It’s been ten years since the inception of the Progressive Calisthenics Certification. In that time, hundreds of trainers from all over the world have been certified in bodyweight exercise. Countless PR’s have been set and lifelong friendships have been made. On October 1-2, Momentum Fitness in New York City will be hosting the ONLY Progressive Calisthenics Certification on the calendar. That’s right: this is the only PCC currently scheduled, so if you ever wanted to attend, now is the time. At every PCC, amazing things happen. There is no question that this event will supercharge your calist ..read more

Hello I’m Danny Kavadlo. You know me. I have been one of the world’s most visible proponents of bodyweight training for over a decade. I still am. And while I’ll always express the importance of bodyweight exercise, I’ve personally trained in a hybrid style for over thirty years, lifting weights and moving bodyweight side-by-side. For this reason, over the years, the one question I’ve received more than any other is: “Danny, how do I combine calisthenics and free weights?” Search no more. The answer is here. Not only have I practiced hybrid strength training for decades, I’ve spent the last ..read more

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 calisthenic ..read more

The handstand press is a perfect demonstration of strength, control, and body awareness. It exemplifies a kind of elegant ease that is seen only in handstand masters. Or so they would have you believe. It’s true, the handstand press is a difficult skill – but it is very achievable for anyone who already has a decent freestanding handstand. This is a prerequisite – as balancing through the handstand press adds another level of complexity. If you can’t do a handstand off the wall for at least 15 seconds, then you will need to work on your balance before proceeding with this tutorial. It should ..read more

Since the release of our bestselling Dragon Door title Get Strong, we have received countless messages from fans relaying their success with the program. We love to hear from you! Sometimes these messages also have questions. Other times they have requests. The most common request has been for a smartphone app specifically designed to help track your progress on the Get Strong program We’re excited to tell you the Get Strong app is finally here! The new Get Strong app is part of Triad XP, an easy-to-use mobile tracking system that Dragon Door has partnered with. The app will help you stay mo ..read more

Hey, you guys! It’s been a long time. I missed ya! How’s the wife? I always thought she was a honey…a real catch! …Wait, what? She did what with the mailman? She took the kids, too? Damn. I never liked her anyway bro. …Uh…some training talk might take your mind off it, huh? I’ve sure been thinking about training a lot these days. One type of training in particular—isometrics. I’ve also been working isometrics—hard—for the last couple years or so, and feeling stronger and tougher than ever as a result. Let’s chit-chat about ‘em; tumble some thoughts around in the brain-laundry, and see what co ..read more

When we got started in fitness, we didn’t have many options. We were just two broke kids from Brooklyn, so we began with what was available to us: push-ups and pull-ups. This was not because we were necessarily “calisthenics guys” but simply because we didn’t have access to any equipment other than a basic doorway pull-up bar and the ground beneath our feet. During the course of our journey, we would explore other methods of training. Once we were old enough to join a gym, free weights began to dominate our workouts. Though we never stopped doing push-ups and pull-ups, weight training had bec ..read more

“Does this bring me joy?” Such a simple, yet profound question. This quintessential advice from organizational expert Marie Kondo has spurred millions to begin downsizing, de-cluttering, and “tidying” their physical belongings. However, this question applies to all areas of our lives. Think about your friends and acquaintances. Are you left feeling energized after spending time with them? Do they fill you up, or do they drain your cup? What about your daily activities, the foods you eat, the clothes you wear, and the products you use? Do your choices enliven and enlighten, or weigh you down ..read more