I often made from stubbornness. It’s a different kind of hurt when the nervous system is depleted! Take my word for it!

The only other major variation was on the days when I felt good and decided to put in more volume. For example a 15 x 5 set on the chins up–clearly I like chin ups! They’re the one movement that petrifies the newbies and are the base test entry for the RKC cert. So out of fear, I already had the “money in the bank“ with regard to pull ups. I now actually enjoy them!

With my new enthusiasm and lower body weight, I was well on my way towards my plan to pass the PCC.

I like to plan, so my first stop was asking myself, what does it take to pass? How long do I have? And then work backward from there.

To pass the PCC I’d have to do the following in less than 8 minutes:

  1. FULL SQUATS:                        40 reps
  2. FULL PUSH-UPS:                   30 reps
  3. HANGING KNEE RAISES:   20 reps
  4. FULL PULL-UPS:                    10 reps

TOTAL:    100 reps

At first this seemed like a reasonable request. I gave it a go, sort of completed it and thought it wasn’t too bad. This was another rookie mistake! Later on I realized I would have to do the test after 3 days of intense bodyweight training, and had to finish each exercise in one set with strict form!

Fortunately for me, this was a great big wake up call. I prepared myself accordingly with a solid base of general physical preparation (GPP). I turned up to the workshop ready to be taught, and was physically conditioned to at least perform the basic exercises.  I was there to learn and not get hurt because of a lack of conditioning. It costs money to attend these courses and it’s a total waste for all if you turn up unprepared.

Many movements are taught–push-ups and variations, chins and variations, front levers, back levers, pistols, and floor holds–just to name a few.  And let’s not forget the muscle ups!

I take a casual approach to these workshops because I like to have fun and absorb the knowledge as it is taught. As I know these guys are not going to just hand your certification to you just because you’ve shown up to the workshop. So I make a point of getting myself adequately prepared and ready by cert time. No excuses.

You have to earn it, so be warned!

It was clearly one of the more enjoyable workshops that I have attended. Along with the incredible manual, the information I now have access to will keep me and my clients busy and challenged for a long time to come.

Now off to the bar for some much needed practice!

Claude Castro One Arm Handstand PCC Australia

Filed Under: Workshop Experiences Tagged With: Century Test, Claude Castro, PCC Australia, workshop preparation

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