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The most helpful favorable review
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113 of 116 people found the following review helpful:
Great 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...
Published on December 19, 2006 by Anthony
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Good Stuff and Lots of Filler
I enjoyed the book, its humor, intentional and unintentional, is engaging and it has a solid information about form, function and routines. Kettlebell training, using the book as a guide, has been a fun and challenging adjunct to weight training. That said, there is far too much chatter, too much pro-kettlebell propaganda (we did already buy the book, do we need to be...
Published on June 7, 2007 by David Englander
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113 of 116 people found the following review helpful:
Great book, December 19, 2006
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
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.
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75 of 77 people found the following review helpful:
Real Review, December 8, 2006
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
Some people like to shake their fist from the sidelines and think they know it all because they read a lot. I am a personal trainer and have used kettlebells for a long time. This works. I have worked on everything from machines to Olympic weights, and find kettlebells more convenient and in some cases, the only product to do exercises you cannot do on machines or Olympic weights. The first reviewer is calling this a fad, but look at the history, this has been around for longer than Body by Jake. For some case history using my own personal history, I used the kettlebell exercise called the swing to help improve my endurance for running, just to try. And guess what, I improved my time for a two mile run without running. Also, the reviewer hints at swinging a kettlebell can be dangerous, but so is benching, squatting, rowing, and any other exercise, IF YOU DO IT WRONG. Plus I have found doing certain exercises, like the snatch and clean, are safer with a kettlebell than with a barbell.
To answer the 'monetary' subject, how much money is your health worth to you. I had a lot of clients refuse training saying it costs a lot of money, then they spends thousands of dollars for a quick fix. In addition, the certification course for kettlebell training is the same for any personal trainer courses where we pay money to sponsors, NASM, ACE and others to keep informed in new classes and techniques to build our knowledge in health and fitness. Plus I bought three kettlebells totalling $300, but before I knew about KBs, I paid 100 for Olympic weights, 200 for a power rack, 50 for a good pair of adj dumbbells, 100 for an adj bench, and even more on numerous books and tapes on lifting correctly. So don't call KBs expensive.
So before anyone takes the first reviewer into account, try it. Using the kettlebell and Pavel's principles has helped my clients and myself.
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46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
Another great book for kettlebell enthusiasts by Pavel, February 17, 2007
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
Kettlebells have certain advantages in training, namely, their ability to combine weight training with aerobics in the same workout. And you can still do most of the usual weight training stuff. Kettlebells also give so called "what the hell" effect: by doing only kettlebell training you accidentally discover that you are actually getting better in other, not related activities, such as weightlifting or running. Kettlebell training is generally safe and technically not difficult, if you take it step by step.
In this book Pavel sets standards against which you can gauge your progress. Rite of Passage, performing 200 snatches in ten minutes is the landmark all kettlebellers are striving for. You won't understand why until you try. This book presents training principles for the long term. There is also a discussion safety and trauma.
It is futile to try and convince skeptics that kettlebells are good. If you think of it, all sports are ultimately meaningless, and doing something more intensive than a brisk walk does not significantly add to your health. Why do we do snatches for numbers then? Same reason as trying to run one kilometer under three minutes or deadlift tripple the bodyweight, or trying to win a sparring: for fun and the sense of achievement. You can get a feel of kettlebell training on the forum on the publisher's site, [...].
The only way to understand kettlebells is to try them. And if you decide to do it - this is the book to have.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Great content, uneven writing, November 21, 2008
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
I have trouble understanding why some reviews of this book criticize it on the basis of lack of content. I think the book is chock-full of content, so much so, in fact, that I seriously urge any reader to take Pavel's advice to re-read chapters. I have repeatedly gone back to the book to refine my technique, finding details and emphases I missed in the past.
Others, who criticize on the basis of advertising content are also off the mark. While there is some promotional material throughout, the bulk of it is in a handful of pages in the back of the book and is not intrusive.
Pavel does take the "hard core" this and "man's man" bit a little far. To be honest, though, I think it's more in fun, as some of humorous pictures in the book hint that Pavel himself doesn't take the attitude thing seriously.
Pavel is heavy on precise technique. This is for safety and also maximum gain from each exercise. It is precisely this detail that makes the book so valuable. Rather than simply describing a generic kettlebell swing technique, for example, Pavel lays the groundwork in preceeding chapters on hip flexibility and how to develop it, but ultimately covers grip, breathing, elbow and shoulder protection, callouses and hand maintenance, pull techniques, leg, hip, and back positioning, bracing, workout routines (e.g., ladders), and more. So also for the heavy use on pictures of both good and bad technique. Proper form is important in all weight training, but doubly so with the highly-leveraged dynamic movements used in kettlebell training. Kettlebells aren't just dumbbells with a handle.
This is the most worthwhile book on basic kettlebell I've seen to-date. If you're wondering whether to also purchase The Russian Kettlebell Challenge, the answer is no - Pavel makes it clear that this book supercedes the earlier volume and there have been some refinements in movement details. His other books are complimentary, however, including Power to the People, The Naked Warrior, Relax Into Stretch, From Russia with Tough Love, etc. (Each of which should be evaluated on their own, of course.)
On the topic of the few movements that are covered in this book, first, this is a beginner's book that hammers technique on a few things. Second, these movements cover a lot of muscle groups - a few genericized exercises like this are highly appropriate for beginners.
There's a quote in the book to the effect that kettlebell swings alone are better for strength and conditioning exercise than almost anything else you can do. Believe it, but you won't find out why unless you do them properly and with sufficient resistance. Couple swings with movements that work the shoulder girdle, arms and upper back and you have something powerful and simple. That's the basic premise of this book, again, targeted at beginners and non-elite athletes. Having gone through it myself, I think it has considerable merit.
Pavel does not discount specialized and sport-specific training. On the contrary, he says in the book that people involved at a certain level not only have to have specialized training, but need coaching from experts in their field. Some readers are apparently mistaking his emphasis on general strength and conditioning training for a disdain for other exercise, movements, and training. Nothing could be further from the truth.
My only problem with the book is that whoever edited it could have done a far better job organizing the material. I found that you really have to read the book cover-to-cover several times to put it all together. You can't take it a chapter at a time as you progress, except perhaps for the section covering preliminary work for flexibility. In a similar vein, some of the writing describing details of certain moves could be clearer. While the book describes 3 distinct workout programs (not routines), it's actually quite difficult to discern where they begin and end, and how to put together routines to implement each program. Pavel gives some general guidance in putting routines together, but it's not sufficient if you don't have the knowledge or confidence to do it - and a good portion of the audience for this book will have neither. In the case of Enter the Kettlebell, having a beginners video is helpful, as it helps in getting around some of the ambiguity. I prefer Art of Strength's "Clinic" DVD. AOS also publishes a progressive workout routines book based on Enter the Kettlebell. I have them but again, still find myself going back to Pavel's book for refinement.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent source for kettlebells, August 10, 2007
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
I got the DVD first and I found the book to be much more helpful. If you have limited funds, get the book over the DVD.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Get it, take a class or two from an RKC instructor, and be prepared to cry., August 31, 2008
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
I learned about kettlebells from a trainer at my gym, and bought this book to learn more about them. Pros are easy to read, good humor, and easy to follow instructions. Cons are the pain you'll feel after doing a simple workout consisting of swings and get-ups, and the money you'll part with to get his other books (he's a good pitch man, but I won't criticize him for that, because he's just living the good American capitalist dream).
You must be prepared, however, to find an RKC instructor and take some classes, because the instructors that are RKC qualified are all trained on the same standard Pavel covers in his book, and taking just a simple introductory class will definitely 'grease your groove'. If you try these swings and get ups on your own with just reading the book, it's a lot like learning golf without lessons. You may find yourself in bad habits that are very hard to break. I took a class that covered the swing and the get-up, and it was definitely the smartest thing I've ever done for my body. I found I was horribly restricted in my hip flexors and hamstrings, and therefore my form was lousy. once my form was fixed, I knew was it was like to really get a kettlebell swing workout, and my hamstrings are screaming the day after.
This book is much better when used as a companion and reference to you when taking some RKC classes and getting the movements down from someone in the know. Between the book and a three hour class, I've spent $100 but I can say that I've probably blown several times that over the years paying for gym memberships that I've never used. If you buy yourself a good starter kettlebell and have a track near your house, you can start the RKC minimum program without difficulty, and in two months your body will look (and feel) like never before.
One last thought....get yourself a good stretching book. Pavel has a couple, but I've not read them and therefore cannot recommend any particular title. You WILL become more flexible in doing these (you'll have to if you want to save your back). If you're tight in the hamstrings and hip flexors, you DEFINITELY 100% must take a class with some RKC instructors so you don't wind up doing permanent damage to your back.
RKC....better living through pain!!!
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
Useful exercise book, August 15, 2007
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
To show I'm not on the Pavel payroll, I'll say that some of his earlier books could have used more editing. And they are pricey -- which makes Amazon the best way to get them. (I'm not on Amazon payroll either.)
Yes, he's a promoter. All trainers are. They have to motivate people.
I've found the kettlebells to be an excellent way to develop strength, flexibility and stamima. Easy to work with; I just go out in the backyard.
This book is full good teaching tools: lots of pics, lots of white space. The books are short: Pavel's point is to focus on a few key things.
It has precise programs for all levels.
My only recommendation would be to get "The Naked Warrior" by Pavel. That's the best into to his ideas. Work on that for three, six, maybe twelve months. Build a foundation, then go on to the kettlebells.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Good Stuff and Lots of Filler, June 7, 2007
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
I enjoyed the book, its humor, intentional and unintentional, is engaging and it has a solid information about form, function and routines. Kettlebell training, using the book as a guide, has been a fun and challenging adjunct to weight training. That said, there is far too much chatter, too much pro-kettlebell propaganda (we did already buy the book, do we need to be convinced?), and too many large photographs merely, it seems, to fill enough pages to make it book-length. There is more information in any 5 random pages of New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle than in this whole book. Though, not about kettlebell training.
In sum, it's a good place to get some quality information, you just pay a little more than it's worth, pound for pound.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Good "Back to Basics" Tool for Kettlebells, May 28, 2007
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
I am not too familiar with the other items out there but kettlebells are unheard of mostly in Australia. I have seen a couple of other videos and looked up plenty of information on the internet and I have had great success with Kettlebells in general for weight loss. They are truly an amazing workout and I find easy to use and stay motivated with.
I found this to be a good "Back to Basics" book. I was going through a stage of learning a lot of the exercises and I found this channelled and reminded me of the basics of good swings, cleans and presses, and how these basic exercises can give you an amazing workout on their own.
It's a well put together book with plenty of photos and reminders about technique. I think it covers technique better than one of the other videos I have. It's probably a good book in conjunction with a video and some basic instruction as it is important to see the technique as well as read about it and be shown how to do things correctly. You could injure yourself if you are new to exercise and trying to throw one of these around.
I have gone back to "learning" and working with my 16kg Kettlebell until I get a better grasp on it before switching up to me 24kg. Technique is very important and this book teachers good technique.
The bit of history is also good to read about in how the kettlebells are produced and a bit of history on the strongmen of the former USSR.
Great Book.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Great Book, Well Organized, Definitely Some fluff, May 17, 2008
This review is from: Enter The Kettlebell! Strength Secret of The Soviet Supermen (Paperback)
I agree with the other posters...there is definitely a lot of fluff in the book. But, frankly, that's Pavel's style. "Russian Kettlebell Challenge" was the same way but definitely unorganized. Enough about that.
"Enter the Kettlebell" is the perfect primer to get into Kettlebell lifting. Once you get past the saleman fluff and to the core, you will not be dissapointed. The "RKC Rite of Passage" Workout is spectacular and it does give you results. How often do you hear that I know but it definitely works!
I have been on this program since September 2007 and I have already progressed from a 35 lb (16kg) kettlebell to what I am currently nearing the ability to make the 70 lb (32kg) kettlebell my standard kettlebell.
Pavel's method of taking each of the crucial exercises in steps is a smart idea. The RKC Workout itself is very progressive unlike the mainstream philosophy of training of doing a million reps a day to get results. With "Enter the Kettlebell" the most reps you will do for an exercise is 75 (5 ladders of 1+2+3+4+5) with rest periods in between ladders. That is until you reach the point where you can perform the "Man amongst men" workout.
Bottom line, this is definitely worth the money and worth your attention at the bare minimum.
This is the new Russian revolution...Gireviks (That's Russian for someone who uses kettlebells, you learn that in the book, too)of the World Unite!
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