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

Comrades, do not for a MOMENT think that the pickle juice hangover remedy will help you in your hour of need. I tried it this morning and it does not do a thing. The search is still on...... 

I am sick of seeing all of these bodybuilder or fitness model magazines at the magazine stand. Any chance of there being a monthly magazine containing a combination of information on new kettlebell drills, bodyweight training, powerlifting, olympic lifting, etc.? I really think there would be demand for it. 

I posted yesterday about my apparent shoulder injury and got some good responses but I would still like some help understanding how to prevent shoulder injury when doing swings with heavy weights. I am actually able to swing an 80 pound dumbell with one arm in good form for 5 reps. At that weight, though, the bell is putting tremendous pull on my shoulder both at the top of the swing and at the bottom when it is reversing direction. My legs and core are strong enough to handle the load but the shoulder does not seem to be. My questions are these -- How do you determine how much weight you can control in a ballistic exercise with your shoulder without damage? What are the cues that you are doing it properly? What are the cues that you are failing?  

Can you give me a list of irridation exercises used with the PTP program. I have free weights, Powerblocks, and a bench along with a Body Solid cable machine in the basement. Do you also do upper body one day then lower the next? One more question. Do I perform the same exercises for a week and then change up or work on the same exercise for two or three weeks then change to another? I appreciate any input as I have just started on the program. God Bless, Chaplain Paul 

Pavel As always, thanks for the words of encouragement and the feedback. My website will be up soon and the book/program for TKD S&C will, as well. I am trying to resolve some information that doesn't hit me quite right. I am not sure if my instincts are right on this matter. I am trying to understand the necessity for training strength endurance as part of periodized training program. I don't know exactly why I hold this belief, but I consdier iron as a tool for developing maximal strength (MxS) and power (P). While it can be used for muscular endurance (ME) and Power Endurance (PE), I suspect it is unnecessary for most sports. In fact doesn't working for ME and PE actually reduce the body's potential for MxS and P? Yet, most of what I have read of Eastern Bloc methodology espouses some form of ME or PE training. Pavel, what am I missing? Am I thinking too simply? Furthermore, I believe that endurance is best trained in actually doing the sport - but not right away of course. (For example, with my TKD athletes I move from genral to directed to specific conditioning strategies. I developed their endurance first with effort correlated sprinting, then moved to techniques, then to tactics and eventually strategies (sparring). I never train new techniques with any element of endurance but gradually add repetitions until sufficient proportionate usage in a match is reached and then train it for endurance.) Back to the topic, if an athlete is training sports specific endurance, wouldn't training ME or PE be a redundancy in training? I guess I could rationalize transitioning from MxS or P to ME or PE if there were an insufficient training effect i.e. increase in strength or power being displayed in the athlete. Don't you think nearly all athletes as they gain strength or power will naturally display it in their sports performance while simultaneously developing the endurance for it without having to train for it in the gym? Wrestlers or grapplers spend quite a bit of time displaying muscular endurance and intermittent displays of power - so I can understand a need for training ME in a groundfighter (but only if their volume of sports specific endurance training is low enough), but for a striker or nearly any other sport, is training ME a good idea? Thanks in advance for the concise, precise answers you always give. I just wish I could have made my question more to the point - Thanks for your patience, Power to you, Pavel! Frankie olandosantos@hotmail.com 

Pavel, Just got the 4kg and 8kg Kb's for my wife and was wondering if your wife takes part in your evilness ? Also, I feel that I need to tell you that Muscle Media stopping publication really is dissapointing. I hope that you start your own monthly publication. Personally, I would pay twice as much for the subscription. Your columns were the sole reason for me subscribing. Shawn 

As I said yesterday, I'm doing the bear. (Gotta be a bear! Nothing else will do right now!) I know you have to work your tail off with the bear, but I'm wondering if I can have two days between workouts? I feel like my back needs to recover a bit more. Before doing this routine, I'd do deadlifts either 3, 2, or 1 time(s) a week doing a 5 set routine of descending reps with ascending weight, the old 5-4-3-2-1 method. I usually ended up with what I've been starting with. Never really needed much recover time back then. I'm just starting back with my workouts after taking about a 2/3 week break. I pulled a back muscle. Even though I focus on technique - I concentrate on my legs - I still worry about my back. Should I worry about my back? Again, I THINK about what I'm doing. For instance, if I ever accidentally round out my shoulders, I'll drop the bar. I love the deadlift and want it to be the core of my weightlifting. Bruce  

Pavel, Thank you so much for your inspiration and sharing of ideas! I'm preparing for the Marine Corps and am going to try to get into Marine Force Recon. I was wondering if it would be okay to train with KB and GTG? I have a 35lb KB, a pullup bar, and weights if that helps. I know I need endurance, and that the PFT is important, but could GTG with Pullups, pistols, and OAPU's be beneficial? Help with a program would be greatly appreciated. I know you must be very busy. Thanks again for all you've done for the fitness community. Regards, Kris 

I have been doing a LOT of volume in the LC lately and my lower back is feeling fatigued. I took all weekend off & did a total of 88 reps (spread out over several sets) with the 24kg bells today. I decided to do some hanging leg raises afterword and felt it in my lower back. I am thinking it is a hip-flexor issue along with fatigue from the volume of the past several workouts. I will probably get a Chiropractor to check it out in the next couple of days. Comments? Insights? Suggestions? 

Recently I read (Power to the People) and have used the method for about 6 weeks. Last Friday, I put the wrong amount of weight on the bar that just so happened to match up to what the second set should be (~80% 1RM). So I just added and did the 90% 1RM on the second set. The take-away? I felt a lot stronger using this sequence than the one recommended in the book, namely set 1 = 90% 1RM, set 2 80% 1RM. Is switching the order not as effective? Did I miss something in my reading. Any thoughts?  

Any tips or exercises? Any secret cures? Any advice at all? TIA, -JR- PS - No MF, please. 

I know Pavel reccomends low reps,etc for ab training, but is that enough to "balance" the amount of reps doing when doing Kbell snatch or swings,etc... It just seems like one should do some high rep ab sessions if your doing high rep kbell work??? Is my thinking on this totally wrong? Thanks 

I read some where that you trained an 18 yearold kid out of highschool to bencome a Navy S.e.a.l and he went on to earn the trident a year later.Can you tell me some of the excercise programs you recommended for him and the type of diet he followed.I would really appreciate it thanks!! 

I need tips on finding the right stretches to work on for a very inflexible area - my shoulders. (I own all of Pavel's stretching books and most of his other books.) What I cannot do is the following 2 movements: 1. Lying on my back - raise arms frontally and towards above my head with arms straight. My arms stop dead about 30 degrees above the floor. It feels similar to when the hips lock if the pelvis is not tilted properly for the side split stretch. I feel a pulling in my lower thoracic region of my back just before it locks. 2. Raise one arm in front of me to straight up and bend elbow so hand goes behind my back - move other arm behind my waist and bend elbow so arms moves into a "hammerlock" position with hand moving up behind my back to try to grab hands behind back (I call this the Hammer stretch). My hands stop about 14 inches apart. I feel pulling in the back of the shoulder and neck of the arm with the elbow pointing toward the ground and pulling around the outer edge of the scapula of the arm with the elbow pointing up. What would be the best stretches and sequence of stretches to do to regain/achieve full mobility in these movements and this region in general? I haven't been able to make progress using the stretch in Relax Into Stretch for #1 above. I seem to only get a more rotated rib cage with the lower ribs sticking out more and more in front of me. Thanks in advance. _________________ Thanks for reading. Jim  

Pavel, I understand you are a keen arm wrestling fan. Could you outline a good training programme for someone interested in competing. What regular lifts do arm wrestlers tend to be strongest in? As I see it core stability, Isokinetic strength from delt's & pec's, and a continous isometric contraction in the biceps is generally how it distributes it's self. I read something Robert Kennedy wrote saying he used a cable contraption, also getting two people to wrestle him at the same time. Basically I'm open to suggestions, if turning my hat back to front will make me stronger.......I'll give it a go (ha,ha) Pol 

You talk about the dis-inhibition effect of dynamic tension in PTP but do you think doing isometric exercise e.g. push hands into a wall or up into a ceiling or pull down with hands on a wall or door e.t.c would have a similar effect? My theory being, you decide how hard to push/pull therefore there is no 'set' resistance and so your muscle and tendon receptors learn to send messages to the muscles to contract harder than necessary. The benifit over dynamic tension would be you have somthing to push/pull against and so can generate higher tension values. What do you think? Thanks for your response, Dave.  

thank you for this new info, now i can get on the road to my goal.but i am wondering about me doing calisthenics.i feel like me doing calisthenics is as inevitable as a 5 yr old is going to eat chocolate chip cookies.i really enjoy the workouts.i am doing the common pullups wide grip, underhand, behind neck, moderate width grip, dips, and push-ups. on my pullups i am up to 15 reps.is high rep pullups, dips, and pushups the same detrimental mistake with fake muscle growth as doing it with weights, and if so how should i do these calisthenics? if its okay then should i move up with reps indefinitely, and can i do them right after the power to p workout, or should i do it on days that im not weight lifting 

Hi Pavel, RKC's & comrades, For those of you reading who are new KB lifters and have read my former posts, you'll remember that I haven't had my KB that long and I am already doing snatches. This is what you don't know. Ever since I first read Pavel (in Sports Supplement Review 4th edition in 2001), I have incorporated medium rep (8-12) DB swings (w/ 70's) for sets a few times a year for mere variety in my program. The point is this: I learned hip flexibility and drive and have practiced it for the last few years. If you have no experience with DB swings, then listen to the RKC's and get quite a few weeks experience with the KB swings before even thinking about the snatch. Snatches aren't that difficult, but they are more technical than a swing and you don't want to have to think about your hips when you are snatching - you want the hip motion to be habitual while you focus on your arm motion. For the RKC's, I was the fool who ordered the 1.5 pood instead of the 1 pood. Undeterred, I have gone right after the snatch. I have been training it in sets of 2,3 and 4 each hand in my workouts along with limited GTG work (a single set 3-4 more times daily) for a little over a week. I haven't pushed it and the banging against the foreams has completely disappeared. I gotta tell ya, nothing feels better than a smooth snatch (no pun intended). Since the banging has stopped, I would guess my snatch form is OK. I have seen it in the mirror and I have had my wife (quite the critic) evaluate my performance against Pavel's from the RKC video (yeah, I know he has the bulldog and I have the mutt of the litter). She seems to think my form is adequate. Of course, I still want to be evaluated by an RKC to see if I have mastered the subtleties of the corkscrew and if my swing style snatch doesn't border too much on an Olympic style snatch. Today, I went for my first snatch max. The RKC was far enough away and besides - I had taken a day off and my last workout was only 20 minutes. So I warmed up did some JM from SJ and off I snatched. I paid attention to the rules from the certification link and I think I obeyed them. I stopped at 28 in 2:03 (the requirement, I think - I weigh in under 80 kg, about 172 lbs.) going five each hand until I reached twenty, then did 4 each hand. Now 28 is nothing for you veterans, but I was stoked nonetheless! Back to the topic. By no means do I think I have mastered the intricasies of lifting the 24kg KB. While I have done many of the different exercises, I still haven't performed the side press, bent press and a few other of the KB lifts. I plan to focus more on those since I know I have the ability to perform 28 consecutive snatches now. My main goal has been to be ready for the RKC. I wanted to be able to make it through the workouts there and pass the 28 rep test for the snatch. I feel confident I can do this. Before KB training, I was performing NW along with the lever progression from Coach Sommer's article. For my cardio, I was jumping rope for rounds. While I have no desire to start jumping rope again, I do miss my NW/Lever routine. As far as KB training goes, I have never really wanted to do ungodly amounts of snatches and C&J's. Although I do well with endurance type training, I have no interest in GS training. Don't get me wrong, I do wish to move up to two arm snatches and C&J's and eventually the 32kg when the time is right. I want to learn every KB motion but I don't find it necessary to be able to perform them in high volumes in order to teach them (I plan on doing so in my area). My main goal is strength (at least until I find myself to be strong). Now, the question. I have seen MANY, MANY people ask about a successful combination of PTP and RKC training and I am sure the answer to this question will be similar. What is a good combination of NW/Lever training and KB training over the next 11 weeks, so that I can at least maintain my ability to perform 28 snatches, do well at the RKC certification wo's, learn the additional KB moves and still make progress in my NW/Lever training? More specifically, what are some week's, day's, set/rep schemes for maintenance of snatch endurance? How much should I limit my pressing moves in KB's if my goal is to do the OA/OL push-up (still can't do the GD things!!!ARRGHH!!!)? What are the other lifts performed and what are some healthy numbers to shoot for in them at the RKC wo's? As always - Thank you all for your generous help in my progress. Only the best, Frankie olandosantos@hotmail.com 

Some time ago Andrey posted some information about how Russian gireviks and how they use the powerlifts, including rep ranges and when they train them. Does anyone remember the content or location of that post? If so please post it here, thanks. Rob 

Can you give me any tips on plyometric stretching? Can you give me any tips on digital fascial planing (loaded-passive stretching)? What do you plan on having your next book about? Thanks in advance for any help. It's greatly appreciated. 

Pavel and comrades - I'll keep it short. My ultimate goal is to be able to do a one arm pull-up. As a prerequisite, I am training weighted pull-ups. As the weight, sets & reps progress, I have a harder time keeping my shoulders back and down - especially in a neutral grip. Is it as important to keep the shoulders back and down in pulling as it is in pressing? Should I cease my practice when I can no longer maintain the posture or wait until my grip and / or pull length goes to quit? Thanks, Frankie olandosantos@hotmail.com 

I currently use the basic PTP schedule (deadlift/side press for 2 x 5) 4 days a week. Would a daily session of isometrics be alright to add into the routine? Isometrics seem to be another good way to work on muscle tension thus increase muscle strength and density. Would this be correct? I think that I recall somewhere a long time ago in which Pavel stated that isometrics were a good supplement to a heavy weight training routine. Does anyone else remember this?  

In a previous post you mentioned a 'military sports complex' of exercises and tests.You also mentioned something about VSK 1 and 2 badges. Could you please post details about these? Thanks alot for your time. 

When wearing a belt for GS Jerks, are the elbows actually resting against the top of the belt? I can rest comfortably in the rack position without the belt for a couple minutes, but when I wear the belt I can't touch my elbows to the belt without really straining. Even then it's not much of a rest. Is this a flexibility issue? Thanks, Mike 

be strong as hell. he's incredibly ripped, works out just once a week very hard to failure just doing the basics. he then took another week off, and comes in and does a one armer in front of me. he said some years ago when he trained 3-4x a week he couldn't even come close to the one armer, now that he lifts once a week he pulls this off! my only answer is genetics. i'm jealous haha 

Hi I've been experiencing a problem performing kettlebell snatches. As I'm lowering the bell, fairly near the bottom of the downward swing, I get a sharp pain in the inside part of my elbow (elbow pit - if you like). It feels as if a tendon is getting caught up and snapping over something. This only happens with my left arm. Is there something I might be doing wrong that I could adjust to avoid this elbow pain? Many thanks Tom 

I purchased Pavel's RKC book a while ago and I'm still reading through the kettlebell drills. I enjoyed the section that dealt with arm-wrestling but I thought it was too brief and I was hungry for more knowledge. I love to arm-wrestle and when I was in the Army I was getting a lot of arm -wrestling experience (especially in Iraq). But since I've returned home to NY, not too many people that I know around here will challenge me or accept my challenges. Maybe it's my 15" guns. -SHRUG- :-P I wanted to know if there are any specific kettlebell drills that improve a person's chances at winning an arm-wrestling match. These drills would probably focus on intense wrist, forearm and biceps work. Those are the major muscles involved in arm-wrestling. I'm currently waiting for my 1.75 pood (62lb) kettlebell to arrive here via UPS. Thanks in advance, comrades.
www.maxbm.net 

Do you know of or can tell me about a Russian food stuff called "Graechka"? spelling I am not sure of.. a friend at work that is from moscow tells me of this that, the Olympic athletes eat this alot while training, and that it is high in protein and makes you "very strong". Is this a grain, bean,buck wheat???? really curious now :) thank you my friend ..take care 

Comrades, A little background: I lived in South Beach for a short time and trained some boxers and MMA's. I didn't have KB's, but I was able to put together some simple but effective S&C programs. I got to meet Angelo Dundee and work with those in his camp at South Florida Boxing. I was a boxing fan before, but even more so now. Being a fan of boxing, I have always had my heroes - Muhammad Ali originally. Today, it is the brothers Klitschko. I saw a 60 minutes featurette on them and saw them do some MB work, bag work and explosive BB work. I was really hoping I might see them doing some KB work - them being from a former USSR "state." I didn't know if Pavel was privy to any literature including some of their or any Russian boxing S&C routines or if any of you other boxing S&C coaches (Cotter, Baccari - I/m sure there are others) had any inside information on their training. Thanks everyone and see you at the June RKC, Frankie olandosantos@hotmail.com 

Here's what I've been doing over the last few months: january ------- 1-arm military presses: 3x5 [55 lb dumbell] 1-arm swings: 3x10 [55 lb dumbell] evil wheel: 3x5 feburary -------- 1-arm military presses: 3x5 [55 lb dumbell] 1-arm swings: 1x25, 1x20, 1x15 [35 lb dumbell] evil wheel: 3x5 marxh ----- 1-arm military presses: 3x5 [55 lb dumbell] 1-arm swings: 1x15, 1x12, 1x10 [35 lb dumbell] evil wheel: 3x5 april ----- 1-arm military presses: 3x5 [55 lb dumbell] 1-arm swings: 1x30, 1x25, 1x20 [35 lb dumbell] evil wheel: 3x5 may --- 1-arm military presses: 3x5 [55 lb dumbell] 1-arm swings: 1x18, 1x15, 1x12 [55 lb dumbell] [some ab exercise] I'm guessing about the reps for the swings in May. I workout 3x week, MWF, and will probably workout 4x week, MTTF, starting in May. I wait 1 minute between each set, 1-2 min between each different exercise, and approx 90 sec between each ab set. I could do alot more in the military press but I can't fit anymore weight on the dumbell. I haven't really noticed any weight loss so far. Maybe a few pounds but that's it. I have gotten bigger though. My girlfriend said that by back and shoulders are wider and my abs are more defined. I'm definately burning a hell of a lot more calories than before I started working out and I still eat the same ammount. I haven't changed what I eat though, which is mostly crap, but should I have lost more than 2-3 lbs? My feet are still numb and my ankles really tight due to a bulging disc in my back. I went to the hospital and saw a specialist(I forgot what the exact kind of doctor he was). He said that since I haven't lost any strength and I'm not really feeling any pain to continue doing what I've been doing. I'm going to start doing the streetches in "Treat Your Own Back" by Robin McKenzie. Does anyone have anyother ideas?  

I have been working with Pavel’s _Naked Warrior_ and I have a few questions, which I will post in other posts. I do not mean to post so many posts at one time, but as I do not have a connection to the Internet at home, I write them ahead of time and post them when I am at the computer lab. I have read many of the criticisms of Pavel’s books and videos and in general Dragon Door’s products, and since many here hold my opinions in high regard, here they are: 1. “The books are not dense enough.” Often heard on the internet. I personally like the light and conversational tone of the books. Could they be denser? Sure. Could they be less repetitive? Sure. Could they use smaller fonts, margins, etc.? Sure. But I like the ease with which I can read them. I read too many challenging books already, Pavel’s are a nice break. 2. “The _Naked Warrior_ only demonstrates two exercises.” Great. The concepts behind the movements illustrated are the point. And the selected movements fit well with the concept of GTG. The movements in the _Naked Warrior_ are well described and illustrated. No problems here. If you can’t apply the principles taught _NW_ to other exercise, then you have some more serious problems then not being able to do a pistol. 3. “There are too many advertisements in the book / at the end of the book.” I like the modular approach of Pavel’s stuff. Again see number one. I guess Pavel could have written a dense and complicated manual on all of his principles, but like the fact he concentrates in each volume on one aspect of his ideas. Also, Dragon Door is a small publisher with a lot of presence on the internet, but some people don’t have unlimited access to the internet to appreciate and evaluate what DD has to offer. It makes sense to cross-market your products. 4. “The marketing at Dragon Door is too macho, adolescent, etc.” I agree. Sure, often it is meant tongue-in-cheek, but I do think it detracts from the message. Plus, there is too much hype. Perhaps the market for Dragon Door stuff is just teenage boys or men who behave like them, but I think you could maintain that market while not demeaning the product with often embarrassing rhetoric. 5. “The books / videos cost too much.” I agree. I know the typical retort: What price strength / athletic excellence?! But really, not matter how great and useful something is, it has to be intelligently priced to be open to a larger market. With that kind of argument, DD should charge 100 dollars or even 1000 for their product. I figure $14.95 - $21.95 would a great deal for both parties. Am I happy with my purchase? Yes. Just some thoughts on the stuff I have read regarding the products sold here. Btw, I own _(Super Joints)_ and _(Relax into Stretch)_. Both of which I find to be of excellent quality. I do believe though for us who are not elite athletes _(Super Joints)_ is the best buy here. Everyone should be doing the daily routine suggested by Pavel. Jason  

I am thinking about starting to use some chalk when working out with KBs. Yesterday I was working out in my garage doing some snatches with the 32kb, it was about 95F outside and maybe even warmer in the garage. My hands were very sweaty towards the end of my workout and I nearly dropped my KB a couple of times. I was wondering if its ok to use chalk just to cut down on how slippery these things get? My grip is fairly strong I can do 335lb deadlifts with relative ease and can close the #2 ironmind gripper 3 times with each hand. Thanks. 

Hello Pavel I have (Beyond Crunches). Excellent! My question: I was a gymnast in the 1960s in the USA my coach taught it's best to slowly stretch a muscle hold it ten seconds while it burns, then release; never to 'bounce' or repeat the stretching motion quickly. Yet, your technique does exactly this repeated, bouncing stretching. Can you please tell me which technique is correct? thank you, best regards, Cliff Woolley in Tokyo  

Any good calf stretching insights? I have been trying to get my hamstrings to release forever. After doing all Pavel's stuff, I finally realize that the hang up was my calves. They are somehow locking my hamstrings down. Like Pavel says in the book, they are really hard to get loose.  

Hello, I will be training soon to steadily increase the amount of time I can stay underwater. I am wondering if you know of any specific techniques that can be readily employed, regarding breath or otherwise that can assist in this. Thank you very much. Nathaniel 

It has been stated by Louie Simmons and others that explosive or "speed" exercises should be trained at a different training session than slower "grinding" exercises so that the training effect on the neuromuscular system is focused on developing one type of strength attribute at a time without other "confusing" stimuli. With that in mind, and assuming the above principle to be correct, what value would there be in doing the clean and press? Combining a quick explosive exercise with a slow grinding one seems to be contradictory to this particular training principle. Any opinions? Thanks in advance, Angelo  

It has been stated by Louie Simmons and others that explosive or "speed" exercises should be trained at a different training session than slower "grinding" exercises so that the training effect on the neuromuscular system is focused on developing one type of strength attribute at a time without other "confusing" stimuli. With that in mind, and assuming the above principle to be correct, what value would there be in doing the clean and press? Combining a quick explosive exercise with a slow grinding one seems to be contradictory to this particular training principle. Any opinions? Thanks in advance, Angelo