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

My understanding was that it was bad to isolate muscles, or are abs the exception. And how much carry over do you guys think it would have to wrestling? 

My understanding was that it was bad to isolate muscles, or are abs the exception. And how much carry over do you guys think it would have to wrestling? 

I have a SWAT tryout in 90 days. I'm focusing on pull-ups and leg strength. I want to incorporate Pavel's GTG program from (The Naked Warrior), but throw pull-ups in there. What I'm planning on doing is "practicing" (using Pavel's wording) everyday - where I'll do one-armed pushups several times a day, pistons several times a day, and weighted pull-ups several times a day - but never to failure. I plan on running a few times a week - first thing in the morning - 3 miles under 21 minutes. I take Jow Ga Kung Fu 4 nights a week. I don't want to overtrain, as I've had shoulder problems in the past. Can someone offer me some advice - does this seem like a good approach? Thanks, Steve 

Pavel has mentioned in his newsletters, and other places, that the strength and endurance gained from kettlebell lifting seems to 'stick with you' even over the course of fairly long layoffs and/or cycles spent pursuing other forms of training. That definitely seems to be the case for me. It seems that I get stale or burned out on kettlebells after 4-5 months and need to concentrate on other modes of training, mostly the Xing Yi Nei Gong exercises and 18 Buddha Hands and Hindu Pushups. After a few weeks, or sometimes months, a switch goes off inside and I find that I can come back to the kettlebells and almost immediately start in with better form and better results. Likewise, my practice of XYNG and 18 Buddha Hands seems to benefit from the cycles spent concentrating on kettlebells and clubbells. This may seem counterintuitive to many comrades, but I would like to point out one of Coach Sonnon's articles on the subject on circularstrengthmag.com, "The End of GPP". It's almost as if reverting to a 'tabula rasa' state unloads much of the accumulated stress and trauma on the muscles and nervous system. I was essentially forced to lay off RKC style training for more than 3 months due to time and facility constraints, aside from a Saturday seminar with Eric Tiarks, RKC. But a recent change in work and school schedules opened up a window of about an hour on the back 3-season porch that wasn't there before. (In Nebraska in January, a 3-season porch is pretty close to a 'Courage Corner'!) Aside from a little DOMS, things came back in a hurry. Somehow I am much more integrated in my lifts than before, and can sense the form and muscle imbalance problems that could, if left unresolved, lead to an injury in the future (I also have Eric's top notch instruction to thank for this, especially in the performance of windmills and cleans). I am not advocating being a lazy ****...just suggesting that variety is good, and that you should trust your instincts on this one. If you are feeling stale, burned out, or beat up in your RKC training, please consider that you may need some active rest or a shift in emphasis in your training for a while....especially if you are just training for health and vitality and not a GS competition in the near future. Trust me, it comes back VERY quickly if your focus and intention are there.  

I have a couple of questions for the party. 1. GTG Pull-up volume: How many prior to dimishing returns? I currently do 100 in 4-7 hours. I have been doing 60-80 reps in a work-out. I am shooting for a set of 25 to 30. 2. 2 Pood Kettlebell Snatch and C&J: How much work out volume in order to get 40 - 60 reps in one set? I do my c&j's with one bell. Thanks, Marc 

Would you suggest doing heavy negatives to induce hyperplasia through weights? also, if so, should the normal 2sets PTP protocol be adhered to for them? 

Pavel, The squat/dead raw day early in the week and alternating speed/Me day later in the week is working great. 54321, 3x3, and 5x3 is not working on raw bp day. Alternating the speed and shirted ME day is something i like and need. I am considering some sheiko type workouts, thinking i need more volume on the raw day? Any ideas? jack 

Pavel, depending on how my back heals up (chiropractor says 4 weeks before commencing "light" training, fair enough), and this topic is still open for debate as my exact injury has jet to be defined, cutting a long story short the X-ray showed no damage but I can't rest easy until I get an MRI scan as the pain felt clearly indicates something is up. Boy, I sure have a tendency to babbble a bit. What I'm trying to say is that I have looking at the TSC website and will be doing my best to make it over to the states for August (God willing, reguarding my back) and trying to put in a strong challenge for the Special Ops title! I don't know if I'm the first International contestant, but it sure is a good excuse to save for a fun trip to the U.S!! I believe I may be the smallest guy there by far, I know BJ & JP are both over 180lbs now, I'd be weighing in at a whopping 145lbs SOAKING WET!!!! This would maybe favour me in the pull-ups (althought in % terms, 32kg represents approx 50% my BW), but not the pistols or snatches. However I have been wanting to ask you one question reguarding the TSC. I see weightlifting has two lifts which incompass tests of balistic explosive speed and power, squatting strength, pressing strength (more so in the old days)and pulling power. Powerlifting has squatting, pressing and pulling strength (not so much speed though). TSC has great tests of strength/power endurance in squatting, pulling and explosive motions. But lacks a test of pressing power/strength endurance,important to a soldier surely? I always thought that the Kettelbell military press for reps would be a natural inclusion as a forth lift? Kettelbell weighted dips perhaps? What does the rest of the party think about this suggestion. Anyway thanks in advance for your time and looking forward to keeping you and the rest of the party posted on my prospects of being fit for Chicago. Pol 

I'm a 38 year old male with a deteriorating disk at L5 and S1. Was told to try to build up my abs and back to help support my spine. So far regular situps and excercise have been excruciating. Wondered what you might suggest. I really need to get myself together quick so can get back to work ASAP. I'm a single father since the accident, and am the only means of support. Thanks. 

Can you please explain why the Navy SEAL teams do not use more KB training in their physical conditioning if the Spetnaz get such great results? Is it ego or for technical reasons? Do any of your books outline a typical Spetnaz KB session? Who do you think has a better overall conditioning program? Spetnaz or SEALs? All Comrades are invited to comment. Thanks! 

I would welcome input regarding continuing power lifting and with an arythmic heart condition that I have developed. I have used Pavel's "(Power To The People)" program for about 3 years. I have been doing the deadlift plus the bench press and curls in the manner prescribed by the program. About 3 months ago I quit doing the bench press and began doing the side press. My best 1 rep deadlift has been 450 lbs. I have been working out routinely in the mid 300s. My best bench presses have been 315 lbs. I can't go higher due to the weight limitations of my bench. I ordinarily curl the weight of the 45 lb. barbell. My sets and reps are all as Pavel recommends. My breathing technique is also as Pavel recommends. Herein lies the problem. I started Pavel's program when I was 59 years old. I am now 62. I have developed arythmia of the heart. It goes in and out of sinus rhythm. My heart Doctor believes it is the breathing technique Pavel recommends plus the amount of weight I lift that is causing the problem. The arythmia first started at age 60. I had been using Pavel's "(Power To The People)" program for about a year. I had no history of heart problems up until that point. I laid off lifting for a few weeks and my heart went back into sinus rhythm on it's own. I resumed lifting. I seemed to be OK for awhile until October of 2003 when I was found to be out of sinus rhythm again. The Doctor said it is a low level arythmia but he is recommending that I quit power lifting Pavel's way because of the breathing techniques especially. That combined with the heavy weight I lift is causing my heart problem. Is there any way I can continue to power lift. Is there a program that takes my sort of situation into consideration? I would really hate to give up power lifting. Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

This week at T-mag
www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/295prec.jsp 

I would appreciate advice from anyone who has rehabilitated this type of injury. When I hang from the bar, I get a very strong pulling sensation just below my left elbow. I have not been able to do a two armed chin (rafter or otherwise) in about two weeks and I am about to go nuts! Thanks, Brad 

This summer i hope to attend Canadian Cadet Force (i am 16 in March) Adventure Training Camp in the Rocky Mountains. It is 6 weeks of rock climbing, hiking etc. Upon arrival i will be tested in my fitness and i want to get the best score possible. The minimum levels are 50 press ups and 40 sit ups per minute (feet held, hands behind head). The high standered is 75 press ups and 50 sit ups per minute. At the moment i can do 40 press ups and 30 sit ups per minute and need some help in improving. I do not know how to do anything other than the normal version of both and have been doing 3 sets of 80% effort in each discipline. I would like help in improving my sit ups per minute to 50 as i find them very hard and boring. I am also unsure about my technique as i dont think i am using the right abdominal muscles and i feel the strain in my lower back muscles as well. Any advice for the press ups would also be most welcome. 

After seeing someone at the gym incorporate what I viewed as unique and intriguing exercises, I went up to him and he told me all about you and your books. I purchased and read (Power to the People) and have been incorporating the exercises and workout regiment for about a week. I am doing dead lifts, shoulder presses, chest presses, and occassionally bicep curls. I am also doing push-ups and some pull-ups, though without any set routine with regard to them. My question is, how frequently should I be doing these exercises? The guy who I saw at the gym was doing a bunch of pull-ups and ab exercises while hanging on the pull-up bar. I swore that he said he got those exercises from you, but I did not see them in Power to the people. I have adopted the step cycle for the exercises, but do not know over what time period a 12 workout cycle should be completed. Also, how long should I take at the gym to complete this workout? I started the program as a person in good shape, but want to take the next step, which is why I looked towards your methods. Also, which other book should I look into purchasing to help answer these questions or to show me any exercises I might wan to add to my regular schedule. Thank you. EG 

Art, what you meant as a "straight wrists"? do you meant you don't rotate arm? if so, noone competitor do it, everyone rotate arm Andrey
www.girevoysport.ru/ 

Ever since I saw someone do the competition style snatch that's what I've been doing. Is there any reason I should be doing the origional RKC snatch? (Besides just for variety of course) Josh 

I just finished reading Dinosaur Training by Brooks Kubik. I have seen this book recommneded many times on this board by important people, and that influenced my decision to purchase it. For those of you who think this book is a good one to read and follow, there are a couple of somewhat glaring contradictions with accepted party wisdom: 1. Work heavy all the time and NO CYCLING of weights. 2. Work out at or near your limit every time. Brooks talks about passing out almost as if it is a required part of a dinosaur workout. There are also some other things that struck me as anti-party, but those two were the biggest If you liked this book and you like PTP how do you reconcile the two methods of training? I see a lot of similarities, but I also see some big differences between the two books. "Dinosaur training" does appeal to me on a certain level, but it looks an awful lot like HIT, which is almost universally condemned here. Any advice or ideas about dino training as a methodology are welcome. There are people here that have been around weights a lot longer than me and may have actually tried dino training. How it worked and why you ended up here is something I am interested to know. Thanks, -JR- 

Com.Pavel, i am a big fan of your minimalist approach to fitness. Getting the most done with as little as possible. Such as in Naked Warrior, 2 exercises with no equipment needed and providing an effective routine (gtg) you can pick away at through a busy day. Anyway my question is could you apply a similar formula for MMA. A minimum amount of super effective basic moves that work for real combat. I think this would help me focus my MMA training the same way it has helped me focus on my conditioning workout. I want to focus on strong fundamental skills. I'm not looking to compete, i just want a solid base for effective combat skills i can train without getting too deep.(My training is on my own, no martial arts classes, just training at home in kickboxing and wrestling with basic submissions) Any advice. Thanks, Andrew  

one. felt pretty good, too. successive induction on MP seemed to help most, but last week i did weighted pull ups which gave me confidence. now as for my lagging left arm... justin 

Pavel, I have been following your cycling recommendation - going three weeks “on” and one week at 50% - for almost 2 yrs. I enjoy it, and its allowed me to make constant progress with no injuries. However, just as we alter training variables like intensity, volume, etc, I was wondering if we should alternate our cycle length. Should I try 2 weeks hard and 1 week at 50% or even the one you listed in FRWTL: 4 days hard and 3 days off? Are there any cycle programs that you recommend instead of the 3 week on and 1 week at 50%? How much value is there in alternating cycles?  

Garm, I don't think the Smolov is gonna work for front squats. You start getting into higher reps and you just can't get any air. The weight constricts your breathing too much even with a strong rack. I think I'll switch back to ass-to-the-grass Smolov back squats with my new max of 300-pounds. And here's a thought I've been bouncing around...I can deadlift over 400-pounds with no specific training. I can bench in the mid-200s with no real training on the lift and I can nail a rock bottom 300-pound squat as of now. I may just decided to enter a powerlifting meet in the near future for some fun. Whaddya think? Dano 

I am curently using GTG with the BEAR routine using the deadlift and bench. In addition to adding some qualit muscle. I plan to return to competition this year and do a bench/dead contest. I have read man good posts on the subject of GTG but I am curious about how man bear workouts to do during the week. Threebear workouts a week may prove to be a bit much and I was wondering if GTG would allow me to do two, one or all GTG when I am overworked. Please help. Thanks. Pat  

Do you think hack squat would be better for jumping than the deadlift? Done with compensatory acceleration... Would it work as the main lift with 5x5 + maybe some jump shrugs and explosive kettlebell work? I'm not very eager to back/front squat as I have no spotters or coach and currently lack the flexibility. I'm talking about 'real' hack squats, not the machine. 

In my after-meet post I mentioned that I was getting 90-95% of my PRs in my competition sets. Jack responded "great, but if that's all your getting, we need to talk about peaking and tapering." Absolutely, let's talk. One thing I want to state at the beginning though: GS is so different than PL. The main thing before you step on the platform is to calm down -- "flatline" almost -- instead of psyching up. While I'm interested in how PLers peak and taper, I also would like to hear Pavel filter that through his GS experience. According to Pavel, you should set PRs in competition, but I'm guessing that the M.O. is different in significant ways. Anyway, some reading recommendations? General advice? Thanks, Rob 

Hi Pavel The other day you recomment the deadlift with bar behind back to increase my very skinny legs in my p2p wourkout.. how to do them??? Is it better than squat or??? How much more should i increase my callories?? i just want my legs to be a little bigger and not more mass on other body parts?? Should i train with more volume for the legs or is it ok just with 2 set if i just want them to grow a little??? Thanks Chief Comrade 

How would one develop wrist flexibility to do a planche like in Christopher Sommer's new article. My wrist won't bend past 90 degrees. A couple sets of pushups can hurt my wrists. The wrists would be the first obstacle to tackle before I could even attempt the basic planche. Any ideas for increasing wrist ROM?  

to maybe 6hours a day. Will my strength gains with kb's be compromised because of lack of sleep? I know you have knowledge and experience here with the military and lack of sleep. Thanks for reply. 

hi from Denmark. i`m a danish actor, i`m teaching physical training on The National Theatreschool.i use all of Pavels advices and with great succes. my girlfriend who is also acting started gtg 2 months ago. she could do one pistol with great difficulty, now she does 3sets of 5reps using 10 kg. she could`nt do 1 pushup now she does 10. and she weighs 71Kg. more testimonials will come later. i myself need a little help. in 6-8 months i`m doing a movie and like my legs to grow as much as possible. but they are stubborn. my upperbody grows easily. i`m doing boxsquats (80kg) 5set of 3-5 reps, then stiff deadlifts and glute-hams. they get strong but do not grow. i train 3-5 times a week.this is the most inspiring site ever seen thanks a lot everybody, Pavel indeed. good health Kimbo 

Naked Warrior program, which I perform roughly 5 times throughout the day, is killing my elbow/shoulder joints. Is this normal, and can it be prevented? I do tense up beforehand. Perhaps incorrectly.  

I know that Pavel is against it, but does it work at all. Would doing something like this work at all?: M W F 1st week: 135, 140, 145 2nd week: 140, 145, 150 3rd week: 145, 150, 155 ............ Im sure the answer is no, but it seems to look pretty good. Thanks for any responses.