It could be the “big things.” I never thought much of Double Kettlebell Cleans because I have such a history with the O lifts. Maybe, just maybe, it could be because I never did them right! Something as simply as the “V” position changes the lift forever and, if you need to be gassed, go right ahead and do a set of ten. Not enough, add some Front Squats.

I’m not sure most people reading the book will understand the challenge of the training system outlined. A double snatch followed by double presses followed by Front Squats? Good luck!

There is not enough hyperbole in my body to express how much I like this book. We are at an amazing time in the community. The new Kettlebells from the Ground Up, Kenneth’s new V02 Max book and this book and DVD show the maturation of the RKC. It is not enough to just get people tired…any fool can do that! It is important to manage rest period with effort, proper alignment, proper tools, proper load and a systematic approach to whatever goal is in the sights. ROTK is now the standard, the very high standard, of what to expect in the RKC texts.

To say that this work is “amazing” is an understatement. Anyone who plays with kbells must use this book as a resource. Completing the program and goals set in this book is a worthy fight for any man.

—Dan John, RKC TL, Murray, UT

Pavel Tsatsouline got a letter from one of our special operators in Iraq, near Fallujah:

“Pavel, this is a photo from my “courage corner” here in Iraq. ETK presses, pullups, swings, and snatches get done here nightly. I have found that your Enter the Kettlebell! program works as a great training base, it leaves the operator with just the right amount of strength and conditioning training while still being fresh enough to get the job done on ops. Add in some runs and lower volume but heavier weight stuff on the variety days and its as well rounded as a program could get. Thanks for supporting the fighting man.”

Photos courtesy anonymous US serviceman

RKC Kettlebells. The First. The Best.

When finding yourself facing a wicked structure fire, facing the prospect of ferrying heavy equipment into and possibly helpless victims out of a conflagration calls for a special type of physical conditioning generally unavailable to the masses. The length of time you may be on a fire also plays into the need to come up with a workout that addresses the particular needs of a firefighter. Perhaps the ultimate anaerobic profession, these heavy physical tasks must be performed at a high level under intense heat and emotional circumstances.

So what types of kettlebell exercises might be applicable to firefighting? One workout routine that I have seen out there is a combination of presses, swings, weighted pulls-ups and Turkish get-ups. The presses can be a variety of exercises, including kettlebell clean and presses, side presses, or single military presses. Likewise a variety of swings, either with one kettlebell or two, and possibly alternating. Weighted pull-ups can be replaced with bent over rows, Renegade Rows, or Bear Crawls. Turkish get-ups are a great exercise for entire body strength, but can be possibly too much on a work day. On those days you might want to substitute a Windmill.

Attempt to mimic the cardio and strength demands of firefighting in your strength and conditioning days. A monster session of swings and snatches, combined with an active recovery period consisting of something like jumping rope or jogging will give you the kind of workout that you can build on. Also try and incorporate some traditional firefighting conditioning drills, such as any type of tower work if you're fortunate enough to have one in your station. You might even place kettlebells strategically on different landings in the tower, performing presses or snatches on your way up and down. Just another (evil) idea!

We need to speak about the intensity of your workouts, particularly on days-on. On work days you may want to focus your training on low rep sets, not really taxing yourself to the point where you'd be too fried for an alarm. Perhaps focus on a couple of full body exercises and strive for good form and technique. On days off is where you go for the gusto! Using these days for full body conditioning and strength training in a firefighter specific routine will give you the edge you're looking for from kettlebells. Make sure you schedule yourself enough down time as well, as over-training would be disastrous for someone in this line of work. Proper sleep and nutrition also play a vital role in whether or not this type of training program, (or any training program for that matter!) will work for you.

Make sure when crafting a sensible workout routine for firefighting that you take into account not only your work schedule but also the demands of the job. The goal of including kettlebell training into a freighting conditioning program is to pump up the overall physical prowess specific to the job. By using kettlebells unique ability to work both the strength and cardio aspects of the task, you'll soon find yourself in much better overall conditioning, and able to withstand the demands of the profession, leading to a safer more effective workplace.

That said, this should take a lot of pressure off of us in our quest to get that ripped look. We don't have to buy the latest fad to come down the pike, nor do we have to do endless sets of mind-numbing crunches to get the body we want. In fact, you probably have all you need already. Crunches are good. So are a lot of other exercises. Kettlebells, combined with a sensible fat loss plan, can be used in a total body workout designed to achieve peak physical conditioning and fitness and may well be the best way to get further along this road.

As for specific kettlebell exercises that will help you in your quest for the elusive six-pack, swings, cleans and snatches, dead lifts, windmills, Turkish Get-ups come to mind first. Any and all of these deliver a massive workout to not only your midsection, but your whole body as well. Done as a part of a routine, they also will go a long way toward fulfilling the cardio aspect that will be necessary to get the fat burning mechanism stoked. Once you get this process started, and can sustain this type of workout for any meaningful amount of time, you will see the fat start to melt away from the abs area. The key here again is not just the exercises, whichever you choose; it is the combination of hard workouts, sensible eating and sustained effort. Only this will result in the type of belly you're seeking.

Don't be taken in by all the claims you may hear and see on TV. There is really only one way to achieve what you're seeking, and it's extremely low-tech. Do yourself a favor and stop seeking easy solutions, and save some time in the process.

Some of the most important concerns for law enforcement personnel when it comes to strength development lie in the area of grip and forearm strength. These two areas are of utmost importance to a line officer who may one day find themselves grappling with an uncooperative suspect and the next minute having to scale a wall or fence. And, if forced to use their weapon, having to deal with recoil issues and stability can also be an area where you'd want to have sufficient strength available to you to handle the situation.

While kettlebell training ultimately addresses the whole body fitness, kettlebells can deliver a particular benefit in the areas we just spoke about. A police officer's grip on a suspect needs to be strong. By training in this fashion you'll find that you'll have the edge on most people you come in contact with.

One of the most popular exercises for law enforcement is the Ladder. This is a circuit of high pull open palm cleans with a kettlebell, starting out with one and proceeding "up the ladder" to ten, and then back down again, shaking your arms out between each rep. This will really kick your booty, and you may find yourself pretty gassed at the end of it. (That's a good thing!)

Pull ups are great at working the back muscles, lats and the grip; all areas where we need to pull strength from in order to scale an obstacle, subdue a suspect, or handle a firearm well. You can check around and see how many of your fellow officers can even perform a pull up, let alone in gear. You may be dismayed at what you find. Don't count yourself among them!

Other kettlebell exercises you may want to incorporate into your workouts may include Turkish Get-ups, a variety of swings, both one legged and front squats, military presses (each side with one kettlebell or alternating if using two), snatches and cleans. You will definitely come across more interesting and more advanced exercises as you go along, and in time you should definitely explore these, but some combination of all that we've mentioned above is more than sufficient to get a novice, or even someone who is an experienced lifter but new to kettlebells going.

Make sure that if you are an active duty law enforcement officer that you take care to structure your training properly. Kettlebell training in an extreme form of physical conditioning, and if done right at all will tax your resources considerably. That said, make sure that you don't do a monster workout just before you go to work. You won't be at your best. Schedule your heavy days on days you're either not working or have light duty. Just use your head here, and you'll be fine. Proper rest and nutrition will also play a major part in your success or failure with kettlebell training.

Kettlebell training can be a boon to anyone in this line of work who seeks an edge. Be sure to avail yourself of the best training and equipment you can come up with, and before you know it you'll find like many who've gone before you that training with kettlebells will produce a strength and power you've not experienced before!

For most people new to kettlebells it's definitely advisable to start out with a routine consisting of some of the more basic kettlebell exercises before advancing on to some of the advanced training. This applies to you even if you're a serious lifter from way back, as a firm foundation in the basics is essential to success in any discipline, and even more so in kettlebells. For the best results with kettlebells, technique and form MATTER, so take the time to learn the basics and do them right.

That said, lets look at a few of the basic exercise and how you can form a great workout routine with them.

You want to craft a workout that emphasizes whole body conditioning, and for that reason you'll want to include exercises that address the body core, the legs, the shoulders, the chest and the back.

For the core, start with exercises like a bent press or a windmill. Others you might include would be the Turkish get-up, and the side press.

For your chest, employ different variations of the presses, such as the military press, and the floor press. You may move on to some clean and press exercises as well when you feel ready.

For your legs some of the squats are in order, typically exercises like the double front squat, hack squat and one-legged squat, double swing and double snatch.

For your back almost any of the swings will address this area, as well as some dead lifts.

For the shoulders, try to include some bent over rows, as well as Renegade rows, one arm rows and kettlebell pull ups.

You'll need to find the right combination of these exercises along with the proper weight you need to start with, and proceed from there. Don't be afraid to change up the order and emphasis of the workouts from time to time. Also make sure to not overwork one muscle group at the expense of others. Kettlebells is a full body conditioning program, and you actually risk injury (not to mention deformity!) if you leave out a muscle group.

You need to make sure you're training at a high intensity level three days a week to get the strength and cardiovascular workout that kettlebells can provide. Most of the above can be done with only one kettlebell, or there are one arm versions of the exercises out there. Make sure to take around ninety seconds rest between sets. make sure not to train when you are overly fatigued. kettlebell training requires that you give it the best you've got to offer, and the technique and form aspect is crucially important to success to with kettlebells.

Make a plan and follow that plan for a good amount of time. Keep a journal, recording your progress, and the exercises and weights used. This is a useful tool in your ongoing conditioning program. Train with a partner if possible. The town of you can push yourselves further than you may have been willing to go alone.

Training with kettlebells can be a physique and indeed a life changing regimen. Make sure you give it the seriousness and time it deserves, and you'll find yourself not only a whole new level of health, strength and fitness, but a more confident, fun and active lifestyle!

These exercises ought to be taken up 3 times a week, with the sets and rest times indicated. As usual, whenever taking up any new exercise program make sure you are fit enough to do so. If you have any health concerns check with your doctor before proceeding with a kettlebell training regimen. Kettlebells are an extreme form of fitness conditioning, and not for the faint of heart, literally!

Also, make sure you stretch your major muscle groups well before beginning, as well as getting your heart pumping a little. If you do kettlebells correctly it is a major cardio event, so be prepared.

(For the following exercise descriptions, remember that a picture is worth a thousand words, so if there is any confusion get your hands on a video, so you can see the fluidity of the movements firsthand.)

<strong>KETTLEBELL CLEANS</strong>
This exercise is performed by keeping your torso straight, and bending forward from the hips slightly. Then in an explosive move you lift the kettlebells by extending the hips, knees and ankles, getting the kettlebells to your shoulder level. Keep your elbows out and the kettlebells close to your body at all times. When you have them shoulder level rotate your elbows around and under the kettlebells, ending with your wrists against your shoulders and hips and knees flexed to help absorb the weight. Do this exercise in three sets of 15-20 reps, with 15-30 seconds rest between.

<strong>SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL ROWS</strong>
Standing with your feet hip width apart, slightly bent knees, bent at hips with a straight back. Hold onto something immovable around waist height to help support you during the exercise. Then grab the kettlebell in the free hand and let it hang toward the floor. Keep your elbow tucked in and raise the kettlebell up to your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top, then lower the kettlebell and repeat. Do this one as well in three sets of 15-20 reps with the same rest periods.

<strong>ALTERNATING FLOOR PRESS</strong>
Lying on your back with a kettlebell in each hand, perform a press to the sky with each one, alternating and twisting your body slightly to involve muscles of the upper back and shoulders as well as the chest and arms. Again, three sets of 15-20 reps and the proscribed rest periods.

<strong>KETTLEBELL FRONT SQUATS</strong>
Holding the kettlebells at chest level in front of you, and with your feet a little bit wider than hip width apart and knees slightly bent, perform a squat to the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor, making sure that your knees are over your feet and that your torso is a bit forward to maintain balance. Don't go beyond parallel. Once down there, return to the starting position and guess what? Repeat for three sets of 15-20 reps each, making sure to get your short rest in between.

<strong>SINGLE ARM KETTLEBELL JERKS</strong>
With your feet shoulder width apart and knees lightly bent, (see a recurring theme here?) hold your kettlebell near your ear with your palms facing forward. This exercise is an explosive one, and the next step would be to perform a quick quarter squat, and then immediately extend your legs while at the same time pressing your kettlebell up above your head, making sure to keep your kettlebell and wrists over your elbow. Make sure to employ your legs to give you the ability to lift heavier weights in this exercise. Once again, three sets of 15-20 reps.

<strong>KETTLEBELL SWINGS</strong>
One of the more popular and signature kettlebell exercises, this one is performed by grasping your kettlebell and holding it between your legs, with your body bent over and back as flat as you can make it.. The move consists of swinging your kettlebell backwards and then making a forceful move forward bringing the kettlebell up to your chest level, while keeping your arms straight and extending your legs. Repeat this move for three sets of 15-20 reps. This one is a definite cardio blast, so be prepared! You can alternate arms to get a balanced workout.

<strong>KETTLEBELL WINDMILLS</strong>
Windmills are performed by extending one arm straight overhead with a kettlebell. Then bend over at the hips while making sure to keep your back flat and grasp the other kettlebell and essentially dead lift it while raising your body back to an upright position, all the while maintaining the other kettlebell above you. Do your reps and then switch up arms for a balanced workout.

While there are many more exercise that can be added to make for a fuller, more complete workout, these basics will give you a good start toward success with your kettlebell training. If you are in training for a specific sport, you'll come across exercises that will be very sport-specific, and greatly aid you in your training.

One of the hallmarks of success with kettlebells or any other training method for that matter is consistency. Make sure that however you construct your routine, that it is one that is neither too hard nor too wimpy. Being able to consistently train at this extreme level will bring results you've never had before, but only if you build a smart routine and then stick like glue to it! get involved with a good instructor if you can, or find like-minded people to work out with and you'll find your success!

The first thing you'll want to consider when beginning training with kettlebells is your workout space. Kettlebells are heavy, unforgiving implements that will do much damage to anything or anybody even slightly fragile around them, so be sure to give yourself plenty of room, preferably outside, on grass or dirt, as long as you make sure your surface is flat and neither to slippery or too sticky. You want to be able to not slip, as well as to perform maneuvers with your feet. Inside on a rubber mat can be good. Never on a wooden gym floor.

Try to wear shoes with flat bottoms or go barefoot, as you want to have your foot in contact with the floor.

Working with kettlebells will almost certainly develop major calluses on your hands, and you need to come up with your own solution to deal with this. If you don't, and simply let nature take it's course, then the resulting tearing off of the callus will give you an unplanned vacation. You know yourself what has worked for you in the past; simply make it a priority to take extremely good care of your hands, paring down the calluses when needed, and treating them with appropriate lotions and creams.

When working with kettlebells and they are about to drop from your grip, let them! Do not attempt to catch your kettlebells, or you'll most certainly regret it. At worst you have a hurt floor, which is a whole lot better than a hurt you! Remember these are heavy iron implements; get the heck out of the way! Rest assured that you will drop them from time to time, but if you make it a hard and fast rule not to try and catch it or otherwise direct it you'll most likely avoid injury.

Many times beginners lose their grip on their kettlebells because they have trained to the point of exhaustion. This is entirely unnecessary. You can get all the benefits you desire without putting your safety in jeopardy.

Some things to remember when training with kettlebells would first include making sure that you use proper form when lifting the kettlebells from the floor. This means to makes sure that you lift with an arched back, not a rounded one, and to endeavor to keep your shoulders back and square. No rounding forward of the shoulders! This keeps the bulk of the work onto the scapula and lats, not the shoulders and neck, where a lot of kettlebell injuries come from. Keeping your shoulders back, or "packed" will result in a better workout posture and allow you to use your maximum strength available when performing the exercises. By rounding and over-extending the shoulders, you open yourself up for the possibility of injury, and ask very small muscles to do the job that larger muscle groups ought to be doing.

Keeping a proper angle in your wrists while performing kettlebell exercises is also extremely important. You wan to keep your wrists very straight, and do not bend them. Besides the obvious strain that bending them puts on your tendons. For most all except a few more advanced kettlebell techniques the wrist is held straight, so practice this as a matter of course, especially for the basic exercises.

Try and keep a balanced position with your head and neck, neither too far forward nor backward. It's best to keep your head aligned with your body, that is, if you are bending over forward, your head will be naturally aligned in that aspect as well, not straining to stay forward and erect. One of the oldest maxims in sports is that where the head goes, the body goes, so make sure not to overdo this by bending too far in any direction. Stay as natural as possible.

Now for a few words about the way you approach your training with the kettlebells. If you are going to take on an exercise program as extreme as kettlebell training, then you may want to give it the priority it deserves. Training with kettlebells is in and of itself an incredibly strenuous activity, and if you hope to combine this with another type of physical activity or sport such as martial arts, then you might do well to do the kettlebell training first, because if you come to this type of activity already fatigued, you stand a good chance of at least not getting what you want out of this, and at worst, hurting yourself. Coming into this type of training tired and unfocused can lead to bad results in many ways. Just don't go there! If you want to invest tie time and energy to train with kettlebells, then make sure to take it seriously and do it right.

Take the time necessary to learn the exercises properly, and to execute them as they are intended to be done. Kettlebell training is very specific, and while this type of exercise gets all the "in between" areas of muscular development, the regimen is still quite uniform, and for good reason. Learn the proper technique for each exercise, and you'll be rewarded with better results and less chance of injury.

Training with kettlebells can not only change your physique, but you whole state of health. Learn to do the basics of kettlebell training right, and you'll find that not only will you progress faster, but you feel better doing so. Make sure to set yourself up to become of the kettlebell success stories!

Any ideas would be helpful.

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Pavel Tsatsouline's Russian Kettlebell Challenge was the first DVD produced by Dragondoor.com.

For those not familiar with kettlebells, they are basically an iron sphere with a handle, ranging in weight anywhere from 9lbs all the way up to a monstrous 88lbs. They can be used for both strength training as well as for aerobic conditioning, with the capability to condition one in both areas at the same time. For more information, visit the kettlebell FAQ page located elsewhere on this site.

I have to say that I was not sure what to expect… on the one hand I was afraid it would not be of the best quality, considering that "The Russian Kettlebell Challenge" (RKC) was the first Pavel Tsatsouline video released by Dragon Door. I worried that the transfer of the original video to DVD would not come off looking any better than the quality of the original. On the other hand I have never known Dragon Door to put out a product of less than excellent quality.

On to the DVD review.

<strong>Content:</strong>

RKC is a must see for anyone who is considering purchasing one or more kettlebells. I have never read the print version, but in my opinion there is nothing like actually watching a master like Pavel performing the exercises. Let's face it, if you don't know what you're doing with a kettlebell, you could really hurt yourself. It's not like your usual piece of home fitness equipment.

The shots are simple, but effective, more often than not giving a full head-to-toe view of Pavel as he performs the kettlebell exercises. The same exercise is shown from more than one angle at times, which is helpful as some of the exercises will seem rather strange the first time you see them done.

Pavel has a very engaging style which makes the DVD easy to watch. He puts on a bit of a "Russian boot camp instructor" persona, but it's obvious his tongue is firmly planted in his cheek, and you can almost see the grin hovering just out of site. He explains things in a very thorough and easily understood manner. His deep experience comes across completely and you will not mistake him for some of the current fitness gurus hawking their wares on infomercials.

A variety of basic exercises are covered, including cleans, jerks, bent-presses, windmills, military presses, swings, and snatches. There is plenty here to keep you busy for 6 months of training.

<strong>Audio:</strong>

Nothing spectacular here, but it's not like you're expecting surround sound from an instructional video, right? What you do get is audio that is crisp, clean, and clear. There is no popping, hissing, or any sort of "muffled" sound.

<strong>Video:</strong>

Here is where I was very surprised: The picture quality is excellent. I own the original version on VHS and maybe it's because I was an early adopter of DVD (since 1999), but to me the video quality on the VHS version seemed quite poor. The content was so good however, that I thought it made up for the lack of video quality.

I don't know if it was originally shot on digital, or if there was some sort of program used to digitally clean up the original video. Whatever the case, the video on the DVD is very clear and sharp. A vast improvement over the original. I did not notice any artifacts or bleeding of colors.

<strong>Menus:</strong>

I'll start out with what bothered me, which wasn't much, before I get to something I thought was unexpected, but very cool. I'm hoping that this will be taken as feedback for subsequent DVDs.

Recent DVDs give you the ability to skip past the FBI warning and any other "pre-menu" items. The FBI screen doesn't last long, but the standard disclaimer screen is up for what felt like a very long time. The ability to skip past that would be an excellent addition, and would not affect liability since it *is* present.

Once you get past that, the main menu actually has animation (of a sort) and looks really cool coming together. The images look very professional, but the text on the screen could stand to be of a higher resolution. It looked very "jaggy", especially on my hi-def big screen. Perhaps on smaller analog screens this is not so noticeable.

There is a chapter menu, as one would expect, and is very helpful to have on an instructional DVD. What you won't expect is that when you select one of the options (Cleans, Jerks, Presses, etc.), each of those categories takes you to a sub-menu listing each exercise individually! This goes way beyond what I (and others) were hoping for as far as being able to navigate the DVD. Huge kudos to whoever thought that extra step up, and to John DuCane (owner of dragondoor.com) for including it.

<strong>Extras:</strong>

I didn't really expect anything in this department, but there is a Pavel Tsatsouline biography similar to the one available at the Dragon Door site.

There is also a menu which leads to clips advertising a number of Pavel's other videos, including "From Russia with Tough Love", "Forced Relaxation", and "Power to the People". Being a long time fan of Dragon Door's products, I would have liked have seen some of the more recent products, but I understand the choices shown since they lay the groundwork for a lot of the later products. It's a great overview for the uninitiated.

<strong>Recommendation:</strong>

This definitely gets a "thumbs up". Even if you already own the original, I highly recommend purchasing this. It's a great DVD, and even if you're a long-time girevik, watching it again, you may pick up some techniques that you have forgotten. There's nothing like going back to the basics!