"In-the-know Americans are purchasing ancient Russian fitness equipment, resurrecting old exercise philosophies and obtaining significant gains in cardio conditioning, muscle tone and strength as a result..." —Marty Gallager, WashingtonPost.com, Feb, 2003. For the Woman Who Wants it ALL: Look WAY YOUNGER than Your Age Have a LEAN, GRACEFUL, Athletic-Looking Body Feel AMAZING, Feel VIGOROUS, Feel BEAUTIFUL Have MORE Energy and MORE Strength to Get MORE Done in Your Day In Russia, kettlebells have long been revered as the fitness-tool of choice for Olympic athletes, elite special forces and martial artists. The kettlebell's ballistic movement challenges the body to achieve an unparalleled level of physical conditioning and overall strength. But until now, the astonishing benefits of the Russian kettlebell have been unavailable to all but a few women. Kettlebells have mostly been the sacred preserve of the male professional athlete, the military and other hardcore types. That's about to change, as Russian fitness expert and best selling author PAVEL, delivers the first-ever kettlebell program for women. It's wild, but women really CAN have it all when they access the magical power of Russian kettlebells. Pavel's uncompromising workouts give across-the-board, simultaneous, spectacular and immediate results for all aspects of physical fitness: strength, speed, endurance, fat-burning, you name it. Kettlebells deliver any and everything a woman could want-if she wants to be in the best-shape-ever of her life. And one handy, super-simple tool-finally available in woman-friendly sizes-does it all. No bulky, expensive machines. No complicated gizmos. No time-devouring trips to the gym. Just some of what From Russia with Tough Love reveals: How the Snatch eliminates cellulite, firms your butt, and gives you the cardio-ride of a lifetime How to get as strong as you want, without bulking up How the Swing melts your fat and blasts your hips 'n thighs The real secret to great muscle tone How to supercharge your heart and lungs without aerobics How to shrink your waist with the Power Breathing Crunch How the Deck Squat makes you super flexible An incredible exercise to tone your arms and shoulders The cardio and fat-burning powers of the Clean-and Press The Overhead Squat for explosive leg strength How to think yourself stronger-yes, really! The queen of situps-for those who can hack it Cool combination exercises that deliver an unbelievable muscular and cardiovascular workout in zero time An unreal drill for a powerful and flexible waist, back, and hips How to perform multiple mini-sessions for fast-lane fitness Into sports? Jump higher. Leap further. Kick faster. Hit harder. Throw harder. Run with newfound speed. Swim with greater power. Endure longer. Wow! Working hard? Handle stress with ridiculous ease. Blaze thru tasks in half the time. Radiate confidence. Knock 'em dead with your energy and enthusiasm. Can't keep up with your kids? Not any more! They won't know what hit them. Just wanna have fun? Feel super-relaxed from the endorphin-rush of your life, dance all night and feel finer-than-fine the next morning…and the next…and the next. Got attitude? Huh! Then try Pavel's patented Russian Kettlebell workouts. Now, THAT'S attitude! AIR CANADA- en Route Magazine APRIL 2003 By Michel Defoy JET SET HEALTH HEAVY DUTY RUSSIANS ARE LOBBING CANNONBALLS INTO THE HEALTH CLUBS OF NORTH AMERICA. In training rooms across the land, from urban fitness centres to basement gyms, strength-training addicts are bulking up with the latest fitness toy: kettlebells. Best described as cannonballs with handles, these steel and epoxy spheres originated in Russia as the muscle-building tool of choice for Red Army soldiers and athletes. Today "KB" workouts, which produce particularly impressive gains in the legs, hips and shoulders, are all the rage in North America. The credit goes to Pavel Tsatsouline, who was a special forces trainer back in the USSR and is now a fitness guru. This Russian Mr. T. has come out with several books, along wit the requisite videos and Website (www.dragondoor.com) to promote the kettlebell program. As Pavel likes to say, if it's good enough for comrade Ivan, it's good enough for your average North American Joe (or Josephine - lighter versions of kettlebells are also available for women). Table of Contents The Whys Moscow trusts no tears A respectful appeal to your intelligence…the Russian kettlebell workout: science, common sense, and a track record. What is a kettlebell? A cannonball with a handle…aka kettlebell…aka girya. Changing stubborn flabbiness into graceful strength. What makes the kettlebell special? What is it going to do for me? At last: No compromise total fitness!…how the Russian kettlebell lets you have it all: strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility. All-around fitness with kettlebells How Soviet science discovered kettlebell lifting to be one of the best tools for all-around physical development…the greater challenge of K-bells…suitable for men and women, young and old …outstanding grip developers…promoting shoulder and hip flexibility…a highly effective tool for strengthening the connective tissues, especially in the back…how kettlebells set your fat on fire like no other form of exercise...cheap, indestructible and easy to store…how only K-bells deliver strength, explosiveness, flexibility, endurance, and fat loss in one tight package. What makes the kettlebell workout unique? Strengthening and utilizing the deeper, harder-to-work, stabilizing and supporting muscles.…more range of motion, realistic ballistic movement... gaining greater daily functional strength…the importance of strong stabilizers…why weekend warriors get hurt…better burning of bodyfat, better muscle definition…stronger tendons and ligaments. How different is From Russia with Tough Love from your kettlebell program for men? The greater variety of leg drills... streamlined arms and chest menus…and cool new moves. Do I need to warm up and stretch before my kettlebell workout? Why static stretching before exercise is a bad idea… why a warmup is a waste of time …the power of common sense. Training to failure—or to success? Why training to muscle failure is not only unnecessary but counterproductive…how to train for success. Do not be a slave to numbers! Avoid the road to injury, no gains, and frustration…why you can’t improve in every workout and how to plan for uneven gains…why bouncing and cheating sets you up to lose…choose form and substance over numbers. Consistency over intensity The vital process of synaptic facilitation…how to get more juice of your muscles…succeeding with daily submaximal training…the powerful Russian concept of continuity of the training process….why more often translates to extra strength and greater definition…the speed lane to fat loss…how to get rid of unwanted soreness. Delayed adaptation: taking it easy for greater gains The giraffe syndrome… the delayed training effect…the power of the adaptation lag… intelligent short-term overtraining… Leonid Ostapenko’s no-brainer cycling procedure. How to get very strong without bulking up The mind-muscle link as key to strength…the structural approach to strength training vs. the functional approach… revving up recruitment and firing rate to build strength without adding muscle…acquiring the skill to generate more tension…conscious practice vs. the mindless workout… the skill of staying tight for greater safety and performance. What is muscle tone, and how do I get it? The real secret to great muscle tone. Is it bad to hold your breath? The scientific pros and cons of breath-holding when exerting yourself. Lifting the weight vs. feeling the muscle vs. feeling the muscleS External and internal resistance training…the impracticality of isolation exercises…the importance of integration…using full-body tension for your primary muscles…how to make heavy metal your best friend. Protect your back with a virtual belt How to master the secret of intra-abdominal pressure for greater and safer lifting power…the miraculous effects of Virtual Power Breathing. Get younger and healthier with kettlebells Success stories: curing a host of maladies with KB’s…rehabilitating hopeless back injuries…from wheelchair to national ranking…for better joint health…the key to a powerful kettlebell swing. KIAI! your way to super strength The power of mental focus…special breathing techniques for greater strength. Kettlebells take so much control. Should I start on the machines? From mobility to stability…why to start with free weights…the most-excellent lesson of the balloon toss game…protecting your elbows. Anti-isolation for power and safety Isolation as a key cause of injury in the gym…the muscle software of irradiation…maximizing tension with the secret of bracing …the grip experiment…what differentiates the great arm-wrestler from the good and the amateur…the pushup experiment…using Starling’s law and the obtyazhka maneuver to get stronger in your press. Build muscle where it counts Think yourself strong The power of thought to make you harder…the Russian sports science concept of skill strength…the dating game iron-style: why’s it all about lessons and practice…feelings of precise control. Say no to fat and aerobics! Dr. Schwartz and the training effects of PanaerobicÒ exercise…the fat loss power of the kettlebell explained. Why doesn’t From Russia with Tough Love offer diet advice? The kettlebell snatch—safer and more foolproof than most Surprising discoveries about the safety of ballistic exercise. Supercharge your heart and lungs without aerobics Dr. Len Schwartz on the powerful effects of combined exercise. Treat your kettlebell practice as yoga Focusing on the mind, muscle, and breathing connection… dispensing with mindless, endless reps. Strengthen and harden, don’t build Molding hard obliques… the unexpected benefits of low reps. Match your breath with the force Breathing for optimal performance under different circumstances. Overtraining: Take a lemon and make lemonade When controlled overtraining or overreaching beats out total recovery training…warning signs to pay heed to…the logging analogy…building up your adaptation reserves for greater gains. The Hows How to use this book From Russia with Tough Love Basic Training: Weeks 1–4 Learn the perfect squat form and unlock the power of your hips with the BOX SQUAT The importance of a correct squat and hip thrust…the properly performed standing vertical jump…the crucial distinction between a straight back and an upright back…tackling the box squat—to improve squatting depth, flexibility, technique, and power. The Workouts: Weeks 1–4 Box squats: SAMPLE 4-week workout Stretch and strengthen your glutes and hamstrings with the GOOD MORNING STRETCH Blast your glutes, hams, inner and outer thighs —and even abs! —with the ONE LEGGED DEADLIFT Strengthen and harden your whole body and especially your obliques with the ONE ARM DEADLIFT Firm and shrink your waist, boost your overall strength, and protect your back with the POWER BREATHING CRUNCH Why the conventional crunch is a waste of time and effort…how to avoid neck problems…the mechanism of reciprocal inhibition…the foolishness of high-rep ab training…how to perform Power Breathing for harder abs and a slimmer waist. Body hardening for teaching tightness Controlled striking to generate stronger tension. Learn a better contraction with a partner Improve your crunch with a little help from your friend. Get better results in fewer reps with a hot new technique How to get a stronger workout in fewer reps with certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge instructor Steve Maxwell’s forced rep reduction technique. From Russia with Tough Love Advanced Training: Weeks 5-8 The Advanced Training Workouts: Weeks 5–8 Get super flexible and work your hips and thighs even harder with the DECK SQUAT Melt fat without the dishonor of doing aerobics and blast your hips and inner thighs with the SWING Get ready to do a lot of cool drills with the CLEAN Add power and definition to your hips, thighs, and even abs with the FRONT SQUAT Strengthen and firm your arms and shoulders with the MILITARY PRESS What if I want to work my pecs more? The unique kettlebell floor press. A stable platform to push from Little-known secrets that help you grade-out higher on the press…how to optimize strength by manipulating the extensor reflex…why locking out your joints is A-Okay. Safer and more effective high rep presses How to avoid mediocre presses and back injuries…when, how and why to be very "uptight" when you press…the cardio and fat-burning powers of the clean-and-press…why you want to squeeze your thighs together. Strengthen your legs and open your shoulders with the OVERHEAD SQUAT An advanced challenge Exercising blind for greater strength. Mold a graceful and athletic body with the TURKISH GETUP To work your abs more A masters’ level situp—for those who can hack it. Comrade Andrea’s Tough Love Diet Plan Comrade D.C. Maxwell’s training regimen Shed cellulite, get a hard butt, and enjoy the cardio workout of a lifetime with the SNATCH Make your fat go into a nuclear meltdown! Certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge instructor Bill Cullen’s evil routine for maximal fat loss. Combination exercises How to concoct cool combination exercises that deliver an unbelievable muscular and cardiovascular workout in a very short period. Just like yoga with the WINDMILL An unreal drill for a powerful and flexible waist, back, and hip. Forge iron wrists and grip and firm up your waist with the BOTTOMS-UP CLEAN-AND-PRESS Working wonders on your grip, wrists and waist…to improve your striking power in martial arts, tennis and golf. Get an even harder stomach and tie your upper and lower body into a strong unit with the ROLLING SITUP Cut up your legs and burn calories with the DRAGON WALK An evil alternative to the lunge. The infinity of kettlebell drills Additional kettlebell resources. From Russia with Tough Love freestyle kettlebell training The tremendous versatility of KB’s…using your judgment and listening to your body…caveat exerciser—why KB’s are NOT for brainless, senseless sissies…warnings to take to heart and head…the first commandment of kettlebell training…fragmentation of the training volume for more effective strength adaptation…the secret power of multiple mini-sessions…why fresh and frequent rules…variation cycling for quicker progress…workout length… relative intensity…sets and reps…rest periods between sets and high motor density…using tempo changes to your advantage…exercise order…shuffling things up…when best to practice what…when to address a private weakness…circuit training and the phenomenon of fatigue specificity…interval circuit training…why smorgasbord can be the way to go…using the right-sized weight. Another way to cycle your workouts Two great alternatives to straight sets Interval training…the ladder, a Russian Special Forces favorite. Comrades speak out on the dragondoor.com forum The kettlebell advantage Naming your kettlebells Can I use a dumbbell instead? The power of kettlebells Protect your back with tight abs Kettlebells deliver usable strength Shrink your waist with Power Breathing Excel at sports with kettlebells Kettlebells raise hell at a health club Simplify with kettlebells A pleasant surprise The magic of kettlebells of different weights Squat deeper and safer Fill out in all the right places Burn fat without the dishonor of dieting and aerobics! Try this fat burner if you dare! Snatch and nothing but the snatch Beyond aerobics Russian yoga The art of kettlebelling Comrades saying goodbye to their glass backs The bottoms-up press rocks! Comrade D. C. reports on her freestyle KB workout The no-hassle workout The Party says: "Kettlebells rule!" "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated." Guarantee Fat Loss, Make Massive Gains in Strength, Speed and Endurance with Russian Kettlebells—the Number One Exercise Tool for Strength & Conditioning "The Ultimate Conditioning Tool" "For more intensity try kettlebells…it's a full-body workout, aerobic and strength-building" - Time Magazine, 2002 "For practical types..kettlebells could be just the tonic" - New York Times Sunday, 2002 "Kettlebells—Hot Weight of the Year" - Rolling Stone, 2002 "Kettlebells...the muscle-building tool of choice for Red Army soldiers and athletes. Today “KB” workouts, which produce particularly impressive gains in the legs, hips and shoulders, are all the rage in North America. " —ENROUTE magazine, Air Canada, April, 2003 New-Found Strength Meet a man for whom the kettlebells toll loud and clear. Everett firefighter Tom Corrigan and his comrades at the Seattle Kettlebell Club have taken a firm grip on a sport that dates back to czarist Russia, a time when every village had its champion strongman. —HeraldNet. Each Russian Kettlebell is manufactured exclusively by Dragon Door Publications. The new kettlebells have a steel handle and a steel core. The 4 and 8 Kg. bells are rubber coated. The larger sizes are coated with a smooth virtually indestructible epoxy. These kettlebells are designed to last a lifetime-and beyond. Special warning: the Russian Kettlebell is an Xtreme Edge Fitness Tool for serious workout fiends. It is not a Barbie toy! Treat your kettlebell lifting with the utmost care, precision and respect. Watch Pavel's kettlebell video many, many times for perfect form and correct execution. If possible, sign up for one of Pavel's upcoming Kettlebell Training Bootcamp/Certification programs. Lift at your own discretion! We are not responsible for you boinking yourself on the head, dropping it on your feet or any other politically-incorrect action. Stick to the Party line, Comrade! "In-the-know Americans are purchasing ancient Russian fitness equipment, resurrecting old exercise philosophies and obtaining significant gains in cardio conditioning, muscle tone and strength as a result..." —Marty Gallagher, WashingtonPost.com, Feb, 2003. Read More AIR CANADA- en Route Magazine APRIL 2003 By Michel Defoy JET SET HEALTH HEAVY DUTY RUSSIANS ARE LOBBING CANNONBALLS INTO THE HEALTH CLUBS OF NORTH AMERICA. In training rooms across the land, from urban fitness centres to basement gyms, strength-training addicts are bulking up with the latest fitness toy: kettlebells. Best described as cannonballs with handles, these steel and epoxy spheres originated in Russia as the muscle-building tool of choice for Red Army soldiers and athletes. Today "KB" workouts, which produce particularly impressive gains in the legs, hips and shoulders, are all the rage in North America. The credit goes to Pavel Tsatsouline, who was a special forces trainer back in the USSR and is now a fitness guru. This Russian Mr. T. has come out with several books, along wit the requisite videos and Website (www.dragondoor.com) to promote the kettlebell program. As Pavel likes to say, if it's good enough for comrade Ivan, it's good enough for your average North American Joe (or Josephine - lighter versions of kettlebells are also available for women). More Information on the Russian Kettlebell The kettlebell is a cast iron weight, which resembles a basketball with a handle. An ancient Russian exercise device, the kettlebell has long been a favorite in that country for those seeking a special edge in strength and endurance. It was the key in forging the mighty power of dinosaurs like Ivan ‘the Champion of Champions’ Poddubny. Poddubny, one of the strongest men of his time, trained with kettlebells in preparation for his undefeated wrestling career and six world champion belts. Peter Krylov was nicknamed ‘the King of Kettlebells’ after his favorite tool of strength development. He was known for his stunt of jerking overhead two beefy soldiers who sat inside two hollow spheres on the ends of Krylov’s specially made barbell. Many famous Soviet weightlifters, such as Vorobyev, Vlasov, Alexeyev, and Stogov, started their Olympic careers with old-fashioned kettlebells. Although Russians have known kettlebells for as long as they have known vodka, the first official kettlebell competition took place only in 1948 and the first USSR championship did not happen until the fall of 1985. Kettlebells come in ‘poods’. A pood is an old Russian measure of weight, which equals 16kg, or 35 pounds. There are one, one and a half, and two pood K-bells, 16, 24, and 32kg respectively. They no longer come in heavier weights because the sport has evolved into a strength endurance event. Standard weights are lifted for repetitions: 32kg for men, 24kg for lower ranked athletes, and 16kg for kids and birds. To earn his national ranking, Pavel Tsatsouline had to power snatch a 32kg kettlebell forty times with one arm, and forty with the other back to back —over 40,000 foot/pounds of work—and power clean and jerk two such bells forty-five times. In the twentieth century Soviet science discovered that repetition kettlebell lifting is one of the best tools for all around physical development. (Voropayev, 1983) observed two groups of college students over a period of a few years. A standard battery of the armed forces PT tests was used: pullups, a standing broad jump, a 100m sprint, and a 1k run. The control group followed the typical university physical training program which was military oriented and emphasized the above exercises. The experimental group just lifted kettlebells. In spite of the lack of practice on the tested drills, the KB group showed better scores in every one of them. There was more. Surprised researchers at the famous Lesgaft Physical Culture Institute in Leningrad (Vinogradov & Lukyanov, 1986) found a very high correlation between the KBL total and a great range of dissimilar tests: strength, measured with the three powerlifts and grip strength; strength endurance, measured with pullups and parallel bar dips; general endurance, determined by a 1000 meter run; work capacity and balance, measured with special tests! The Red Army, too pragmatic to waste their troopers’ time on pushups and situps, quickly caught on. Every Russian military unit’s gym was equipped with K-bells. Spetznaz, Soviet Special Operations, personnel owe much of their wiry strength, explosive agility, and never quitting stamina to kettlebells. High rep C&Js and snatches with K-bells kick the fighting man’s system into warp drive. In addition to their many mentioned benefits, the official kettlebell lifts also develop the ability to absorb ballistic shocks. If you want to develop your ability to take impact try the official K-bell lifts. The repetitive ballistic shock builds extremely strong tendons and ligaments. The ballistic blasts of kettlebell lifting become an excellent conditioning tool for athletes from rough sports like kickboxing, wrestling, and football. And the extreme metabolic cost of high rep KB workouts will put your unwanted fat on a fire sale. There is a great variety of kettlebell lifts and exercises. Russians even compete in kettlebell throwing. See Pavel Tsatsouline’s book and video for the full range of drills. "The Russian Kettlebell Challenge video isn’t your run-of-the-mill advice. Pavel’s on-camera presentation is done in an articulate and refreshing manner seldom seen these days. I learned at least a dozen new things. I marveled at the matchless ease he demonstrated while doing many of the one arm lifts with a 97 lb kettlebell. The Russian Kettlebell Challenge video is excellent!" —Dennis B. Weiss, author of Mass!, Raw Muscle & Anabolic Muscle Mass Some thoughts on Kettlebell (KB) training and Infantry fitness. I just finished Annual Training (AT) with the National Guard Light Infantry unit to which I am assigned. We spent 6 days in the field doing Search and Attack missions. Not as long and grueling as most of the field problems we did when I was on active duty, but a pretty good test nonetheless. Daily movements were dismounted and fairly long. I found I was as tired as usual during movement, but my recovery time was much shorter when we stopped for a break. I "caught my second wind" in about half the time I used to. When we made contact and began rushing or crawling, my movements were faster than before I started with the KBs. As before, I was able to shorten the time between rushes because my recovery time was quicker. I attribute this to many sets of high rep, one arm snatches. I figured that short bursts of intense activity with short rest periods in between would closely mimic dismounted movement and 3-5 second rushes. Seems I was right. This led to some problems, as I ran off and left the platoon. Most interesting was the ability to absorb repeated impacts. The shock absorption effect of KB training was demonstrated when I hit the ground. There was none of the usual jarring and crunching associated with hitting, crawling and rolling. While I had the usual number of bruises, I had no soreness or stiffness, even after 5 nights of sleeping on the ground. (I’m too lazy to carry the sleeping mat.) After we redeployed and I got home, I grabbed the KB’s and started in. I only lost one rep off each set (I usually do 3-4 sets of 3-5 reps) but had no trouble completing my workout. I lost nothing on the one arm snatches, but because we had been wet for so long, my hands had softened so much I couldn’t complete the cleans. I had no trouble pulling the weight; I was just shredding my hands. My muscle tone was undiminished, proving Pavel’s contention that this muscle is "real" not "virtual," pumped up fluff. Best of all was grinding a bunch of buffed 20-year-olds into the ground. At 37, I was the third oldest guy in the platoon and am in better shape that I was at 27, on active duty. We really need to keep doing this. —Randy Bartlett, former active duty Army Infantry Officer, currently employed as an Instructor with Wackenhut Services, Inc. under contract to a federal agency. Currently assigned to C Company, 1/153D Infantry. Randy is a Master Fitness Trainer and a former SWAT Officer