Enter the Kettlebell!: Strength Secret of the Soviet Supermen

Free Pdfs Pavel Tsatsouline

With Enter the Kettlebell! Pavel delivers a significant upgrade to his original landmarkwork, The Russian Kettlebell Challenge. Drawing on five years of developing and leadingthe world's first and premiere kettlebell instructor certification program, and afterspending five years of additional research into what really works for dramatic results withthe kettlebell-we have Enter the Kettlebell!Pavel lays out a foolproof master system thatguarantees you success-if you simply follow the commands! . Develop all-purposestrength-to easily handle the toughest and most unexpected demand.. Maximize stayingpower-because the last round decides all. Forge a fighter's physique-because the formmust follow the functionEnter the kettlebell!-and follow the plan:1. The New RKC ProgramMinimumWith just two kettlebell exercises, takes you from raw newbie to solid contender-well-conditioned, flexible, resilient and muscular in all the right places.2. The RKC Rite ofPassage Jumps you to the next level of physical excellence with Pavel's proven RKCformula for exceptional strength and conditioning. 3. Become a Man Among MenPropelsyou to a Special Forces level of conditioning.

About the AuthorPavel Tsatsouline, is a former Soviet Special Forces physical traininginstructor, who helped Dragon Door Publications initiate the modern kettlebellmovement. Pavel is regarded as one of the premier strength authorities in the worldtoday, having created the first-ever kettlebell instructor certification system and being theauthor of the first-ever book on the subject of kettlebell training.--This text refers to thepaperback edition.

ENTER THE KETTLEBELL!Strength Secret of The Soviet SupermenBY PAVELENTER THEKETTLEBELL!Strength Secret of The Soviet SupermenBY PAVELCopyright ©2006 Power byPavel, Inc.All rights under International and Pan-American Copyrightconventions.Published in the United States by:Dragon Door Publications, IncP.O. Box 4381,St. Paul, MN 55104Tel: (651) 487-2180 • Fax: (651) 487-3954Credit card orders:1-800-899-5111Email: dragondoor@aol.com • Website:This edition first published in April2006No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without theprior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.Printed inthe United States of AmericaBook design, Illustrations, logos, photo manipulation andcover by Derek BrighamWebsite • Tel/Fax: (763) 208-3069 • Email:dbrigham@visi.comPhotographs by Don Pitlik: (612) 252-6797DISCLAIMERThe author andpublisher of this material are not responsible in any manner whatsoever for any injurythat may occur through following the instructions contained in this material. The activities,physical and otherwise, described herein for informational purposes only, may be toostrenuous or dangerous for some people and the reader(s) should consult a physicianbefore engaging in them.—Table of Contents—Foreword by Dan JohnPreface: A Step tothe Left and I Shoot“Do it this way!”… the no more guesswork, failure is not an optionquick start guide to kettlebell success… Power to the People! for kettlebells.Introduction:When We Say “Strength,” We Mean “Kettlebell.” When We Say “Kettlebell,” We Mean“Strength.”How the Kettlebell Has Bred Weakness Out of the Russian Gene PoolTheRussian recipe for doubling or tripling your strength… Sergey Mishin—from 17-year oldweakling to the number-one kettlebell lifter in the world… girevik as the symbol ofstrength… Pyotr Kryloff, the “King of Kettlebells”… Russian Olympic weightlifting or “heavyathletics” and Dr. Vladislav Krayevskiy, the father of kettlebells… the “courage corner”… thetoughest troops… kettlebells as the backbone of Russian military strength training…Russian law enforcement and kettlebells… prison inmates and kettlebell training… whySoviet scientists gave the kettlebell two thumbs-up… the Voropayev study—kettlebellsboost pull-ups, jumping, and running… the Vinogradov & Lukyanov study—kettlebellsimprove fitness across the board… the studies by Luchkin and Laputin—kettlebellsimprove coordination and agility… the Lopatin study—the stronger a soldier is withkettlebells, the faster on the obstacle course… the Soviet armed forces strength trainingmanual—kettlebell training “one of the most effective means of strength development…new era in the development of human strength-potential”… the Shevtsova study—lowering the heart rate and blood pressure naturally… why this hardcore tool issurprisingly safe… the Gomonov study—consistently low body fat in kettlebell lifters…Rasskazov—balanced development of all organs and musculature with significanthypertrophy of shoulder girdle.Chronicle of the Russian Kettlebell Invasion ofAmericaKettlebells and the American iron men of old… Bob Peoples and Sig Klein… rise ofthe machines… Marty Gallagher, MILO and the subversive Vodka, Pickle Juice, Kettlebell

Lifting, and Other Russian Pastimes, 1998… John Du Cane and the manufacture of the firstRussian kettlebell in America, publication of first book and DVD, The Russian KettlebellChallenge, 2001… national media explosion, 2002… kettlebells change the face of exercisein America.Chapter 1: Enter the Kettlebell!Which Kettlebells Should I Start With?What is akettlebell? . . . main benefits of kettlebell training… guidelines—choosing the correct size ofkettlebell for men and women of differing backgrounds, strength and skills… do you needtwo kettlebells of the same size? … understanding your goals with kettlebells—why highernumbers or heavier is not necessarily better.How to Make Your Hips, Back, and ShouldersSpeak Russian Body LanguageStop driving with your parking brake on… developingflexibility in the hip flexors for greater power… the kettlebell preschool test… the kettlebellSumo Deadlift checklist… flexibility remedy: Face-the-Wall Squat—how to make the fastestgains… the Halo for looser shoulders… the Pump Stretch… the kettlebell Sumo DeadliftLockout checklist.“It’s Your Fault”: Kettlebell Safety 101Ten key tips to have your strengthand your health too… checking with the correct medical professional… managing yourenvironment… Party approved footwear for those who choose to say no to poorperformance, punishment or injury… pleading no contest for space with the kettlebell…practicing safety to make safety permanent… why cool-downs, not warm-ups are essentialfor your health and safety… what you must know about your heart rate and kettlebelltraining… common sense and training loads.Safety as a Part of, Not the Opposite of,PerformanceNine secrets for guaranteeing greater strength and reduced risk of injury inyour kettlebell training… moving from the hips… the special hip-fold… why you must avoidslouching after workouts—and what to do instead… staying tight in the waist, to protectthe back… when and where to stay loose in your movement… taming the arc… keeping theshoulders in their sockets… shoulder retraction drill… pull-up bar drill… how to avoidhyperextending your wrists… locking out the elbows—why and when… the secrets ofproper hand care—for longevity in your kettlebell lifting… lotions, potions and othernecessary evils for the task in hand… more expert advice from the hand-abuse-trenches.Chapter 2: The New RKC Program MinimumPractice Before Workout: The Break-in PlanThe two staples of the Russian Kettlebell Challenge program—Swing and Get-up…building skill by practicing, not working out.The Swing—for Legs and Conditioning ThatWon’t QuitThe single most effective strength and conditioning exercise in the world? …mechanics of a good and a bad Swing… the three essential standards for a perfect Swing… Swing mastery, Step #1, the Box Squat… powerlifters’ secret for improving squat depth,flexibility, technique, and power… special tips, techniques and warnings… Swing mastery,Step #2, the Box Squat to a vertical jump… Swing mastery, Step #3, the Towel Swing… fast-forward your technique with this high-yield drill… taking the upper body out of theequation… self-correction and quicker feedback for faster progress… proper timingbetween hip movement and the arms… Swing mastery, Step #4, the Swing proper…correct and incorrect breathing… the one-arm swing… the hand-to-hand swing.The Get-up—for Shoulders That Can Take Punishment and Dish It OutMiraculous shouldercomebacks… developing shoulder mobility and stability… pressing heavier… the six

essential standards for a perfect Get-up… Get-up mastery, Step #1, pick you kettlebell upand put it down safely… how to pick up the kettlebell without straining the elbow… thecorrect grip and shoulder placement… Get-up mastery, Step #2, keep your elbow straightand your shoulder in its socket… a great visualization from Iyengar Yoga… Get-up mastery,Step #3, the Half Get-up… magical fix for many a ruined shoulder… Get-up mastery, Step#4, the Get-up all the way… a word of caution… a typical mistake and how to avoid it.TheNew RKC Program MinimumFor the most important and immediate concerns: world-classconditioning, rapid fat loss, a steel back, muscular, flexible, and resilient shoulders—and askill base for the rest of the RKC drills… “simple and sinister” S&C routine.The NextStepWhat to do next, once you are rocking on the RKC Program Minimum.Chapter 3: TheRKC Rite of PassageThe RKC Proven Formula: Low-Rep Grinds + High-Rep Quick LiftsWhatis a kettlebell? . . . main benefits of kettlebell training… guidelines—choosing the correctsize of kettlebell for men and women of differing backgrounds, strength and skills… doyou need two kettlebells of the same size? … understanding your goals with kettlebells—why higher numbers or heavier is not necessarily better.A Pull and a Press—SoundFamiliar?A PTP format for kettlebells… the essence of minimalist training… why for mostpulls are preferable to squats… pulls to build backs… a dramatic way to reduce backinjuries… building stronger abs… forging a vice grip… why kettlebell presses rule… how togo from regular guy to hard guy—a set of goals… and a set of goals for women.The Clean—Crisp Like a PunchDefining the RKC Clean… difference from Olympic Clean… the sixessential standards for a perfect Clean… Clean mastery, Step #1, the grip… how to avoidweakness and injury with your grip… difference between grip for the get-up and otherslow lifts… fine-tuning the grip… Clean mastery, Step #2, the rack… a method foraccelerating Clean mastery… the perfect girevik posture… how to properly protect yourback when you clean… correct elbow placement… a “forced relaxation” technique toimprove your racking… Clean mastery, Step #3, the drop… how to build confidence withthe drop… fine-tuning the drop… Clean mastery, Step #4, the Clean proper… retracing thedrop trajectory… a helpful visualization… fine-tuning the clean…. using a wall to help yourClean technique.The Press—for a Classic TorsoThe five essential standards for a perfectPress… Press mastery, Step #1, the loaded Clean… the characteristics of a kettlebell pro’sPress… how to wield awesome pressing power… bracing for the weight… Prof.Verkhoshansky’s secret for improving your performance by up to 20 percent… Pressmastery, Step #2, push yourself away from the kettlebell… correct shoulder and elbowplacement for a maximal Press… a cool doorway drill to increase your pressing power…two prerequisites for great strength… how to avoid “leakages”… Press mastery, Step #3,the groove… the correct trajectory for the groove… key visualizations for Press success…correct hip placement for a safe Press… how to avoid leaning back in the Press… where tolook when pressing, to save your neck and back… Press mastery, Step #4, use the breathto maintain tension… employing “breathing behind the shield” and other power breathingtechniques… Press mastery, Step #5, lower the kettlebell… maintaining correct tension…the two ways to press for reps… the different benefits of the Clean & Press and the

Military Press—and which to focus on, when… the RKC operating system for Presses.TheSnatch—for Android Work Capacity and the Pain Tolerance of an ImmortalThe Tsar ofkettlebell lifts… snatches for military and law enforcement… physical and mental benefitsof the Snatch… The six essential standards for a perfect Snatch… Snatch mastery, Step #1,the High Pull… a method for accelerating the Snatch learning curve… strengthening thetraps… Snatch mastery, Step #2, the lockout… the Snatch as a three-stage rocket…finessing the stages for an optimal Snatch… Snatch mastery, Step #3, don’t bang yourforearm… taming the arc for the snatch… the punch-up secret… Snatch mastery, Step #4,don’t strain your shoulder or elbow… refinements… Snatch mastery, Step #5, the drop…Snatch mastery, Step #6, switch hands… the USSS Counter Assault Team 10-Minute SnatchTest… the history and philosophy of the 10-minute snatch test… exhaustion, horror,intestinal fortitude—and buckets… the RKC operating system for pulls.Chapter 4: A Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Man Among MenHave Your Borsch and Eat It Too: TheHazards of Variety and How to Dodge ThemA system for the really ambitious man… thecyclical nature of complex phenomena… constructive corrections and waving the loads…the function of variety days… working your “in-between strength”… schedules for the RKCRight of Passage.The RKC Ladder to Pressing PowerThe intensity and volume equation…intensity benchmarks… the “ladder,” for highly effective strength building… sampleladdering program for a Clean and Press… the perfect rest interval between sets… the roleof density in your strength training… George Hackenschmidt’s regimen… compressed restperiods… the RKC Rite of Passage Presses schedule and progression… Pull-ups as a greataddition to your Presses.Rest Less, Snatch MoreThe kettlebell rules for conditioning…when to do your high-rep kettlebell pulls… the heavy-light-medium template… how to logyour workouts… the RKC Rite of Passage Pulls schedule… warning for shoulders andelbows in your first year of kettlebelling… “pumping the injury through”—handling a tweakcorrectly… “kettlebell rounds”… timed sets, not reps… how to get the same results fordifferent fitness levels with the same workout… when your spirit is tougher than yourhands… back expert’s warning about posture after vigorous exercise… back bends andrelaxation exercises… what to do if you have tweaked your back… from glass calm to storm—rolling the dice and the Russian science of periodization in your kettlebell training… high-intensity intervals—the new Rx for heart health.From Boy to ManTesting yourself forprogress in the RKC Rite of Passage… how to best test your Clean and Press… thekettlebell Clean and Press rules… how to test your Snatch… the United States SecretService kettlebell Snatch rules… three sample test days… the RKC Rite of Passage trainingplan summary… Nietzsche’s formula for success… how to measure a man’s truecharacter.Chapter 5: FAQIs kettlebell training a fad?What makes the kettlebell superior toother weights and fitness equipment?The kettlebell’s one-stop-shop efficiency… the AK-47of physical training hardware.Should I train with the kettlebell as a stand-alone tool or mixit up with a barbell and dumbbells?The two ways to train with the Russian kettlebell.Howcan I combine kettlebell training with Power to the People! and The Naked Warrior?Thetwo new options.How can I incorporate Bullet-Proof Abs exercises into my kettlebell

regimen?I have a bad back. Can I train with kettlebells?The top five reasons RKC kettlebelltraining is great for your back… strengthening the glutes to combat gluteal amnesia and adysfunctional back… promoting hip flexor flexibility… Dr. McGill and developing backextensor endurance… bracing for spinal stability… ballistic loading to reduce the odds ofarthritis.What diet do you recommend?Will kettlebells help my sport-specific strength?Thepros and cons of sports-specific training… the kettlebell “what-the-hell effect” forimproving at things you have not practiced… professional powerlifting and marathonrunning success stories… how to truly excel at a certain exercise… when to do “specialstrength” training… customized for what?... beware the moonshine—the dangers of home-brewed coaching.Why are your exercise descriptions so detailed? Come on, kettlebells arenot rocket science!Reverse-engineering what the greats do naturally… learning how tomove like the elite… refining the basics.Can I substitute the . . . with the . . . ?Once I haveput up the RKC Rite of Passage numbers, where do I go next?If Russian stuff is so tough,why did the USSR lose the Cold War“Russian squirrel pack kills dog”—a lesson for the well-fed.Chapter 6: The Making of a KettlebellThe Making of a KettlebellThe kettlebell pattern…pressing the kettlebell mold… molding the BEAST… food for the fiery furnace… crucible fora hot kettlebell… pouring the kettlebell molds… breaking open the kettlebell molds…shaking out the kettlebell… hammer and kettlebell… sandblasting the kettlebell… grindingthe kettlebell.About the AuthorIndexFOREWORD BY DAN JOHN“DO THIS!”Within minutesof meeting Pavel Tsatsouline for the first time, I was being split fore and aft and being toldto tighten my hip as Pavel slapped it. I was stiff in the hip flexors and, well, Pavel was goingto do his best to fix it. All I know is that I came away from our first meeting with flexiblehips, a plan for lifting for the next year, and, most important, a great respect for PavelTsatsouline. Since meeting Pavel, I have seen literally hundreds of his posts on theInternet, read all of his books (although, to the teacher in me, "textbooks" seems morecorrect), and watched his library of DVDs. Whenever I review his work, one concept comesinto my head: Do This!The greatest challenge in fitness, health, life performance, andsports is walking the narrow balance beam between too much variety and no variety. Youknow, I love Thanksgiving dinner, but not every day. One day, someone might find theperfect diet with one superfood, but I doubt many people—short of living on a desertisland—would follow this diet for very long. Pavel Tsatsouline hit the mark perfectly in hisbook Power to the People!Power to the People! had all the earmarks of a perfect program:Do This. And, "this" was deadlifts and side presses. He offered suggestions for furthervariation, but, honestly, one could have a successful career with just those two lifts. I haveit on good authority—several drinks at a bar with these throwers—that many world-ranked track and field throwers are currently doing JUST that workout.So, you may wellask, why do we need another kettlebell book? Where are the mad throngs of crazed healthenthusiasts demanding Enter the Kettlebell!? You know what? They are everywhere! Earlyin Enter the Kettlebell! Pavel quotes J.M. Martin, who writes, "I was fine doing a Power tothe People! workout because I knew exactly what to do. The book broke it down idiotproof for me and it worked. I made enormous gains. Well, now I have a kettlebell and I

want to make a set-in-stone path to follow." Martin echoes what I have heard from legionsof kettlebell enthusiasts: "What do I do? I’ve got the book/video/DVD/workshop/seminar/article . . . now how do I do ‘what’ when?"Enter the Kettlebell!Personally, the RKC ProgramMinimum was enough for me. "Here you go . . . DO THIS!" could be the subtitle for the firstfew chapters. Two exercises. Each exercise twice a week. A push and a pull (holy Power tothe People!, Batman). For the majority of kettlebell users, here you go . . . a plan tofollow.Pavel, however, delivers more. The chapter on the "Rite of Passage" gives us a step-by-step approach to literally climbing the ladder of kettlebell exercises. Moreover, thesection "The Hazards of Variety and How to Dodge Them" is a century of knowledgecompressed into a few pages. If you liked the “old school" approach, open your eyes andsee the classic training methods from a kettlebell perspective.Clearly, this book is not theend point. Pavel notes, "I never stop polishing my training system, which is why you willfind some inconsistencies between The Russian Kettlebell Challenge and Enter theKettlebell! The latter book takes precedence. At the RKC, we never rest."I have somesimple advice for you:Do this.Dan John is your typical coach. A Fulbright Scholar to Egypt,Dan has advanced degrees in history and religious education. He has traveled the worlddealing with parasites, customs officials and a terrible accent in every language he haslearned...so much so, that both Turkish and Hebrew speakers have asked him to stopspeaking their language.When not working as a professor of religious studies, Dan is a full-time strength coach and Head Track and Field coach at Juan Diego Catholic High School inDraper, Utah. Dan has multiple national and state championships in the discus, Olympiclifting, Highland Games and the Weight Pentathlon.Dan John is the author of twoinstructional DVDs, Carried Away, on carrying, dragging and pulling objects for strengthand conditioning, and From the Ground Up, that teaches weightlifting fundamentalsquickly and correctly, the old-school way. Both DVDs are available at . Dan also maintainsthe “world’s largest” free website dedicated to lifting and throwing stuff at .PREFACEA Stepto the Left and I ShootRemember Robin Williams’ Soviet defector character in Moscow onthe Hudson? The recovering Commie just wanted to buy some coffee. In the USSR he hadhad two choices: ‘We have coffee’ or, more likely, “We are out of coffee.” When he saw thevariety of products in the coffee isle of a New York City supermarket, he nearly had anervous breakdown.The mind-boggling diversity of kettlebell exercises and applicationscan make the aspiring kettlebeller feel like the Russkie defector. The freestyle trainingprogram in my book The Russian Kettlebell Challenge kicked off a tyranny of kettlebellchoices that has continued with the smorgasbord of exercises on my DVDs and thosemade by my senior instructors.“Maybe someone can help,” asked Comrade J.M. Martin ina thread titled “Kettlebell Confused” on our forum. “I have read all I can find on kettlebellsand have to say I am at loss as to making a program. I was fine doing a Power to thePeople! workout because I knew exactly what to do. The book broke it down idiot proof forme and it worked. I made enormous gains. Well now I have a kettlebell and I want to makea set in stone path to follow. . . .”Enter the Kettlebell! is your “set in stone path,” theruthlessly efficient Power to the People! for kettlebells. A step to the left and I

shoot.Russian kettlebell power to you!PavelINTRODUCTIONWhen We Say “Strength,” WeMean “Kettlebell.” When We Say “Kettlebell,” We Mean “Strength.”If Charles Atlas wereRussian, he could have told a different story…Sergey Mishin was a heavy, slow, decidedlynonathletic kid. He picked up his first kettlebell, a 53-pounder, at 17 and was dismayedwhen he could not lift it with either arm. Undeterred by his weakness, Mishin found aplumbing pipe, hammered its middle flat so it would hold the kettlebell handle in place,and started jerking the kettlebell with two hands, like a barbell. The year was 1975. Twoyears later, Mishin could press a 70-pounder, which he had found abandoned in a parkafter a festival held on Railroad Worker Day, 30 times with each arm.Mishin keptkettlebelling in the army, and when he was discharged he bragged to a friend that hewould make a Master of Sports national ranking in the first kettlebell lifting competition heentered. And he did!Sergey lost more than 100 pounds; became fast, wiry. And went on tobecome the number-one kettlebell lifter in the world—170 jerks with a pair of 70-poundkettlebells in 10 minutes!—and Russia’s sport legend. The president of Russia awardedMishin a medal “For Accomplishments for the Benefit of the Motherland.” (II degree).Thecover of a 1915 issue of Hercules, Tsarist Russia’s strength magazine.In Russia kettlebellsare a matter of national pride and a symbol of strength. In the olden days, any strongmanor weightlifter was referred to as a girevik, or “kettlebell man.” Steeled by their kettlebells,generation after generation of Russian boys has turned to men. A century before Mishin,another young boy, Pyotr Kryloff, found kettlebells at a butcher’s shop. It was love at firstsight. Pyotr never parted with his kettlebells, and when he became a merchant marine hetook them with him around the world. Eventually the kettlebell fanatic became a circusstrongman and performed until he was 60. The public called him the “King of Kettlebells.”Kryloff could cross himself in the Russian Orthodox manner with a 70-pound kettlebell,military pressed the same kettlebell with one arm 88 times, and juggled three of them atonce! Pyotr applied his kettlebell power to all sorts of feats. He broke stones with his fist,bent coins, made “ties” and “bracelets” out of strips of iron, broke horseshoes, jerked a“barbell” with two beefy soldiers sitting inside two hollow spheres, and set a few worldweightlifting records.Pyotr Kryloff, “the King of Kettlebells,” could cross himself in theRussian Orthodox manner with a 70-pound kettlebell, military pressed the same kettlebellwith one arm 88 times, and juggled three of them at once!Enter “Heavy Athletics”“It can besaid with a good deal of certainty that Russian weightlifting was born and grew thanks tothe devotees of the kettlebell sport,” stated Weightlifting Masters World Champion Prof. L.Dvorkin. Indeed, it was the father of kettlebells, Dr. Vladislav Krayevskiy, who coined theterm “heavy athletics” (tyazholaya atletika), the name for the sport of Olympic weightliftingin today’s Russia.Dr. Krayevskiy, the father of kettlebells.The Red Army and the kettlebellare inseparable. Every Russian military unit has a gym called “the courage corner.” Everycourage corner is equipped with kettlebells. While other countries waste time testing theirtroopers with push-ups, Russia tests repetition kettlebell snatches with a 53-poundkettlebell. “The rank and file of the Red Army was magnificent from a physical point ofview,” marveled Lt. Gen. Giffard Martel, chief of the British military mission to the USSR

during World War II. “Much of the equipment we carry on vehicles accompanying theinfantry is carried on the man’s back in Russia. The Russians seem capable of carryingthese great loads. They are exceptionally tough.”Law enforcement tactical teams—eventhe Russian federal tax police, who are handier with firearms than with calculators—alsomake kettlebells their strength training tool of choice. In the last days of the Soviet empire,the prison system was plagued with riots and hostage situations. Interior ministry troopswere called in to suppress the riots. They did the job, but finesse was sure lacking. Forinstance, in 1986 they stormed a prison camp and burned it to the ground in the processof ruthlessly suppressing the riot.In 1991 the interior ministry formed special tacticalteams for every administrative prison district. Their mission: hostage rescue, riotsuppression, search and arrest of escaped criminals. Since that memorable year when theUSSR fell apart, these TAC teams have earned their keep on many occasions, in harshRussian prisons and in Chechnya.Russian federal prison SWAT teams are manned withformer military special operators, paras, and vets of other elite services; each one had tocompete against nine or more rival applicants to make the team. The selection process issimilar to that of the army Spetsnaz. Here is what the trooper has to do back-to-back: a10K forced march in full kit, an obstacle course and rappelling, plus another 10K run. Acherry on the top when you are beyond smoked is a 12-minute full-contact sparringsession—with fresh opponents rotating in every three minutes. Once on the team,operators aggressively compete against their colleagues in the frequently held lawenforcement sports events. Their specialties: hand-to-hand combat and the kettlebellsport. A matter of specificity and pride.It is hard to understand the logic of governments—both Russian and American—that encourage inmates to strength train, but Russianprisoners lift kettlebells as well. You may have seen the black-and-white archive footage ina History Channel documentary about Russian organized crime—a wiry prisoner doingkettlebell swings, flips, and side presses. Some Russian prisons even host kettlebellcompetitions for the inmates! Go figure. Perhaps the law enforcement likes a challenge.Inthe 20th century, Soviet science validated what Russian hard men had known forcenturies: kettlebell lifting is of the best tools for all-around physicaldevelopment.Voropayev (1983) observed two groups of college students over a period of afew years. To gauge their performance, he used a standard battery of the the armedforces physical training (PT) tests: pull-ups, a standing broad jump, a 100- meter sprint,and a 1K run. The control group followed the typical university PT program, which wasmilitary oriented and emphasized the above exercises. The experimental group just liftedkettlebells. In spite of the lack of practice on the tested drills, the kettlebell group showedbetter scores in every one of them!Vinogradov and Lukyanov (1986) found a very highcorrelation between the results posted in a kettlebell lifting competition and in a greatrange of dissimilar tests: strength, measured with the three powerlifts and grip strength;strength endurance, measured with pull-ups and parallel bar dips; general endurance,determined by a 1K run; and work capacity and balance, measured with specialtests.Lopatin (2000) found a positive correlation between soldiers’ kettlebell sport ranking

and their obstacle course performance.Kettlebells improve coordination and agility(Luchkin, 1947; Laputin, 1973).Kettlebells develop professional applied qualities andgeneral physical preparedness (Zikov, 1986; Griban, 1990).Kettlebells are highly effectivefor building strength.The official Soviet armed forces strength training manual approvedby the ministry of defense (Burkov & Nikityuk, 1985) declared kettlebell training to be “oneof the most effective means of strength development,” representing “a new era in thedevelopment of human strength-potential.”Kettlebell lifting is great for your heart.Siberianscientist Shevtsova (1993) verified what is obvious to any girevik. She studied 75 girevikswith three to five years of experience and recorded a long-term decrease in the heart rateand the blood pressure. The kettlebellers had what Russians call “a cosmonaut’s bloodpressure”: 110/70 in the summer and 114/74 in the winter. They clocked an averageresting heart rate of 56 beats per minute. The heart rate took a dive not just at rest, butalso during and after exercise. And the time it took the heart to slow down back to normal,after exercise, also decreased. Besides, the experienced gireviks’ systems had alsoadapted to be better “primed” and ready for upcoming action.Properly used, kettlebellsare surprisingly safe.Only 8.8 percent of top Russian gireviks, members of the RussianNational Team and regional teams, reported injuries in training or competition (Voropayev,1997). A remarkably low number, especially if you consider that these are elite athleteswho push their bodies over the edge.Kettlebell training improves bodycomposition.According to Voropayev (1997), who studied top Russian kettlebell lifters, 21.2percent increased their bodyweight since taking up kettlebelling, and 21.2 percent (theexact same percentage, not a typo), mostly heavyweights, decreased it. Another study ofelite gireviks revealed a consistently low body fat (Gomonov, 1998).“A girevik (legendarystrongman Eugene Sandow pictured) is characterized by a balanced development of allorgans and musculature with significant hypertrophy of the muscles of the shouldergirdle.”—(Rasskazov, 1993)“A girevik is characterized by a balanced development of allorgans and musculature with significant hypertrophy of the muscles of the shouldergirdle.” (Rasskazov, 1993).American iron men of old knew the value of kettlebells. You cansee a pair in the training “dungeon” of one of the greatest deadlifters of all time,Tennessee farmer Bob Peoples, who pulled more than 700 pounds weighing a buck eightybefore steroids and supportive gear. Sig Klein was a big proponent of kettlebells. I boughta pair of antique 1917 American kettlebells (they look like miniature Weber grills) from a70-year-old friend, a “once a lifter, always a lifter” who still does good mornings with 405pounds.Then America got prosperous and forgot its rugged frontier past. Kettlebells wentthe way of the California gold prospectors and the gunslingers of the Old West. Thekettlebell would have remained but a chapter in manly American history if not for myfriend Marty Gallagher, former Coach, Powerlifting Team USA.Marty and I were enjoyingsteaks in his backyard in an undisclosed location on the East Coast. We were trading oldwar stories over a mouthful of Mennonite-raised beef. Marty told me about Ed Coan, KirkKarwoski, and other champions he had coached. I told him about kettlebells.Gallagherthoughtfully finished chewing his steak and suggested, “Why don’t you write an article for

MILO?” You know, the magazine for crazy guys who bend nails and lift rocks.I said, “Marty,you don’t get it, this is the most painful workout you could imagine, who would want to doit or even read about it?” Earlier I had made the mistake of explaining a Russian slur, the“collective farmer,” to Marty. He used it on me and told me that I did not understandAmericans.The subversive Vodka, Pickle Juice, Kettlebell Lifting, and Other RussianPastimes was published in 1998. The article was extremely well received by the mostruthless critics in the strength world. I started getting mail from guys with busted noses,cauliflower ears, scars, or at least Hells Angels tattoos. Incredulous, I told my friend andeditor John Du Cane about it. He thought for a minute and said: “Let’s do it! I’ll makekettlebells and you teach people how to use them.”Behind John’s reticent Cambridgedemeanor is the heart of an American pioneer. A Brit who grew up in Africa, John drovefrom England to India—through Pakistan and Afghanistan—and lived for a few years in aYoga community. He built his publishing company in the U.S. while driving a limousine tomake ends meet. Fledgling Dragon Door Publications demanded undivided attention andJohn could not afford “wasting” his time on sleep. Du Cane took naps in the limo whilewaiting for his customers and used every spare minute to build his American Dream.Whenpresented with a new opportunity this rugged, self-reliant individual risked everything hehad accomplished in his hard years as an entrepreneur publisher and decided to invest inmanufacturing and promoting Russian kettlebells. Hindsight is always 20/20 and today itis obvious to anyone that the kettlebell is a winner. But that was not the case back then. “Acannon ball with a handle? Are you out of your mind?!”2001 was the year of the kettlebell.Dragon Door published The Russian Kettlebell Challenge and forged the first US madeRussian style cast iron kettlebell. RKC, the first kettlebell instructor course on Americansoil, also kicked off in 2001. Given the kettlebell’s harsh reputation, most of my earlystudents looked like they came from the federal witness protection program. People oftenask if Steve Maxwell and I are brothers. Steve, I love you, man, but I don’t think it’s acompliment for either of us.Times change. Hard living Comrades remain the loyal core of‘the Party’. But now they have to begrudgingly share the Russian kettlebell with Hollywoodmovie stars and other unlikely kettlebellers. Fed up with the sissified mainstream fitnessadvice, smart folks go hardcore. In 2002 our Russian kettlebell made it into the RollingStone‘s exclusive Hot List as ‘the Hot Weight’. In 2004 Dr. Randall Strossen, one of the mostrespected names in the strength world, stated, “In our eyes, Pavel Tsatsouline will alwaysreign as the modern king of kettlebells since it was he who popularized them to the pointwhere you could almost found a country filled with his converts…”CHAPTER 1:Enter theKettlebell!What is a kettlebell?It’s a cannonball with a handle. It’s an extreme handheldgym. It’s a statement: “I’m sick of your metrosexual gyms! I’m a man, and I’ll train like aman!” Lifting a kettlebell is liberating and as aggressive as medieval swordplay. It’s amanifestation of what Ori Hofmekler has called the “warrior instinct.”Guys name theirkettlebells like they name their guns. They paint them with their units’ coats of arms. Theyget tattoos of kettlebells. The Russian kettlebell is the Harley-Davidson of weights.Thekettlebell delivers extreme all-around fitness. All-purpose strength. Staying power.

Flexibility. Fat loss without the dishonor of aerobics. All accomplished in one to two hoursof weekly training. All done with one compact and virtually indestructible tool that can beused anywhere.Russian kettlebells traditionally come in poods. One pood, an old Russianunit of measurement, equals 16 kilograms, approximately 35 pounds. The most popularsizes in Russia are 1 pood, the right kettlebell for a typical male beginner; 1 1/2 pood, or a53-pounder, the standard issue in the military; and the “double,” as the 2-pood, or 70-pound kettlebell, is called. Doubles are for advanced gireviks.Heavy kettlebells aretraditionally called “bulldogs. “Heavy” is in the eye of the beholder; we usually dump thebells heavier than 32 kilograms in that category. 48 kilograms is as heavy as traditionalkettlebells go, but it does not stop Russia’s strongest from going heavier. Weightliftinglegend Yuri Vlasov was heartbroken when someone stole his custom-made 56-kilogramkettlebells.Dragon Door makes top-quality, classic, Russian-style cast-iron kettlebellsranging from 26 to 106 pounds and rubber-coated ladies’ kettlebells ranging from 9 to 18pounds. Which ones do you need?Start with one kettlebell; the table on the next page willhelp you pick the right one. If you have the funds, get a set of three or four kettlebells,referring to the table for sizes.Do you need two kettlebells of the same size? —Not yet.Double kettlebell drills are great—look what they have done for Senior RKC Mike Mahler—but they are not for beginners. Get good with one bell, address your strength imbalances,work up to the snatch and press goals listed toward the end of this book, then we’ll talk.Anaverage man should start with a 35-pounder. What is “average”? —Given the bench pressas a typical, albeit misguided, standard of strength, men with a bench press under 200pounds should start with a 35-pounder. If you bench more than 200, a 44 that weighs asmuch as a big barbell plate will do the trick. Unless you are a powerlifter or a strongman,you have no business starting with a 53.Dragon Door makes top-quality, classic, Russian-style cast-iron kettlebells ranging from 26 to 106 pounds and rubber-coated ladies’kettlebells ranging from 9 to 18 pounds.I know, it does not sound like a lot, but a kettlebellfeels a lot heavier than its weight suggests! To give you an idea, for a few years we ran an88-pound kettlebell military press challenge at our booth at the Arnold Fitness Expo. Therules are simple: the fist must be lower than the chin at the start of the press, and theknees must remain locked. You don’t even have to clean the bell because I do not wantany of the “this is all technique” whining. We’ll hand it to you if you insist.Let us face it, one-arm pressing 88 pounds overhead is not a feat of strength. Definitely not for a 250-poundman who can bench close to 400 pounds. Yet most can’t do it. Let this be a lesson: err onthe lighter side when ordering your kettlebells. There is no dishonor. Even superpowerfulmen like 1,000-pound squatters RKCs Donnie Thompson and Marc Bartley find plenty ofthings to do with 35- and 53-pounders.An average woman should start with an 18-pounder. A strong woman can go for a 26-pounder. Most women should advance to a 35-pounder. A few hard women will go beyond. Catherine “Steel Kate” Imes, RKC, can pressthe 70-pounder for a few reps, putting many men to shame.You must have noticed that,unlike dumbbells, kettlebell weights do not go up in small increments. There is simply noneed for extra iron. Inventive gireviks don’t need a ton of weight to provide progressive

resistance. And you get to save money and space.“Pavel, the RKC course marked such anincredible time in my life. The pain and suffering was all worth it. I will never forget it. It iswith me for life!!!”—Doug Nepodal, RKCDon’t chase ever heavier kettlebells just for theheck of it; keep your goals in mind. Anatoly Taras, a special operations veteran and aleading hand-to-hand combat expert in the countries of the former Soviet Union, believesthat once a fighting man can do 50 snatches per arm, switching hands only once, with a24-kilogram kettlebell, he has reached the point of diminishing returns. “People of acertain personality type will ask, why not [really crank up those numbers]?” says Taras.“You could if you have the time and the desire, but it is not necessary unless your goal issetting records. Having set a few records of this kind will not make you fight anybetter.”Russians are easy to spot, even if you dress them like Buckingham Palace guards.They are “the white people who look seriously ticked off,” as Army Ranger vet Ellis Jones,RKC, has put it on our forum.Then there is the walk. My wife, Julie, who has the dubiousprivilege of being around a lot of Russians, has pointed out the striking difference in theways Americans and Russians walk. The former fall forward and catch themselves withtheir feet. The latter lead proudly with their stomachs, whether they have them or not.Forwhatever cultural reasons, Americans have tight hip flexors and Russians don’t. Whenthese muscles on the top of your thighs tighten up, they make your butt stick out or, atthe very least, disable you from driving your hips all the way through in a powerful pull,throw, kick, punch, or jump. Tight hip flexors act like brakes that zap your strength.Thischapter is your “kettlebell preschool.” I will test and fix your lack of flexibility. Pick up yourkettlebell, and we will see where you are at.Take a comfortable stance—slightly wider thanyour shoulders, your feet slightly turned out—over your shiny new kettlebell. Sit back asyou would in a high chair, and pick up the kettlebell with both hands by extending yourhips and knees. Have someone watch you and mark off the following checklist. Don’t use amirror!The sumo deadlift.

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Kettlebell Simple & Sinister: Revised and Updated Edition, The Quick and the Dead: TotalTraining for the Advanced Minimalist, Return of the Kettlebell: Explosive Kettlebell Trainingfor Explosive Muscle Gains, The Russian Kettlebell Challenge: Xtreme Fitness for Hard

Living Comrades, The Naked Warrior: Master the Secrets of the super-Strong--UsingBodyweight Exercises Only, Power to the People!: Russian Strength Training Secrets forEvery American, Super Joints: Russian Longevity Secrets for Pain-Free Movement,: RussianLongevity Secrets for Pain-Free Movement, Maximum Mobility & Flexible Strength, Powerto the People Professional: How to Add 100s of Pounds to Your Squat, Bench,and Deadliftwith Advanced Russian Techniques, Hard Style Abs: Hit Hard. Lift Heavy. Look the Part, TheHardstyle Kettlebell Challenge: A Fundamental Guide To Training For Strength And Power,Kettlebell: The Ultimate Kettlebell Workout to Lose Weight and Get Ripped in 30 Days,Kettlebell 101: Beginner's Guide to Kettlebells, Kettlebell Training, Never Let Go: APhilosophy of Lifting, Living and Learning, Overcoming Gravity: A Systematic Approach toGymnastics and Bodyweight Strength (Second Edition), Starting Strength, KettlebellWorkout: 50 exercises and training plans to sculpt your body, Reload: Your BarbellStrength Blueprint, The Shock And Awe Protocol: Kettlebell Training For Size And Strength

Andrew Meyer, “I don't know where I would be if I didn't find Pavel and Enter theKettlebell.. I was fresh off of doing p90x for the second time and looking for somethingnew. My friend let me borrow TRX and KETTLEBELLS dvd and Pavel was the instructor. Hewas playing a character of the Evil Russian trainer and saying all kinds of funny thingsduring the workout. I thought it was great so I got this book and started training withKettlebells. I have never looked back since. I can tell you I primarily use kettlebells fortraining and I'm in the best shape of my life. This program will get you strong as hell.Negative reviewers are on here complaining about the way he talks or that he is makingstuff about about the origin of the kettlebell and I say, "Who cares." You don't haveevidence that what he is saying isn't true number one, have you been to Russia?? Numbertwo it's entertaining and keeps it interesting. the proof is in the pudding I can tell you thatmuch. The Program Minimum consisting of just the Turkish Get-up and the Swing. It willget you strong and hack off body fat if you diet properly. That is only two exercises!!!! TheRKC Rite of Passage is another Plan that will get you strong as Hell and it is simple tofollow. There is no doubt the guy is knowledgeable and his plans are simple and theywork. Give it a try!”

Rob, “This is Pavel's best course. Forget simple and sinister (which is essentially .... This isPavel's best course. Forget simple and sinister (which is essentially an excerpt from thisprogram). Two courses and all the information you need to progress them, along withstandards and advice to keep yourself performing.”

Joshua Flores, “The Perfect Starting Point. This book is one of two core workout texts that Iuse (the other being the first Convict Conditioning book), being turned onto them when Iwas deployed overseas by men who are much more elite than I. Given the choices

available to them, the idea what Pavel's book and some bodyweight working ConvictConditioning is all the home workout warrior really needs was refreshing in a world tryingto sell gym equipment.I think the only knock on Pavel's book, is probably the campy"Comrade" style that it displays at times, but to me, its minor given the value of theinformation within. The photos are great, the text is great, and everyone from beginner toadvanced is going to get something out of it. If you have no idea what to do with a kettlebell, and you have no idea how to generate a basic, intermediate, or advanced workoutplan using kettle bells, then this book is definitely for you.Pavel describes 5 main exercises(swings, snatch, clean, press, get ups) and generates two core workout schedules basedon these exercises. The beginning "RKC Minimum" (2 days a week) and the more advanced"Rite of Passage" (3-5 days a week). For a beginner, this can keep you busy easily for ayear or more, and if you are looking to achieve the Secret Service standard (200 or moresnatches in 10 minutes), more likely several. There's really a lifetime of challenge withinthese pages, and you'll never outgrow it. In addition to the core exercises, Pavel has a few"mini-steps" that help one workout the specific techniques needed for a full movement,and a few drills one can use to warm up as well as perfect technique.All in all, I feel there'sreally nothing bad to say about this book. Its a great jumping off point for someonelooking into getting into fitness using kettle bells. I would also encourage folks to look atConvict Conditioning as a companion book (I do the bodyweight exercises in that book onthe "variety" days in Pavel's workout program), and also checkout Steve Cotter's youtubevideos if you'd like an alternative description of the techniques in Pavel's book.”

Machine, “For true strongman, comrades!. This book is amusing and informative. I am100% new to kettlebells, but not to working out in general. This book gave me theconfidence to begin using a kettlebell. Along with a good dose of Russian bravado you areintroduced to and given instruction to execute these workouts: the Turkish get up, Swings:towel, two-handed, and one-handed, The Clean, The Press, The Snatch, and the Halo. Italso helps you understand the basic squat form (I suppose an exercise in its own right),and some other instruction to make sure you are protecting your back, abs, and shouldersduring movements.The step by step instruction for the Get Up is lacking. I had to turn toyoutube for help on that one.I recommend, and I'll update after I've been swinging thatkettlebell for a while, comrades!”

Ceejay, “Quirky style conceals effective tuition. I've been using the book and a kettlebell forfour months now and I'm a fan. Pavel has an idiosyncratic style which some may findirritating but is, I think, profoundly effective.What he does is mix up observations on howto train with details of his exercise programme and personalises it with anecdote andhumour. This means that if you want the programme you have to read the rest.Imagine acookery book with a chapter on kitchen hygiene at the end after chapters of recipes. Howmany people would read that chapter? Not many I guess. It is the same with exercisebooks. If you separate all the good advice about not overtraining, the importance of

technique etc from the actual programme then most people will (if you are lucky) skim theadvice before getting down to work.Because the programme is embedded in the goodadvice you end up reading that advice over again and again so it sinks in. Because Pavelcreates a personality on the page you can imagine him standing over you when you train,repeating the advice. That makes it much easier to stick to.Has it worked? Well, I'm nearer60 than 50 and have weedy arms so I started with a 12kg bell. After a week of preparatorytraining I said I would give it a month before giving up and buying a smaller weight. Afterthree weeks I was strong enough to start the programme minimum. Three months moreand I'm on to a 16kg bell, I'm motivated and sticking to the programme. Result!Why only 4stars? Some of the criticism is justified, some programme elements could be a bit clearer.And it is pricey, presumably because it is an imported US edition.”

Matt (Croydon), “This books is a contender to becoming a cult classic. There is somethingraw, agressive and pimordial about kettlebells and this is a fantastic motivational book tobring that instinct out.The style of the writting, although a bit boys own, is actuallymotivational. To quote, "simple, sinister brutal and ferosiously effective for ...never staydie conditioning...the closest thing you can get to fighting without throwing a punch." It islike poetry. It is also true.Sure the excersises in the book are few, but the level of detail issuperb and you simply do not need anymore.I brought this book, not knowing anythingabout kettlebells with a 12 kg kettelbell 3 months ago as a 36 yo, 1.83m, 64kg long distrunner used to playing about with a 40kg loaded barbell. I soon found out that the 12kgwas far to light so I got a 16kg (what Pavel recommends for the average man), whichbecame too light after a fortnight of doing get ups and swings (the two staple excersises inthe book) so I brought a 24, which was far too heavy for pressing with my weaker arm, so Ibrought a 20kg, and that is perfect for me. I am now 66kg, have LESS body fat and haveMUCH greater explosive sprint stammina; especially running up steep hills. My wholebody has that ripped look.I will be swinging, pressing and cleaning kettlebells for life nowwith this trusty book to motivate me.A great combination buy would be this book with a16kg kettlebell. You will probably want to progress to a 20kg within say a month, but holdoff getting the 20 until yout technique is sorted on the 16. Olympian's Gym do great castiron Russian kettlebells.”

Faisal Khan, “From what's the fuss about to LOVING the book and it's programs. I first gotthis book and saw all the pictures and sparse text and thought what's the big deal aboutthis book, however I read the book and started the Program Minimum, then reviewed theconcepts again and started to really like the book. I regularly review the book now andincorporate the suggestions. I think it's a brilliant book with sufficient imagery of how toperform the various exercises and 6 months in to using the two programs set out in thebook, I have really enjoyed them and seen real tangible changes in my physique andstrength. I love the simplicity of the program minimum and how well it delivers results.Really pleased to have found this book.”

Barry, “Excellent!!. Pavel is to the kettlebell what Bill Gates is to the computer. A font ofS&C knowledge that is an absolute must for anyone interested in health, fitness orexercise. The simplicity of his methids can often make you question if it really works at all,but trust me when I tell you, you would be a fool to doubt him.”

The book by Pavel Tsatsouline has a rating of 5 out of 4.6. 916 people have providedfeedback.

Title page Copyright Page Content Foreword Preface Chapter1 Chapter2 Chapter3Chapter4 Chapter5 Chapter6 About Pavel Index

Publisher: Dragon Door Publications; 1st edition (May 1, 2006)Publication date: May 1, 2006Language: EnglishFile size: 8385 KBText-to-Speech: EnabledScreen Reader: SupportedEnhanced typesetting: EnabledX-Ray: EnabledWord Wise: EnabledPrint length: 285 pagesLending: Enabled