Street Workout, A Worldwide Anthology of Urban Calisthenics. How to Sculpt a God-Like Physique Using Nothing But Your Environment

Review Street Workout Al & Danny Kavadlo“Street Workout” is an amazing book. Along with hundreds of large, colored pictures of the brothers Kavadlo, the reader gets excellent advice real, honest to goodness, old fashioned body weight conditioning information. It is one of the best John Du Cane and Dragon Door has published. It also tops the other very good books written by the brothers Kavadlo individually.Don’t look for ready to use workout programs or laid out daily routines or prepared workout sheets of detailed instructions. Don’t look for information on supplements, the brothers do not use any of them. Don’t look for complicated dietary advise. The brothers suggest “avoid heavily processed fake foods and to keep my portions from getting out of control.” (p 322) Don’t look for dogmatic statements of what and how and when. Don’t look for gymnastic disciplined approaches. In fact there is a boxed side bar specifically stating the the brothers are not gymnasts (P 11).What the reader gets is much better. There are valid, real life, street useful suggestions for how to approach body weight conditioning. There are valid, real life, street useful, clear and easy to follow directions for approximately 100 exercises, each with pictures of one or both of the brothers demonstrating the exercise. There are valid, real life progressions for approaching the famous and worthy movements, and every step with pictures of one or both of the brothers Kavadlo performing. There are valid, real life, street useful guides to the very advanced movements.The brothers give us “foundational progressions” of push, pull, squat, flex and bridge. The brothers give us chapters on floor holds, bar moves and the human flag including very advanced options. Yes, the book could be used to train gymnasts in the foundations of their sport.From page 281 “Fullbody workouts, split routines, circuits, pyramid seats and more all have their place in the world of strength training. Yet there is no universally the best for all people and all goals. Though it’s nice to have a guideline, we encourage you to use the following assessments, templates and workouts as a starting point, rather than the final verdict.”The how to start street workouts material is all there, once you actually read the book. And strict, outlined steps are not present. The brothers believe you should start working on the fundamentals and keep at them till you achieve certain goals they lay out. They state this beginner stage should last at least 6 months or longer. Then you should move along the many progressions as your strength, flexibility, concentration, interests, and desire take you. There are admonitions about moving too fast and taking on too much. And so every person will progress along different routes at different speeds, and that is the way it should be.There is a collection of possible workouts from beginning to very advanced. But these are clearly marked as suggested. They may or may not be possible for you depending on your level of ability.There is an “ASK AL” chapter (Chap 15 p 321 - 332) which includes most of the frequently asked questions, and clarifies many thoughts. There is CHAPTER 16 (pp 335 -345) of “Danny’s Dos and Don’ts. These are like 10 commandments and are direct and to the point, and each very pertinent. Both these chapters are truly outstanding.There are a few suggested record sheets, and weekly breakdowns. But again, the brothers emphasize doing what works for the individual practitioner.The self motivated and self organizing person will find nearly everything he or she needs know and how to do it to become a fantastic street star.

This is a very comprehensive, no-nonsense Book on bodyweight training, covering strength, plyometric power, and endurance. I will admit that I am familiar with many of the moves discussed in this book, but I learned so many new details to focus on when practicing them, the ones that I can do, anyway. Another thing I enjoyed were the detailed descriptions of the exercises - I am completely blind and I did not have to ask someone to look at the photos for me to understand what the Kavadlos were getting at. I was a little apprehensive as I am aware of the Kavadlos' penchant for photographing the hell out of themselves, but they delivered very well in the written portion as well, making this a fantastic body weight book for a blind or visually-impaired calisthenics enthusiast.I also enjoyed the sections dealing with urban gym equipment - doing flags on a street sign or Australian pull-ups on a bike rack. You can do this stuff anywhere, without going to a gym and slamming your head into squat racks that your cane goes right under. I've done it and I'll do it again, but it's nice to have options, you know?All and all this is a great book. From the descriptions to the ideas on making your own gym equipment to the philosophies of both Kavadlo brothers. From know-how to perspective this is a solid read which will keep me busy for years to come. With a hey-hey-hey I'll keep the dream alive.P.S. I once asked Al on his FB page about an exercise photo he posted and he got back to me right away with a written description on how to do it. I have personal experience getting help in this regard, and both of these guys have gone out of their way to encourage and answer questions from their fans and followers.

This book is loaded with great exercises for anyone looking to build functional strength and master their own bodyweight. I put down the barbell about 5 months ago and began my bodyweight-only journey, and haven't felt the need to pick one up since! While Al and Danny provide all the information one could ever need on YouTube, FaceBook, and alkavadlo.com for FREE, this book is an excellent tool to access all of the info and some new, cooler moves and progressions in one place. It covers everything you need to know about pretty much every effective bodyweight move out there, from beginner to elite stages, as well as how to adapt them to fit your personal needs. The pictures are very helpful, and you can do a quick search on YouTube to watch Al and Danny perform all these exercises if you're more of a visual learner.Rest assured, the money you spend on this book will not be wasted unless you refuse to put any of it into action. If you want a free taste test, check out Al's videos on YouTube. While I don't know Al personally, I've spent a lot of time watching his videos and gleaning new knowledge and inspiration. Anyone willing to give this much information away for free, just to help people, deserves every dime he makes from these book sales. Happy to support you, Al!

Having read, enjoyed and taken a lot from many of the Kavadlo books I'm glad to say this book has once again surpassed my expectations and is another fantastic read. I've come from the school of corporate gyms, static weight machines and 'buy this, eat this' BS so I'm glad I was switched on to the Kavadlo brothers and calisthenics a couple of years ago. The one thing that has always drawn me to Al and Danny is their simplistic approach. They don't overwhelm you with science, complicated exercise routines, or confusing jargon.Push. Pull. Squat. Core. Eat well. Listen to your body. That's the basic ingredients in getting the body, the fitness levels and the strength most people desire. Of course each area is a subject in itself, but that is the core values that the guys preach - along with a healthy dose common sense. You don't need to spend loads of money on gym memberships, equipment and supplements. You don't need to count calories and starve yourself. You don't need to make exercise and fitness a chore.The book itself is extremely detailed and concise, and caters for all levels of fitness. Whether you're just starting out in the bodyweight & calisthenics world or a seasoned pro, they cover off everything so no one is left out. There are loads and load of exercises detailed throughout the book - beginner to superman. They've even gone to the trouble of showing you how to build your own bar station in your garden! And then there are some question and answer sections which cover off a lot of queries most of you will have. It really does have everything covered. All in all it's another great book that I highly recommend. Once again thanks Al & Danny for all the great advice!

The Kavadlo brothers work their magic again!The most comprehensive book on bodyweight training you're ever likely to read. Whether you're new to calisthenics or more advanced, the brothers have you covered.In equal parts entertaining and enlightening all the way through. I read my version in just two sittings and have re-read it a few times since. Not because it's a short read (it isn't) because it's too good to put down.Thoroughly recommended!

Loved the range of exercises and progressions, but especially enjoyed the tips of programming and workout templates and such, absolutely brilliant! Would recommend to anyone getting into Calisthenics, or even an advanced athlete

One of the best calisthenics books I've read. The Kavadlo brothers have put together a really comprehensive, well thought out book for everyone from the beginner to the old hand. A total must read

What a fantastic addition to the collection of books from the Kavadlo brothers. Down to earth advice written in an easy to follow way. And incredible photos of the guys going through each exercise !