Beginning Your (Calisthenics) Journey

My name is Stephen Clark.  I am a personal trainer and Progressive Calisthenics Certified (PCC) Instructor.  I have had the honor and privilege to meet and train with some of the top trainers in the field of calisthenics from all over the world including Al and Danny Kavadlo, Micke Haggstrom, and Jack Arnow.

But this blog isn’t about me, it’s about you!

I have created an online program that synthesizes the best existing bodyweight training protocols and techniques into a systematic model.  Whether you’ve never exercised in your life or are a seasoned athlete, one can benefit from progressive calisthenics.  Regardless of your current fitness level, this program can help you reach your goals – and enjoy the journey along the way!  My beginner calisthenics program will help you…

• Get stronger in the safest way possible!
• Build endurance
• Gain mobility
• Build balance
• Achieve explosiveness and improve athletic performance
• Build lean, beautiful, and functional muscle
• Rehab and/or prehab old or potential injuries
• Develop the foundation needed to achieve impressive feats of strength such as the human flag or one-armed chin up
• And yes, shed body fat!

The program can be followed for an indefinite amount of time, implemented with zero gym equipment, and is only $19.99!

*To purchase a program, you can simply send me a request at stephenclarkfitness@gmail.com.*

Here is a testimonial from my mentor Nick, who I mentored in calisthenics :).

My name is Nick Primavera. I’m a certified personal trainer,corrective exercise specialist and former high level athlete. In my 15 years of strength training I have tried just about every method there is. It was not until I met Stephen that I found one that not only improved my athleticism, but also my aesthetics. This calisthenics program has cured me of chronic joint pain created by years of sports, and has given me back my flexibility. I am stronger, leaner and happier following his program. The best part about this beginner program is that there are endless progressions, so you can literally never run out of ways to improve. It also makes it extremely easy to stay committed because the workouts can be completed anywhere with no equipment by ANYONE!

I’m patiently awaiting Stephen’s intermediate calisthenics program so that I can become EVEN MORE of a machine. Thanks Stephen for changing my fitness philosophy, and my life.

Calisthenics for Athletes (And Everyone Else…)

I’ve trained everyone from pro baseball players with big contracts to snot nosed spoiled 10 year olds who have 4 iPads, and you know what they all have in common? They can ALL benefit from the basics of human movement. When it comes to being a functional human being on the planet earth, improving the quality of your movements should be top priority. Unfortunately, we have been manipulated by the commercial media to believe that 6 pack abs and sexy glutes are the symbols of a high level of fitness and athleticism. What if I told you that there was a way that you could improve your joint range of motion, muscle tone, neuromuscular efficiency, burn fat, get shredded, become more athletic, become a ninja and never get injured? You’d probably say “ Nick shhhhhh”. So I won’t tell you those awesome things, I’ll let my man Stephen Clark THE calisthenics expert fill you in on why calisthenics are awesome for athletes…

1.  Limitless Progressions – Progressive calisthenics is based on adaptability.  Athletes must adapt to different stresses throughout their training, competitions, games, matches, etc.  Calisthenic practitioners can use intensity variables to make exercises harder or easier, and this “intensity calibration” is much more versatile than simply adding or dropping weight from a barbell.  These variables include movement speed, range-of-motion, weight-to-limb ratio, and leverage – just to name a few.   All of these variables are worth trying when attempting to break through plateaus and achieve your athletic goals.

2.  Teach Kinematics – Any serious athlete should educate themselves on the “why” of their training.  A lot of you reading this, as well as the person writing this (Me!) – are tactile, or hands-on learners. Practicing calisthenics is a great way to increase your understanding of principle concepts of mechanics and classical physics such as Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, and Newton’s Law of Gravity, as well as centers and lines of gravity.  Parents: Do I get brownie points for this? 🙂

“If I am anything, which I highly doubt, I have made myself so by hard work.” Newton understood the value of hard work!

3.  All Natural – It’s a fact – calisthenics are a more natural way of training than lifting weights in a gym or running on a hard, flat surface such as a sidewalk.  During the turn of the 20th century, French physical educationist Georges Herbert developed his system of La Method Naturelle based on the instinctive movements of indigenous peoples.  He did so after noticing the impressive physiques of people living in closer harmony with the earth compared to those living in industrialized societies.  The foundation of calisthenic training is comprised of natural movements such as pushing, pulling, squatting, lunging, stepping, etc.  The ancient Olympians trained with calisthenics.  And oh yeah, did I mention that the work Georges Herbert went  on to form the basis of the sport of parkour?!  If you ask me, professional traceurs and freerunners are the best athletes in the world.  Respect.

4.  Safety First – Calisthenics are among the safest way to train to reach any athletic goal.  Not only do I recommend calisthenics for the seasoned athlete, but also for the beginner new to exercise altogether.   Before one increases loads on exercises through use of external weights, they must first learn the movement unloaded and with proper form! It will pay off in the end, trust me.

5.  Calisthenics = Fun – It might just be me (it’s not :)), but I think performing calisthenics is a blast!  If an athlete (or anyone, really) enjoys their training, they will be 100% more successful.  This is true for any endeavor.  Enjoying the journey is more important that reaping the benefits of the outcome.  I will stand by that claim to the grave…

Micke Haggstrom and Jack Arnow are two beautiful exemplars of the importance of  having fun with their training.  Micke is a member of Barstarzz Sweden and is the sickest athlete I’ve ever met.  Jack Arnow is in his seventies and can pull off feats of strength such as the one-armed chin up and front lever.  Talk to these guys about calisthenics, and you can see the passion in their eyes.

Micke from Barstarzz Sweden! https://instagram.com/mikebarstarzz/

~ Do what you love. 

I <3 Calisthenics

I’ve emphasized doing what makes you happy in my blog.  A lot.  Because that’s what I believe in.  “An unexamined life is not worth living,” right?  Thanks, Socrates.

Introspect for a second.  What is it in your life that makes life totally and completely worth it?  What is it that makes you feel most alive?

For me, it’s calisthenics.  I love calisthenics.  Calisthenics makes me happy – and when I think about why, it’s easy for me to see.  Calisthenics can be done anywhere, anytime.  This fits my relatively minimalist philosophy.  It is also extremely freeing knowing I can get a killer workout anywhere under any circumstances!  No excuses.

When I first started exercising, I did it for aesthetic reasons.  Calisthenics has completely changed my ideology.  Now, my goals consist of achieving feats of strength such as the one-arm pull up or the human flag.  Reaching for goals like these makes the journey that much more fun.

“Our environment shapes the away we move. The way we move shapes our bodies.” – Me

And oh yeah, calisthenics literally means “beautiful strength” in Greek.  How bad ass is that?!

Hercules didn’t own a barbell set or have any dumbbells – he did calisthenics.

Everyone should be doing calisthenics.  Your parents should be doing calisthenics.  Your kids should be doing calisthenics.  Hell, maybe even your grandparents…

Here’s my friend, mentor, and PIC (partner in calisthenics), Nick Primavera telling you why:

For those of you who don’t know me, I am essentially a unique combination of Deepak Chopra and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. I like to take an intelligent approach to achieving insane fitness goals while also appreciating the holistic power that exercise can have. Too often the term “fitness” gets watered down by the commercial media as being a collection of dumb meatheads throwing around iron weights. When we look at what fitness truly is, we see that it has been used for centuries as MEDICINE. Just like any other form of medicine, there are sub-categories that better fit the needs of particular individuals. Calisthenics just so happens to be a category of movement that can be modified to benefit every single human being on the planet earth regardless of age or fitness level. THAT is why I love calisthenics. To convince you further about the awesomeness of calisthenics I will give you a list of chillness factors that are undeniable…

Hi, I’m Nick. Listen up!

1. CALIsthenics has “CALI” in it, and Cali is a sick place to visit.
2. Learning to use your own body weight as resistance provides a unique way for your brain and body to become more in tune. This will improve neurological control of your joints while moving through space.
3. The time under tension utilized in calisthenics programs leads to growth of muscle tissue while also creating a unique metabolic stress, placing high demands on both short and long term energy substrates. This leads to an array of adaptations that benefit your overall health.
4. The progressive overload principle can be used to create endless progressions with bodyweight training so that you can literally never run out of ways to improve, without ever needing a dumbbell or barbell.
5. Calisthenics are a great tool for those who have suffered from orthopedic injury. The basic human movements must be restored (as much as possible) after injury in order to get back to a functional life and prevent further injury. The great thing about calisthenics is that you can begin with very basic moves and progress to more difficult variations, but you are still always improving upon the same basic movement patterns.
6. When done correctly, this form of exercise can place great demands on muscles without creating injury to passive elements around the working joints. Challenging muscles without beating up ligaments and cartilage is a win in the long run.
7. It’s just fun to workout literally anywhere. I walked by a park bench the other day and wanted to see how many different exercises I could do for 1 set of 20 in 15 minutes. It ended up being an awesome workout and, I don’t know if girls heard me counting,but I did 1,000 reps. You will never be limited by lack of equipment!
8. Practicing and perfecting movements at a slower pace will ingrain quality mechanics that can then be progressed and mimicked at faster speeds. It’s like martial artists. They don’t just ninja kick your face without having first practiced kicking at a slow velocity in order to learn control. Calisthenics will prepare you to control yourself when moving at any speed.
9. Many of the moves in calisthenics promote proper core function. Stiffening of the deep core unit musculature allows for stability of the spine while the hips and shoulders create motion. This is an essential aspect of movement because it can prevent unwanted motions that wear down the annular fibers that surround the nucleus of spinal discs, among other things. Duh.
10. Calisthenics paired with a healthy diet can create an incredible physique. If you want a lean athletic looking body that can actually move well, calisthenics are for you. Boom baby!