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

Hi, Can someone give me some honest reasons why you cannot do the PTP exercises using a dumb-bell instead of a kettlebell? Many thanks. Nick.  

Hello folks, I've never really done stiff-legged deadlifts and yet I see them recommended a lot. What is the advantage of SLDs over "regular" deadlifts? Also, the legs aren't perfectly straight (i.e. locked) are they? I don't think I can get the back-arch when my legs are locked. Looking for opinions, thanks... Howard 

Comrades, please say a prayer for the souls of the casualties of 911 and thank our troups for doing their duty.  

I need some advice, I am at a strange cross roads where I am not sure what to do. I have worked my way up to the 32kg and do the odd pressing and swing movements with the 40kg. It would seem logical to keep moving toward the heavier bells however I am finding that I am gettind more intense training sessions using the 24kg in harder movements such as bottoms up sots presses, double kb bottoms up thrusters. Also my lower back feels better and generally I am finding the sessions not as taxing on my CNS. Prior to discovering KBs, I always set poundage goals and did the same with KBs. I am wondering if anybody else has encountered this. Initially I thought it might be a training plateau but currently it just feels like I am improving faster using lighter bells. Thanks 

I do an hour of martial arts three nights a week plus two nights a week of kettlebell training to supplement my athletic routine and improve my physical condition. I had a certified KB trainer for three months, and once I got the form down, struck out on my own with one 8kg and one 12kg. I’ve purchased (From Russia With Tough Love) (the book), and have gotten a lot of good use out of it. But now, I seem to be hitting a slump. I just can’t seem to motivate myself to do my KBs… I’ve tried redesigning my routine, but I’ve done each of the forms so often, that it just seems stale. I only have a small space in which to do my workout, which limits my options – but do you guys have any suggestions for unique or interesting ways to spice things up?  

Yesterday while in Borders I happened upon the Sep. issue of PL USA and the blurb on the cover caught my eye "Kettlebells and PL!". Thinking that I might get something useful about KB's, I purchased it. Let me preface my remarks by saying I subscribed to PL USA for many years back in the 80's and I used to really enjoy it. I have the utmost respect and admiration for the truly natural PL'ers out there who rely on common sense training, hard work and natural nutrition to get strong. However, I am sad to say after reading thru this issue last night I am greatly disappointed, even disgusted, in the way that the sport of powerlifting and powerlifters are portrayed. If it weren't so sad it would be comical. First of all the supposed Kettlebell article by Louie (someone I have alot of respect for) was not really about using kettlebells in the traditional sense, but rather attaching them to the ends of the barbell when doing bench presses. Not bad in and of itself but what is with these guys? Their fascination with the BP borders on sheer idiocy. The entire magazine seems to revolve around this one lift and the current crop of "0ne-lift-wonder" powerlifters who live and die for it. To wit: Interview with Mike Wolfe - one-lift supremo who put up a 835 BP - and shares his workout with us, (but not his steriod stack) - whoopee ti do! He thanks everyone in the article for his success, his coach, his wife, his gym - but forgot to thank the steroids! Here is an excerpt from the interview that should tell you all you need to know: "Lou [Simmons] does occasionally try to get me to squat, but I tell him I squat every morning to read the paper..." Yuk! yuk! And let your imagination run wild after reading about a typical days food intake: pizza, plates of Hooters "wings", huge glasses of Mountain Dew, slurpees and beef jerky - okay, he does eat "health foods" also, like oatmeal - thank God. Power Profile "There Was a Will and Frankl Found A Way" article about Shawn Frankl. Excerpts: "As with many of you, Frankl started lifting in high school, and competed in the USAPL. He placed third at his first nationals. That day he felt some bad vibes. Certain people seemed shady. So, he decided to find a place where he could bring his "A" game, wear all the gear and compete against the best lifters; Shawn ended up in the APF." Oh, I see, certain people seemed "shady"?! Okay, so read between the lines...Mr. Frankl needed to compete in an organization that doesn't test for steroids and allows all manner of leverage enhancment "gear" because without cheating he couldn't win. "It seemed an act of God that he wound up in Kandahar, Afghanistan. It was the only PRT site that had a gym at the time. Of course, they were required to wear a certain PT outfit. That meant NO GEAR, except for wrist wraps, knee wraps and a belt. After awhile Shawn made friends with one of the guys who ran the gym. He would let Shwawn go into the back room to put on briefs, and no one could tell they were under his shorts. Believe me he needed them: his training log shows he could only squat with 500x1 when he got there." Oh booo hooo! Imagine! Not getting to wear all your precious GEAR! Poor guy - how sad. I could only hope to squat 500x1. "Frankl is always tankful for his God given ability to lift." God given? Yes, arguably God did create steroids. Power Profile Janet Faraone (APF lifter) who benches 330 lbs at 123 BW, and goes on to explain why she doesn't squat. She also goes into great detail about the "Vitamins and Supplements" she takes but not a word about steroids...imagine that!? A full page ad for Cognamine that shows Scott Mendelson "The Stongest Presser in History 1008 lb. Bench Press, 715 Raw" - oh "RAW" rah, rah! So lets see, he can really press 715 (awesome by any stretch of the imagination) but close to 300 lbs more with "GEAR"! Whopppee ti dooo! What next - a personal hydraulic hoist strapped to your head? And finally towards the back of the comic book we find probably the only worthwhile article about Wade Hooper, a NATURAL lifter at 165 BW who owns IPF records of 755 SQ and 534 BP. "Wade you've shown that you can lift huge weights drug free! What advice do you have for athletes & coaches reading this interview in regards to why they should stay the drug free course?" "It is just not worth it...why jeopardize your health, career, and possibly your freedom for something that WILL NOT LAST. By training drug free, you will not lose what you have gained and you will have done it the old fashioned way...hard work. I just that that is most satisfying." Thank you Mr. Hooper - in a world seemingly full of lunatics you have tried to share you common sense values. I shudder to think of all the young (and old) guys who get sucked into reading this absolute, exploitative crap! 99% of the ads are for the "latest, greatest" supplement, or bench shirt! Where would most of these "powerlifters" be without their precious suits, shirts, wraps and "supplements"? Imagine basing your entire self-worth on how much you can bench press? Possibly the least "functional strength" exercise in existence! I wish to express my gratitude to guys like Pavel (and others) spreading the message of how to get functionally strong naturally. We can only hope that Pavel and other trainers like him can continue to influence the "fitness" world with common sense, down-to-earth training ideas and methods. All natural powerlifters everyone I salute you. IMO - you need to separate yourselves somehow from the travesty/joke known as "Powerlifting" promulgated by PL USA.