The Russian Kettlebell Challenge [Paperback]

Pavel Tsatsouline (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

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 kettlebell lifter, Pavel Tsatsouline, delivers this secret Soviet weapon into your hands.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Pavel Tsatsouline

Product Details

• Paperback: 170 pages
• Publisher: Dragon Door Publications; 1 edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0938045326
• ISBN-13: 978-0938045328
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #39 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Stretching

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Convert to Kettlebells, August 28, 2001

By 

Gary Karl (Rochester, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Russian Kettlebell Challenge (Paperback)

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.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get it, Get the 'Bells, Get Started, You'll Love It, August 29, 2004

By 

louienapoli "louieb" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Russian Kettlebell Challenge (Paperback)

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.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Info but......, April 24, 2006

By 

Jo-Be-Se - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Russian Kettlebell Challenge (Paperback)

It must be said that Pavel is prone to excessive hyperbole in his writing. That said his overall themes with respect to weightlifting and fitness are a great change of pace from the typical body-building game. The best way to review this book would be to list its positives and negatives, so here they are.

NEGATIVES
1) Price: $34.95 is a lot to ask someone to drop for a workout book. This is especially true when it discusses an implement that will run you an extra $80+.
2) While Pavel has the ability to condense information into short, powerful sections, he uses this as an excuse to add pages to the book.
3) Literally 18 pages of the book is advertisement for other Dragondoor products.
4) If you believe the hyperbole you will believe that the only way to get in top shape is to lift the "Russian Kettlebell" way. It is great exercise, especially if you're in decent shape already, but it's not the only way

POSITIVES
1) Great pieces of workout information packed into short, easy to read sections
2) Much of this information, while it is aimed at kettlebell training, can be transferred to other forms of lifting and exercise. To be frank, the idea that specific kettlebell training is so rare in this book is a positive. Pavel discusses many of the basic ideologies behind effective training that can be transfered to any type of exercise you choose. This is one of the strengths of the book.
3) He gives a bibliography of very authoritative books. You RARELY find that today.
4) The book discusses ways to get in top aerobic, anaerobic, and muscular condition all in one workout. While the resulting workouts are demanding, the principles can be applied to numerous forms of exercise which allow you to supercharge your own workout.

Those are the eight major benefits and pitfalls of the book. I would definitely recommend it for someone who wants to overview different forms of exercise, and some radical ways to supercharge their own fitness regimen. That said, the hyperbole rules this out as a beginner's book. A beginner should start with a much more balanced approach to general exercise.