Enter The Kettlebell!: Strength Secret of the Soviet Supermen

Product Description

With Enter the Kettlebell! Pavel delivers a significant upgrade to his original landmark work, The Russian Kettlebell Challenge. Drawing on five years of developing and leading the world's first and premiere kettlebell instructor certification program, and after spending five years of additional research into what really works for dramatic results with the kettlebell-we have Enter the Kettlebell!Pavel lays out a foolproof master system that guarantees you success-if you simply follow the commands! . Develop all-purpose strength-to easily handle the toughest and most unexpected demand.. Maximize staying power-because the last round decides all. Forge a fighter's physique-because the form must follow the functionEnter the kettlebell!-and follow the plan:1. The New RKC Program MinimumWith just two kettlebell exercises, takes you from raw newbie to solid contender-well-conditioned, flexible, resilient and muscular in all the right places.2. The RKC Rite of Passage Jumps you to the next level of physical excellence with Pavel's proven RKC formula for exceptional strength and conditioning. 3. Become a Man Among MenPropels you to a Special Forces level of conditioning.

Top Reviews

I don't know where I would be if I didn't find Pavel and Enter the Kettlebell.
by Andrew Meyer (5 out of 5 stars)
January 8, 2016

I was fresh off of doing p90x for the second time and looking for something new. My friend let me borrow TRX and KETTLEBELLS dvd and Pavel was the instructor. He was playing a character of the Evil Russian trainer and saying all kinds of funny things during the workout. I thought it was great so I got this book and started training with Kettlebells. I have never looked back since. I can tell you I primarily use kettlebells for training and I'm in the best shape of my life. This program will get you strong as hell.
Negative reviewers are on here complaining about the way he talks or that he is making stuff about about the origin of the kettlebell and I say, "Who cares." You don't have evidence that what he is saying isn't true number one, have you been to Russia?? Number two it's entertaining and keeps it interesting. the proof is in the pudding I can tell you that much. The Program Minimum consisting of just the Turkish Get-up and the Swing. It will get you strong and hack off body fat if you diet properly. That is only two exercises!!!! The RKC Rite of Passage is another Plan that will get you strong as Hell and it is simple to follow.
There is no doubt the guy is knowledgeable and his plans are simple and they work. Give it a try!
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This is Pavel's best course. Forget simple and sinister (which is essentially ...
by Rob (5 out of 5 stars)
May 21, 2016

This is Pavel's best course. Forget simple and sinister (which is essentially an excerpt from this program). Two courses and all the information you need to progress them, along with standards and advice to keep yourself performing.
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The Perfect Starting Point
by Joshua Flores (5 out of 5 stars)
December 26, 2014

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.
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For true strongman, comrades!
by The A Machine (4 out of 5 stars)
September 23, 2017

This book is amusing and informative. I am 100% new to kettlebells, but not to working out in general. This book gave me the confidence to begin using a kettlebell. Along with a good dose of Russian bravado you are introduced to and given instruction to execute these workouts: the Turkish get up, Swings: towel, two-handed, and one-handed, The Clean, The Press, The Snatch, and the Halo. It also helps you understand the basic squat form (I suppose an exercise in its own right), and some other instruction to make sure you are protecting your back, abs, and shoulders during movements.

The step by step instruction for the Get Up is lacking. I had to turn to youtube for help on that one.

I recommend, and I'll update after I've been swinging that kettlebell for a while, comrades!
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Excellent Stuff!
by Plotinus (5 out of 5 stars)
October 21, 2016

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.
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Soviet Special Forces Trainer Knows What's Up
by Wayne B. (5 out of 5 stars)
August 13, 2017

I have been in and out of strength training for close to 20 years. My problem was I was always getting bored with insanely long workout regimens. I have been interested in the kettlebells ever since I came across one a few years ago, but I always forgot about it. Until I started watching The Joe Rogan Experience. I started to investigate, and all of the scientific reports about the benefits of kettlebell exercises blew my mind. Joint recovery, the possibility to burn 1200 calories in an hour(verified by the U.S. Gov, btw), and fast strength gains were all the things I came across.

So, being a bit of an amateur scientist myself, I decided to trace this back to the source. I didn't want to see what Americans had done with the kettlebell, or the western take on how this implement should be utilized.

I went straight to the source. Pavel was the man credited with introducing the kettlebell to the west, so I wanted to see his regimen.

This book(and companion YouTube video), are phenomenal. If you follow his instruction closely(and appreciate his attempt to add humor to an instructional video), you can't go wrong. I've been exercising 3-4 days a week for the past two months. Recently, I've built up so much stamina that I'm now alternating days and working out 6 days a week. I can't overstate how much the kettlebell, and Label, have actually changed my life and my views on exercise.

Mind you, I wasn't one of those people who were already kinda in shape and just needed to get back into the swing of things. I'm 5'10 and weigh 290 lb. Extremely out of shape. After two months, there's a noticeable build up of muscle on my body. And my grip has improved tremendously. I have since added Steel Clubs to my workout just to have a different implement to workout my arms. But the kettlebell is central to my workout, and all you really need.
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Better off going to YouTube
by tayloao (3 out of 5 stars)
May 7, 2018

The book is good. It provides lots of history, stories, and inspirations on the kettlebell. The only problem is that for technique you're better off going to YouTube, and if you're looking for a list of workout routines, again, you're better off going to YouTube. This book has some of the main exercises that you can do with kettlebells, but that's about it.
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Excellent Kettlebell Resource
by TallOrangeAngry (5 out of 5 stars)
April 10, 2011

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.
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Great Book, Better Program
by Zak (5 out of 5 stars)
July 26, 2018

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.
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Great program
by Bernard Hunt (5 out of 5 stars)
June 8, 2019

This book was my introduction to kettlebells. It outlines a daily exercise program to strengthen your lower body, back, arms, and grip. The cost of equipment is low and you can do it at home. I've been on the program for four months now and I'm quite happy with the results. Plus the author is entertaining.

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