INTERVIEW WITH AHMED KERIGO FROM NORWAY

ATHLETE INFORMATION:
Full Name: Ahmed Kerigo
Nickname: Iron Monkey
Age: 28
Country: Norway

SOCIAL INFORMATION:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AhmedIronMonkeyKerigo
Instagram: ahmedkerigo_teamphysix
Instagram: teamphysixnorway

Youtube Channel:
www.youtube.com/TheTeamPhysix
www.youtube.com/Kerigo88

EXTRA INFORMATION:
Time doing street workout: 1 ½ year
Important events:
Workshop With Barstarzz in Norway
Fibo Germany with Baristi
Fitness Expo Sweden with Barmafia
Training days with Team Physix

Championships:
World Cup Street Workout Norway 2O13
World Cup Street Workout Germany 2013
Norwegian Street Workout Championship 2014

Team: Founder of Team Physix-Zero Gravity together with Fredrik Kindberg
Team website or fan page:
www.facebook.com/TeamPhysix
www.teamphysix.com (Under construction)

QUESTIONS:
How did you get involved in the street workout world?
What got me involved with SW was Youtube, watching people doing amazing, phenomenal exercises using only their bodies. It was actually the most inspiring act I have ever seen cause it looked so unreal but at the same time these were normal people just like me, who put in hours and hours of hard work to do what some of us call impossible.
I was also curious about the community/culture of Street workout team, athletes. How and why it was growing so fast all over the world.

Why did you choose to practice street workout?
I wanted to do something different with my life, I wanted to do something that not many would and that is to change and be different.  I also needed a lifesaver and Street Workout with everybody in it saved my life.
When it comes to the workout, I can finally do exercises, movements with my body that I never could before. I have built well-rounded strength, stamina & balance through my whole body witch does not only help me in my workout but also outside the workout,
my everyday life.

How is street workout reflected in your life?
Street Workout; Not only have I become more physically fit through the discipline, it has become an effective vessel that brought me to a brand new level in life. It has provided me the key  to unlock a glimpse of a skill set in which I’ve only thought about when I saw the likes of todays legends in practice. More importantly it has proven in essence to be so much more than swinging from bar to bar. I believe many bar athletes can relate to the raw feeling and passion that I have for the sport. I will attempt to put it in words for the less enlightened to understand.
“Street workout taught me how to be me, the real me and be comfortable and confident with all of who I am. It held a mirror up to me every second of the day, forcing me to look deep inside. Getting to know the good as well as reflecting my faults so I could no longer hide from them, I was left with no choice but to move on continuing to grow. Street workout showed me how to care & respect others, how to forgive & learn from the mistakes of the past; not forgetting them but taking what I needed to learn from the experience in order to free myself and move on

What are your short term, mid term and long term goals with street workout?
I have life term goal with Street workout, my goal is to building an arena for Street workout here in Norway together with my team (Team Physix) Founded in 2012 by myself & Fredrik Kindberg.
Train and build up new future athletes for the sport years to come, we want to bring MOVEMENT of the body back to life, no matter the age or sex.
Bring the youth from the streets and introduce them to street workout, the community, the friendship. Give them the help and motivation needed to get them back up on their feet. Calisthenics/Street workout is more THAN the sport, it’s way of life. It has proved to have saved lives & we in Team Physix believe we can save more.
How many times do you workout during the week?
I like to train 7 days a week, I don’t think anyone can actually put a number on how many times a person should train or not. I Belive in that You have to learn you’re own ways, pay attention to how you’re body functions and adapts, with time you will learn to know your own limits. The Sooner you find out you’re own limits, the sooner you can break them.

Do you have any specific workout plan or you just improvise and do your thing?
I have tried different ways to progress the best way in Street workout, my main focus the last year has been to get better on my freestyle. Freestyle is more relaxed way of training, it’s all about imagination and facing your fears, reason I say “face your fears” cause there will a come time you have to let go of the bar and twist,turn, flip , you name it.
My plan now onwards is to go back to my basics, 5 days with basic (Strength progression) and 1-2 days pure freestyle. On my basic days I will be listing a 1-2 power moves witch I will focus 110% on, work on it for a few weeks so I can gain the strength, understand the move & also learn more of what my body can & can’t do.

Which would be the most complex move you achieved (tell us about the process it took you, to achieve it)?
My singature moves: The Aztec Muscle Up & The Jackson Muscle Up
I found the idea  for my Aztec muscle up from the Aztec pushup,
(Aztec pushup starts from the ground going up)
(Aztec muscle up starts from the bar going up)
Well, I love dancing & I love Micheal Jackson. I use to dance for a few years before and this move came from my dance experience and great inspiration from the KING OF POP.
Thats why I call it The Jackson Muscle Up
In Street Workout Freestyle Imagination is the key to be free under & above the bar

Which would be the best experience you had doing street workout?
My best experience has to be the growth of my team, to watch each and every member grow day by day. The achievements they gain, every limit they break – the whole experience is so magical. For every new member we get in, we start over and we all go back to day 1 and grow together. We are strong alone but a force when we get together.

What inspire or motivate you to keep on doing street workout?
My team keeps me going, my family, the people who trust and love me.
The love and trust we have in our team is our best motivator, achieving and gaining new experiences each and every day is the reason for why I wake up every morning loving this sport.
Also meeting my inspirations, the people who I watched & kept watching so I could learn.
Big shoutout to J.Cake (Barstarzz) Frank Medrano , Hannibal, Bar Brothers , Calisthenics Kingz , Jordan Rollins, Christian Heria & Bar Tigers

Which would be the worst experience you had doing street workout?
To be honest, I don’t have any bad experiences with Street workout

What do you expect from the street workout community in the next couple of years?
Well, expect is a strong word when it comes to something so new but my wish, my hopes for this sport is of course that we all keep growing strong, keeping our close communities together.
I would like for us all no matter what country or color to unite & become one family, I can see it’s happening & been happening but let’s give a push for the years to come. We are great but we can be greater.
We need to take our small/big mistakes, learn from pasts experiences and build upon that.
If we do not have each other then what do we really have in this sport?
The bar might define the body but the person next to you will define your heart & soul.

Can you give an advise for all the people that would like to start doing street workout?
Hey everyone!
This is for everyone out there that wants to start calisthenics/street workout
Start small, take one day at a time. The strenght you want will come, the moves you want will show, everything comes at its given time. If you rush it, you might end up with injuries, injuries that might cause you never to be able to do a certain move you love again.
Family & friendship is important, find it, keep it and stay humble.
Remember that a winner is the person that never gives up and that person is you no matter if you compete or not change is not something easy but sometimes change is necessary to get a step further than where you are today or actually reaching your goal. You have to decide what you want to do with your life and who you want to become.

“If you want a garden full of flowers, you have to start by planting the first seed, have patience & let it grow”
Truly yours – Iron Monkey

Salute