Raising the Bar: UKBB 2025 pushes the UK Calisthenics Scene Forward

On the 5th of April 2025, the UK Bar Battle Calisthenics competition (UKBB 2025) took place at Tricknastics Academy, Erith. Two incredible calisthenic athletes, Chloe Palmer & Samuel Mccormick, known for their dynamics skills, organised the biggest dynamics-only competition in the UK. 



 With world-class athletes on the judging panel - Goku Nsudo, Jeka, and Charlie Tillett - the competition featured three categories: Beginner Freestyle, Female Freestyle, and Male Freestyle. 

Partners and sponsors included: Barmania Battles, Ramass Fitness, Ox Calisthenics, Gym Dough, VXS gymwear, and Roar Powers.

 The winners were: (Beginners) Oliver Rogers (3rd place), Dan Nowak (2nd place), Ali Shioui (1st place); (females) Annabel (3rd place), Charlotte Arch (2nd place), Lissiiss Nsudo-Parish (1st place); (males) Parawit Jangwanitlert (3rd place), Jimmy Cheung (1st place). 



 The organisers explained that the competition was created to boost the UK Calisthenics scene, both in terms of community building and athlete progression.

 “We want the UK to be a country that is known for its strong athletes - this is why we partnered with Barmania Battles (a huge international competition),” they shared. 

 They decided to allow the first-place winners, from both male and female categories, to skip the qualifiers entirely and were sent immediately to the main stage. 


 “The UK needed a level up, and we are trying to facilitate this.” “A lot of our athletes were purely statics athletes before they signed up and now they are all sending crazy skills like ‘360s’, ‘alley-oops’, ‘geingers’, ‘shrimp flips’, and more!” “They’re all wanting to continue this to prepare for the next one!

 We are so passionate about getting the UK to a level where we can compete internationally – and win.” “We are so, so happy with how our first ever calisthenics competition went. We have had mostly super positive feedback. We’re already planning to host a bar jam for the community later this year, which will also help fund our next competition - even bigger and even better.” 

Fifteen-year-old Dan Nowak - the youngest athlete in the competition - and 3rd place winner, shared:

 “It was awesome getting on the podium of my category! The help and support every single person gave at this competition and any Calisthenics event has meant that I have never felt excluded.” 


 With his thanks to Sam and Chloe, he confirmed that the competition was held to an amazing standard and wasn’t expecting much as his dynamics training is a work in progress. Chloe and Sam expressed heartfelt thanks to all participants, photographers, and organisers who made the day possible.

 “The athletes left everything they had on the bar and it was really reflected in their performances.”

 They also shouted out their massage therapist @upsamdown and official photographer @r_.ph0tography, who both worked hard throughout the day. 

“We’re so excited for everyone to see the photos – and we can’t wait for the next one.” 

 Photo credits to Reni, @r_.ph0tography, and Deni Panev, @sharkstenics47 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rebellion Teen ‘Trapper’ Expelled From Every School; From Streets to Saved: Kani’s Powerful Transformation

Image
 As a young teen , it’s easy to slip into bad habits, especially when the wrong crowd influences you. Sometimes, it feels like you’re stuck in a place you know isn’t healthy, but it’s not until you discover your true purpose that you begin to see a way out. Photo credits: Kani Prabaharan   Kani Prabaharan , only 18 years old , admits to a past where being caught by the police, expelled from every school, and dealing weed was what he thought was him ‘making something of himself’. With no role model to look up to, only his mum, he knew letting her down was proving him guilty and ashamed. It wasn’t until his mum found 500g of weed under his bed in big see-through Ziplock bags, that broke his heart and hers… So, what changed? A powerful sport called calisthenics became his purpose, drive, and ticket to self-discovery and strength internally and externally. No other sport fosters a community quite like calisthenics, where authenticity, skill-building, long-term goal-sett...
Read more

WSWCF Makes Global History with the 2025 Calisthenics World Championship in Bulgaria

Image
Elite athletes, rising nations, and global icons unite in Sofia, Bulgaria for the sport’s most powerful and inclusive event to date. Elana Lyubenova Andrey Andreev Tomas Popisil and Daniel Hristov                                                                                     Stoyan Pavlov From April 24th to 27th , Sofia, Bulgaria became the epicentre of global calisthenics , hosting the prestigious  World Street Workout & Calisthenics Federation (WSWCF) Championship 2025 . The championship brought together the strongest, most skilled, and most passionate figures in the sport for what proved to be the biggest historic event . Athletes ranged from seasoned veterans to first-time competitors ; the categories showcased the depth and diversity of talent within the worl...
Read more

Calisthenics for Social Impact: Gymshark Partners with Anti-Knife Crime Charity Steel Warriors

Image
Image credits, Amrit Kaur In today’s world, gym memberships are becoming increasingly expensive, social exclusion is on the rise, and knife crime remains a significant issue in the UK. This is where the sport of calisthenics steps in. Not everyone is familiar with the term 'calisthenics', much less what it entails. This growing sport, which relies solely on body-weighted movements, is now being harnessed as a tool to drive social change , specifically in the fight against knife crime in the UK. Steel Warriors , an anti-knife crime charity , has been innovatively addressing this issue: by recycling steel from confiscated knives to build outdoor street gyms . Since 2019, over 100,000 knives have been removed from the streets, and since its inception in 2017, Steel Warriors has been on a mission to melt down these weapons and turn them into gyms that provide young people with a positive alternative . The goal is to help those affected by knife crime, violence, and social ...
Read more