Pavel Tsatsouline Kettlebell Strength Training Weight Lifting Workouts Exercise and Flexibility Questions & Answers.

I've never been a member of a commercial gym or fitness club but I have read about some of ya'll's horror stories about "gym weenie" and the antics that take place in typical bodybuilding facilities across the country. Well, now I've seen it for myself. My sweet little wifey has recently joined a gym with part of the membership being that I can tag along for free as her "guest" anytime I want. Well, I've done this a few times and have noticed that all the stuff yall say is true. This place is loaded with machines, treadmills, spinning and pilates classes. On the good side, they do have tons of free weights, nice squat racks, and even allow you to do deadlifts. Unfortunately, 80% of the guys I saw the other day were either doing arms on the various machines or chest, with the cable crossovers. They have a frickin different machine for different parts of your arms! A whole machine dedicated to working the inner head of the triceps. Fortunately, the squat rack wasn't being used, so I go over and start squatting. I threw on a few wheels and cranked out a couple sets of three, then moved the weight up for a few more sets of three before finishing off with a heavy single. Then, this big "swolled" guy walks up to me and says, "when you're done, just leave on 225, so I can warm up with it." Well, I do just that, then I go watch my woman finish up her workout.....then I look over at the squat rack and see that guy who was "warming up" with 225, I see him add a "10" on each side and proceed to do five, shaking under the bar, straining to get up, half squats. He outweighed me my 50 pounds! All in all, since being an occasional visitor to the gym, it seems like most of the guys/gals are wasting their time with their methods. Even the "personal trainers" look weak! One of them even started looking at me strangely when I was squatting barefooted with all that weight on the bar, causing the bar to "bend" in the middle, like I was damaging their equipment. One of these days I'm going to take my COC #2 and 3 over there and see what some of the guys can do. I'm slowly convincing my woman to try the party methods, but she can't get past the whole "personal trainer" idea. "If they're a trainer, they must know what they're doing" mentality. She tends to believe them over me, even though I could lift way beyond what the average trainer can. Thank you 

How is the gym-wide quest? Tell them I'll sweeten the pot by tossing in one of these t-shirts to whoever gets there first.

1000 rep t-shirt 

I am not interested in doing the 16K kb challenge. Just does not match my goals but is there a challenge for the 24 or 32? Any suggestions? 

Hi all I did couble of pulls with both sumo style and conventional today after two weeks of easier training. Just 2 reps of 140 kg with sumo style and one with 140 kg in conventional style. Not hard, but pulling conventional after two months of sumo DLs the groove feels odd and the pull ROM feels so much longer than with sumo. In theory sumo should be better form me (long back & short legs ect.) but my conventional has been better so far. Sumo form need some adjustment as it feel like I cant use my leg at the start efficienty. With my short but flexible legs my as wide as possible sumo stance feels almost like wide stance stiff legged DL with just inch or two of leg pressing in the beginning. It feels like I have to start right from my sticking point. In my conventional stance my sticking point is in the middle of my shin. The joint angles at the start with my current sumo form feel almost the same as the sticking point of my conventional. Interesting. Any advice how to proceed? Com Jussi 

Comrades, especially MD's & PT's, I have a very good friend who is 56, and has been training with kettlebells for about 18 months. He uses very good form. He can snatch a 1.5 pood for a few reps, but can "cruise" with the 1 pood. Earlier this week, he was on his second set of snatches with his right arm, early in his workout when, on the pull upward, he heard a sound like "canvas tearing", felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and after that could not raise his right arm. I've had a torn RC in the past and he has classic symptoms of at least a partial tear. He has not had any pain or other signs leading up to this type injury. When going thru my own shoulder woes (much better now), I read that due to the poor blood supply at the humeral attachment end of the superspinatus tendon, that the tendon is more subject to tear as one grows older. My question is "Is there an age when, due to the RC tendon aging, that snatches are no longer recommended? I'm currently working out with 2 poods for 4 sets of 10 snatches. I'm 44, and I don't want to rip my shoulders either. Can someone shed some light on this please? If you want to email me privately, feel free to email me at allen_non@yahoo.com Thanks Comrades! 

I know the TSC is just about personal challenges and improvement but as I am keen to "market" this to local service personnel I was wondering what you guys (especially those in the various forces) would consider reasonable goals given the theoretical purpose of a TSC i.e. if one were being chosen on physical attributes for "tactical purposes" what would be your "pass" criteria. The Oz TSC was deads/pullups with 10kg and 5"SSST with 24kg For mine I would think 150kg/10/100 would be fair & reasonable numbers for someone to aim for. thanks for your input cheers paul http://taskettlebellers.tripod.com/ 

I set a alarm and for the first time went for it on the SSST today. Using the 53lber. only did 150. Laughs of derision by the stud's on the forum appreciated it only serves as fuel for the fire. I feel good because my hands are fine other than a little shaking no blister problems. I guess the reps where not enough. Just wished I had at least broken the 200. But now I know my pacing. How soon can I advisably retest? Going to go finish a light training session-real light. Any help on breaking 200 would be appreciated. Thanks  

Decided up my reps, but keep my time ro 10 min. today for density workout. Here's the break down: 32 kg 7r/7l 7r/7l 7r/7l 7r/7l 7r/7l 7r/7l 7r/7l 7r/7l rest 1 min 10r/10l 132 total in 10 min I guess this counts as the USST

http://www.trainingroomfit.com 

3x3 Program For Size or Strength Goals I am a big fan of programs that focus on doing a few things very well. Complicated programs are rarely built to last and few trainees benefit from them. One of my favorite programs is the 3x3 program. Why 3x3? The 3x3 program allows you to focus on heavy weights and low reps. You do three sets of three reps at each session with varying intensities. The volume is fairly low so high frequency is a viable option. The 3x3 program is also great for size and strength goals or just sheer strength goals. It all depends on what exercises you pick and how the workout weeks are structured. The 3x3 protocol is also a great prelude to the 5x5 program. Why? The 3x3 program will get you very strong and the stronger you are the more effective the 5x5 program will be. 10 Benefits of the 3x3 Protocol 1. Calls for heavy loads which leads to serious increases in strength 2. Low volume and low reps allow greater focus 3. CNS will be stimulated and you will feel strong and powerful after each workout 4. Can be used for pure strength or strength and size. 5. Can be done frequently (3-5 times per week) 6. Does not take long if you focus on compound exercises 7. Easier to execute perfect form on low rep and low set workouts 8. Can be used to increase speed and explosive power as well 9. Is safe as the more reps you do the more likely you are to do one rep wrong. 10. Great for building dense hard muscles that are as strong as the look. Lets talk about how to use the 3x3 program for strength and size or just strength alone. If you want to pack on some size with the 3x3 program, jack up the calories and focus on exercises that provide the most return for your efforts. The usual suspects include: Deadlifts, Squats, Bent-over Rows, Military Presses, Bench Presses, and Weighed Pull-ups. Workout four times per week. Two upper body days and two lower body days. For a strength focus, apply a higher frequency and focus on Deadlifts, Military Presses, and Weighted Pull-ups. Do three to five workouts per week. If three workouts, do one heavy workouts, one medium workout, and one light workout. If five workouts per week, do one heavy workout, two medium workouts, and two light workouts. For example, 90% of your three rep max on one day, 80% of your three rep max on two days, and 70% of your three rep max on two days. Here are two sample 3x3 programs. The strength focus workout will build hard dense muscles without adding bulk and the strength and size workout will get you bigger and stronger rather than just bigger. Click on the link to read the rest:

http://www.mikemahler.com/newsletter/93.html 

tried some power cleans today....have only done them twice before and that was a while ago first I started with what I guess youd call 'shrug jumps'....this is just holding the barbell at the waist..then jumping up and also shrugging but keeping the arms straight....I was probably getting about a massive foot off the ground at MOST then I did some cleans with 135.....basically as I said in the title....I have the speed of a frozen snail going uphill into a headwind....in a tar pit same thing with my bench press actually...not a lot of speed going on when things get heavy so on the cleans is that mainly just because I am a powerlifter and have never trained for speed before?? I realize there is a lot of technique etc....but there isnt a lot of technique in the shrug jumps or in a standing broad jump I have never tested my vertical before and right now I am 242 with high bodyfat so Im not looking for it to be that great, lol so with these best powerlifts; squat 425, bench 322.5, dead 445, military press 185-195ish...what sort of clean numbers should I be able to do?? I think I did 175 the 2nd time I tried them last year how much work are we talking about to get to around a 225 power clean?