Who is Ben Rogers?
Hey, I’m Ben Rogers – Calisthenics Coach, Athlete & Founder of The Vigilantes.
I started calisthenics at 12 through the army cadets, training with my mates and learning from YouTube in parks and garages. Over the years, I built real strength, mastered advanced statics, and competed at both regional and national levels, becoming the south west regional statics champion.
Now at 19, I coach others to do the same. Whether you're new to training or chasing elite-level goals, I’ll guide you with structured programs, competition-focused routines, and technical feedback that actually moves the needle. I also run local events, workshops, and train a team of athletes pushing the UK calisthenics scene forward.
If you're serious about getting strong, mastering skills like planches, muscle ups, front levers and handstands, or just want to train with purpose, I’ve got you.
My Story - The Starting Point
I was 12 when I first got into calisthenics, and to be honest, I didn’t feel confident in my body at all. I was smaller than most people my age, and deep down I felt weak not just physically, but mentally too. I didn’t fit the typical "sporty" mould, and I definitely wasn’t the loudest or most confident kid in the room.
It all started through the army cadet force, where we’d do basic bodyweight training. That’s where I met my two best mates, Logan and Nathan. We started training together, messing around on bars, trying pull-ups, and watching THENX videos like they were gospel. We didn’t have fancy equipment or coachesjust determination and a shared hunger to get stronger.
I remember struggling with simple things like push-ups and feeling embarrassed, but instead of backing off, I kept showing up. Day after day, rep after rep. That was the first time I realised: strength wasn’t something you had it was something you built.
Training gave me something to focus on something that made me feel capable. Every small win, every new rep, was proof that I was becoming more than just that insecure kid. I was building not just muscle, but confidence, discipline, and a sense of purpose I’d never had before.
My Story - Obsession To Purpose
As I got older, the training didn’t stop, it became an obsession. By the time I was 14, I wasn’t just doing push-ups and pull-ups anymore. I wanted to understand control, leverage, and how to manipulate my body through space. I was hooked on skills like muscle-ups, levers, handstands, even if I was miles off from actually getting them.
I trained every single day, sometimes twice, experimenting, failing, and figuring things out through trial and error. My friends Logan and Nathan were still right there beside me, all of us pushing each other in different ways. We didn’t just train, we studied calisthenics. We broke down movements, watched tutorials on repeat, and filmed each other to refine technique. We were just a bunch of teenagers chasing progress on rusty bars, but it meant everything to us.
By 16, things started clicking. I finally hit my muscle-up. My first front lever hold lasted about two seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. That feeling earning a skill after months of work is addictive. It gave me purpose, a reason to keep pushing.
But it wasn’t just the training that changed, I started to change too. I stood a little taller. I stopped comparing myself to others. The insecurity that used to eat at me was still there sometimes, but I finally had something stronger than that voice in my head: proof that I was capable of more.
This was no longer just a hobby, it was becoming part of my identity.
My Story - The Shift
At 17, everything changed.
Up until then, me, Logan, and Nathan had been training on our own — just raw drive, YouTube knowledge, and endless reps. But we didn’t really know what structured training looked like, or how far this calisthenics thing could actually go. That’s when we met Ben Lynch.
Ben was the first real calisthenics athlete and coach we’d ever seen in person. He moved differently — clean, controlled, strong in every position. But what really hit me was the way he trained: with purpose, with a system, with intent. He introduced us to proper statics programming, competition formats, recovery, periodisation — stuff we’d never thought about before.
It was like stepping into a whole new world.
That first training session with him lit a fire. I realised how much deeper this went — it wasn’t just about repping out pull-ups or chasing flashy moves. It was about building yourself from the ground up. And for the first time, I saw a clear path: to compete, to coach, to be part of this sport at a higher level.
So I locked in. My training got sharper. My mindset got clearer. I started following real programming, tracking progress, fixing weaknesses, and learning how to train with intent instead of ego.
By the time I turned 18, Ben had moved on to launch the UK Calisthenics Organisation and just like that, it was my turn to step up.
My Story - Taking The Torch
When Ben Lynch left to launch the UKCO, he handed over something that meant a lot to us, Calisthenexe. That name wasn’t just a group or a training page. It was the foundation of our scene where we started, where we learned, where we grew. And now it was mine to carry forward.
At 18, I wasn’t just training anymore, I was leading. Organising sessions. Helping younger and older athletes. Writing programs. And still pushing my own limits. I threw myself fully into the sport statics, freestyle, mobility, the lot. I started competing seriously, and eventually qualified for nationals, and becoming the South west regional statics champion.
That was a huge moment for me. Standing on that stage, surrounded by the best athletes in the country, I realised how far I’d come from that insecure 12-year-old in cadets struggling to do a push-up.
But it wasn’t just about me anymore.
Around this time, me, Logan, and Nathan sat down and started dreaming bigger. We wanted to go beyond just training, we wanted to build a community, a movement. Something raw, real, and athlete-led. That’s when we created The Vigilantes, a calisthenics team and brand focused on pushing the UK scene forward, hosting events, coaching, competing, and bringing people together through the sport.
It wasn’t about being flashy, it was about showing up, lifting each other up, and giving this sport the energy and respect it deserves.
I kept coaching, got qualified, and launched my own programs. I saw my first clients hit their first muscle-ups, planches, handstands and that feeling? Better than hitting the moves myself.
This was no longer just a personal journey.
It was a mission and now, I wasn’t doing it alone.
My Story - The Bigger Picture
Now at 19, with years of training, coaching, and competing behind me, I’ve realised this journey was never just about calisthenics.
It was about growth.
About turning insecurity into confidence.
Raw passion into purpose.
And a small local scene into something with national impact.
From running The Vigilantes to coaching clients across the UK, I’ve built a life around this sport. I’ve helped athletes prep for comps, unlock new skills, and find strength they didn’t know they had. And I’m only just getting started.
My vision now is bigger than me. I want to help shape the future of UK calisthenics, building up athletes, running events, and creating a culture that values real progress over hype.
That’s why I coach.
Because I know what it’s like to start from zero, to feel lost in training and unsure of your potential. And I also know what it feels like to build strength, unlock your first skills, and finally feel confident in your own body.
💪 Ready to Train With Me?
Whether you're new to calisthenics or aiming for the competition stage, I’ll guide you with a structured plan, constant support, and a system that gets real results.
📥 Apply for coaching today
🎯 Let’s build your strength, your mindset, and your story, together.
This isn’t just training.
It’s a movement.
And we’re just getting started.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
07956 151500
