Inside ENERGY, the Performance Brand Seizing the Calisthenics Moment in NYC
SportsVerse sat down with the mastermind behind the Brooklyn-based brand's early success, which has already led to partnerships with big names like sneaker giant Brooks.
Hi everyone, and welcome back to SportsVerse, my twice-weekly newsletter that tells stories you can't find anywhere else about the intersection of sports, fashion, business, and culture.
As we established on SportsVerse just weeks ago (in an article that is now my second-most shared newsletter of 2025), calisthenics is the latest shiny fitness trend to take the attention of major brands in the fashion and sportswear worlds.
Whenever a movement like this happens, it’s always important to shine a light on the individuals who have been laying the groundwork for all these subcultures to have their ultimate moment in the spotlight. It’s especially important given how quickly these things are consumed by deep-pocketed entities as soon as they hit the mainstream — take the commodification of running as an example, or the commercialisation of the tunnel walk phenomenon in basketball and beyond.
These individual catalysts and innovators also serve as conduits for larger brands looking to show up among these subcultures authentically. In the world of calisthenics, we have seen Nike tap cool kid fitness collective PNP for access to the community over in London, using both campaigns and IRL events.
Meanwhile, in New York, one of the new brands causing a scene is ENERGY, run by a talented guy by the name of Christian. His brand — and more importantly, the community of people in the crossover world between calisthenics and running that it attracts — is beginning to catch the attention of people far and wide, with brands like American running giant Brooks (which supported a recent ENERGY event in NYC) seeking to tap into the booming audience for the practice (and aesthetic) of calisthenics.
For today’s newsletter, I caught up with Christian to find out more about his journey up until this point, his introduction to calisthenics, and of course, all about his nascent brand, ENERGY.
DYM: Talk to us about your journey to this point.
Christian: I grew up in Canada, born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. In my teen years all I really cared about was skateboarding and doing graffiti, which eventually led me to leave Calgary and move to Montreal at the age of 18. From 2014 to 2018, I bounced around quite a bit. During these years I had the opportunity to travel and see the world. These years really shaped me and inspired me to believe that anything is possible. Shouts out to all the homies that held me down or let me crash on their couch! During my travels, I met my now wife, and we moved to NYC together.
Through mutual friends, I was introduced to Colin at Homerun, and I began working there when the shop first opened. I consider Colin my mentor and OG in a lot of ways. He’s taught me a lot. Major shouts out and love to him; I would not be where I am today without him. Homerun’s obvious trajectory was in the world of streetwear and graffiti subculture, but ultimately, through Colin’s interests and passion for fitness, it became the cultural fitness hub that it is today. In the first year of opening, Homerun started doing run clubs on Saturdays, and it’s now turned into a much larger thing, where Homerun is now hosting runs and events worldwide!
My fitness journey began during COVID times, and by this time, I had been partying a little too much and I felt it catching up to me. My best friend Danny called me out on it and started taking me to the gym. He’s an amazing jeweler, shout out to @garbageriche! The gym started to get a little repetitive, and I started seeing people doing calisthenics in the park and in online videos, which inspired me to check it out. I quickly became obsessed, and the idea for Energy kind of organically came from that.
DYM: What’s your relationship with calisthenics — how did you get into it, and what kind of role does it play in your life/fitness?
Christian: At the beginning of my fitness journey, I was going to the gym a lot, running a traditional split: push, pull, legs twice a week. I was getting really big and bulky. I was definitely strong, but I didn’t really feel very athletic. I started off learning basic calisthenics and started incorporating some simple workouts into my routine, over time, I began leaning into it more. I’m now at the point where I haven’t gone to a traditional gym in over a year, and I do the majority of my workouts outside. Maybe it sounds corny but it’s a lifestyle, it’s changed the way I live and has made me a better person.
Calisthenics is real functional strength. In many ways it’s comparable to skateboarding, just like skating, you must master the fundamentals before you start trying more advanced tricks. (Ollie, Kickflip, Tre-flip, etc.) Calisthenics is the same in the way that it’s all about progressions. If you want to learn something more advanced, there’s a basic progression for everything, and a way to work towards your goal. Everything is achievable through hard work and dedication. Calisthenics has me outside everyday, meeting interesting people, kicking it, and sharing stories. Everyone’s super positive, and it’s an inclusive space where there’s room for people from all walks of life. Learning skills and getting better has become an obsession for me, and currently it’s the only form of fitness I’m interested in.
Tell me about ENERGY — why you started it, what the mission is and what the opportunity is to create gear for the calisthenics community?
I wanted to start something that was authentic, calisthenics is something I love and feel very passionate about. ENERGY is ultimately a creative outlet for me to make technical gear that’s functional and also aligns with my interests. I’ve been working on ENERGY for the past two years. I really want to make gear that’s high-quality and that has integrity, which is why it took me years to finalize the first designs and put something out. I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to things like design, packaging, placement, and I do everything myself, from technical drawings to manufacturing, sourcing materials to marketing to the website.
My hope for ENERGY is to be a key player, to help shape this new age of fitness and continue to be a catalyst for calisthenics. We recently partnered with Brooks, to host a street-workout event in NYC. It’s been amazing to see all the support from the community.
DYM: Calisthenics seems to be experiencing a mainstream wave of popularity, growing out of communities that have been practising it for decades — why do you think it’s hitting this new level?
Christian: Honestly, the internet. This new wave of amazing calisthenics athletes and influencers like CX` Blackcat, Max Effort, and Calisthenics Prince make this shit seem so cool, like why would you not want to do it? I think it’s amazing that the youth are being inspired to be healthy and take care of themselves. When I was growing up, most of my influences were drinking, smoking, breaking the law. It’s great to see the youth embracing something new and positive.
Right now, it seems like calisthenics is the fastest-growing thing in fitness culture. I feel very grateful to be a part of this community, and to see it grow, and inspire!
DYM: Through the recent ENERGY events you have been putting on, have you attracted interest from larger sportswear/sneaker brands who want to partner with you?
Christian: We’re cooking right now!
DYM: Why do you think the world of calisthenics is so closely linked to running?
I think because of how accessible they both are. The reason running is so amazing is that all you need is a pair of sneakers. It’s the same with calisthenics; all you need is your body. They also go hand in hand. I would say practising calisthenics can support your running and vice versa. I think it also provides something that the gym doesn’t really have which is real community.
That’s all for today, friends. Thanks for coming along for the ride. And a big thanks to the legendary Christian for joining us. Be sure to follow him here and check out ENERGY too.
See you next time,
DYM
Love how he names and gives credit to all the people that brought him to where he is today. It takes a village!
Homerun crew ⚾️