The Russian Kettlebell Challenge : Xtreme Fitness for Hard Living Comrades

by Pavel Tsatsouline

Both the Soviet Special Forces and numerous world-champion Soviet Olympic athletes used the ancient Russian Kettlebell as their secret weapon for extreme fitness. Thanks to the kettlebell's astonishing ability to turbo charge physical performance, these Soviet supermen creamed their opponents time-and-time-again, with inhuman displays of raw power and explosive strength. Now, former Spetznaz trainer, international fitness author and nationally ranked...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B001COAAC6
• ISBN13: 9780938045328
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Dragon Door Publications
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.4" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

Mixing books in this listing.

Somehow this listing has combined two different books, and Zig Ziglar is taking over The Russian Kettlebell Challange. I went ahead and ordered it hoping it would turn out to be Pavel's RKC, but it did turn out to be Inspirational Quotes from Zig. Not bad, but disappointing when your hoping for more kettlebell info from a master. I very much enjoy everything of Pavel's that I've read. Simple & Sinister and The Quick and the Dead are both phenomenal.

Get it, Get the 'Bells, Get Started, You'll Love It

A kettlebell looks like a cannonball with a thick handle, and that's pretty much what it is. Because there's a mass of iron below the handle, the weight is unbalanced, and it's up to you to wield it right, which isn't easy. So what's the big deal? The big deal is, learning to handle and exercise with kettlebells works virtually every muscle in the body. It gives you a terrific cardio workout. And it gives you what they call "functional strength," which is the kind of strength a wrestler needs to gut-wrench an opponent, or a mother needs to lift and carry her kid. I've trained with weights for over 20 years, and I was skeptical when I first read about kbells. I took a chance and bought the book, then a (roughly 32 lb.) kbell. The first workout had me gasping, dripping with sweat, and feeling like I'd been wrestling five bears. After a shower, though, I felt great. Like I COULD wrestle five bears. And I gained size and definition--fast. Now, 32 pounds is no big deal for me. A 32 lb dumbbell is like a toy. But the kbell felt like it weighed 60 lbs. because of the weird displacement. Anyway, the book took me through the basic exercises, and gave me a fitness tool and technique that's time-tested and wonderfully effective. It's a good idea to get the DVD that goes with the book so you can see the exercises and get a real idea of the cadence and form, but the book in itself is excellent. Pavel is a masterful trainer and an engrossing, amusing writer. This book, and the kbells it talks about, are fitness tools worth their weight in gold. If I could give it 7 stars I would. The only caution is this: kbells are not easy. They can be dangerous if you don't follow the book's directions. And they're not for anyone who's looking for a relatively easy and pleasant workout, like cycling to CNN. But if you want a kick-butt workout that will give you real results for your effort--and I mean effort--this is the best deal in town.

The Definitive Text on Kettlebell Lifting!

In this book, Pavel introduces the reader to the most effective training tool that most of us had never heard of. I was personally very skeptical about the kettlebell and I waited until I heard others rave about the results that they have achieved with this hunk of cast iron before I purchased this book. Through Pavel's expert guidance (his attention to detail on the execution of the lifts is extraordinary)and the use of the KB, my fitness level has skyrocketed. It is rare to find a workout that will improve your power, strength, strength endurance and cardiovascular functioning but this is what you can expect with KB use. I have experienced the following benefits from the use of the KB: decreased blood pressure and resting heart rate, greatly improved grip strength and an increase in upper and lower back strength. The most practical benefit that I have noticed is the physical endurance carryover to every day physical activities (moving furniture, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow). I highly recommend the Russian Kettlebell Challenge to anyone who would like to move to the next level of physical fitness!

Best program for getting in shape and getting stronger.

I bought this book on a recommendation from a fellow martial artist who was claiming terrific strength and endurance gains. I ahve been trying the exercises using dumbells in the gym and the results are fantastic.The ballistic swings give an intense cardio AND strength workout and I am dropping bodyfat fast.The book is deceptively short, but the material is very very good. I hear that the real kettlebells make a big difference, but you can try out the exercises with dumbells.

Convert to Kettlebells

The "Russian Kettlebell Challenge" companion book and video are well-crafted and user-friendly re-introductions to the lost (in America) art of kettle-bell lifting. I took a flyer on the video, which I found sufficiently intriguing that I bought the book and a KB, then another, larger KB, and am poised to buy a third implement. Pavel and his publisher promote KBs as a tool of "extreme fitness," but the average fitness enthusiast ought not be scared off by the advertising hyperbole. KBs are unique in my experience in combining functional strength and endurance training in a single workout which you really can do at home. My 4-month experiment with kettlebells has been very rewarding and an awful lot of fun. RKC (as this book is known among Pavel's "Party" faithful) is the best of his books to date. It describes in words and pictures the how-to's of basic KB moves and variants and gives you the parameters for designing your own workout. Many of the exercises can be done with dumbbells in lieu of kettlebells for those who are reluctant to pop for the implements until they've given the program a try. While the book and the video can each stand alone, they are designed to work best together. The video augments the book by visually presenting the unusual movements. In RKC, as in all of his books and videos, Pavel teaches his lessons with an appealing sense of humor and a heavy emphasis on safe performance. I started with the smallest KB (about 36 pounds) and found it a little daunting at first. After a few weeks, however, I eagerly moved up to the "medium" bell (about 54 pounds) and now, a few months later, plan to complete my set with the big boy (72 pounds). I am in my late 40's and have been physically active all my adult life in a range of activities, including running and cardio kickboxing when they were trendy, as well as biking, swimming, running, weightlifting, various ball sports, etc. None of those activities has been as much fun, or as productive, as RKC. I highly recommend Pavel's RKC book and video, and kettlebell lifting in general.

The direct route to strength and athleticism

The kettlebell, or "girya", is an iron ball with a thick handle. A century ago, kettlebells were used worldwide for strength training. But as the Western world got softer, wimpier, and more lawsuit-prone, the kettlebell went out of use and remained popular only in Eastern Europe. They are now being revived in the US thanks to the work and evangelism of Pavel Tsatsouline, a former trainer of Soviet special forces. Kettlebell training is hard-core. I have two kettlebells at home, and as exercise devices they could never be confused with a stairmaster. They require focus and concentration and are used for demanding lifts such the snatch, the clean and jerk, the bent press, and a whole arsenal of other lifts you aren't going to see in your gym this week. You can't curl a kettlebell absentmindedly while staring off in the direction of the aerobics class. (In fact, if you manage that feat send me an e-mail.) However, if you've got the focus and can put in the work, kettlebells will yield enormous benefits. Handling their awkward weight while in motion is one of the single best things you can do to make yourself faster, stronger, and, as Pavel would say, more "eeeevil." As a karateka, I have found that kettlebell training has improved my hand speed, foot speed, and striking power, and has made me tougher to hit and tougher to hurt. To my knowledge no other type of training will do that all at once. RKC contains clear instructions and a lot of interesting kettlebell history as well. If you're interested in kettlebell training it's a must-have, as is the companion video.