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

Nice interview by Ori. Nice comments by Pavel. Nice instructional article by Mike. For such a slick magazine, this was the only content worth reading. I read the supplement ads and looked at the girls pictures in bikinis. Doesn't Jeff Everson have a Power and Strength magazine other than Planet Muscle?? Is that worth reading or publishing in?? Tom Furman

http://www.physicalstrategies.com 

In three or four days I will have finished all the exams and chaos of this semester of college, and I'll be home for the Summer. My one goal for the three months I'll be home is to gain strength. I will be doing the deadlift and an overhead press PTP style, and maybe do some pullups NW style. My question is a bit knit-picky, but is it possible for more strength to be built with the side press or military press (or even behind the neck press)? I know any strength gained will be relative, but I'm interested in your input. Assume technique is not a problem. -Adam 

I have been flying of late, last week was my first week of a four week cycle, I think I upped the weights a little to much, fridays workout was hard, I think I know that I tried to add weight too quickly as my weights were higher than my previous cycle start. Have spent the whole weekend with a sorethroat and felt really wiped out. What should i do? have another week of again to get my back to full health or have a light week? many thanks 

After reflecting on the post below i am wondering if a KB front squat regime might be enhanced(more desirable) by stressing higher reps with lesser weight as opposed to the low rep high weight approach that is adovated by the leaders on this forum for most KB exercises and strength regimes in general. Would appreciate comments. 

Hello all, I have a little case of info overload and was wondering your opinions. I am 36 6'2" weigh 200lbs and have some excess flab around my midsection but the rest of my body is fairly thin. My goal is to cut up and increase my strength endurance, if I put on some muscle as a result of regular workouts I would be extremly happy as well. I just started taking Hapkido about 2 months ago on Tuesday and Thursday nights and some Saturdays. On those mornings I do Yoga (from the book "moving toward balance" by Rodney Yee.) I am also following a warrior type diet. make a shake of berries, protien and natural green powder. this I drink after my morning workouts and mid morning and mid afternoon. I have a pretty stressful desk job and work about 10-11 hours a day. Sorry for the long intro my question is, would you suggest that I do a M-W-F workout and switch between strength and strength endurance worouts or do you think it would be better for me to do a PTP style workout M-W-F AM and like a C.C. or a 20 min. work capacity buliding workout on those evenings? Or does it really not matter and should I try them both. I really respect both of your opinions and your accomplishments so your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!  

Hi, I am new to all of this, and just purchased the 16kb kettlebell and the Russian Kettlebell Challenge book and video. I have a VERY BASIC question which I hope is not out of place. Last night when doing the cleans, either regular or deadlift clean, my wrist began hurting. I keep the neutral wrist posture, but whenever I pull it up and bring it to my shoulder, it flips around, and the weight of it seems to land on the back of my wrist just below my hand. It hurts like hell. I am a bit bruised but none of my other muscles are soar. It feels as if my wrist is supporting the entirety of the kettlebell weight, and as if its crushing some blood vessels against my bone. I don't have any trouble lifting it and swinging it, or from deadlift, it's just the position it lands on, whenever I do cleans, or also anything involving the clean. Am I supposed to let the kettle bell land also on my shoulder and upper arm to prevent this? Again, my wrist is straight and in the neutral position, and I have tried to see if there was any other way it could fall on my arm when holding it up, and the weight of it always slams against the backside of my wrist, just below the backside of my hand. What am I doing wrong? I've looked at the video and book over and over and can't figure it out. The weight itself I don't think is a problem, but is my wrist supposed to be bruised? I really appreciate any help. Thanks, John  

A number of people I know and other forums have been recommending ALCAR (Acetyl-L Carnitine) for a things a such as fat loss and a host of other things. It all sounds promising but since the only advice I really trust is on this forum, I am waiting to here some other views. Also, how good is Bulk Nutrition (bulknutrition.com)? It's really close to where I live in VA and probably would take no time to receive an order from them. 

Could someone please make a (only bodyweight) routine with pullups, pushups, pistols, etc. My goals are to be better at these exercises and have more strength and endurance. I have no weights, pavelizers, etc. Can it please be 3 days a week. Thanks, 

Could someone please make a (only bodyweight) routine with pullups, pushups, pistols, etc. My goals are to be better at these exercises and have more strength and endurance. I have no weights, pavelizers, etc. Can it please be 3 days a week. Thanks, 

What are they and is there a link to a site where I can watch one or see pics? Thanks 

I was checking out his book Basic Training a while back. If what he said is true then he must have been a freak of nature. He says in his book that he never really lifted weights until college. And he said he only lifted in high school when they had strength tests. He said he could bench his bodyweight of 225, 25 times in a row. And this is coming from a guy who basically did nothing but calisthenics until that point. His book had some good stuff in it, it deals with a lot of compound movements, it deadlifts, squats, bench press, pullups, etc. He also practices Martial Arts(I believe it was Karate) and he gives some instruction on it. Anyways that book is decent but outdated, in fact I think it was like 15 years old. 

Currently I'm decently proficient with the 53lb. My goal is to become proficient with the bulldog as soon as possible (is the end of the summer a good goal?). I want high tension strength and I know the bulldog is the way to go for this. So would it be quicker to just jump up to it or should I buy the 2 pood? Mike Mahler's article about the bulldog seems to suggest that I should start using it. Has it ever been done? -Matt  

Just thought I would post my experience with kettlebells as they compare to dumbells for all those who are interested. I purchased two 53 pound kettlebells: Double military press two 53 pounders: 15 reps Two forty pound dumbells: 14 reps Barbell 120lbs: 13 reps My experience has been that my barbell military press is very comparable to kettlebell military press. I would be interested to know others experiences with this. As for ballistics there is no comparison between kettlebells and dumbells, Kettlebells are way better especially for snatches. (My forearms are growing already). My one arm snatches are up to 17 R, 14 L after only a few workouts (okay I know its not great). Will try a max again in a couple of weeks. Hoping to hit RKC requirements within a couple of months. Craig Vogel 

I saw your endorsement on Indo Board's web site. I was thinking about purchasing one- just curious of what kind of workout you do on one and for how long? Also what were your results like? I do a lot of leg workouts and am getting bored, I like to do something different- this looked fun. Thanks for any advice you can give me- 

To see this interview on our website click on the link at the bottom of this post. Kettlebell Success — Thomas Phillips Body-for-LIFE EAS Grand Master Champion Leaps to New Heights — with Russian Kettlebells Thomas Phillips was the Grand Master Champion of the prestigious EAS Body-for-LIFE challenge in 2002. Since his victory, he’s been using kettlebells to keep his workouts exciting and to maintain his high level of fitness. He attended the October 2004 RKC in St. Paul, MN, and took time out to talk to us about his success. Dragon Door: We’ve heard about your amazing transformation through the Body-for-LIFE program. Can you talk about that? Thomas Phillips: Sure. I was an athlete since I was eight or nine years old: basketball, baseball, cross-country. I was quite an accomplished runner in high school. I did a lot of boxing, golf…pretty much everything. I was always intrigued by sports and competition in general. When I was nineteen, I heard about Bill Phillips’ challenge, the very first one that he did. And ironically Bill Phillips is my father’s name. [Laughter] Actually I’ve known about Bill Phillips and have been a follower since he came out in ’92 with Muscle Media 2000. But when he came out with the contest, I was a nineteen-year-old cross-country kid who weighed about 150 pounds. So I put on some lean mass. I did the challenge then and at the end I was about 167 pounds. At that time there was no Body-for-LIFE program. He just did the 12-week challenge and said, “See what you can do.” So I hired a trainer and I worked my butt off and I really got a lot of success. To make a long story short: a few years past, I got married, had kids, went to college, and eventually went to graduate school for special education. I started teaching full-time and before I knew it, with my wife working full-time as well with the kids, there was no time for me to be in the gym, which was really disturbing. About a year passed, and if you are only gaining two pounds a month you don’t really notice it. [Laughter] But after about a year, I was literally about 25 pounds heavier than I had been the year before. And a lot of that was due to the school lunches and whatnot. But what I did was I used the Body-for-LIFE challenge, which was now about seven years after the first one, as my incentive to get back into shape. I figured, “Hey, I’m going to do this. I’m going to get back into shape.” And I talked to my wife about it. She said, “Well, how are you doing to that? I work nights, you work days.” So what I wound up doing was just waking up earlier in the morning. I used a lot of behavior modification techniques to succeed, which I also use in the classroom. And that’s another long story. I’m really interested in behavior modificationsæchanges you can make toward success and fitness. Muscle Media wrote a lot about that in their article about me, how I used those techniques. I completed the challenge, submitted the packet, and really didn’t think much of it. I knew I did a great job. I had completed it toward the end of the year, and it was only a matter of a couple months before somebody contacted me from the EAS. They did several interviews with me, both over the phone and face to face. Eventually, I found out that I had won. Since then, I’ve done a lot of appearances. The EAS does something called “The Transformation Camp” out in Colorado. I’ve been to two of those. I’ve done a lot of motivational-type speaking and also stuff that I do during my workouts. I talk about some of my behavior modification work for the campers. So that’s pretty much the Body-for-LIFE story. After I won, what I opened my own personal training studio with the prize money. I was hoping to get 60 people. Or I should say 60 appointments within the first six months. We got 180 within the first four months. I was absolutely blown away by how many people were drawn by just word of mouth. So right now, there are four other people that train with me and we go pretty much from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, working Saturday and Sunday all morning and part of the afternoon. I pretty much work seven days a week. I really love the training component, but I also teach. So it’s kind of the perfect schedule for me, because early morning is your peak time to train people, then I go to school, which is a down time, and then I come back at night. But I don’t do that every day. I mean, I did that for about six months, where I was literally working 120 hours a week just to build the business, and then I gradually backed off. I’ll tell you a little bit about what I do as a teacher, which is probably even more intriguing. I teach emotionally disturbed high school kids. So there are a lot of challenges and this is my sixth year doing that. The first two years were probably the hardest years of my life, as far as understanding the ropes, because you are dealing with kids that are very unmotivated, which is totally opposite from me. I’m a very self-motivated person. They are not. But you start to learn little things that they respond to, and little tricks that get them to raise their performance little by little. And over the course of a couple of years, I fine tuned it. What’s really nice is that a lot of the kids come back year after year. So you get a reputation as a certain teacher, and when the kids come in they are excited to have you. So it’s not like walking in as the new teacher and feeling, “Oh, my gosh! Now I’ve got to prove myself.” You’ve already earned their respect and kids learn, “Oh, great, I have Mr. Phillips next year,” and they are excited. So that’s one big advantage, being able to start the year feeling fresh. I mentioned before that I got my Masters Degree in Special Education. I have an Undergraduate Degree in History. I have a Minor in English. I went for what’s called a Second Masters’. It’s really a Post-Master’s Certificate; what’s called a “Learning Disabilities Teacher’s Consultant.” I finished all of the qualifications except the last one, which is really an internship. And with my schedule right now, I’m putting that off. To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll ever finish it. I was really just doing it for myself. But I’ve got quite a bit of schooling in the education background, which definitely helps me in the personal training field to communicate to clients. Because you are a teacher to them. And some people are learning disabled with their bodies, and I use that analogy with my trainers. You really have to watch and critique exactly what’s going on. So it’s almost a natural transition between the two. I really feel like I’m in the right spot for both things that I do, being a personal trainer and being a teacher. And I’m a father. D.D.: What are your kids like? T.P.: My son’s name is Jordan. He’s seven. And my little girl, Julia, she’s four. I call them whenever I am away for even a couple of days. And they are crying every time I call: “When are you coming home?” D.D.: That’s a good thing. So when did kettlebells get into the mix? T.P.: Well, I pride my studio on not being behind anybody. In other words, I like to know what’s going on with everything. I got into the Ironmind stuff, the grippers, the grip tools, and through different links, I eventually found kettlebells and then Dragon Door. I started looking into kettlebells just in general and I began ordering some of Pavel’s stuff and using it on my own. I saw how capable and how knowledgeable this guy was. I also ordered a lot of Scott Sonnon’s club bells. But the thing about club bells is that they are not really tools you can use with your clients. It’s really for myself and I don’t want people getting clubbed around in my gym. I think that club bells are great, but I saw the kettlebells as something a little more “out of the box” that I can introduce into my gym. I messed around with them for several months and watched all of the videos. And I went to Mike Mahler’s workshop with my other trainer, which was a nine-hour day. Literally no lunchæwe got our butts kicked there. We learned a lot from that, and we continued implementing them into our gym as one of the components. We don’t do only kettlebells, but we want to mix it in. And the clients love it. It’s fun. D.D.: What have kettlebells done for you that other systems haven’t done? T.P.: The thing with the kettlebells that’s great for me is that it teaches you to use your whole body. It’s not the typical bodybuilding approach, where, “Okay, we are doing biceps now” or “Today we’ll do legs.” It really teaches your body to be used as a whole unit, which is more functional for athletics. And that’s appealing to me, because I don’t like to consider myself a body builder or anything like that. I like to consider myself an athlete. To me, the kettlebell workout is the natural workout for most athletes. And I have the athletes that I train use a lot of the techniques that Pavel does in the Naked Warrioræa lot of body weight and kettlebell stuff. It’s intriguing, because in bodybuilding you are used to breaking things down by body parts and it was really an education for me when I started coming across Pavel’s stuff. His products and books, and listening to what he had to say. I became fascinated by it. You realize, “Wow! I’ve been doing a lot of things wrong.” But I’m humble enough to admit it. I’ve told all of my clients, “Hey, this is an approach that this guy has and let’s try it and see if it works.” Don’t get me wrong, some people just want to look good. They want to look like a bodybuilder. And so I train them that way because that’s what they want. Some people think, “Well, I want to look like Ronnie Coleman.” And by the way, I did a promotion for Ronnie Coleman. That guy’s the size of a house. His bicep is as big as my head [Laughter]. So that’s the approach that I take: different people want different things. Some people are very specific, saying, “I want to work this way” and I say, “Okay, then I’m going to train you in this way and if your muscles bloat out and you look this way, you trained the fat out of you” and whatnot. But some people are more interested in functional strength, joint mobility, and overall fitness and health. And to me, that’s the practical component of KB exercise. D.D.: What about with your clients. Have you seen any improvements? T.P.: Oh, yeah. I have some unbelievable testimonials from my clients, everything from joint mobility to fat loss to strength gain. We keep their successes well documented. We do strength tests with them as motivation to continue. Strength tests are a tangible thing. Measuring people’s body fat can be very ambiguous, but when they see that their strength increases over time and their strength is more flexible, it’s hard to argue with that success. D.D.: What’s the demographic for the people that come and train with you? T.P.: Wow, we have a broad variety. We have a 50-50 split of men and women. And mostly between 35 and 45 years old, but I do have quite a few kids that come for sports-specific training. I’m a Certified Sports-Specific Trainer, but I don’t market to that group, they just come. I try to market to the 35-, 45-, 50-year-old men and women. The “mid-life crisis” crowd, so to speak. Because that’s the biggest crowd. D.D.: That’s when you start feeling your body. T.P.: Exactly. People come in and they say, “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t do that anymore. I used to be an athlete.” That’s when I started putting on more weight, because I just couldn’t do the things that I used to do. I’d go out to play football with the kids and I’d pull a hamstring, and I’m like, “What’s going on?” I couldn’t keep up with these kids anymore. And at the time, I was only 26 or 27 years old. I was discouraged by that. D.D.: And how old are you now? T.P.: I’ll be 29 next month. So that was another motivation for me to do the Body-for-LIFE challenge. D.D.: What about the RKC? How has that been going for you? T.P.: It’s everything and more than I expected. I am just amazed. I’m freaked out by how capable some of these senior instructors are. D.D.: Yes, it’s incredible, isn’t it? T.P.: It’s incredible. It’s motivating. I’m amazed at how much pain I’m in. [Laughter] It’s been a great experience. I’ve learned a lot this weekend and that’s saying something, since I had read and seen just about every product you guys have. I think it’s great to market to people who think, “Well, since I’ve seen all the books and all the DVDs…,” because I’m telling you, I’ve probably learned 75% more here, despite the fact that I’ve read everything and I’ve seen everything. Because there are so many finer points of the techniques that have such depth, and you can’t possibly cover in a 35- or 45-minute DVD. And then of course you get your own questions answered. D.D.: Wow. 75% more in just three days. I can’t think of any other training in the country that’s like it, actually. T.P.: That’s rightæin just three days! And no, I don’t think there is anything just like it. Obviously not for kettlebells. There are other things that try to be similar, but there’s nothing quite like it. And the other thing is that you guys do a great job in showing how functional this type of strength is in different areas. Like Steve Maxwell’s “Joint Mobility” thing this morning just kicked my butt! I mean, it’s discouraging when you think that you’re in great shape and people look up to you for the things that you do, and then there are certain components of fitness that you have to work on. And it gets exposed to you. You can’t fake it. When you have a 50- or 60-pound kettlebell over your head, you start to realize that there are certain things that you can work on. So it’s been great! If you’re in the New Jersey area and are interested in training with Thomas, call his studio at (732) 780-2270. Or shoot him an email at tjp732@cs.com.

http://www.dragondoor.com/success_stories/ThomasPhillips.html?c=pn-tphillip 

Am just a little frustrated as I'm not losing ###LBS in spite of my efforts. Do kettlebells to my max 5-6 days per week, which is sad to say, about a 17 minute deal. Crap I'm 46 years old and trying to hold on to what I got. Looking for the total FAT ASS< High Octane,(have 2 gal og nitro methane in my refrige, for my race car, don't think that will work, although I drank that gold stuff I'd lose weight.For the last time. Enough verbal humor. What does anyone know about Matt Furey's Programs? Pak Serak 

I just received Vitalics in the mail yesterday...and some of the kettlebell convention pictures depicted kettlebell hack squats. Is there any advangate to kettlebell hack squats compared to say (1) kettlebell front squats or (2) kettlebell overhead squats? Thanks! -Thad  

so i'm on Mahler's site reading his article on high-rep KB snatches, and he says to INHALE on the upward exhertion part of the movement. now a guy like Mahler has forgotten more about resistance training than i'll ever know so i'm not about to argue, but everything i've ever been taught says to EXHALE during the exertion part of a rep. Pavel isn't specific in his video other than to say get into a cycle with breathing, and i've been exhaling during the explosive part of the drill since i began doing KB work. is this wrong?? after reading Mahler's article i tried to reverse my breathing pattern and nearly choked. is one way superior to the other or is it simply personal preference? what are the benefits of one over the other? in a related issue, i've also recently developed shoulder and elbow pain on my right (weak) side from high-rep snatches. has anyone else had this problem? what can i do to correct it? i know i need to get some personal instruction, but there just isn't anyone availiable up here. 

I was just wondering what techniques people use for getting into and out of the floor press position with two KBs without a training partner. I've been doing a slow deck squat style descent but it's a bit tougher to get back up after a couple of sets. Normally I don't do any chest work but I decided to throw some in for a cycle. Any insight would be appreciated. Adam BTW I'm using two 24's. I can't do pullovers with both at the same time. 

Tonight I did 10 very tight continuous dragon flags in a row. That's a PR by about 7, I never tried to rep out before. Just set my mind on 10 and did it. I also tested my pressing to see where it's at. I want to do 40kg x 3 with each arm within the next few months. Right now I have lost the ability to press the bell with either arm. In part this is due to GS training that I did for a while. It's also because you can't work with the same weights all the time and stay sharp. Think about it, if your press PR is about 80 lbs, and you press 70 lbs all the time, you're working with almost 90% all the time. Not good. So, I tested my maxes with a 32kg and some plates. Got 82.5 lbs on left arm, 85.0 on right. Going to plug these in to a Prilepin-based spreadsheet and start cycling presses as well, using the 24kg, 32kg, and plates to manipulate the percentages. The only thing that works for me long-term is "rational" planning, lucky for me I don't find it boring. Rob 

I have noticed a trend in the KB community...I call it trainer bashing. I have noticed many RKC's when making generalizations about training, will often put down or degrade personal trainers in an effort to make a point or to elevate themselves to a position of authority. One of my biggest regrets of attending the RKC Certification last April was not saying anything about trainer bashing that was being done by some senior RKC's (I won't mention any names). I realize that many trainers don't have a clue about KB training or otherwise. But, there is a group that exists that is steeped in Physical Culture. There are those of us that are RKC's, CST's, CrossFit, Renegade, Olympic Lifters, powerlifters etc. I am making an effort to call on all RKC's to stop speaking in generalizations and accussing all trainers of being misinformed or misguided. FYI, there is a new breed of trainer; some of us have a clue. Adam Davila RKC, Crossfit, Physical Culturist Sgt. USMC 89-97 Recon/Sniper 

Not only is the common waste of time an issue, the attitude that destroys the worth of all people an issue. If a person looks at the relationship between hours watching the tube and violence in the society there is a parallel. In the days of black and white TV when violence was closely guarded and not a common occurance on TV we did not think that destroying someone was a viable answer to life issues. When we repeat a theme often enough it will be believed regardless of its truthfulness. Thanks Mike for being brave enough to swim up stream. I like the attitude. Bob Adams 

I'm thinking about starting some KB training. My problem is that I am not sure which KB to start off with. I don't want anything to heavy or too light. I'm 5'6" and weigh 155lbs. I would say I have average strength. I'm not a powerlifter or bodybuilder. My current workouts revolve around bodyweight calisthenics, flexibility training and martial arts. With the information provided, which KB should I start off with? Thanks, Keith 

Well I'm trying to get back in shape to start Kenpo again so Monday morning I did the following: 10 sets 3 reps double 35lbs kettlebells 90 sec rest between sets. All I can say is this was a good workout, felt the heart rate go up and felt very good after completing it. Today, Wednesday I took it up a notice and did the following: 15 sets 3 reps double 35lbs kettelbells 30-45 sec rest between sets. The last two sets I switched over to my two 53lbs Man, what a difference between the added sets and the last two sets I was almost spent and sweating big time. Started at 5:47am and ended at 6:04am Great workout, can't wait until Friday!!!!  

hi mike....... i just wanted to know how to maintain the muscle mass i gained in the past couple of month... i am going to be trianing MMA 6 days a week and i am afraid i will losse all the mass i have packed up in the past couple of month??? and by the way your newslleter rocks thanks in advance 

I was wondering if reneage rows should be preformed in alternating style left and right or if the reps for the set should be completed with one arm then the other? 

Does anyone have any feedback or experience on the U.S Kettlebell stackable system.I own DD books and from a $ standpoint and being in college i have a problem deciding on what to buy with a really limited budget. 

I used to drink but quit for a number of reasons. My first being my relationship with God was hindered because of it. Second, I hated feeling lazy and sluggish. And usually after a night of drinking, working out was the last thing on my mind. Just curious... 

If so what is the basic breakdown of what he does? Thanks 

Yesterday I tried Boxing tape and enjoyed it very much. I think Bas Rutten's idea can be mixed with other exercises. What do you think ?  

Mike, Just to make sure I have the exercise right, Tiger Pushups are when you place your feet, flat up against a wall, pike up and form a diamond with your hands. So basically it's a diamond pushup and a Hindu Pushup combined, correct?  

I've been doing an HOC workout for about a week, and am planning on continuing HOC for 4-5 weeks. I'm working in a basement with a low ceiling because that's where my heavy bag is located; when the weather is good I could conceivably open the hatch and work outdoors for the KB work. What I have done to this point is: KB DARC Swings R/L x10 Standing Side Kicks (like a stop kick) 10 L/R Swings Same kick + hand combo (usually backfist, uppercut, hook) 10 L/R Swings Hand combos: backfist, reverse punch x10 L/R; backfist, reverse punch, hook x10 L/R Repeat 3x, no rest between sets except to put on or take off gloves. Finish with: Swings Kicks Swings This was today's workout. I only managed about 8 rounds the first time (Monday), but I got all 10 in Thursday and Today So here's the question: sometime in the second time through the sequence, the bag work becomes more intense on my heartrate than the KB swings, such that the roles reverse and the bag becomes more anaerobic and the KB more aerobic. Am I doing the bag work with too high a degree of intensity for HOC? I'm generally sucking wind pretty badly by the end of the second set, and only the relatively light kicks without hand techniques enable me to catch up a bit. I'm going full power on the bag at a pretty fast clip on the other sets. Thanks for your help, Glenn 

I did the Evil Russian's "Hit the Deck" program for 2 weeks (BB page 283). In those 2 weeks I went to school and to friends etc., so I couldn't perform sets troughout the whole day (I had 2 some days of from school and some days I had only lessons for 4 hours). I just performed sets whenever I was at home, but sometimes I couldn't keep up with the program (for example thursday week 2, my arms/shoulders were to tired), but I just did as much as possible. I went from 65 pushups in 2 minutes (really hard, couldn't possibly have done one more rep) to 85 pushups (after those 85 the time was up, I rested sometimes a sec in the "up postion", I guess if I would have done them faster or had more time I could have made it to 90 or even more! I'm very happy with the results, and I would like to do another 2 weeks of the program after 2 weeks untill I can perform 100 reps relatively easy (and then doing 2 till 3 times a week 100 reps. for maintainance) What do you guys advise me to do the 2 weeks I'm off from the program (my primary goal is to reach the 100pushups as fast as possible)? E.G. doing no pushups at all or doing relative easy sets (for example 50) every other day? 

Has anyone trained using the static contraction method proposed by Pete Sisco. What are the pros and cons, how effective have you found it. Also what exercises have you used in addition to the 3 main ones he covers(leg press, shrug and bench press 

These things are pretty nice but I don't hear too much about them on this board. Does anyone else use these? Have you ever tried using these to replace the bench press? In terms of functional strength, these seem pretty practical. As of now I'm only using about 50 pounds or so for resistance, but I'm slowly building up and incorporating these more into my workout. The Army Chief of Staff should have us use these on our pt test...that would be the day 

These things are pretty nice but I don't hear too much about them on this board. Does anyone else use these? Have you ever tried using these to replace the bench press? In terms of functional strength, these seem pretty practical. As of now I'm only using about 50 pounds or so for resistance, but I'm slowly building up and incorporating these more into my workout. The Army Chief of Staff should have us use these on our pt test...that would be the day 

For everyone who does the Dbl Sots, do you have trouble doing more than single reps? I have yet to complete a 2nd rep even with light weight due to a lack of balance while lowering the KBs. Any suggestions?

http://www.irontamer.com 

For everyone who does the Dbl Sots, do you have trouble doing more than single reps? I have yet to complete a 2nd rep even with light weight due to a lack of balance while lowering the KBs. Any suggestions?

http://www.irontamer.com 

Hey guys. This is my first post. Love the site and forum. Great stuff. I wanted to respond to the thread about a follow along workout video. I was actually going to write the same post. I think a lot of us here like to construct our own workouts. I certainly enjoying "doing my own thing." But it would be a nice change of pace to just follow along without having to think about which exercise to do next. A lot of people would appreciate that! :-) Also, we all have our favorite exercises, so having to follow a workout exactly would give some of us a chance to do some exercises that we don't do when left to our own devices. A follow along video could be for experienced KB users who already know the exercises, or are resourceful enough to find articles or ask questions here to figure out how to do them. Or you could include a training manual along with the video. I think the ultimate KB video would be something along the lines of 3-5 workouts, 10-20 minutes apiece, full body (upper, lower, core,) HIIT/ circuit style. I'm not sure if KB users generally put grind and ballistic exercises together, or do them in separate workouts, so the person making the video would decide on that. And I like the idea of the workouts getting gradually more difficult. You could start with a relatively easy 10 minute workout, then progress to 15, 20, and maybe even a brutal 25-30 minute workout as the "grand finale." Also, a question about the Cruel and Unusual video, how long are the workouts?  

I just finished a basic workshop with Mike mahler, it was almost 6.5 hours of straight instruction. I can only remember about three breaks, I dont remember their duration but they werent very long at all.Class started @10:00 but went a half hour over...Its one thing to be hardcore, but to be hardcore with style and grace is something else...and thats what he taught while working with some of the biggest KB's Ive seen to date..brute strenghth just isnt enough..finessing them into place is where it's at and you can learn to do that with proper technique....this basic KB workshop was worth every penny I paid and I highly reccomend it to anybody training with KB's....Hey Mike thanks for showing me how to hit the snatch right...HA HA HA