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

A muscle near the inside corner of my left scapula has been hurting for the past month, so I've reduced my training. I do only 3 singles each, righty and lefty, twice a day. These are pulley assisted one-arm chins at about 90% of bodyweight. I don't think my injury? is getting better, or worse. Anyway, after my singles yesterday, I tried a front lever from a chinning bar. I haven't trained for front levers in over 30 years, though long ago I did great ones. I held a solid front lever for over 10 seconds, and elated, I released. Since reading Naked Warrior I've been focusing on improving technique, including tension, increasing abdominal pressure, and particular techniques for one-arm chinning. I think the carry over is what made the front lever successful. I've been using heat, stretching, massage, and reduced training to decrease tightness and pain in and around left scapula. I don't have much confidence in doctors for this type of problem based on my past eperience. Any ideas would be appreciated. 

A guy I work with is so moved by the Pat Tillman story, he wants to enlist. He is 32 , about 20 lbs over ARMY standards. Due to personal reasons he wants to get in and Join the RANGERS by August. I told him not too sure if someone that has been relativley sedentary can pull off that kind a time frame, maybe he can. How long do you think that this person would take to be in the kind of shape to pull that off, not to mention make it through boot camp first? I told him about 4 months at the least just for boot, RANGER would be a totally different story, and taht he would have to pass a a PFT standard for a much much younger man, not a 32 yr old... any thoughts? he is motivated and I wish him well , I just want him to make it, but also be realistic. 

Hi Comrades! This post is only "my observations" and is meant to get the Pull-up Guru's here to share some of their wisdom. I'm here to gain some information and gain some knowledge based on experiences many of you had with different variations of Pull-ups. Right I now I'm trying to recover from an elbow injury I received about one month ago due to training one-arm chins, but I have not completely recovered from it, so I'm looking at ways to work around this injury without causing more injury to myself and keeping my strength. I can still lockout at the top of the one-arm chin, though my elbow is still bothered, so I'm "working around this problem." I'm not very fond of weighted pull-ups (I have my reasons), so I'm trying to decrease my leverage in the regular bodyweight pull-ups and am comparing it to weighted pull-ups; to see how much the intensity has been inrcease by decreasing the leverage this much and comparing the intensity with weighted pull-ups, and so on... So I made my own little experiment, if you want to call it that. I know that the comparison of weighted pull-ups and decreased leverage pull-ups are not the same, so Im approximating. And I would like to gain some feedback based on expereiences and knowledge of the many comrades who have already experimented with what Im doing right now. I'm able to do 2 "pull-ups" (not chin-ups) while my body is completely folded on rings. The true Hanging leg Raise position with legs straight. So my body is at an approximate 90 degree angle. Then as I was going down from that position I noticed that I can make my body at an approximate 180 degree position (Parallel to the bar). As if Im doing a push-up but on rings. So I stayed in that position for some time. I wasn't able to pull myself, cause obviously I had wasted a lot of energy doing those pull-ups. That same day, hours later, I tried to see what my PR in pull-ups are. I started with 61 lbs and went all the way up to 68.5 lbs extra to my bodyweight. I was able to complete one good repetition at that weight. That's about 150% my bodyweight. Then a couple of hours later after that, I tried to check out my maximum chin-up strength. Suprisingly I easily chinned an extra 93.5 lbs. which is about 167% my bodyweight, on first try. So I just stopped there. Then 2 days later, I went back into that 180 degree position with "Pull-up" grip," and this position seems to increase the difficulty of the pull-ups as the weighted pull-up with 150% bodyweight, according to my observation. I was able to do one-rep like this, but with much difficulty. The way I got to that position was first to put my legs straight up as if Im doing hanging leg raises then I pulled myself up and then i straightened my legs out and my body became parallel to the bar and 180 degree position. I actually think this position increases difficulty to above the 150% bodyweight pull-up level, maybe 155%. But it's difficult. And I think I felt my chest like this too. :) Thank You!  

I need help please. I am trying to master the OAPU at the moment I can do several reps each for several sets ie 5 X 5, but I need some assistance to do this, by this I mean I get the wife to stabalise the none working shoulder, it is only a light touch but without it I twist to the none working side ie if I am pressing with my right hand/arm I pivot on my right hand and left foot and my left shoulder drops, it is the same to the other side but not quite as bad. I do all the tensing stuff as in NW including the anal lock (and I can assure you after 12 years in the navy I know about anal locks) Any help would be appreciated. Just for info I have a herniated lumbar disc right side, from which I am now pain free due to mainly k'bells and NW exercises. Many thanks for reading and any help you may be able to give. Cheers John Murphy.  

1.What were individual event maxes in your PT test? 2.What constitutes a junior ranking in,for example,a running event or in GS? What other sports besides running,GS or skiing would qualify? 3.In the VSK quadrathlon,is the 100m start position prone or standing? 4.In a previous post about this same quadrathlon[pull-ups,100m,obstacle course,1000m] you said there were "plenty of other tests,naturally".Could you give an example of some of these? 5.What type of swimming tests did they have in your unit? 6.Other than the standing long jump what other types of jump training and testing did you do? Sorry about the extensive questioning,this stuff is really interesting and has me curious. Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again in advance for your time. 

My brother asked me a question to which I think I know the answer but am unable to formulate it. He asked this question after I forwarded him a partial posting which contained this quote: "PTP with low reps builds tensile strength like nothing else, but it constricts movement to a few slow repititions which does little for the cardiovascular system and not much for muscular endurence or explosive speed and power if not combined with other forms of training. Kettlebells with high reps are Pavel's all-in-one solution..." His question was as follows: "Well, then, if kettlebells is high rep lower weight, why does he mock the barbie and ken high-rep workouts in power to the people? Seems contradictory?" In my brother's defense, over the past few months he has totally revamped his work after being influenced by a partial reading of '(Power to the People)' along with some stragetically forwarded articles and encouragement from me. He is noticing amazing gains and is slowly becoming a convert but on an intellectual level has some reservations. If anyone provide me with a decent answer, I would appreciate it. Hope this first post of mine is not too convoluted. David 

After seeing Brett Jones' incredible grip strength at the arnold and the lat RKC, I ordered an Ironmind gripper a few weeks ago. Just the Gripper 1 model. Great product and I am already noticing an increase in grip strength that is carrying over to kettlebells and clubbells. Next, I am going to have to get a bag of nails and join the club! Great stuff. Mike Mahler
www.mikemahler.com  

I own several Ironmind products and it's an excellent company(Milo is a fantastic magazine) BUT their grippers are a distant second to the grippers produced by Piedmont(www.fractionalplates.com) For instance, Piedmont has the wire size stamped into the handle and wire size is the only way to accurately/legitimately classify torsion strength and that a MAJOR consideration. Check out their website. I have no connection with Piedmont, I'm simply a fitness buff who has to own the best! 

Yesterday was feeling very tired and not up to a heavy-volume squat day as scheduled. I decided to start off with some depth jumps and proceed from there. I jumped 5x from shoulder height. 5x from head height with a 10lb plate and 5x from head height with a 25lb plate. My legs felt strong so I decided to start squatting. The weight felt like it was flying up. I was able to complete the planned routine with more poundage than anticpated. I will be experimenting with depth jumps more in the future. I think that 5-10 would be sufficient. Has anyone else experimented with this? Garm spoke once about stomping the ground for power and it is a part of many martial arts as well. 

I just registered here and would like to say hello to all members.. I am interested in strenght only so this have brought me here... I read pavel book power to the people..so i have a first question(i went quick trough book so excuse me if the question is stupid..you will have to cope with me,they could be more stupid question,but people have to learn :)) ) DOes pavel teach slow lifting(like 5 seconds to complete the lift) and heavy weights? Doesnt this negate the explosive lifting which louie simmons teaches? or am i totally lost here?TY 

Is it possible to eventually work up to crazy volume and still get health benefits from KB lifting or is there a set limit? Is competition style high volume lifting (of course assuming that you dont overtrain) beneficial to health or moderate is the best?). What is the upper limit on volume for KB work for optimum health/performance? Thank you in advance. 

I was looking at Tom Kurtz's website stadion.com and I have the book Stretching Scientifically, which I like the ideas for types of stretching. I was, however reading about the idea of using strength based exercises that move into the maximum range of motion in order to increase your strength and flexibility in these positions. I had also read of this idea in the newsletter for the sports specific guys who stated they belive that static stretching isn't neccessary for an athlete's functional flexibility development if they do strengthening movements through a maximum range of motion. Tom Kurtz suggests doing deep, horse stance style squats with weights at the greatest motion you can do which is ment to work well. Does anyone do this type of work to develop there flexibility and have found it to significantly help improvement? Also I was thinking of deep alturnate walking Lunges to develop the front split position flexibility, any performance suggestions/experiences or exercise alturnatives? Thanks for any and all responses, Dave.  

Goals: 1. Sport Specific: To climb upper range 5.13 sport routes. boulder consistent v8-v9 2. Training Specific: Conintue to practice the Dead lift and to progress at that lift. swing the 1.5 for 100 reps snatch the 1.5 with consistency (can only do so once or twice)military press the 1.5 for 5 reps. Sunday: Dead lifts:3-5 sets for 1-8 reps One-Legged Squats: 3-4sets 6-10reps Pistols: weighted low reps Swings: variations of 100 reps per workout Monday: Rolfing Session active recovery Tuesday: 3-4hours of bouldering in the afternoon at a really good climbing gym...maybe followed by some campus excercises Wed: Weighted Pull Ups (low reps and sets) KB work: yielding press w/ 1.5 then alternating (EDT style 15-20 Min): MP press with 1 pood and BW pull-up (varied grip) 15-20 Min alternating: C&J with 1 pood for speed and bent over rows (reps range 8-10) Thurs: Rest Friday: 3-4hour indoor bouldering Saturday: outside trad climbing/ bouldering Questions: -Any advice on working to hard/not hard enough would be appreciated. I've read some articles on Dead programs once a week and will probably follow a powerlifting type scheduale where reps decrease each workout but load is increased until I am working singles. I'd like to work up to a 300# single after a few weeks. Any advice for this? -Should swings be done befor or after the lower body workout on sundays? Could Swings be GTG throughout the day? By body has adapted well to doing swings with the 1 pood but it takes me at least 10-13 minutes to get 100 (left then right) one hand swings (200 total) with the 1.5 -When would be a good time in this program to work snatches? Currently I can snatch the 1pood up to 16-20 reps each arm...but haven't worked much with the 1.5 (I think I've only done 1 real snatch on my right side with it) Thanks for Reading. -millerclmb  

I really wish I hadn't figured this out. Here is what happened. Towards the end of my workout in a set of 24 kg RH snatches - I was corkscrewing the KB on the way down and I allowed it to twist too far turning my wrist inside (thumb counterclockwise towards my right leg), internally rotated my shoulder and at the same time pulled my arm too far behind my knees. That is when it happened - the slightest ripping sound all along the inside of my left shoulder blade. My strength instantly disappeared and I tried another rep and the pain and weakness was still there. It feels like a catch and has a very dull ache to it. Feel it a bit in my neck, rhomboid, lat and trap, as well. Here is what I am going to do: 1. Take a day or two off KB training 2. Aspirin (listen to steve maxwell) & Massage - too big an area to ice 3. test out some light bridging and scapular retractions - shorten the muscle as symmetrically to the other side as possible - avoid stretching or lengthening the muscle as to work out the kink 4. Ease back into it: 2* the warm-up, 1/2 the reps, 1/2 the sets, 1/2 the speed, 2* the rest, etc. 5. Stay off the corkscrew / side flip for a time and stick with the flip for snatching (I don't want to restimulate a faulty movement pattern) bobadams Do you think your shoulder internally rotates as you RH OASw or Sn? Does your right shoulder appear a bit lower and closer towards your chest than your left? Try what I'm trying - if it gets any worse - obviously, we need to go to the doc. In the meantime, I recommend keeping the shoulder screwed into your socket and keeping it back (if it is already down). I wish I had some corrective exercise prescription that I had personal success with - but nothing yet. I have passed around the link for MAT at muscleactivation.com. At first glance, it appears to have some veracity - but what doesn't at first glance? I remain optimistic - even if this is just trial and error. Jack Didn't you mention having a shoulder blade psuedo-injury? Is what I am describing your affliction, as well? I would think one arm pull-ups have one of the biggest predispositions to internally rotate the shoulder - especially commando style with no rotation to chin-up. Pavel At a cursory glance - could I be calling it right on this one? Party Anyone have any strength exercises to help in preventing internal shoulder rotation. I hope my observations gives someone some more data to help us manage this injury and possibly prevent a future injury . I might be calling this one wrong - but it seems the injury happened to me because of extreme force, ROM and internal shoulder rotation all leading to a twisting and bending of the spine and the muscle between the spine and the shoulder blade picking up the tab. Help, your comrade, Frankie olandosantos@hotmail.com  

First let me say, thanks to Pavel and his strength training knowledge re: freeweights/KB's, and the posts on this website - helped me achieve my best pull on the basic deadlift - 379 lbs! - I was able to pull 4 singles! Yay! Second, I would like to ask a couple questions about deadlift variations. Is there a variation of the deadlift where the bar is BEHIND you? I'm not sure, if there would be any benefit to this exercise, but I was trying to think of trying different variations, beside's RDL and sumos.... And last, I would like to know what equipment I would need to buy to start doing the one arm deadlift. I know the Ironmind sells equipment for this, but I prefer to go to Home Depot and do it on the cheap. I guess something like a ring shaped grip would be best? Along with chain, etc.... Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks! RedEx  

In Pavel's (Beyond Stretching), which I ahve been recently rereading for reasons unrelated to this post, He mentions the academacian Nicholay Amosov, and his "fitness program". I did a search on the web, but can find no further information about his fitness program on the web but for some refernces from athletes saying that thery were follwoing the program. There were some posts in Russian too, but I do not read either cyrillic or russian. Anyway... I would appreciate it if someone could point me to more information on the man, and his theories on physical fitness. WK 

Hey guys.... what do you think of the 400 club workout that i found from the bodyweight forum? (its a military fitness grading) 1. what do you think of doing 92 situps like that? how does this compare to doing jandas at say 2 sets times 10? which is better. 2. it seems very time efficient; a good workout via GTG methods, do u agree? 3. after achieving this what sort of physique would result? leaness? size increases? Here is the post from the bw forum: " Basically, you do pushups, situps, 1.5 mile run, and then pullups. Each category is worth a max of 100 points. I can max pushups and situps, but when I run after situps my hip flexors are so strained I can not get a good stride. Does anyone have any pointers? By the way to get 400 points, you have to do 80 pushups in 2 minutes, 92 situps in 2 minutes, 1.5 mile run in 9:25, and 20 chins. All exercises are done consecutively." 

Pavel, in a post down the forum a ways, you recommended talking to my doc about doing a few jerks then all out on snatches. I take this to mean that snatches will be easier on the knees. I'm thinking the injury may have happened when I was bending knees to absorb the shock of bells dropping back onto chest, does this make sense? If so, can I modify my jerks at all to minimize knee strees? I saw the doc today, he says probably synovitis and recommends not competing, but I am wanting badly to go down for the competition. I told him I don't mind if I'm swollen and stiff for a few days afterward, I just don't want to do any serious damage.  

Tested for new 1 RM this afternoon: Long Pull/Overhead Squat warm-up with broomstick-bar, then with 55# (just stretching) Squat: Warm-ups (triples, doubles, and singles) at 185 and 205. 1x225 (Old max) 1x235 Failed 245 Failed 240 Did the deadlift for the hell of it and found out that couldn't even pull my old 1RM of 300#, which I set at a bodyweight of 150 (current 160). I gave Smolov everything I had but I just didn't have the skill or the strength to perform the workouts without compromising form, and compromising form destroyed my ability to lift maximal weights (of course). I'd take the low, tight 225 I had two months ago to the higher, sloppy 235 I dished out today; I am now weaker in the squat than I was two months ago and weaker in the deadlift half a year ago and ten pounds lighter. I'm not touching periodization with a ten-foot pole until I'm more experienced. I'm sure that my assorted negative experiences with periodization are entirely a consequence of my trying to do too many things at once, but I am too dissatisfied with too many aspects of my physical ability to put my progress in all but one of them on hold for the sake of progress in just that one. I'm doing Crossfit for a summer; I'll post my performance on the WODs weekly. Ross Hunt 

I am new to Pavel's philosophy on fitness and strength training. I went out and bought the book "(Power to the People)". Pavel talks about in order to get strong, you don't do high reps or reach "burn out". You lift small number of reps with heavy weight. However, when he served in the military (as I have served in the Marine Corps) you do not lift heavy weight for few reps and a couple of sets and call it a day.I am certain Pavel didn't use or teach this approach as a Russian Special Forces instructor. You are doing pushups until you can't do any more, climbing ropes, jumping logs, performing situps, leglifts, etc. How can his philosophy of strength training go alongside "infantry fitness" which is usually an all day high endurance activity. I appreciate any feedback.  

i realize the name speaks for itself, but i did not know that it was a patended method-10 seconds up and 10 seconds down on any particular lift. someone has convinced a girlfriend of mine that this is the ONLY way to train and she asked for my input. now, i understand the reasons that are associated with this type of training and i often vary the tempo of my own practices but i've never found it neccessary to consistently exagerate a movement in this manner. any pros/cons that i can share with her? thanks.  

Hello Pavel, When you give routines refering to mass gains you said to do bear routine 2x week per movement...but when you refer to bodybuilding gains you say one muscle group per week, one exercise waving up and down. I see no difference between the terms bodybuilding and mass gaining..I just want to keep adding more and more mass! haha...so what is the scoop on your recommendations. Thanks 

I'm just trying to understand how our bodies work -- so I have some dumb questions. I've read two of Pavel's books and I think I understand how and why are muscles get stronger (and based on how we train, can also grow in size). I've always respected people that could put "it all" together though -- what I mean is -- be able to do 30 straight pullups and still run 3 miles in under 18 minutes; run up 8 flights of stairs carrying a ram in a minute and yet bang out 400 hindu squats at one time. However, it seems like some people are good at one thing and improve on the other (i.e., strong yet slow; or slow twitch/fast twitch; etc.). I guess my quesion is, what is making my exercises' time come down when I'm running my 3 miles drills over a period of time (endurance), yet trying to increase pullups/pushups? What's allowing my muscles to do more and more reps (or run faster), without getting that burn (i.e., doing an additional 100 hindu squats or getting 5 more pullups). I'm sure you all have experienced what I'm talking about -- maybe you're trying to get your best 2 mile time and you're coming around the track on the last turn -- it seems like your pushing your oxygen to the max for your entire body. What makes your legs/lungs run faster the next week? Is that the same endurance (although different muscles) as when you're trying to break your personal record for hindu squats? Is that the same endurance as banging out 21 pullups over your typical 18 pullups? I guess I get confused b/c one way to get more pullups is to add weight (i.e., a weight vest), or get stronger, rather than just trying to add reps at the same weight -- which would be along the same lines as just trying to run faster. Does strength training interfere with endurance? Do they overlap? Or is what I described above just "endurance." If so, I guess what I'm interested in is endurance - I mean I don't care that I can do 10 pullups wearing a 50 pound vest -- I'd rather be able to do a straight 30. But here's the point - If I could do the 10 with the 50 lb. weight, I probably would be able to do the 30 without - but not the other way around. Sorry for the long-winded questions. Hope I make sense. 

Hy Has anybody experience about the latest ''revolutionary'' training by john little ? He says that a max contraction of just 6-7 sec let muscle grow-up very hard...My opinion is that id derives from an evolution of Mike mentzer's theories. It is totally different from isometric. Does it work? 

Pavel, I posted before about depth jumps helping to fire up my squat. You commented: "Com. Chris, just make sure not to jump from too great of a height; you might develop an inhibition. And don't do this kind of thing too often. It works better as a slow circuit: jumps-SQs-relaxation drills; repeat a few times." What do you mean by inhibition? Does training with jumps too often dampen the effect on the nervous system? How does the circuit work? Excite CNS, Lifty Heavy, Relax...  

Hi Pavel, I recently used your 3 X 5 program to up my 5 RM in the Squat, Bench, and deadlift. I had to stop the deadlifts two weeks ago though, because of a slight problem in my back that a chiropractor is working on. My strength has sky rocketed on all the lifts (I also did curls and shoulder side raises). I am impatient and upped the weight much quicker than you recommended, but guess what, it still worked great. Problem is, I am 6'1" and like to be around 200lbs. with low bodyfat. After an injury to my shoulder I was down to 175, and am only 182 after the 3 X 5 program. I don't want to do a BS bodybuilding program. What do you recommend for me putting on the weight to match my newfound strength? Thanks in advance, friend.