Enter the Kettlebell!: Strength Secret of the Soviet Supermen

There are many ways to skin the proverbial cat when it comes to exercising. Why not simplify your exercise routine down to a few exercises that cover all your major muscle groups? Pavel has a few different programmes that do this, and not only with kettlebells. While the kettlebell is over 300 years old as an exercise tool, this system is a new one invented by Pavel based on combining ancient trial and error with modern continued trial and error and also science and theory. This programme, which came out I guess when it was published in 2006 goes through some preliminary exercises until you get into a routine based on 3 major exercises with an optional 4th one. The three major ones are the Clean&Press, the one armed swing, and the snatch. As the one armed swing is actually a "toned down" snatch, the "Enter the Kettlebell" programme is really about only TWO major exercises: the Clean&Press and the snatch. I'm capitalizing Clean&Press here because in fact this is the absolute heart of the programme. The goal is to eventually Clean and Press half your body weight and to snatch the kettlebell 200 times in 10 minutes. Evidently, it takes time to get to this and Pavel sets out a recommended training schedule to follow. It is not a daily routine but rather a weekly one, that allows for a lot of variation. It is a very serious, "all out" training regimen, and is a time tested and true method to truly master the kettlebell as conceived of by Pavel, who brought the thing over from Russia back in the 90s. Generally speaking, you start with "ladders" of cleans and presses, with optional ladders of pullups (if you have a pullup bar available) mixed into the cycle. A "ladder" is a routine where you do an exercise once, then twice in a row, then three times, etc; so a ladder of "5" means repeating the movement once, twice, thrice, four times, then five times, for a total of 15 repetitions. Exactly how many rungs of the ladder you go up and how many ladders you do in a given day are variant based on how far along you are in the programme. After all this, you do several minutes of single handed swings or snatches. The theory behind only having the two major movements is that the clean and press exercise develops the entire body with an emphasis on the pushing muscles and the snatch develops the entire body also but with an emphasis on the puling muscles. According to Pavel's thought, which I find convincing, if you do one major push and one major pull movement in your routine, you cover all the major muscles. I suppose if you don't want to buy too many kettlebells you could do the entire programme with just a 24kg if you're a man and a 16kg bell if you're a woman, but the idea is to progress until you meet the two challenges and then maintain these skills. There is of course a lot of variety in this programme and this is just the base of it. Interestingly, about 9 years later, Pavel came out with an alternate programme called "Simple and Sinister" or "S&S" for short. To me it is not clear as to which programme is better or for what reasons, but what I like about Pavel is that he designs programmes that are each excellent in their own way but all of them make you terrifically strong without taking too much time out of your life. In other words, his programmes are very efficient, maximally efficient. In my own case, I follow S&S religiously but I add "Enter the Kettlebell" onto it to a limited extent, normally one cycle of cleans and presses and chinups daily. The magic to the programme is that by only doing two or three exercises, albeit doing them quite intensively, you develop your whole body to look spectacular and to be terrifically strong and fit.

This book is phenomenal. I have read a variety of books about kettlebells and watched countless DVDs. This one is the absolute best. Kettlebell exercises are simple (do NOT confuse "simple" with "easy" !!!). Pavel spends a lot of time breaking down each exercise into stages and always emphasizes the importance of proper technique and safety. The Swing, The Get-up, The Clean, The Press, The Clean and Press, and The Snatch are the techniques that are covered. The Swing is the most beneficial aerobic exercise I have ever done (made all the more intense because of the strength-training and flexibility components). I dislocated my ankle a few months ago and have been unable to run as I normally would. The Swing has allowed me to not just maintain my level of cardiovascular fitness, but improve it. All with no impact and minimal stress/torque on my ankle. Awesome! Pavel is also conscious of the fact that not all people will be able to do all of the exercises without building up to them. Box squats, vertical leaps, etc. all help you build up to being able to do the swing properly. If you take the time to work on the basics, your time investment will be returned to you. Working with kettlebells is the most time-efficient workout I have ever experienced. Cardio, strength-training and flexibility all in one workout. Anyone who complains of not having time to workout needs to get their hands on a kettlebell and some of Pavel's instructional materials. Fifteen minutes of working with a kettlebell beats hours in a gym any day. I have this book and the accompanying DVD and I would recommend doing both. The book is a great resource for the history of kettlebells and for detailed explanations of movements, techniques and advice. The DVD is great for putting it all together and seeing proper technique in action. One of the main criticisms of the DVD is that it is instructional only and does not include a workout routine that you watch and workout with at the same time. Do you understand why there isn't a routine? Because kettlebell work is about repetitions with proper technique. Do you need to watch Pavel do 200 swings in a row? No. I would, but that's for purely aesthetic reasons (I'll admit it: He's HOT). You don't need a routine laid out for you because once you have good technique, it's all about just building up your strength and conditioning with more reps. My one recommendation would be to get a heart rate monitor (you won't believe how many calories you burn!) and it helps you keep in the proper heart rate zone for whatever your cardio-conditioning goal is. Pavel does ham it up with the evil Russian drill instructor persona, but it's endearing. This man knows his stuff.

I started the ETK program in June 2010. I finished the first phase, the Program Minimum in October 2010 and as of writing this review I am still working on the Right of Passage. Note: I'm an average 48 year old male. The good: The program as written is very effective, time efficient, space efficient and cost effective over time. It just plain works. Starting with the Program Minimum (PM) you will concentrate on only two exercises, the swing and turkish getup. The swing will really improve your overall conditioning as well as core, glute, hamstring, and back strength. The turkish getup will really hit your core and greatly improve shoulder stability. The catch? You must perform the exercises correctly. Having a session with a RKC is highly recommended. Yes the book, kettlebell(s) and a session or two with a RKC is hefty up front cost but a one time cost. Spread out over time it will be one of the best investments you can make in your health. The Right of Passage (RoP) adds the clean & press and kettlebell snatch and pullups to your exercise plan. Workouts will increase in length under the RoP but can still be completed in under one hour, under a half hour for the light day. Your strength and conditioning really get a serious bump up on this RoP. Both the PM and RoP have very sensible progressions that do not leave you feeling wiped out, super sore, or discouraged. Instead they set you up for success and allow you to keep building on that success workout after workout. Before you know it you'll look in the mirror and go, "Whoa, when did that happen?". The cons: Like all Dragon Door books there is too much cross marketing. It's a turn off to me. I can mostly ignore it but I think it diminishes the overall reading experience. Many of Pavel's books, the ETK included, goof around just a little too much. It comes of a little to cute and wears thin after a few pages. It's a shame because there is some really great info in the book and the DVD. I'm sure this turns some off and makes them take the book less seriously. Do yourself a favor and just work the program, you'll become a believer. The book lays out both programs, the PM and RoP, but doesn't present them in an easy to follow format. I think this is a mistake. Many people, especially beginners, want to follow a step by step program. The Art of Strength site has created an easy to follow ETK workbook that fills this gap but I think the workout progression should have been laid out better in the book and some sort of workbook should have been included on the DVD. All things considered, I'm very happy I purchased and started the ETK program. If you can overlook the minor annoyances listed above and set aside 30-60 minutes several times a week to transform your strength and conditioning without setting foot in a gym I believe you'll be very happy with the results.

I’ve been looking for something to incorporate within my current training routine, and I’ve got to say, kettlebells are my new favorite way to train. I’ve been looking for something simple since I like to mix things up in the gym, and you cannot get more simple with a kettlebell - note that simple does not mean ineffective, quite the opposite actually. 15 minutes of swings, snatched and presses gives you an incredible cardio workout while developing incredible strength gains. So why I recommend this book... Pavel breaks it down to as simple as possible without sounding like a “Kettlebells for Dummies” book. The pictures and explanations are helpful, the techniques make sense, the biomechanics of the movements click once you imagine, practice, and fully implement the exercises; this is an incredibly practical book that’s easy to read and understand. Pavel also has plenty of jokes thrown in there and is a great teacher. It might help you know know the following about me: I’m 24 and have been working out since I was 14 and taking it seriously. I’ve done everything from classic clang and bang gym rat workouts to CrossFit, strength and conditioning to bodybuilding style workouts. I’ve recently had a massive slump of depression and gained about 20 pounds. I got back in the gym a few months ago, and just having done kettlebell work for the past week and a half I’ve lost 4 pounds of body fat when I wasn’t losing any before kettlebells. I am a full time student and work full time at a desk job, and I do backend production work for conferences; needless to say, I need a quick workout...and with only half an hour a day, I’ve noticed incredible strength gains in my shoulders.

This book is one of two core workout texts that I use (the other being the first Convict Conditioning book), being turned onto them when I was deployed overseas by men who are much more elite than I. Given the choices available to them, the idea what Pavel's book and some bodyweight working Convict Conditioning is all the home workout warrior really needs was refreshing in a world trying to sell gym equipment. I think the only knock on Pavel's book, is probably the campy "Comrade" style that it displays at times, but to me, its minor given the value of the information within. The photos are great, the text is great, and everyone from beginner to advanced is going to get something out of it. If you have no idea what to do with a kettle bell, and you have no idea how to generate a basic, intermediate, or advanced workout plan using kettle bells, then this book is definitely for you. Pavel describes 5 main exercises (swings, snatch, clean, press, get ups) and generates two core workout schedules based on these exercises. The beginning "RKC Minimum" (2 days a week) and the more advanced "Rite of Passage" (3-5 days a week). For a beginner, this can keep you busy easily for a year or more, and if you are looking to achieve the Secret Service standard (200 or more snatches in 10 minutes), more likely several. There's really a lifetime of challenge within these pages, and you'll never outgrow it. In addition to the core exercises, Pavel has a few "mini-steps" that help one workout the specific techniques needed for a full movement, and a few drills one can use to warm up as well as perfect technique. All in all, I feel there's really nothing bad to say about this book. Its a great jumping off point for someone looking into getting into fitness using kettle bells. I would also encourage folks to look at Convict Conditioning as a companion book (I do the bodyweight exercises in that book on the "variety" days in Pavel's workout program), and also checkout Steve Cotter's youtube videos if you'd like an alternative description of the techniques in Pavel's book.

For a long time I have wanted to purchase Pavel's book on kettlebells, but honestly some of the reviews scared me away. I thought that I would purchase a 30 dollar book and have it end up being a commercial for other products, kettle bells etc., and figured that I could find out everything I wanted to know on the web. However, as part of my new years resolution, I wanted to start using kettlebells. I purchased a pair of kettlestacks, and decided to get Pavel's book, and honestly, I feel silly resisting for so long. Pavel's book is excellent. There are plenty of full color pictures to guide you along. His writing is punchy and entertaining. He does a great job of getting you excited about working out. However, the real selling point are his exercise descriptions. These are textbook examples of the way you should explain an exercise. Clear, detailed, never confusing, from reading his descriptions I really learned how to perform new movements. Is the book pricey, maybe. But I have scoured the web and read just about anything you can find on kettlebell exercises. This book has infomration in it that you cannot find anywhere else, good information, and information that is presented in an entertaining fashion, something rare in the exercise world. Some reviewers have knocked Pavel's book because it is about kettlebells, and they seem to feel that the bells are not worth the time or trouble. I have now tried kettlebells and Pavel's program and attest that these are the real deal. You cannot duplicate the kettlebell movements with dumbells. The offset weight forces your shoulder and core to stablize every movement and the results are phenomenal. All in all, I think this book was outstanding and recommend it to anyone interested in kettlebells, or exercise in general.

This book is all about self discipline and understanding your body to move more intelligently. “Hips first to generate power” how to position shoulders It’s simply and easy to follow for beginners but also goes into more depth for advanced movements Kettlebell sells itself. It’s a powerful movement and activity that gets you strong and fit fast. It forces your body to adapt and become lean and more agile. There’s also a YouTube video with pavel the author that demonstrates almost all the kettlebell movements that compliment the book well Enjoyed the book and the activity

The author has started a rival organization – I suspect that the contents of this book are tied up with intellectual property issues. I am not affiliated with the RKC or Strong First. Enter the Kettlebell still has value even though a lot of the information in the book has been widely disseminated and can be found on the internet. Most of this value is in the Rite of Passage program. Enter the Kettlebell covers five lifts and two programs. The lifts are the swings (including two-handed, one-handed, and hand-to-hand versions), the get up, the clean, the press, and the snatch. The get up is not taught well, and leaves the reader with the instructions to get up anyway possible. This advice is obsolete at this point, there have been advances in the get up form. The instruction in the other lifts is rather good. There are a lot of regressions and good cues offered. One of the programs is the “New” RKC Program Minimum. I put the word new in quotation marks because the author presents the fourth iteration of the Program Minimum in the second edition of Simple and Sinister. By my count, the “New” RKC Program Minimum is the second Program Minimum. You can rather easily find the details on the internet: the program consists of two days a week of swings mixed with jogging for active recovery for 12 minutes and two days a week of get ups for 5 minutes. It is a beginner’s program, and people are not encouraged to stay on it until they can perform the lifts with a heavy weight while meeting time standards. Also, if you count program minimums not written by the author, like the Dan Martin Program Minimum, there are a lot more then four versions of the program minimum. The other program, the Rite of Passage is where the meat of the book is. The stated goal of this program is a half bodyweight strict press and 200 snatches in 10 minutes. Stopping before you meet these standards is considered quitting. You can find the details of this program on the internet, but they never seem to be presented correctly, and some of the details are always missing. The program is built around the clean and press, which are performed using ladders. After the clean and presses, depending on the day, you either do swings or snatches for time. The time is randomly determined using a pair of dice, and you are required to self regulate. There are two optional variety days, and you are also given the option to superset your clean and presses with pull ups. The Rite of Passage is very clearly not a beginner’s program; you are expected to have good judgment while running it. So why did I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars? Because it is good. Maybe at this point it is foundational not authoritative, but it is good. It covers a small number of exercises, but covers them well. I learned how to clean with the wall as a teacher. The exception is the get up. Seeing the commandment not to do anything that you couldn’t do with a 106 lb kettlebell as a standard for performing an exercise is interesting from an historical viewpoint. The goblet squat and the front squat are not covered. I am not sure that the goblet squat had been invented yet. I would like to say that you could use Enter the Kettlebell and nothing else for two or three years without using any other kettlebell manual, but without good information on the get up, the Program Minimum is nearly useless. Enter the Kettlebell could use a revised edition. I suspect that it will never get one.

Super Livre. C'est la référence pour les kettlebell et surtout pour le snatch. Pavel Le meilleur en kettlebell. Le hardstyle style plus approprié pour le muay thai et autres sports explosifs. Science,cardiologie,études des effets de kettlebell. Tout y est. Pour une pratique relaxante ou pour les entraînements de guerriers. Chacun sera apprécier ce livre et en faire trés vite un classique,surtout ceux qui aiment le Hardstyle.

Pavel Tsatsouline explains in a very detailed way the exercises with Kettlebell, besides that they start from a very basic level to take you to more advanced levels

Una pequeña coleccion de kettlebell puede ser todo lo necesario para estar en forma y el maestro mundial de las KB es Pavel. Sus libros son divertidos e ilustrativos, con programas sencillos de seguir.

Great book. If your getting a kettlebell, and if you want to work out in a new way that really will improve your strength and fitness, do get one; this is the book to accompany it. Clear, explicit instructions and accompanying photos leave you in no doubt as to what your trying to achieve with each excercise. The excercises and the stages of progression are well thought out and though far from easy physically at first (make sure you dont get too ambitious with the weight of your 1st kettlebell: if in doubt go for the lighter one!) are easy to understand and pay immense dividends for the time needed. Pavel's prose will also give you a giggle at times, I suspect he's a pretty funny guy as well as being ludicrously strong and i'd love to go to one of his kettelbell courses at some point. Enjoy! (is that the right word?)

If anyone is looking to become genuinely strong without the assistance of so called "fitness experts " and really want to follow the Advice of a world renowned coach, Follow this book to the letter . You will not be disappointed P.S the program is supposed to make you strong , not make you win a bodybuilding competition. Take that as you will .