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

Steve Cotter is a Knockout?? Actually Steve is not my type. I prefer busty blondes, but this is a review of his latest DVD. (By the way, BUY IT!) Steve Cotter's Full Kontact Kettlebell's Two- Applied Strength. I anxiously awaited viewing Steve Cotter's new DVD. His first DVD was very impressive and concise. He pioneered the ideas of positions of strength, and positions of compromise when performing martial based strength moves. His opening sequence would impress anyone, even hard core martial arts practitioners like myself. It would be a hard act to follow. Well,..guess what? Steve's NEW DVD IS WAY, WAY, BETTER. It is hard to imagine anyone taking an internal martial art like Hsing I, applying the use of kettlebell technology, and coming up with a better DVD than Steve did. It is just that good. Steve reviews the components of Volume One, and demonstrates their combative applications in a demo that shows Steve has skills that work rather than just look pretty. Steve then expands on this base of movement mechanics into other variables such as waist and torso motion, and extensive legwork. Steve's leg strength is nothing short of remarkable throughout the program. Beginners should be forewarned to spend ample months practicing the moves from FullKontact One before even venturing into the eerie netherworld of FullKontact Two. What was particularly impressive was the sequencing of the movements that Steve teaches. The root motion is taught. The exercise is then shown in the position of strength, then the position of compromise. Finally Steve shows martial applications of each of the exercises that use kettlebells. Particularly interesting is the Duckwalking and Towel Swinging exercises. These are highly advanced exercises and will certainly give the viewer something to shoot for after some foundational training in the basic positions and movements that are taught as part of the FULLKONTACT curriculum. I highly recommend this DVD for anyone involved in strength training. It is absolutely necessary to own for anyone in martial arts. If however, you are involved in hardcore strength work, extreme conditioning, combat tested martial arts, and Russian Kettlebells, it would be a crime not to buy it immediately. Steve Cotter is spreading his knowledge to the masses. I for one will be listening. This DVD is a SLAM DUNK. Tom Furman www.physicalstrategies.com  

Comrades I ran into an old kung-fu friend of mine the other day, and told him about the kettlebell training I have been doing recently. When I told him what a kettlebell was, and what it looked like, he said he had heard that some style of kung fu used a very similiar device of sorts for training their punches. (He said the device looked very similiar, but the weights were much less than we're accustomed to talking about here). Does anybody have an idea of what style of kung-fu he may have been referencing? My friend himself did not know the name. He had merely seen pictures and heard stories about this kind of thing. I'd really like to research this style if I could find out the name. Thanks a lot for your help in advance. 

Comrades I ran into an old kung-fu friend of mine the other day, and told him about the kettlebell training I have been doing recently. When I told him what a kettlebell was, and what it looked like, he said he had heard that some style of kung fu used a very similiar device of sorts for training their punches. (He said the device looked very similiar, but the weights were much less than we're accustomed to talking about here). Does anybody have an idea of what style of kung-fu he may have been referencing? My friend himself did not know the name. He had merely seen pictures and heard stories about this kind of thing. I'd really like to research this style if I could find out the name. Thanks a lot for your help in advance. 

Yes it is cheesy to name drop, but I need a few. I am hoping to open a KB studio in St. Louis and I am meeting with the money people later this week. They will not understand why this is going to be big but they may see it has a future if they see athletes and stars already doing it in other parts of the country. Any persuasive names you have heard of might help to sway them. I know it sounds stupid but lets face it most thing are sold on who wears it, or drinks it. Thanks for your help.  

I always offer RKC participants a chance to attend my two Sunday evening qigong classes (which I make sure to still do, despite the cert.) Given that they have undergone three full days of gruelling physical training and have little chance to eat before making the trek over to Mpls, I have low expectations on people taking me up on the offer. However this time around a dozen folks did show up, including Frankie, KB Convention standout Samantha Young and her Mom, another genteleman named Pavel (!), Giuseppe from Italy, and Steve Cotter . Thanks to all of you who made the effort -- I've always felt KBs and qigong complement each other perfectly and it looked like you were enjoying yourselves, despite what amounted to a fourteen hour training day! As far as the actual RKC was concerned, I thought this was the best ever. I get a tremendous kick out of seeing so many high quality people so engaged together in this kind of training. It really has to be experienced to be believed. And I am especially impressed by the folks dedicated enough to attend the training from abroad: this time we had participants from the UK, New Zealand, Italy, Canada, Mexico, and Slovenia. 

Greetings all. M y name is Paul Alvarado, and I hail from San Antonio, TX. This is my first experience with a forum but hopefully I'll become a regular. I recently learned of Dragondoor and CST and both seem to offer some of what I am looking for. . My info is as follows. Age: 31, weight: 180 lbs, hight: 5ft.7in. In the past I have been involved in standard weight training and bodybuilding type exercises. I have always had a big interest in several martial arts and though I was never trained formally, a friend gave me some informal training when I was younger. (For the most part my phys. ed. has been self taught) My history with injuries is as follows: 1.) I have injured and re injured both shoulders on numerous occasions by way of dislocations which I relocated myself. Because of this I have retained some RC weakness in both shoulders, along with lost range of motion on my left. (Can’t hold a barbell clean due to tightness in joint.) 2.) I have also sprained my right ankle badly, which left it slightly thicker than the left and not quite as strong. (Foot hyper-extended into hole while running down hill about 1 yr. ago) 3.) My right knee suffered due to this (the ankle sprain incident) and due to the bad practice of forcing knees out while turning toes slightly in during the horse stance when younger. It developed an imbalance that I can feel as pressure just below my kneecap on the outer edge where the shin inserts, and on the large inner hamstring tendon directly opposite. 4. Also I acquired a recurring neck impingement. (While sleeping of all things)(When aggravated won't let me move head laterally or turn to left) It seems that my body has a very strong memory and develops grooves and patterns of movement very quickly. (Sometimes for the worst)(Lately I have felt quite injury prone) Due to all of this I have found it difficult to begin a weight training or other type of program. As for my goals after reclaiming my once natural balanced strength and flexibility, they are as follows: 1.) I want to develop the type of functional strength old strongmen had. 2.) I wish to develop the flexibility of motion and balance displayed by most acrobats. 3.) I have found A Bujinkan school in town and desire to make this my art. (Along with strength) Due to my current financial situation it will be some time before I can afford to buy any of your instructional resources, but any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also would you please be so kind as to inform me of what best to start with in order to rehab myself, and what to avoid given my current physical limitations. Also what to buy once I can afford it. (Hopefully soon) Any feedback and informative links would also be greatly appreciated. Many thanks and best wishes to all in the community. 

I was taking a nap when my Lady,Gina came in and told me I had some mail from Texas, it was an advanced copy of Lisa Shaffer's KB Workbook. I've been waiting for it, so I got up ,made some coffee and sat down with it and started to check it out. This thing is first class all the way,great pictures,excellent discriptions,loads of programs and proffessional layout speaks well of Lisa's KB knowledge. She makes no bloated,off the wall claims,she don't have to.It's just her story and exp. gained as a pro KB instructor. Lisa's unique perspective,based on her exp. on KB training during and after pregnancy, intrested Gina quite a bit. (we're expecting our 2 nd child in early Sept.) Gina really never got into KBs,even with me slinging them around and her tripping over them in the house,but seeing Lisa in the book and the fact that Lisa looks so great (after 5 months from her 3rd child-Wow!) in the pictures got her interested in K'belling herself. I guess she always looked at it as this hardcore ,martial thing her crazy man and his buddies did,not something that she should do. This is a great product and is well worth it for any gender K'beller. I am going to buy a copy when it goes on sale to give to one of my client's pregnant wife. I am suggesting this book to all my clients and fellow K'bellers. Great job Lisa,I always thought you had it together and your a great friend,but after this I am double glad we are going to be teaming up on projects in the future. Swing on Sister! Dylan

http://martialstrength@yahoo.com 

Last night, I watched Steve's new DVD that I picked up at the RKC certification. Wow! If anyone ever decides to make a Dragonball Z movie, Steve would be the perfect choice for Goku :-) The guy, as many at the RKC certification witnessed, is an athletic phenom. Steve takes base k-bell movements and combines them with some fantastic footwork, agility and flexibility drills. They target the exact physical attributes a serious combat athlete needs. He also does a good job of presenting the information in a logical sequence that helps you link it all together and understand the base principle he is trying to get across. The exercises are even linked to different combat applications to show how they carry over. Good stuff! 

at Carlos Machado's BJJ academy. It is really nice to be in a gi (and white belt) in a formal MA again. Defintely has a different feel to it than other schools I have been in (Korean, Okinawan, Japanese). They have an interesting approach towards teaching. As all you instructors know, it is a real privilege to be the student. I will continue to get random training in MMA from Kurt Pitman, RKC to keep my strikes up and learn no gi SW. It's just cool to be MA training again. Now I gotta change my strength training. Frankie 

at Carlos Machado's BJJ academy. It is really nice to be in a gi (and white belt) in a formal MA again. Defintely has a different feel to it than other schools I have been in (Korean, Okinawan, Japanese). They have an interesting approach towards teaching. As all you instructors know, it is a real privilege to be the student. I will continue to get random training in MMA from Kurt Pitman, RKC to keep my strikes up and learn no gi SW. It's just cool to be MA training again. Now I gotta change my strength training. Frankie 

For Steve and all who have taken a hard look at the first two volumes, I have a question I would like to direct to you. How do you see these new exercises being put together into a training regimen? Obviously, everyone has different needs and can adapt the material to their own training requirements--but I'd like to see how others are putting the exercises together before I try to create a regime myself. How are you putting your Full KOntact training together? Aloha! 

For Steve and all who have taken a hard look at the first two volumes, I have a question I would like to direct to you. How do you see these new exercises being put together into a training regimen? Obviously, everyone has different needs and can adapt the material to their own training requirements--but I'd like to see how others are putting the exercises together before I try to create a regime myself. How are you putting your Full KOntact training together? Aloha! 

Neither could my web designer, maybe it's just a New Zealand thing? Please give me the address again, I'll keep trying. Regards Dean Jolly