Training Articles

From 10-inches to 18-inches naturally: For big arms, do more with less.

By Paul McIlroy

In fact, after over 30 years in this game (both personally and professionally) it's been my direct observation that your answer to "how big are your arms" is second only to your answer to "Whadda ya bench" in determining the magnitude of your gym accomplishments in the minds of most who go there.

Read Full Story

Can you become REALLY strong with only Kettlebells?

By Paul McIlroy

Someone recently sent me a video, looking for my opinion, on a famous professor of sports science & competitive bodybuilder, whose content and opinion I respect a lot, saying that you categorically can't get "Really strong using Kettlebells".

Read Full Story

How the Isomax can be your Secret Anti-Aging Formula

By Paul “Coach” Wade

I can tell you one thing that has the power to reverse your biological age, quickly—and with no negative side effects. That item is an electronic piece of isometric training equipment called an Isomax. Let me explain.

Read Full Story

Overhead Strength…; The Rising Tide Raises All Ships

Strength can be built by many means, does it really matter which one you choose? Well, that depends. It's true to say that the rising tide raises all ships. But it’s also important to get your ship on the tide which rises highest.

Read Full Story

Ignoring the Pseudo-Science to Optimize Chest Development & Upper Body Strength!

By Paul McIlroy

I've seen a lot of talk on the Internet recently, suggesting that neither the Bench Press nor the Push-Up are good pectoralis major exercises, some even making the statement that they aren’t true chest exercises at all.

Read Full Story

The Law of Accommodation: The Secret Key to Continuous Gains in Isometrics and all Resistance Training - Part III

Habituation also occurs in all athletic training, where it’s called accommodation. If you keep performing the same stimulus (workout, exercise, set/rep scheme etc.) over time, the response disappears, leaving you with zero gains no matter how much effort you put in.

Read Full Story

Weight Justa Minute

By Paul McIlroy

“How do you use Justa’s singles for the deadlift and still run a squatting cycle at the same time”? “How do you know when to terminate the Justa’s singles cycle”?

Read Full Story

How to Combine Isometrics and Calisthenics

By Julien Schmid

My objective is to enhance both size and strength. So, during the initial phase, I focus on bodyweight training to build strength while incorporating isometric exercises to promote muscle growth. Then, in the subsequent phase, I reverse this approach.

Read Full Story

The Steel Bending Power of Isometrics

By Todd Ryan Jones

One of the most common feats that the old time strongmen performed was bending a 60D nail. In fact, that was what you would call the “gateway feat” of those times. If you wanted to even call yourself a strongman, you had to be able to bend a 60D nail...

Read Full Story

The 30-Rep Program: How to Gain Considerable Strength and Size in as Little as Six Weeks

By C.S. Sloan

Eventually, I came up with my own sort of “amalgam” of these two ways of training that I call the 30-Rep Program—it contains the high-frequency of the 40-day workout but with the potential for more variety common to Pavel’s 3-to-5 methodology.

Read Full Story

Beating The Bogeyman

By Paul McIlroy

‘The Beast’ is a great name to market a hardcore strength tool with! It fires up some, it intimidates others, but either way, it wins everyone’s instant respect. It transforms an ordinary object into an icon, a mythical monster and in some cases…an insurmountable obstacle.

Read Full Story

The Law of Accommodation: The Secret Key to Continuous Gains in Isometrics and all Resistance Training - Part II

by Paul "Coach" Wade

The problem of accommodation has been recognized as long as men have trained with weights. It has been given different names over time. The old-time strongmen called the phenomenon staleness. The term “stale” continued well into the seventies, but in the eighties was ultimately eclipsed by another term, “plateau”.

Read Full Story

The Law of Accommodation The Secret Key to Continuous Gains in Isometrics and all Resistance Training Part 1

by Paul Wade

If there’s one law that’s completely universal—and yet, woefully underestimated by strength athletes and coaches alike—it’s the Law of Accommodation.

Read Full Story

New Year—New Isometrics

by Paul "Coach" Wade

What’s that, pardner? You’re already performing Isochain/Isomax isos, and you understand the huge benefits they confer? Well, I’ve got ya covered. Here are five special tactics to shake up your training.​

Read Full Story

The 4 Secrets To Making Your New Year's Resolutions Actually Stick

by Dan John

I want you to make a New Year’s Resolution: no more resolutions for the New Year.

Read Full Story

5 Common Mistakes Made with The Kettlebell Swing

by William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader, RKC-II

Learning how to do the kettlebell swing correctly can be a complicated new skill to learn, especially if you’re new to kettlebell training. Often times there are a few common mistakes that I’ve seen happen when learning the swing. These mistakes can hinder your ability to properly execute the proper training effect and could potentially lead to an injury.

Read Full Story

Can Isometrics Cure High Blood Pressure?

By Paul “Coach” Wade

If you’ve been in the training world for a while, you’ve probably heard the dusty myth: isometrics is bad for your blood pressure. Well, it’s just that—a myth.

Read Full Story

Why Are Isometrics Such A Surprisingly Powerful Way to Train The Abs?

By Paul “Coach” Wade

Paul "Coach" Wade explains how isometrics are a surprisingly powerful way to train the abs, and how the new IsoMax from Dragon Door can take your isometrics to the next level.

Read Full Story

Lance Monteau, MD and The Great 100,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge

Lance Monteau set himself a magnificent challenge: to perform 100,000 kettlebell swings within a one year period. Lance has just completed that goal. Dragon Door e-interviewed him about his whole experience with this admirable achievement.

Read Full Story

The Power of The Ordinary — And The Magic of The Isochain

By Marty Sweeney

Marty Sweeney has used himself as an experiment for the last two years by using the IsoChain almost exclusively. Read about his results and helpful insights for success with the IsoChain and Isometric strength training.

Read Full Story

Isometrics: Bodybuilding’s “Cheat Code”

by Paul "Coach" Wade

Ah—isometrics! Strength training without movement. It’s a method championed through the decades by all serious sports scientists and researchers. Many of the great modern-day strength coaches are passionate advocates for isometrics: Louie Simmons, Pavel Tsatsouline, Christian Thibaudeau, Ross Enamait, and on and on. If you think isos are snake oil, these names should give you pause. All these men promote isometric training.

Read Full Story

Infinite Isometrics - Hebb’s Rule: The Law of Strength Training

The Dragon Door Research Group

Hebb’s rule is not just fundamental to strength gain—it’s easily the most crucial principle that exists in this arena. It’s no exaggeration to call Hebb’s rule the ultimate law of strength training. Everything else comes a distant second.

Read Full Story

Isometric Super-Power, the Top 10 Reasons to Use the IsoMax in your Strength Training

by Paul Wade

Do you remember strength? Real strength—not the drug bloated here-today-gone-tomorrow gym posing bullshit you see on YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok and so forth. I mean pure, ferocious, animal power—power possessed by guys who looked lithe, or even small; not the gigantic, bovine, steroid-built heart attacks-waiting-to-happen that pass for modern “strongmen”.

Read Full Story

Why I Have Been Using Kettlebells for 20 Years — And Am Not About to Stop.

By Dan John

Floating around the DD discussion was the kettlebell. I had first seen Kettlebells at the College of San Mateo when the Soviet hammer throwers were tossing them on the football field (I’m sure that went over well). When I popped open my 1971 Track and Field Omnibook written by J. K. Doherty, I saw these used in training for every track and field event.

Read Full Story

Why Kettlebells Should Be The Foundation for Your Functional Fitness

By William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader

One thing all of these courses had in common was that they believe that incorporating kettlebells is a staple for functional fitness. Kettlebell training can be used to enhance your strength, conditioning, athletic abilities, correcting movement, and creating greater stability in the body. By becoming an RKC Trainer you are setting yourself up for success by starting off with a strong foundation.

Read Full Story

Isometrics and Alignment

by Matt Schifferle

Since I was young, my joints have been the limiting factor in my physical training. Naturally, isometric training seemed the perfect way to train hard without too much risk to my joints. So I invested in an Isochain and started to experience rapid improvements in my strength and performance within a week or two...

Read Full Story

How to Get Healthy Using Kettlebells & Functional Fitness

by William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader

Most people in the public have a false understanding of our profession and those who work in them. Some people still believe that personal trainers are glorified gym teachers or boot camp instructors.

Read Full Story

¿Por qué entrenar con kettlebells?

By Javier Garcia Bravo, RKC

La kettlebell tiene mucho que ofrecer en general: a los atletas de alto rendimiento, a la gente que necesita desarrollar más fuerza y condición física, a los profesionistas cuyo trabajo les exige un esfuerzo físico y a quienes les pide estar sentados todo el día.

Read Full Story

Why Train with Kettlebells?

By Javier Garcia Bravo, RKC

Kettlebell training has much to offer, whether you are a high-performance athlete, someone who just needs to develop strength and endurance, an employee with the kind of work that demands physical effort, or a person who sits almost the entire day.

Read Full Story

Infinite Isometrics - Henneman’s Size Principle: The Law of Bodybuilding

by The Dragon Door Research Group

For many decades, a ferocious argument raged in bodybuilding circles: Which is better for building muscle? Using heavy weights for short sets, or light weights for longer sets? Or somewhere in the middle? ​

Read Full Story

Infinite Isometrics - The All-or-None Law: How Muscles Really Work

by The Dragon Door Research Group

The all-or-none law states that: …when stimulated, nerve fibers invariably produce a response of a single, maximal amplitude. In the late 19th Century, the great American physiologist Henry Pickering Bowditch was studying the contractions of heart muscles in response to electrical stimulation.

Read Full Story

Kettlebells Are Not a Side Dish

By Nick Lynch, Senior RKC

Most of the time, I see people using a kettlebell as a side dish. This is similar to how people train their abs, like an accessory to something else.

Read Full Story

Infinite Isometrics - The Force-Velocity Relationship: “Law 1” of Strength

The Dragon Door Research Group

The force-velocity relationship is arguably the most important scientific principle in resistance training. It is literally Law 1 of strength. Yet—outside of a small cadre of athletes and sports scientists—it is barely known at all (and even then, it is typically poorly understood).

Read Full Story

HYBRID STRENGTH TRAINING Q & A Part II - Five More Questions

by Danny Kavadlo

Thanks for all the emails, DMs and messages about the results you’ve gotten from HYBRID STRENGTH TRAINING. Keep those progress reports coming! This week, we examine five more questions.

Read Full Story

Let Me Count the Ways: How the Isochain Has Transformed My 69-Year-Old Body and Being

By Laura Phillips, RKC

When I first read about Isochain isometrics and its apparent ability to heal and strengthen the body in a pain-free manner, I was hooked...

Read Full Story

HYBRID STRENGTH TRAINING Q & A Part I — The TOP 5 Questions

By Danny Kavadlo

Dragon Door and I recently hosted a live Q & A Session in the Hybrid Strength Training Users Group on Facebook. Many excellent questions - and surprising answers - were raised.

Read Full Story

Infinite Isometrics Part One: Isometrics and The Active Mind

By The Dragon Door Research Group

Isometrics looks (and feels) so different from the established conventional methods that, if you are a “group thinker” it will be almost impossible to accept the discipline from the get-go. But if you are one of those rare individuals with an open and active mind, we are hoping to invite you to explore a method of training that will change your life.

Read Full Story

Simple Bodyweight/Barbell Combos for Amazing Strength Part III — TARGETING MUSCLE GROUPS

By Danny Kavadlo

Bodyweight and barbell exercises can be combined in many ways. Today, we explore combos that target only one body part or muscle group. Old school strength training: arms, legs, chest, back and shoulders.​

Read Full Story

Simple Bodyweight/Barbell Combos for Amazing Strength Part II — The “Chaser”

by Danny Kavadlo

Whenever we perform a lower body exercise followed by an upper body exercise (or vice versa), we get many of the same benefits we got from the push/pull supersets we discussed last week.

Read Full Story

New Year, New Fitness? Isometrics can make that a reality for you

by Paul "Coach" Wade

What’s new is scientific, measurable isometrics, using an Isochain. Isometrics is ancient, and has always worked. Being able to electronically measure, and improve, your isometric capacity is new.

Read Full Story

Simple Bodyweight/Barbell Combos for Amazing Strength Part I — Push/Pull Supersets

by Danny Kavadlo

Bodyweight and barbell exercises can be combined in many ways. In this three-part series I will examine different applications in which one can successfully combine barbells and calisthenics for the best possible results. Today, let’s talk about “push/pull supersets.”

Read Full Story

Hybrid Strength For the Everyman

By Ben Johnson

Many books and plans are hyped in the fitness industry, but do they really work for the average, stressed-out individual with a full-time job, a family to care for, and other day-to-day responsibilities? Hybrid Strength Training does. Here are some things to keep in mind when doing this fantastic program.​

Read Full Story

Women and Hybrid Strength Training

By Annie Vo, Senior RKC Instructor, PCC Team Leader

I am not just a spokesperson for the virtues of fusing fitness methodologies. I am a champion of women’s strength both in and out of the gym. Over the last 12 years of working as a professional fitness trainer, I’ve helped women PR on deadlifts, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, and other record-breaking achievements.

Read Full Story

How Kettlebells Helped Me Restore My Mental & Physical Health

By William Sturgeon, RKC Team Leader

I believe my life’s purpose is to help teach people who’ve been hurt by life’s adversities how to adapt the skills and tools needed to restore their strength to live a healthier life.

Read Full Story

How to Best Challenge Your Weak Points — And Make Greater Long-Term Gains

by Dan John, Master RKC

Isometrics work. Yes, they were overhyped for a time, but pushing as hard as you can against something that won’t move is a way to train your nervous system to light up.

Read Full Story

3 Ways to Use The Isochain to Enhance Your Dynamic Training

by Matt Schifferle, PCC Team Leader

Since the first time I’ve tried them, I’ve found isometrics exercises to be the ultimate training hack to quickly and safely improve neuromuscular proficiency to generate muscle tension.

Read Full Story

Why the Isochain Could Be Your Ultimate Training Tool For Enhanced Health and a Stronger, Better-Looking Physique

By Dr. John C. D’Ambrosio

If the Isochain was available 42 years ago, I truly believe I would not have suffered the torn bicep and would have obtained the best physique possible without countless wasted hours in the gym. You can never get back lost time, and the Isochain would have saved me literally years, and that my friends, is priceless.

Read Full Story

Ted Croushore’s 4-Month Body Transformation — Leaner and Stronger

Ted Croushore trained exclusively with the Isochain for 120 days with 90 days of caloric deficit averaging over 500 calories per day. Find out what happened to his strength and physique...

Read Full Story

Bulletproof with Isometrics

by Paul “Coach” Wade

New from Paul Wade: The Secret to Healthier Strength Gains, Bulletproof with Isometrics

Read Full Story

Introducing the Isochain McKean Curl (IMc)

by John McKean

“Hey, Dad,” asked my 41-year-old son and lifetime training partner, “from your time working as the International General Secretary of the I.A.W.A., do you recall, off hand, the world record in the CHEAT CURL?”

Read Full Story

The Secrets of “Frictional Moving Isometrics” for the Development of Extraordinary Striking Power

by John McKean

To implement, simply begin with a normal frictional strap warmup for the first 15 minutes, quickly move over to your Isochain, then position chain links so only, say, a mid-position, standing press can be achieved. Push for all you're worth for 6 intense seconds!

Read Full Story

How Chrys Johnson Increased His Strength by 65% in 30 Days — and Reduced His Pain —Using the Isochain

By Chrys Johnson

With all these Isochain modes and a force display, “Progressive Overload has entered the chat” making this a whole new ballgame now. This will give rise to the advent of freak athletes and unbelievable feats of strength in the coming years. If you haven’t preordered it, I highly recommend you do so.​

Read Full Story

Build Your Strengths and Weaknesses with the Isochain

By Logan Christopher

Overall, the Isochain is simple to get up and running with. That being said I did feel like it took about two weeks until my body was really in the groove with most of the exercises and different positions. For me, it took about two weeks to get neurologically adapted to the device.

Read Full Story

How to Work on Your Weaknesses and Build Sustained Strength

By Dan John

Constantly seek out and work on your weaknesses. The Isochain is part of this journey.

Read Full Story

The Isochain 4-Week Strength Gain Challenge

by John McKean

"Beat the book regularly, and you'll eventually conquer the world!" was the definitive statement often repeated by my Olympic-style weightlifting friend, Don Booth. Don was a staunch believer in maintaining consistent, meticulous written records of every training session, down to exact poundage, set, and rep. His philosophy: Always keep an eagle eye on continued progression of weight and increased workload through an ever-present training log. This always worked well for him—except during...

Read Full Story

Why the Isochain? Unlocking Superhuman Strength—Fast

by Paul “Coach” Wade

There is a “secret” of incredible power which was already known to all the old-time strongmen. It’s a notion we rarely even think about as we train day-to-day, but it’s a concept fully understood by modern physiology, myology and neurology. The secret is this: You are already incredibly strong.

Read Full Story

How Isochain Training Can Make Your Combatives More Lethal

by John McKean

Let's consider the key Isochain exercises, which IMO allow the Fairbairn strikes to be so devastating. First and foremost is core training for the thighs, hips, and low back, as all Combatives work involves the TOTAL body.

Read Full Story

The Great Isochain Health Lift

by John McKean

Recently Dragon Door's John Du Cane and I were discussing the bone density-building factor of possible heavy lifts with the Isochain. The Hand & Thigh gives the “best bang for the buck” allowing the utmost weight possible for an Isochain leg lift...

Read Full Story

THE GREAT ISOCHAIN CHALLENGE

by John McKean

There's something amazing about a rugged solid-steel chain that invokes sheer power! In my initial experiences with the ISOCHAIN, I was pulling and pushing against familiar rock-solid links. Training became very real in a hurry as I no longer had that slight, nagging worry about stretching or ripping a towel, rope, strap, or sock. I am once again an IRON MAN! The neat thing for me is that with 35 years of All-Round weightlifting experiences, I can now convert every exercise into a brutal ISOCHAI​

Read Full Story

A Physician’s Personal Remedies for Beating COVID

By Dr. Steven Horwitz, DC, RKC, PCC, CSCS, CCSP

So how am I preparing my body and mind for COVID? Full disclosure: I have a very strong (yes, pun intended) bias toward functional medicine and the general health approach discussed in the fantastic book: Strong Medicine. Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

Read Full Story

From Fear to Flow

by Scott Carney

From Fear to Flow - Excerpt from The Wedge by Scott Carney

Read Full Story

The Science of Isometrics Part I: The Third Law of Strength

by Paul “Coach” Wade

There are THREE major Laws of Strength. (I don’t mean “laws” like train your core or bench press on Monday. I’m talking about genuine, well-established scientific principles. Strap yourself in, Jimmy.) If you want to reach the peak of your potential in the fastest possible time, you need to be utilizing all three—right now. (Yesterday, in fact.)

Read Full Story

ISOCHAIN Plus the Weights? The Best of Both Worlds!

by Paul “Coach” Wade

Yes, the ISOCHAIN is a viable form of resistance training. Isometric work will make you stronger. It will make you bigger, too, if that’s how you use it. So many studies have proven this now, nobody who knows what they’re talking about will dispute it.

Read Full Story

The ISOCHAIN: FAQ

The Dragon Door Research Team

Since the initial announcement regarding the ISOCHAIN, Dragon Door has been inundated with emails regarding the device—wanting to know everything from the expected release date, to shipping issues and training queries. In this article, we will be answering the ten most common questions.

Read Full Story

How the ISOCHAIN Can Help Women Athletes Meet and Exceed Their Goals

By Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC and Adrienne Harvey, RKC-TL, Senior PCC

At first glance, the ISOCHAIN might seem specifically beneficial for men, but isometric training can benefit all athletes. In fact, women have already been practicing versions of isometric exercises for years...

Read Full Story

Isometrics: Black Belt Tension Training

by Paul “Coach” Wade

The number-one most effective and efficient method to master tension is through static exercise—isometric drills.

Read Full Story

Accidental Easy Strength

By Bill Kociaba, HKC and ACE Certified Personal Trainer

My goal was simple: learn the lift, practice the lift, and master the lift—everything else in my training sessions would just be frosting on the cake.

Read Full Story

RKC Team Leader Dorothee Appel's Kettlebell Press Challenge

By Adrienne Harvey, SrPCC, RKC-TL, CK-FMS

We’d work to get as strong as possible until the end of the year and start 2019 as the strongest version of ourselves. This challenge would also let me test an online program I was currently working on. I could help people reach their goals, stay on track over Christmastime and experiment with running and overseeing an online training program.

Read Full Story

Phil Ross on History’s Forged in Fire: Knife or Death

By Phil Ross, author of Ferocious Fitness, 8th Degree Black Belt, Former UFC Coach, Master RKC

The very next day, a casting agent from HISTORY emailed to ask me if I’d like to appear on Season 2 of Knife or Death! This was a dream come true.

Read Full Story

30 Years and Going STRONG!

By Phil Ross, Master RKC

A turning point came in 2005 when one of my clients, Dr. Pat Roth (yes, the author of The End of Back Pain) and UFC Champion Frank Shamrock turned me onto kettlebells. That December, I bought a set of kettlebells, a DVD, and started to train and learn.

Read Full Story

How to Auto-Correct Your Movement Patterns, Build Greater Strength, and Enhance Your Mobility—With the ProBar Advantage

By Philippe Til, RKC

Building a Strong Athletic Foundation—With or Without a Trainer. How to Auto-Correct Your Movement Patterns, Build Greater Strength, and Enhance Your Mobility—With the ProBar Advantage

Read Full Story

Kettlebells and Bodyweight Exercise: The Ultimate Training Duo

By Phil Ross, Master RKC

There are many purported methods for achieving the ultimate level of fitness. Some are better than others. But, is there one tool, method, or philosophy that shines above them all?

Read Full Story

Discover The Healing Power of Liposomal Vitamin C

By Dr. Peter Stephens

Thanks to its purity and small molecular size, your body absorbs Liposomal Vitamin C efficiently without irritation, immediately strengthening the immune system and gut biome. The liposomal compound structure makes this easy absorption possible.

Read Full Story

Get Stronger. Save Time. Reduce Wear and Tear. Do BFR Training.

By Sean Whalen

Blood flow restriction training, or BFR training, is an exercise modality that uses a manipulation of the body’s circulatory system in combination with light resistance exercise, such as body weight work, to achieve improvements in strength and fitness similar to what you get with high intensity strength training (traditional heavy weight lifting).

Read Full Story

High Tension: It’s More Than a Technique Requirement

By Dr. Christopher R Holder DP, DMQ(China), Master RKC

I’m closing in on fifteen years as an RKC and I have been a college strength coach for nearly twenty years. What I can tell you is that 99.999% of the population have no idea what high tension is. They think they do, but they have no relationship with intensity.

Read Full Story

TRUE Strength: How To Develop Strength That Transcends The Gym

by Zach Even-Esh, Author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning

I remember how heavy and awkward that generator felt. As a strength athlete, was glad I lift heavy odd objects all the time.

Read Full Story

How Conor McGregor Should Have Trained To Beat Mayweather

By Phil Ross, author of Ferocious Fitness, 8th Degree Black Belt, Former UFC Coach, Master RKC

Master RKC Phil Ross: How Conor McGregor could have trained to beat the odds

Read Full Story

How to Boost Growth Hormone, Strength Levels and Muscle Size Without Heavy Weights

By Jon Bruney, author of Neuro-Mass and The Neuro-Grip Challenge

Occlusion is more commonly known as Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training. Restricting blood flow during exercise may seem counterintuitive to most trainees. In fact, many athletes take pre-workout supplements intended to increase blood flow to the muscles by creating a state of vasodilation. However, Blood Flow Restriction works better than any supplement designed for this purpose…

Read Full Story

Meditative Movement Mastery (M3)

by Nick Lynch, Senior RKC

If you wish to obtain quality of movement and therefore increase strength you need more energy.

Read Full Story

6 Big Questions About Kettlebell Training - Part 2

By Dan John, Master RKC

Master RKC Dan John answers 6 big questions about kettlebell training, Part 2

Read Full Story

6 Big Questions About Kettlebell Training - Part 1

By Dan John, Master RKC

Recently on the Dragon Door forum, someone told us about their first adventures with kettlebells. The poster had six questions...

Read Full Story

Sleep: Don’t Fear The Sleeper

by Michael Krivka, Master RKC

Let me tell you a little secret—sleep is one of the key factors for losing fat, gaining muscle, staying sharper, and living longer.

Read Full Story

Bands and Bells

By Maciej Bielski, RKC

I know it may sound odd and kind of offensive, but kettlebells and bands are actually a perfect fit. The elastic rubber resistance bands and kettlebells are the ideal combination for increasing power and explosive strength. But, as some may ask—why not just use a heavier kettlebell?

Read Full Story

To Bare Or Not To Bare

By Dafna Hayman, RKC-II, PCC

As we introduce our students to kettlebells and the RKC school of thought, their first mental hurdle to overcome is simply taking off their shoes.

Read Full Story

RKC Fundamentals + IST Variations: Goblet Squat & Overhead Press

By Angelo Grinceri, RKC, PCC, Author of Intrinsic Strength

Throughout my career, I’ve worked, trained, and instructed a plethora of different people and personalities. But, they all had interest in at least one of the above goals. As I get older, I have less time I can commit to working out each week, and I’m less focused of lifting the heaviest weight. But, my need for mobility and feeling good increases.

Read Full Story

The Whats, Whys and Hows of Successful Programming, Part V

By Dan John, Master RKC

This is the fifth and final article in a series about successful programming by Master RKC Dan John: Progression or Regression, Adjusting the weight, plus "humane burpee" workout variations

Read Full Story

The Whats, Whys and Hows of Successful Programming, Part IV

By Dan John, Master RKC

I have a simple model for training most people: Life. This training program is based on our movement history: We start off rolling around and crawling. Then, we get up on one knee—then we get back on the ground...

Read Full Story

The Whats, Whys and Hows of Successful Programming, Part III

By Dan John, Master RKC

With an understanding of volume, intensity and specialized variety, we can now move into the basics of programming. I always start with the fundamental human movements as my guide to appropriate programming...​

Read Full Story

The Whats, Whys and Hows of Successful Programming, Part II

By Dan John, Master RKC

This is the second in a series of articles about successful programming by Master RKC Dan John. Let’s look at the most common work to rest ratios: 1:1 This ratio can be difficult. Generally,

Read Full Story

The Whats, Whys and Hows of Successful Programming, Part I

By Dan John, Master RKC

The problem with programming is simple: the word "program" is sitting right there to start off the word "programming." And, programs are the problem. It’s not an unusual week when someone emails me asking for a "program." It’s not unlike a patient calling a doctor and asking for medicine.

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Freedom

By Max Shank, Master RKC

For the past ten years, I have had the extreme pleasure of helping people get stronger, faster, and more flexible. My mantra and phrase that defines who I am and what I do is, “Give people the freedom to pursue any athletic endeavor for the rest of their lives”.

Read Full Story

CrossCore®, Accomplishing the Impossible – Resistance Training for Large Groups

By Marty Gallagher

No one has ever been able to figure out a way to successfully conduct a hardcore progressive resistance class in a large group setting. Effective resistance training, hardcore resistance training produces measurable, quantifiable improvements in physique and performance. Hardcore progressive resistance experts use free-weights, barbells and dumbbells, to near exclusion.

Read Full Story

The Street Workout 50 Push-up Challenge Results

By Al Kavadlo

Last week my brother Danny and I issued a challenge to the Dragon Door community and boy, did you all step up! Thank you to everyone who submitted a video for the Street Workout 50 Push-up Challenge. We were very impressed by how many people took on the task. After going through the 50+ entries (that’s a lot of push-ups!), it’s time to announce the official winners...

Read Full Story

The Street Workout 50 Rep Challenge Push-up Contest

By Al Kavadlo & Danny Kavadlo

The noble push-up. Honest. Strong. True. The push-up is one of our all-around favorite exercises: it requires no equipment, it’s adaptable to any fitness level and it can be varied in an infinite number of ways to suit a vast array of goals. The push-up is such a simple move, but that’s where its beauty lies.

Read Full Story

Better Mobility in Seconds

by Josh Henkin, Master RKC

Better mobility in seconds is a lofty promise. This isn’t an infomercial—it’s science! I can speak from personal experience, since I found this a methodology after recovering from four spinal surgeries in the past five years.

Read Full Story

In Shape for What? The HKC Toolkit Assessment

by Dan John, Master RKC

With the coming of the internet, the fitness industry has changed radically. Back when I first started to train, the monthly magazines (for most of us it was Strength and Health) showed up in the mailbox. We often found one or two new ideas to try out.

Read Full Story

Driving Cars and Kettlebells

by Chris White, RKC Team Leader

In order to effectively develop talent and transfer knowledge, coaches need to be aware of the client’s journey on their road to expertise. Each phase of the journey is affected by a range of environmental constraints that can include factors such as: level of instruction, quality and frequency of feedback, opportunity to make decisions, type and frequency of practice, exposure to other sports, organismic factors and socio-economic/cultural limitations

Read Full Story

The Whys and Hows of the One Kettlebell Workout

by Dan John, Master RKC

A common request after the HKC is, “Can you give me more workout ideas?” I think that there is a minimum effective dose for each movement of the HKC Three (swing, goblet squat and Turkish get-up).

Read Full Story

Intrinsic Excellence: A Leader’s Manifesto

by Rolando Garcia III, Author of Intrinsic Excellence

Things have changed. Everyone knows it. It has been this way for quite some time, and yet it’s hard to admit. I didn’t want to admit it at first, until I let myself get used to the idea and the feelings I buried whenever these thoughts came to mind. Why don’t we face this change together and make sense of it all?

Read Full Story

You Are the Obstacle to Perfect Movement!

By Joshua Buchbinder, M.S.

Whether it’s the flutter of our eyelids, the involuntary beating of our hearts, a kettlebell swing, or a gymnast’s full twisting backflip—movement is the signal that we are alive.

Read Full Story

“Believe in yourself”, “No fear”, and Other Impossible Instructions

by Rolando Garcia III, Author of Intrinsic Excellence

If I want to be awesome, what I am supposed to do? In what order should I do it? And how do I know I have achieved the end goal and fulfilled my purpose for that day? In other words, we cannot simply will ourselves into being awesome, inspiring, and full of self-belief. Instead, these qualities are the results of clear, dedicated, and committed action.

Read Full Story

Gluteal Amnesia—And How to Fix It

by Dan John, Master RKC

I often joke to my audience that they’re “sitting on a goldmine.” The glutes might be the most important muscles in the body, but until recently, many have ignored this muscle family. The glutes are the foundation of power and the fountain of youth. Healthy glutes show the world you are young, vibrant and virile.

Read Full Story

Welcome to the KETTLE PRT

By Rob Miller, Sr. RKC and Katie Petersen, RKC Team Leader

The PRT acronym derives from the Navy’s Physical Readiness Test administered biannually to all of its personnel. Each branch of the military has a program designed to keep all sailors, soldiers and airmen fit for duty. We organized the KETTLE PRT to provide this sort of meaningful challenge to the civilian world, not only for people like Steve but also for trainers like us. Our friends and family needed this push to rediscover their motivation.

Read Full Story

Tailpipe: A New Concept

By Troy Anderson, DVRT Master Instructor, RKC

Usually, just standing while holding kettlebells in the rack position would seem boring, but that all changes when you are trying to catch your breath! All those wonderful "breathing muscles" automatically fire.

Read Full Story

Vertical Bird Dog

by Dan John, Master RKC

Recently, someone said they don’t do the bird dog exercise because it “bothers their knees.” I looked at the concrete floor and thought (for once!), “You know, a pad would work here.” But, the pad didn’t solve the problem, and bird dogs still hurt this person’s knees.

Read Full Story

Kettlebells Are Cool, But What About My CHEST?

By Phil Ross, Master RKC

One of the greatest advantages of using kettlebells and bodyweight exercises for chest development is that you’re also working your core, lats and stabilizers at the same time. You aren’t lying on a bench or tethered to a machine trying to isolate your muscles while leaving your core and stabilizers virtually untapped.

Read Full Story

Movement Towards Change

by Steve Opalenik

The first step towards change is realizing that there is a need or the potential for change itself. Deep down I knew I needed to change, but that rationale was hidden behind disbelief and self-doubt. I constantly reinforced the idea that I was fine, and that things would happen of their own accord. ​

Read Full Story

How to Enhance Your Whole-Body Strength Using Loaded Kettlebell Carries and The Spiderman Crawl

by Filip Dryla, RKC-II

Walking with weights is easy and safe, and delivers a head-to-toe workout, but unfortunately this activity is often missing in traditional gym training.

Read Full Story

What to Do Now: Advice for Personal Trainers

by Dan John, Master RKC

Personal training is an exploding field and, sadly, few people survive the first year. You might have the body and the knowledge, but the “Body of Knowledge” in the fields of health, fitness and performance will overwhelm you.

Read Full Story

Small Space, Little Time—Big Gains, Big Time

By Danny Kavadlo

There are many methods of progressing your push and making incredible strength gains. This is just the tip of the iceberg. True strength is acquired over time, with patience, intensity, consistency and hard work.

Read Full Story

How to Get Real About Change

by Annie Vo, RKC Team Leader, PCC Instructor

When you first started training, gains seemed to happen overnight. Your energy level went through the roof, you looked better in your clothes, and you might have even felt virtuous about eating more vegetables and drinking more water.

Read Full Story

Attitude is Everything

by Dr. Christopher R. Holder DP, DMQ (China), Senior RKC

We must understand that we have been conditioned to be negative. We’ve been taught to look for limitations, problems, and where things can go wrong. I want to challenge you to take the first step in “righting the ship” by approaching each training session with more positivity than ever before.

Read Full Story

Hill Sprints: An Important Component for Every All-Around Athlete’s Training Plan

by Filip Dryla, RKC-II

Hill sprints are a great way to simultaneously enhance training for maximum power, muscle building—sprints recruit a larger number of muscle fibers than weighted squats—and fat burning since they are a high intensity exercise used in a relatively short period of time. In an optimally-designed training plan, sprints can be used to increase endurance and physical conditioning.

Read Full Story

What Goes Around, Comes Around: Tumbling and Training

by Dan John, Master RKC

Much can be learned from self-defense and the fighting arts. You don’t need to get into the Octagon to learn these lessons. You can get some benefits just by adding TGUs, goblet squats, swings and windmills to your training.

Read Full Story

Becoming a Great Coach

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

Master RKC, Josh Henkin, Creator of the DVRT system describes the path to becoming a great coach, and the questions great coaches must ask to better help their athletes, students and clients.

Read Full Story

7 Keys to Living the STRONG Life

by Zach Even-Esh

Author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning, Zach Even-Esh, shares his 7 Keys to Living the STRONG Life.

Read Full Story

DVRT at the Dragon Door Health and Strength Conference

By Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner, Senior RKC, DVRT Master Chief Instructor

Steve "Coach Fury" Holiner recaps the biggest lessons of DVRT/Ultimate Sandbag and his experience at the first ever 2015 Dragon Door Health and Strength Conference

Read Full Story

Rings of Power: Rekindling Your Passion for Training

by Mike Gillette

How To Rekindle Your Passion For Training by Mike Gillette. Strength is like any number of ambitious pursuits. Your likelihood of attaining it is proportional to the amount of passion you feel about possessing it.

Read Full Story

Ring Training: The Road to Restoration

by Mike Gillette

Mike Gillette, author of Rings of Power, explains how his road to physical restoration began with his very first ring workout...

Read Full Story

The 7 Best Things about the HKC

By Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner, Senior RKC, DVRT Master Chief Instructor

I’ve been fortunate enough to teach/co-teach five Hardstyle Kettlebell Certifications (HKC) in the last 8 months. My buddy Josh Henkin, Master RKC and DVRT Creator, and I had the great privilege of teaching two of those HKC workshops to the United States Marines. I taught the other three workshops in New York City, Kansas City and Connecticut.

Read Full Story

Working Class Strength

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

It is funny to think one little sentence would MOST peak my interest about kettlebells. Back in 2002, a little book that would change everything in fitness entered my library. The Russian Kettlebell Challenge really inspired me to give this little-known implement a big try.

Read Full Story

You Bring About What You Think About

by Dr. Christopher R. Holder DP, DMQ (China), Senior RKC

In 2008 I was presented with my first high level triathlete, Jeremy Devich. Jeremy is a machine. I have seen a lot of athletes with a “tank”, but not many have ever been as impressive as this guy. He’s a 6’3”, 190lb slab of muscle. When Jeremy and I trained together, he routinely warmed up with 3 sets of 10 get-ups (each side) with a 24kg kettlebell.

Read Full Story

Is Your Training Really Functional?

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

The real reason I ask, “What does functional training mean?” I always ask because it sets us up for a much more important question, “How do we use functional training in our workouts and programs?”

Read Full Story

The Nixon Test

By Troy Anderson, RKC Instructor, and DVRT Master Instructor

I think there is nothing more pure, powerful, beautiful, and valuable than achieving an overhead press with the equivalent of your bodyweight. It is a true indicator of great strength, bar none. But, as with many things, where there is value, there is cheating.

Read Full Story

The Truth of Tactical Fitness Training

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

About 10 years ago, I attended the first ever National Strength and Conditioning Association Tactical Strength and Conditioning (TSAC) Conference. It was very evident that tactical fitness training was entering a new era.

Read Full Story

Swing 2.0: An Athletic and Accessible Approach

By Troy Anderson, RKC Instructor, and DVRT Master Instructor

Right along with those “game-changers” is the kettlebell—and even more, the kettlebell swing. Both the kettlebell and the kettlebell swing are GREAT and have truly changed the fitness industry for the BETTER.

Read Full Story

167 Reasons to Train Athletes with Kettlebells

by Dr. Christopher R. Holder DP, DMQ (China), Senior RKC

Durability. There are few things more coveted by coaches and athletes than the ability to perform every time the team takes the field. There is nothing more disastrous than an injury for a high level athlete. Ask anyone on a team, their number one fear is a catastrophic injury.

Read Full Story

How Not To Become a Blubber Bucket—My Teenage Rescue Story

by Helena Wu

Cupcakes for breakfast and Pringles chips for snacks - these were hallmarks of my youth. Now, even though I still have a lot of time ahead of me (as I am a high school student-athlete), this nonetheless means that I spent a decade of my life gorging on fattening foods and growing complacent in the typical sedentary American lifestyle.

Read Full Story

Martial Health

by Max Shank, Master RKC

You’ll notice that there are some martial arts that seem to cater to longevity, while others, sadly, promote a much shorter life or at least movement expectancy. A perfect example of this is to see an 80-year old Tai Chi practitioner compared to a Muay Thai fighter of the same age.

Read Full Story

How To Dominate The Deadlift, 4 Dynamite Drills Using The Ultimate Sandbag

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

It was only about 15 years ago when the deadlift was vilified. If you coached your clients to perform the deadlift, you were almost considered an irresponsible trainer. Only the super hardcore, “crazy” lifters really did it!

Read Full Story

The Science of Fitness: Power, Performance, and Endurance

By Greg LeMond and Dr. Mark Hom, M.D.

“Diet and exercise” have been the mantra of preventative health for decades, perhaps to the point of becoming cliché and disregarded. This well-intentioned advice to eat better and exercise more is not nearly specific enough to be useful. Furthermore, we think people should know why such recommendations are given, in order to take the advice to heart and as motivation for putting the plan into action.​

Read Full Story

Why Do I Train? Why Do I Want To Be Strong?

by Frank Delventhal, RKC and PCC Instructor

Why do you like to train? What is your goal? Certainly most (younger) males train to look cool and to be attractive to women. Over time, that may change—at least it did for me, training became a way of life. It was fun to explore how far I could push the limits by doing more reps, or increasing the weights. I was sweating "just" to write higher numbers in my training notebook.

Read Full Story

How to Instantly Communicate and Coach with the DVRT Universal Language of Exercise

by Steve Di Tomaso, DVRT Master Instructor, CSCS

Struggling with communication doesn’t have to be part of a workout, training is already hard enough. Since implementing the DVRT system in our programs, communication at all levels has become much easier!​

Read Full Story

Is Weight All The Same?

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

It might be the MOST annoying saying in all of fitness. I have even heard some of the smartest and most accomplished strength coaches fall prey to it: “Weight is just weight, the body doesn’t know the difference.” At first glance, it makes a lot of sense! It reminds me of an old joke, “What weighs more, 1000 pounds of feathers or 1000 pounds of rocks?” Does science and the real world tell us anything otherwise?

Read Full Story

What Is The Linchpin of Kettlebell Training?

By Troy Anderson, RKC Instructor and DVRT Master Instructor

Imagine being a pioneer traveling in a covered wagon across the vast expanses of the Great American West—with nothing more than your abilities and a few critical pieces of equipment. You are on a quest to build a better life for you and all the future generations of your family.

Read Full Story

Can I See It In Your Eyes?

by Zach Even-Esh, Author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning

The historic wrestling room at Lehigh University was awe inspiring, training was held in that room dating back to the 1930s. But this year would be the last time the wrestlers would train in that room. While the guys were still walking in and getting ready for my training, and I gave them a few minutes to lace up their shoes. I was drawn to the walls of the wrestling room, which was surrounded by countless black and white photos spanning the entire room from wall to wall.

Read Full Story

How A Little-Known Forefather of Functional Training Inspired Me to Recreate Myself Athletically—And Invent The Ultimate Sandbag

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

Very specific things seem to happen for very specific reasons, but are completely inexplicable. Sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time. The other day I found myself at the doctor’s office for a check up on the hardware in my neck. While I was waiting, I daydreamed about meeting the man who in many ways was the inspiration that shaped my last decade, and led to my moniker as the “Sandbag Guy”.

Read Full Story

Primitive Stretches

by Danny Kavadlo, PCC Master Instructor, Author of Diamond-Cut Abs

My two favorite stretches are the most primitive ones I know. So primitive, in fact, that both monkeys and children do them on a regular basis. These simple moves provide an surprisingly effective and warm up, cool down or basic mobility drill.

Read Full Story

Swings and Get-Ups Are NOT Enough

By Master RKC, Max Shank

One of the major misconceptions with regard to kettlebell training over the past several years has been the idea that swings and get-ups will fix/cure/heal anything and be a well-rounded training program.​

Read Full Story

Recruiting The Core

by Danny Kavadlo, PCC Master Instructor, Author of Diamond-Cut Abs

“Core” is one of the most over-used and misunderstood buzzwords in the fitness industry. It’s been that way for the last twenty-five years. The first time I heard “core” used in a fitness context, it referred to nothing more than the abdominal area.

Read Full Story

Which Ultimate Sandbag Package Is Best For You—And Why

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

To help you understand this new world of functional strength and athleticism, I will break down the role of each Ultimate Sandbag by size. With a minimal number of Ultimate Sandbags, you can have the equivalent of a HUGE gym’s versatility and purposeful variety.

Read Full Story

The Difference Between Amateurs and Experts, Strength and Weakness

by Zach Even-Esh, Author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning

When I was young, I was always searching for the new routine. The magic formula to suddenly turn me into a state champ wrestler, a pro bodybuilder, etc. Those were my days as an amateur.

Read Full Story

A Quick Lesson in Balanced Strength Training Programs

By Master RKC, Max Shank

Kettlebells have stood the test of time as workout tools. However, many people are still confused about which movements to focus on, and how to combine kettlebells with other training modalities.

Read Full Story

How 40 Semper Fit Instructors Got Trained in the HKC

By Josh Henkin, Master RKC, Creator of the DVRT System

When I received this invitation in an email, “Josh, we would like you to come to Miramar and help our Semper Fit instructors with an HKC and DVRT program,” I couldn’t wait to accept! How could I say no?​

Read Full Story

The Torque Test: Becoming an Anti-Fragile Athlete with DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training

By Troy Anderson, RKC Instructor and DVRT Master Instructor

When we introduced the clean & press test nearly a year ago, then and now there are many people who have a very hard time believing that 50, 60, 70, 80, or 100lbs can feel much heavier. It is evident in the degree that they don't train and subsequently fail the test!

Read Full Story

The Ki to Kettlebell Pressing Power

By Thomas Maloney, PCC, HKC

How to utilize internal energy to lift heavier weights, do more reps, recover quicker and supercharge your results.

Read Full Story

SUCCESS.

by Zach Even-Esh, Author of The Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning

It was my sophomore or junior year in high school, sometime around 91 - 92. I was training with a guy in his mid 20s. His name was Jeff. He was intense and I loved training with anyone who was intense.​

Read Full Story

Don’t Fear the Work, EMBRACE It!

by Zach Even-Esh

“They” say things change as you get older. They sure as heck said it to me time and again, ever since I was a young kid who refused to leave the gym.

Read Full Story

Become a Deadlift Boss

by Jon Bruney, Author of Neuro-Mass: The Ultimate System for Spectacular Strength

How to use Neuro-Sequencing to take your deadlift to a whole new level.

Read Full Story

How to Build Real Athleticism with Hybrid Exercises

By Josh Henkin, Sr. RKC, Creator of the DVRT System, CSCS

Over a year ago I explained how to gain real efficiency from an often-underused training method—complexes. And I didn’t just discuss using complexes, but also smarter methods of using them!

Read Full Story

Build Your Inner Citadel

By Ryan Holiday

By age twelve, Theodore Roosevelt had spent almost every day of his short life struggling with horrible asthma. Despite his privileged birth, his life hung in a precarious balance—the attacks were an almost nightly near-death experience. Tall, gangly, and frail, the slightest exertion would upset the entire balance and leave him bedridden for weeks.

Read Full Story

How to Meet the Challenges of Group Training and Programming with the DVRT and Kettlebells

by Joe Chalakee, RKC, Master DVRT with Josh Henkin, SrRKC, DVRT Creator, CSCS

Starting with the obvious, the RKC uses kettlebells, “cannonballs with handles”. The DVRT uses the Ultimate Sandbag, which is a specially designed bag with...

Read Full Story

11 Ways to Use Your Environment in Strength Training

By Alex Zinchenko

The world we live in is an amazing, fascinating place—it already has the whole gamut of tools to help us with our strength quest. We can divide all the available implements into two distinct categories​

Read Full Story

The Bodyweight and DVRT Connection

By Josh Henkin, Senior RKC, CSCS

Whenever bodyweight training is mentioned, images of grace, athleticism, and flexibility often come to mind...

Read Full Story

Kettlebells at Work: Reversing the Negative Health Effects of Extensive Sitting at the Workplace

By Dr. Patrick Roth, M.D.

Considerable attention has been focused on the role of the workplace in back pain. Too much sitting—as described by Czech neurologist Vladimir Janda—can result in “lower cross syndrome” which is marked by weak gluteal muscles and tight iliopsoas muscles.

Read Full Story

Why the RKC?

By Dr. Christopher R. Holder DP, DMQ (China), Sr.RKC, CrossFit Level 1, CSCS

This article is written to help you realize that the RKC is your only choice.

Read Full Story

How to Optimize Your Athletic Work Capacity—So Everything Else Is Easy

by Coach Robert dos Remedios, with Josh Henkin, Senior RKC, CSCS

What we do today looks very different from what we were doing in the early 90’s. It’s not that what we did back then was ‘bad’, it’s that we know so much more today. My philosophy has pretty much stayed the same—it’s all about building work capacity, and everything after that is easy. But, how to go about building this work capacity has changed through the years.

Read Full Story

The DVRT Clean and Press Challenge

By Josh Henkin, Senior RKC, CSCS

Right away, you will find that the “weight is NOT just weight”. And while I know this is a popular thing to say—and it might not make sense to everyone—it’s one of the first lessons learned when using the Ultimate Sandbag.

Read Full Story

Rolando Garcia III on Intrinsic Excellence and the Necessity of “Dirty Work”

by Adrienne Harvey PCC-TL, RKC-II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

As a personal trainer, before we can claim that our advice is valid for developing success, we have to experience that success as something workable and valid for us. This is where we—as personal trainers—have to turn that critical eye on ourselves first. Are we doing right in our own lives?

Read Full Story

How to Develop Rugged, All-Purpose, "Farm Boy" Strength and Power—Without Setting Foot on a Farm

By Josh Henkin, Senior RKC, CSCS

You don’t have to be a historian of physical culture to have heard “farm boy” or “old man strength” stories. I remember my father having that kind of strength.

Read Full Story

The Evil Cousin

By Josh Henkin, Senior RKC, CSCS

In many ways it changed everything. It gave validity to the concept of strength training as a powerful means of fat loss.

Read Full Story

Intention—Distinguishing Champions from the Ordinary

By Dr. Christopher R Holder DP, DMQ(China), Senior RKC

When I wrote this, I wanted to step away from the norm. I could write article after article about swings and get-ups, but wanted this piece to be about something I hold near and dear.

Read Full Story

How to Move Dynamically Using “Smart” Strength—The Origin Story of DVRT’s Ultimate Sandbag Training System

By Josh Henkin, Senior RKC, CSCS

After trying many different strategies, combinations...

Read Full Story

Ten Domains of SEALFIT

by Mark Divine, founder, SEALFIT

The environments that SEALs must operate in and the missions they take on require an uncommon level of physical and mental fitness. Because the stakes are much higher than what most individuals and teams face, the training that SEAL operators do must be more comprehensive and include mental skills as well.

Read Full Story

Kettlebells Have Your Back: A Neurosurgeon’s Personal and Professional Perspective

Dr. Patrick Roth, M.D.

Kettlebells are an ideal tool for treating back pain. They not only strengthen the back, but also enable improved posture, improved bending form, and patient confidence. If you are already an experienced kettlebell user, this is likely already evident, but if you are a patient with back pain, read on and open your mind to some extraordinary possibilities.

Read Full Story

How Kettlebells Helped Reverse Aging, Restore My Strength, Reduce Pain and Revitalize My Tai Ji Practice.

By Allison Helm

I am a newcomer to kettlebell training. Some years ago I bought an instructional video, but quit after a few weeks. I practiced in my living room in front of the tv, and spent each session in fear of whacking one of my cats in the head as I wildly swung the bell in my attempts to follow along with the video.

Read Full Story

Your Body Is Best: A Crash Course in Calisthenics

By Jen Sinkler, PCC

Dec 11, 2013 05:11 PM

You don’t need a full-blown gym or even a single piece of equipment to get incredibly strong. The Progressive Calisthenics Certification imparts a lifetime’s worth of bodyweight exercises in just three short days.

Read Full Story

The Timeless Pattern

Gray Cook, Functional Movement Systems

Dec 03, 2013 09:08 PM

Anybody who thinks this through this will realize that we train patterns, not parts. Yoga, martial arts, kettlebells, dance, gymnastics and the wide array of natural movements caused by our environment are all brought to being through patterns, not by parts. The parts of the body and the structure of the body submit themselves to the will of the pattern.

Read Full Story

Kettlebells Are Not Really That Effective, Are They?

Senior RKC Josh Henkin

Senior RKC Josh Henkin discusses some of the controversy surrounding kettlebells and their effectiveness, article includes a video with further detail.

Read Full Story

Neuro-Mass Is Nearly Here

By Jon Bruney

You can develop very impressive levels of muscle mass, strength, speed, power and endurance, without having to train all day, every day like a professional athlete does with Neuro-Mass.

Read Full Story

The Revolutionary Training Solution - The Neuro-Set

By Jon Bruney

A ‘Fool-Proof’ Solution For Rapid Increases In Your Muscle Mass, Strength, Speed, Power, Athleticism and Conditioning, That’s Been Tried-And-Tested On Olympians, NFL Athletes, MMA Fighters and More…

Read Full Story

Are You Making These Mistakes In The Gym?

By Jon Bruney

So If You Want More Strength, Muscle, Speed, Power, Athleticism And Conditioning – Read On Carefully And Make Sure You Aren’t Making Any Of These MISTAKES…

Read Full Story

Alone, Alone, Alone on “Throw Up Hill”

By James Steel, Strength & Conditioning Coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania

Jul 11, 2013 04:10 PM

"I was back in my home state, Maryland, for a few days recently, and I revisited an old haunt of mine, affectionately dubbed by me in 1983, "Throw Up Hill", because I usually lost my lunch when I was running up this monstrosity after a few reps. It was either pay 20 dollars to go to a gym with one squat rack in the corner..."

Read Full Story

Get Primed for Primal Move

Jen Sinkler, RKC, Primal Move Fundamentals Instructor

Jun 05, 2013 02:01 PM

Get primed for Primal Move with Jen Sinkler: It’s in that spirit where the real magic happens. What had originally piqued my interest in the course was its emphasis on play and the pure, unadulterated joy of animation. “Primal Move is about being happy and enjoying movement again, as we did when we were kids. We did not think about fat burning and muscle building, plyometrics and periodization,” writes Peter Lakatos, founder of the Primal Move program. “We did not even feel like we were training​

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

May 10, 2013 10:30 AM

Andrea Du Cane: Working with kettlebells is also incredibly empowering. Introducing women to kettlebells was a big goal of mine. Then as I started working with de-conditioned populations I realized how much kettlebell training could change people’s lives.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews RKC Team Leader Matt Beecroft, CK-FMS

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

May 10, 2013 10:30 AM

Matt Beecroft: On a whim I jumped on a plane for 28 hours from Australia and did the RKC workshop without any formal training. Now, I train an eighty-four year old with Parkinson’s, guys who are prepping to fight in the ring, and everyone in between. Lawyers, dentists, professionals, trainers—it's a big cross-section .The kettlebell is an amazing tool, but what grabbed me was the leadership, coaching, and the system of the RKC that surrounds the kettlebell.

Read Full Story

Brace for Impact!

Mike Gillette

Apr 24, 2013 06:01 PM

People train for all kinds of reasons. Health, functionality or vanity is usually at the top of the list. My own training goals are a bit different. I perform strength stunts. I use this term as an umbrella under which such things as steel-bending, brick and board breaking and a myriad of other feats which can involve electricity, fire or

Read Full Story

Mike Gillette’s Strongman Feat Makes Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

John Du Cane

Apr 22, 2013 10:21 AM

Well, when it comes to your abs, how tough are you, really? Do you just have a pretty-boy six pack—all show and no real go when it comes to handling impact? Or do you have the kind of snarly strength that can withstand 3 tons of impact force slamming into your midsection? Dragon Door’s new author, Mike Gillette, has exactly that kind of strength—and proved it recently to the world, through Ripley’s Believe It Or Not...

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Master RKC, Max Shank about the Highland Games Regional Championship

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Apr 19, 2013 10:30 AM

Max Shank: I think the Highland Games are really great, honestly. It's such a good outlet for someone who's built up a level of explosiveness from kettlebell swings. With just a little extra time in training, you can have a really good time competing. Everyone is really nice, and you're almost certain to be one of most in-shape people participating.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Steven Head, HKC

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Apr 19, 2013 10:30 AM

Steven Head: Playing baseball is my passion and the focus of my conditioning—almost everything in my own training is aimed at improving my conditioning for baseball. And, all of the HKC skills are essential for my strength, conditioning, and injury prevention. Even though I'm 55 years old and playing on a 25 and over team, I can keep up with my teammates and opponents. Many of them are half my age! I play second base, third base and shortstop.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Joseph Morstad, RKC

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Apr 19, 2013 10:30 AM

Joseph Morstad: With my IBD flare and hospital visit in January of this year, I was unable to eat, incredibly weak, and fatigued. When I came back I started with parts of the Turkish get up. I'd start on my back rolling to pressing the kettlebell overhead. Core and glute exercises were very helpful. Passing the RKC in August showed me that I was strong. I really believe that experience stayed with me and helped me through my IBD recovery in January of this year.

Read Full Story

Bench Press: Good, Bad, or Ugly?

Russell Andrews, BS, DC, HKC, FMS, SSC.

Apr 17, 2013 06:01 PM

Back in the Old Timer days, the power clean was the staple lift that measured the strength and power of Athletes. For some unexplainable reason, the bench press replaced the PC as the measuring stick for gauging athletic strength. Guys just love to bench. For obvious reasons, the bench is an important exercise for the body building and power lifting culture

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Beth Andrews, RKC

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Apr 12, 2013 10:30 AM

Beth Andrews: I started with small kettlebells, a 4kg and an 8kg—only 10lbs and 18lbs—but I was in total shock. I've been lifting for a long time as well as training people in a gym for years. It was hard to believe that a little bitty weight kicked my butt. After switching to just kettlebells for about eight months, I went back to bench press and found I could do sets of five with my previous max. ​

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Kim Vigsbo, RKC Team Leader

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Mar 29, 2013 10:30 AM

Kim Vigsbo: You need to be safe and execute good form, but I want to bring the love and joy for kettlebells. I love simplicity. I want to show people that just because I'm over 50 years old, I'm not done training or taking care of myself. My fiancée is 55 years old, and is one of the strongest women I know. I’m eating and training right—there’s a reason I look the way I do at 54.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Helder Gomes, RKC

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Mar 29, 2013 10:30 AM

Helder Gomes: Being in the computer business, I was very familiar with the internet, and stumbled across someone using kettlebells. This person had many previous injuries, was older than me, and was doing things I never imagined I could do as a Marine, let alone as a disabled veteran. Of course, I was curious and soon found Dragon Door and the RKC.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Master RKC Thomas Phillips

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Feb 16, 2013 11:30 AM

Dragon Door: When did you first become interested in fitness? Thomas Phillips: I've been an athlete since I was eight years old. So fitness and competition have always been a huge part of my life. I still compete in natural bodybuilding, power lifting, and jujitsu.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Laurel Blackburn RKC Team Leader

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Feb 16, 2013 11:30 AM

Laurel Blackburn: That’s another great thing about kettlebells, the time doesn't have to be split between cardio and strength training. Instead of spending an hour or two at the gym like I used to when I was bodybuilding, I only need 30 minutes. After a short kettlebell workout, my shoulders are pumped, my arms are pumped, and my heart is pounding out of my chest.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews Ryan Karas, RKC

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Feb 16, 2013 11:30 AM

Ryan Karas: It's very humbling to feel like I've been blessed with the opportunity to teach people how to change their lives when 20 months ago, I was in a place of complete helplessness.

Read Full Story

Dragon Door Interviews AJ Roberts

Interview by Adrienne Harvey, RKC II, CK-FMS, Primal Move Nat'l Instructor

Feb 16, 2013 11:30 AM

Dragon Door: You originally came over from the UK on a basketball scholarship? AJ Roberts: Yes. I came over as an international exchange student, mainly to play basketball.

Read Full Story

Clubs Swinging - Not Just for the shoulder?

Jeff Falkowski

Feb 04, 2013 08:21 PM

Being a former professional athlete I spent many years tearing my body up both in the gym and on the field.  Since then I have been working as a strength coach/trainer for over 20 years and on a quest to find the most effective ways to help restore my body and those of my clients back to a healthy, functional and hopefully pain free state.  In simple terms our primitive form....

Read Full Story

On the Progressive Calisthenics Certification (PCC)

Paul "Coach" Wade

Jan 04, 2013 09:12 PM

In 2001 Dragon Door launched the RKC—the ultimate kettlebell certification. It quickly went on to become the definitive kettlebell certification, worldwide. In 2013 Dragon Door launches the definitive bodyweight certification. Enquiring minds want to know some things about this revolutionary project—dubbed the Progressive Calisthenics Certification (PCC). In the days since John Du Cane announced the cert, I have been deluged with questions from my Convict Conditioning students. Here are some...

Read Full Story

Elite Law Enforcement Adds Kettlebells to Their Arsenal

By Laurel Blackburn, RKC Team Leader

Dec 07, 2012 10:30 PM

Ever since I was a kid I have been obsessed with law enforcement. I was a kid hooked on Columbo, Mod Squad and The Rookies. For my 12th birthday, I got my first fingerprint kit. It didn’t take long before every solid surface in the house was covered in black or white powder and sticky tape marks. All I wanted when I grew up was to be a cop. A detour in high school along with some bad decisions put that dream to rest. In December of this year...

Read Full Story

How To Deadlift Like A Champion

by Andy Bolton

Nov 16, 2012 10:48 PM

The deadlift is the king of all strength exercises. Other barbell lifts are great too – the Olympic lifts, the squat, the bench press, the military press – they all have tremendous benefit. But for pure strength – the deadlift is king. It works the entire body from head-to-toe… The glutes, hamstrings and lower back work hard, as do the upper back and the grip. If you’re a powerlifter, the deadlift is where the meet is won and lost. If you’re a strongman, you need a good deadlift; otherwise...

Read Full Story

The Toughest Ab Exercise You’ve Never Done

by Mark Reifkind, Master RKC

Aug 10, 2012 09:40 PM

It’s a completely different thing when you’re talking about ab work that translates into 500 pound squats and deadlifts and ab work that makes you feel confident at the beach or the pool party. Very few know how critical really abs and obliques are in very heavy power and Olympic lifts, until they do them. Try squatting max efforts with weak abs and you’ll find yourself getting bent over like a melted cheese sandwich. The same with deadlifts. The abs and front panel must be seriously...

Read Full Story

Shoulder Packing 101

by Brett Jones Master RKC, CSCS, CK-FMS

Aug 10, 2012 09:05 PM

As one of the most mobile joints in the body, the shoulder can also be one of the most complicated to understand and work with. To paraphrase a comic book line: “With great mobility comes great complexity.” With this complexity and mobility also comes injury potential and the need to properly coordinate this amazing set of structures. There are four different joint structures that influence the should...​

Read Full Story

Closing the Gap

by Andrew Read, RKC Team Leader

Aug 10, 2012 09:00 PM

In fighting there is often talk of “distance” or “bridging the gap”. What many don’t realize is that the concept of creating space, or removing it, from your opponent is also found in strength training and can be used to instantly increase your strength and power in certain situations. One of the core concepts of the RKC School of Strength is the manipulation of space within your body to create tension. When you remove gaps in the chain of movement, and tighten the space within your body...

Read Full Story

The Stable Core Platform: or HKC 101

by Andrea U-Shi Chang, RKC Team Leader

Jun 13, 2012 09:30 PM

Since the very first Hardstyle Kettlebell Instructor Certification (HKC) in St. Paul 2009, there have been many, many HKC certifications taught throughout the states, and overseas. Lucky enough to have been invited to assist at the very first HKC, and working as an instructor team with Master RKCs Brett Jones, Geoff Neupert and Mark Reifkind, and Senior RKCs Zar Horton, Doug Nepodal, Fabio Zonin, and Dr. Michael Hartle, at my own studio, Kettlebility, and other locations around the states...

Read Full Story

A Simple Guide To Designing a Workout for Kettlebell Instructors

By Lauren Brooks, RKC Team Leader

Jun 13, 2012 04:50 PM

You’ve trained hard. You’ve completed the grueling three-day weekend of the RKC or the full day of the HKC. Congratulations, you are now officially certified! You have proved that you can execute the basic kettlebell exercises with safe and correct form. You have proved that you understand the concepts and can relay them to a novice. You have proved that you are tough and can withstand challenges. You have developed the strength and conditioning needed to pass the certification process...

Read Full Story

Bringing Hardstyle to the Grid Iron

by Mark Wechter, RKC

Jun 13, 2012 04:02 PM

Before I elaborate on what we are doing with our football program at Washington Township High School, I think it is important for you to know how we got to this point…the RKC Hardstyle way of training. We are the largest high school in Southern New Jersey. We have been very good year in and year out for the last 25 years...

Read Full Story

Which is better: Olympic or Power Lifting? The Answer is “Yes”…

by Jeff O’Connor, Master RKC

May 23, 2012 07:30 PM

Which is better for you? Well, are you an Olympic or Power Lifter? What if the answer is “neither”? What if you’re one of the thousands of regular people, operators, or athletes that isn’t a platform athlete? You know that powerlifting stands alone in developing the ability to generate absolute strength. You’re also aware that Olympic lifting develops power and explosiveness like nothing else...​

Read Full Story

Bench to Military Press More

By Pavel

May 23, 2012 07:00 PM

Training fashions swing from one extreme to the other. The bench press used to be the end all. Today it is a pariah exercise labeled “non-functional”. As often is the case, neither extremist view reflects the reality. It is easy to like the bench press because it blows up the upper body so quickly and easily. It is just as easy to dislike it when you take a look at your typical light bulb shaped gym rat who lives for the bench. In the unlikely event that you will see...

Read Full Story

Barbells and RKC…A Match Made in Heaven

By Jason Marshall, RKC Team Leader

May 23, 2012 06:30 PM

After college, I decided to (finally) use my Exercise Science degree and join a gym. In my own weird logic, I thought I had to have a minimum level of strength before I could even join, so I trained in my bedroom with a couple pair of dumbbells my mom bought me for my birthday and, of course, my own bodyweight. Once my preconceived level of strength was reached, I headed to the local gym and signed up for a membership. As a new member, I was still intimidated by...

Read Full Story

Kettlebells vs. Olympic Weightlifting – A Guide to Getting Started

by Tony Garcia, RKC

May 23, 2012 06:00 PM

Having worked as a personal trainer and manager in a “big box” gym for some time, I have had the pleasure to meet and work with many types of gym-goers. Some are happy to simply walk on the treadmill and watch TV. Some attend every spin class as if it were a cult. Some pump their pecs and biceps daily but avoid a squat rack like the plague...

Read Full Story

Champion of the Clean

by Dan John, Master RKC

Apr 03, 2012 04:12 PM

I think the fact that I was a lousy javelin thrower has actually made me a pretty good coach in the event. Not great, trust me, but I can get you better in the spear toss simply because I had such a hard mountain to climb. I’m not sure people realize how honestly horrible I was in the javelin until I started my Kettlebell training and followed the excellent advice of javelin coach Bill Witt. With a few simple Kettlebell exercises and some simple technical clues, I managed to add seventy feet...​

Read Full Story

How To Have It All

by Fabio Zonin, Senior RKC

Apr 03, 2012 04:10 PM

When I was a teenager I attended a gym and trained with weights just to get a beach body, good for impressing the girls. At the time, Italy had not yet seen the boom in fitness, gyms were few and poorly equipped, and almost no one had any idea why he did what he did. One day I visited a friend at an olympic lifting and powerlifting gym, and there I had the opportunity to challenge for the first time, an olympic barbell. I immediately fell in love with powerlifting, and from that day...

Read Full Story

Strength From Failure or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the 44kg

by Steve “Coach Fury” Holiner, RKC II, CICS, LIFT

Apr 03, 2012 03:45 PM

I have a serious love-hate relationship with the 44kg kettlebell. I first tried to press it at the Philly RKC in 2010. Though I didn't get it at the time, it went up about a month later with some tips from Geoff Neupert, Shaun Cairns and Steve Milles. Between the RKC and the July RKC II, my weight dropped from 225 to 195 and the 44kg became my half bodyweight press test. Over time, I was able to get the 44kg up about 90% of the time in either arm. My stronger arm was...

Read Full Story

How to Make It Happen Big

by Thomas Phillips, Senior RKC

Feb 28, 2012 06:00 PM

I’ve competed in 14 different Raw Powerlifting events in 5 different federations in the 198, 181 and 165lb classes; however, I will be doing my first powerlifting event in over 3 years for the PTTP team in July. (If you wish to lift with the team you can qualify in a local powerlifting meet or in the Tactical Strength Challenge on May 5th. Men are required to pull 2.5 times their body weight and ladies must pull 1.5 times their body weight). What have I been doing and why the...

Read Full Story

The 80% Rule

by Max Shank, Senior RKC

Feb 28, 2012 05:30 PM

I feel fortunate to have gone through many different phases of training. Bodybuilding, Crossfit, HIT, running, kettlebells, etc., and each phase has taught me different things about training, good and bad. I currently have many students who take group classes at my facility so it was important to give them simple instructions to achieve their goals in the best way possible. I realized along the way in my own training that lifting as heavy as possible, while staying as...

Read Full Story

My Quest to Pull 600lbs

by Lou Eleuteri

Feb 28, 2012 05:00 PM

The following training cycle and kettlebell workouts are what I used in my quest to pull 600 lbs. A little background information is probably in order. I am 55 years old and compete drug-free and raw. After injuring my lower back in 1993, I had to give up powerlifting. I was told that I would never lift again. After reading an article on Pavel, I decided to get some kettlebells to get back in shape with no thoughts of ever getting back into powerlifting...

Read Full Story

Complex Training: How To Transfer Strength To Skill

by Prentiss Rhodes, RKC Team Leader, DC, CSCS

Jan 19, 2012 11:30 PM

You need more power! You need more running! Sometimes, the words still ring in my head from my training partner at the time, Kestutis Arbocius. He was a world class Shidokan fighter from Lithuania who came into the gym to train. He would always say this to me after we had just finished sparring a few grueling rounds after which we would strike the focus pads for a few more rounds, and later finish with some heavy bag work. Always thinking I needed to dig deeper, I did what any fighter...

Read Full Story

The Art of War, Sun Tzu: Ancient Wisdom for HardStyle Martial Artists

by Gary Music, RKC

Jan 19, 2012 11:00 PM

The nature of my work, bouncer and bartender through college and 22 years in the military in dangerous places all over the world unfortunately put me in many self-protection situations. I am still here so I did something right. What was it? I used defense to protect myself. Sounds simple but I think you will discover in the following article the concept of defense is more complicated than most martial artists understand. I began my martial arts training like most in the early 1970's...

Read Full Story

HardStyle Training and Muay Thai: The RKC meets the Science of Eight Limbs

by Steve Milles, RKCII, CICS, CK-FMS, and Emily Bearden RKCII

Jan 19, 2012 10:30 PM

“Simple but not easy.” We've loved that HardStyle motto since the first time we heard it. It is an accurate -- if deceptive -- way to describe RKC training. It is also a template for training properly for the combat sport and martial art of Muay Thai. Also known as "the Science of Eight Limbs" for its use of kicks, knees, punches and elbows, the techniques of Muay Thai are simple but not easy to perform correctly: with speed and power...

Read Full Story

I Was The Problem…

by Dan John, Senior RKC

Dec 29, 2011 10:30 PM

It turns out that I was the problem. Yes, this is true: I had great ideas, excellent programming and some nice technical tidbits that worked for everyone. For the squat, I had progressions that I humbly think changed the world of lifting forever. Well, at least, I thought they were working. I discovered a disconnect: I was saying “this” and people were hearing “that.” I thought I was making a point, but my people were hearing another point. This reminded me of math class...

Read Full Story

Easy Strength… For All Ages

by Andrew Read, RKC Team Leader

Dec 29, 2011 10:00 PM

If you want to know if a strength training program works don’t give it to a twenty-year-old kid who plays football. Give it to a forty-year-old basketball player. The difference in body type and testosterone levels will help to really isolate what works and what doesn’t. If your forty-year-old basketball player gets stronger you’ve hit pay dirt. Well, what do you get when you test a program on a seventy-year-old woman and it works? You get a program so rich in benefits that it makes you look...

Read Full Story

Keeping the Goal The Goal

by Danny Sawaya, RKCII

Dec 29, 2011 09:25 PM

I received my first weight set at 14 years old for my birthday. I remember setting the bench press up staring at it and felt that I was becoming a man. Honestly, that is exactly how I felt. I didn’t ask for a toy that year, or a new video game system. I wanted a weight set. In my head I would have 6 pack abs and a massive chest and arms by the end of summer and just in time to start my freshman year of high school. For over 22 years I have not stopped lifting weights...

Read Full Story

Mastering the Hardstyle Swing: "The Workouts"

by Tracy Reifkind, RKC

Dec 19, 2011 05:02 PM

In 2006 after successfully losing 120lbs the previous year, I earned my RKC at the age of 42. It was training the Hardstyle Kettlebell Swing that helped me lose the weight and develop the conditioning to endure the RKC’s three days of intense physical training. Although both of those accomplishments are impressive, even more miraculous was how training the Hardstyle Swing brought out my inner athlete, transforming my body and helped erase the signs of former obesity...

Read Full Story

Learn to Swing: the RKC Way

by Mark Reifkind, Master RKC

Dec 19, 2011 03:00 PM

The working title of “Mastering the Hardstyle Kettlebell Swing” was “Learn to Swing”, because that was the intent when we made the video. After we produced Tracy’s “Programming the Kettlebell Swing” DVD to show her unique methodology for doing hundreds if not thousands of kettlebell swing variations, we were struck by just how many people really didn’t understand how to do a proper kettlebell swing. At least well enough to handle serious high volume swing training...

Read Full Story

Swing with Intent

by Fawn Friday RKCII

Dec 19, 2011 02:00 PM

Imagine your exercise plan for the day includes five sets of 10 two-hand swings with a medium weight. You’ve done these sets many times before and will have no trouble getting through another five sets without much effort. You can put in your reps, and punch the clock. There is nothing wrong with this approach if your goal is merely to complete the sets. If you want to get better at swinging, though, you should take a different approach. When I do barbell squats, I have a setup ritual...

Read Full Story

If I Could Do One Thing For The Fitness Industry

by Dan John, Senior RKC

Dec 04, 2011 11:00 PM

If I could do one thing for the fitness industry, it would be to give some clarity to what people want. Because of fitness magazines at the checkout counter at the grocery store and a myriad of devices to try and buy from television commercials that promise “abs” in a few weeks, (you do KNOW that you already have them…right?), I have been besieged by people in the last year who are convinced that there is always greener grass in the other training hall’s pasture. For most people, they don’

Read Full Story

Using Kettlebells in Professional Hockey

by Sean Skahan, M.Ed., RKC, CSCS

Dec 04, 2011 09:00 PM

I have been using kettlebells within my team’s training program in some capacity during the past 2 years. During that time, we have incorporated the Swing and the Get Up. We have also used a kettlebell as a substitute for a dumbbell during other exercises such as 1-Arm/1-Leg Modified Straight Leg Deadlifts and Slideboard Split Squats. I really felt comfortable using kettlebells in my program after reading and watching some really good instructional books and DVD’s on proper kettlebell...

Read Full Story

Lifting Big, Staying Small

by Melissa Klundby, RKC

Dec 02, 2011 10:35 PM

In November of 2009 I watched 94 pounder, Jessica Okimra, from Hawaii, deadlift three times her bodyweight at the World Association of Bench Pressers and Deadlifters (WABDL) Championship in Reno Nevada. Watching her and the other lifters that day inspired me to pursue the competition deadlift as an outward expression of strength. Since 2010 I have competed in several WABDL deadlift events, and several American Powerlifting Association (APA) full power events. Why do I compete?

Read Full Story

Getting Stronger

by Shaun Cairns, Senior RKC, original beast tamer

Nov 07, 2011 12:00 AM

This program was designed and implemented by myself when I prepared for the very first official beast tamer challenge, which was held at the October 2005 RKC in St Paul. Please note that this is a very intense program that can only be followed for a short period of time otherwise burn out will set in. An additional note is that prior to the actual Beast Tamer challenge I had not trained for a week as I was traveling to the US and arrived a couple of days prior to the RKC. I had 3 challenges...​

Read Full Story

5 Weeks to the Beast

by Jake Altomare, RKC

Nov 06, 2011 11:00 PM

When I first signed up for the Russian Kettlebell Challenge, I knew it was going to be a difficult task. After watching countless Youtube videos on the RKC, one particular video caught my eye. It was called “Beast Tamer Challenge”. With a title like that I was curious to see how it related to Russian kettlebells. I started watching the video with expectations of a safari backdrop with wild animals. Instead, I saw an amazing feat of strength with a 48 kilogram kettlebell! Not only did the RKC...

Read Full Story

Demystifying the Iron Maiden

by Valerie Hedlund, RKC

Nov 06, 2011 10:00 PM

Since successfully completing the Iron Maiden Challenge at the August 2011, San Diego RKC, I keep getting the same question: “How did you train for it…?”That’s a bit of a trick question and everyone wants the easy answer… If you do (fill in desired program name) for (fill in requisite time duration) of time then viola, in no time you will be Iron Maiden #(fill in number)!!! It feels good and pretty darn cool to be the 3rd woman ever to complete this challenge successfully, especially at 5’3” and​

Read Full Story

Calf Work

by Andrew Read, RKC Team Leader

Consider the following: A recreational runner has an 80% chance of an injury every twelve months of running that will require up to 4 weeks off running. The average runner is forced to absorb between two and three times bodyweight through the feet on each step. The average person takes between 1000 and 1200 steps per kilometre (based off Tony Benson’s chart for runners averaging 6-8 minutes/ kilometre). So if the average person weighs 80kg (180lbs) they are forced to absorb up to...

Read Full Story

Manly and Organic are NOT Contradictions in Terms

Want to take your performance and athletic abilities to the next level? Improve the quality of your nutrition

Marty Gallagher, IPF world champion Master Powerlifter

Sep 06, 2011 06:58 PM

Say “organic” around a group of hardcore lifters, MMA fighters, Spec Ops operators or elite athletes and watch as the sneers appear and listen to their derisive, obscenity-laced comments. Organic brings to mind visions of effete, well-heeled urban and suburbanite female and metro-sexual males purchasing tofu and $18 a pound sockeye salmon at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s on their way home from Bikram Yoga or Pilates class. Organic food purchases at one of these...

Read Full Story

HAND STRENGTH: What Is It and Why Do YOU Need It?

by Dave Whitley, Master RKC

Aug 25, 2011 01:00 PM

Why are strong hands important? Because your hands are the portal to your strength, the thing that connects you to your kettlebell, barbell, golf club, tennis racket, opponent or bag of groceries. Without your hands you cannot express your strength in the majority of sports. Even in a sport like soccer, which is hands-off, the athlete must have a connection to a barbell or similar implement to develop strength. So what does it mean to have a strong grip?

Read Full Story

Just Add Water

by Jon Engum, Senior RKC

Aug 25, 2011 12:00 PM

"Mother mother ocean I have heard your call...in your belly you hold the treasure few have ever saw"...Jimmy Buffet A Pirate Looks at 40. Water is the giver of life. The sustainer of the earth, the primordial fluid our ancestors first crawled out of. The human being has always had a connection or a call to the water.Want to ease your way into a greater range of movement? I suggest taking your training into the water. Now I am not talking about joining the local water aerobics class and...

Read Full Story

Phat Boys, Traveling Vikings, and Devil’s Triplets: Hard-Core Cross-Training for Hard-Style Junkies

Gus Petersen, RKC

Aug 24, 2011 12:00 AM

So you’re a self-proclaimed hard-style junkie. You live for your next intense kettlebell workout. You’ve read Enter the Kettlebell at least three times. You walk like a Russian. You quote Pavel at parties. You may well have a kettlebell tattooed on your calf. In a pinch, you’ve probably even tried pickle juice as a pre-workout tonic. You’re training hard and heavy most days, and your workouts are packed with intensity...

Read Full Story

Armbar Secrets Unclassified: Supercharged Roundhouse

Jon Engum, Senior RKC

Aug 04, 2011 02:00 AM

“Give me your strongest most powerful kicker and you’ll see the power of their kick improve by at least 15 %.” Speaking to a room full of Martial Artists who were skeptical of kettlebell training I was there to convince them that they too, could improve their sport of choice with kettlebells. The volunteer had been kicking since a young age with several championship titles under his belt was ready to go and true to my word, in less than a minute, he had increased his power by...

Read Full Story

Kettlebells for Increased Abilities in Fighting

Tommy Blom, RKC Team Leader

Aug 04, 2011 01:30 AM

A lot of the time I see people try to mimic different moves in fighting when they want to make a fighting specific program. Trying to mimic certain moves and load them can a lot of the time be counter productive because it makes the move slow and heavy instead of fast and light that is should be, this will make the move worse than it could be if you trained the move by itself and focused the physical training on improving general abilities which will make the trainee an better athlete...

Read Full Story

The Karate Tournament Competitor's Guide to Success : Part TWO

Gary Music, RKC

Aug 04, 2011 01:00 AM

In Part One we looked at the relationship between the kettlebell and kata. This time we’ll look at how to structure your training for tournament success. The schedule: You have four workouts performed on separate days; shoot for at least 5 workouts a week, up to six is fine as long as you are not lifting to failure. Give yourself at least one day to rest your mind and body. How you schedule the workouts depends totally on the tournament date...

Read Full Story

0800-Somewhere outside Sneads Ferry, North Carolina

Mark Toomey, Senior RKC

Jul 14, 2011 02:00 PM

Thirty-six athletes stand on a field waiting for their RKC Certification to begin. Next to the field, there’s a gym, filled with lifting platforms, bumper plates, Oly bars, all the normal trappings of a well-appointed training facility.The RKC Team Leaders and their assistants greet each athlete by their first name, not out of familiarity, but simply because no one here shares their last name. Each of these athletes has gone through rigorous selection...

Read Full Story

Memoirs From The Platform

Jason Marshall, RKC Team Leader

Jul 14, 2011 01:00 PM

Powerlifting is a thankless sport. I’ve learned a lot from my experience, especially in the last few years. I’ve had a little success, set some meet records, had amazing training sessions, set some huge gym PR’s, AND had some great disappointment too. I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to lift on the Power To The People Deadlift Team...

Read Full Story

Swing Your Way to a Better Deadlift - Is it Possible?

Steve Belanger RKC

Jul 14, 2011 12:00 PM

Can the kettlebell swing help improve your deadlift? We will examine this question through a personal first hand account. Here’s the story. In April 2009 my son Jeff let me know he wanted to enter the deadlift only division in the United States Powerlifting Federation’s national championship in early July 2009. I asked him if he was serious since he hadn’t pulled a single deadlift in eight months...​

Read Full Story

INTEGRATION: Powerlifting and Kettlebells, The Perfect Match!

Donnie Thompson

Jul 14, 2011 11:00 AM

When I started Powerlifting, there was so much to learn. The big three lifts to learn were simple, The Squat, The Bench and The Deadlift. There is really nobody that does these lifts correctly when they venture off into the world of lifting weights. I remember I had a poster of Bob Hoffman from York Barbell. It came with the weight set I bought from there. This was 1979! It had about 22 exercises on it and I just followed them all in sequence...

Read Full Story

The Safe, Practical - And Highly Effective - Way to Give Your "Kettlebell Boomer” Clients the Golden Body of Their Dreams

Andrea Du Cane, Master RKC

Jun 21, 2011 03:00 PM

There are an estimated 77.3 million “Baby Boomers” in the United States. Ranging from middle age to early retirement. Of this group most are still in the work force and earning good money. Some are beginning to retire with fairly secure incomes. Because of the G.I. Bill and the increased interest in higher education, a record number of this generation attended college and attained college and post-graduate degrees. Recent health studies have shown that in general...

Read Full Story

Some Thoughts From a Kettlebell Boomer

Cole Summers, RKC, CICS

Jun 21, 2011 02:00 PM

Isn't "Why would you want to be strong and healthy after you turn fifty?" the same as "Why would you want to be happy after you turn fifty?" – Sean Schniederjan. For several decades I've been a strength and conditioning coach in many disciplines. For the last few years I've focused on trying to become a very good Hardstyle RKC kettlebell coach. During the day I train high school students. In the evenings and weekends I train adults of all ages, in RKC principles. My students vary greatly in...

Read Full Story

The Ten Dollar Spend

Andrew Read, RKC Team Leader

Jun 21, 2011 01:00 PM

My name is Andrew Read and I am a training ADDICT… I have at various times trained: while concussed; with eighteen stitches in my right knee and no skin on one hand; while on crutches and most recently while barely able to walk due to pain in my hips from inflaming an old injury. Somehow my body has held itself together despite all the years of torment and torture and still works reasonably, although my FMS score can range from a thirteen to an eighteen depending on the day.

Read Full Story

Is it a Pull or a Push? Direction of Force in the Deadlift and Swing

Brett Jones, CSCS, CK-FMS, Master RKC

Jun 09, 2011 03:00 PM

If you have ever had the chance to see a full biomechanical video of a Squat (or other movement like a deadlift) you have seen the blue arrows on the screen. These blue arrows represent the direction of force during the movement. During a deadlift the blue arrows should be pointing straight up but straight up actually means straight down. Do you call a deadlift or swing a “Pull” exercise? Chances are you answered, “Pull”. And it might surprise you...

Read Full Story

Maximizing Tension For A Bigger Press

Geoff Neupert, Master RKC

Jun 09, 2011 03:00 PM

The Press used to be the standard for upper body strength. It was contested in the sport of Weightlifting until 1972 until it became too hard to judge. Eventually, it just looked like a standing Bench Press. But if you accept the old standard of the Press - keeping the torso vertical without a backbend, and you spend some time on it, you’ll find newfound upper body strength. In fact, years ago I found that if I pushed my Press strength up, my shoulders felt better for the Bench Press.

Read Full Story

Practice- Honing the Skill of Strength

Dave Whitley, Master RKC

Jun 08, 2011 11:00 PM

I once read a quote from Houdini that really struck me with its depth. “Magic is practice” The simple honest elegance is so obvious it is easy to dismiss. Strength is the same. Strength is practice. Strength is a by-product of continual practice. The quest for the perfect rep. And that practice begins with movement. “Practice makes perfect” is inaccurate and so is “perfect practice makes perfect”. While this sounds very good and is a step in the right direction, it is also untrue.

Read Full Story

The Evolution Of The Strength Athlete – Part 1

Andy Bolton & Elliot Newman

Jun 08, 2011 10:00 PM

So, you wanna get strong? That’s great, and I commend you on your choice of physical pursuit. It goes without saying that you will need to lift weights and add weight to the bar in order to get stronger. However, if you wish to reach your strength potential (in your chosen lifts) then there is going to be much more involved than mindlessly ‘lifting weights’.

Read Full Story

Start Where You’re At

Jeff O’Connor, Master RKC

Jun 08, 2011 06:47 PM

Starting where you’re at seems like a rather obvious and somewhat silly statement. Unfortunately, though, many of us try and start significantly farther down the course than we’re physically able to. Very few of us would try and squat 800 lbs before we had ever done 400. But for some reason most of us jump right into some lifts that require a lot of mobility and a high skill level like the Bent Press and Sots Press. I don’t want to discourage anyone from learning these lifts...

Read Full Story

Hartle-Style and the RKC Snatch Test

by Dr. Michael Hartle, Senior RKC

When I first took the RKC Snatch test in April of 2006, I was required to snatch the 24 kg kettlebell 74 times, without setting the bell down and being only allowed one hand switch, period. There was no time limit but the only rest you could have was at the top in the lockout position. When I was in this position, I would make sure I had my hand open, even for a brief second. If the kettlebell touched the ground at any time during the test, the test was over.

Read Full Story

A Pressing Matter

by Jason Marshall, RKC Team Leader

I remember hanging out at my buddy’s (Alan Martin, RKC) house when his first set of kettlebells came in. He ordered 5 bells. A 16kg, 24kg, 32kg, 40kg and 48kg. After the UPS guy finished cussing us, we opened the first box…which one do you think we opened first? The 48kg, of course! And the first thing we did with it?

Read Full Story

Sushi, Sake, Karate & Kettlebells

by Gary Music, RKC

Karate and Kettlebells is a perfect match, and if you follow the RKC doctrine of Hardstyle the two arts are a perfect match. Just like sushi goes with sake, kettlebells and karate make an unstoppable combination for fitness, strength, speed, power and tournament skill.

Read Full Story

Testing Radiant Tension Variations for Increased Performance in the Kettlebell Press

by Jedd Johnson, RKC, CSCS

Pavel writes about a concept called irradiation, which is a coordinated tension that allows us to execute more strength in a given movement when we tighten other parts of the body, especially the hands.​

Read Full Story

STRENGTH Is A Set of Skills

By Matt Wuchner, RKC

I am a fan of strength. Being strong is pretty useful, and really fun to play around with. I would go so far as to say....

Read Full Story

Russian Systema Breathing

by Andrey Patenko, RKCII

There is no need to tell anyone how important breathing is to one’s life. A man arrives into this world with a breath and finishes his path with his last breath. Yet not everyone knows how to breathe properly and how to regulate many functions of the body with breathing. Many people do not even suspect that once they learn to breath properly they can improve health and, if they are athletes, to improve training and recovery.

Read Full Story

Can It Really Be That Simple?

Dan John, Senior RKC

Mar 24, 2011 03:00 PM

“It just can’t be that simple, Tiff.” “Well, think about it.” Okay, so I did. The proceeding little dialogue was from my living room a few days ago. I have been battling this hip injury for a few years and I discovered that two things keep me pain free: a tiny little stretch and avoiding beer. It’s not science, certainly, but it is true…for me.

Read Full Story

Lifting Speed Matters

Chad Waterbury

Mar 24, 2011 03:00 PM

Everyone knows you must lift heavy some of the time. As long as you push yourself and try to add weight to the bar whenever possible it’s tough to screw up maximal strength training.

Read Full Story

Rep Speed: The Secret To Perpetual Progress

Geoff Neupert, CSCS, Master RKC

Mar 24, 2011 03:00 PM

I have to admit something right up front here – I’m stubborn. Like a mule sometimes, just ask my wife. And my old weightlifting coach, Alfonso Duran. Like you, I am always looking for the next big secret in strength training. Is it “Rest-Pause?” How about Wave Loading? Implementing the Series? Drop sets? Super sets? What? What is it? Would somebody please just tell me – NOW??!!

Read Full Story

Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants To Build Shoulders That Are As Strong As They Look

Eric Moss, RKC

Mar 07, 2011 10:07 PM

In the strength training world lately, the bodybuilding crowds have been catching a lot of heat for being weak, disconnected, and training for "looks" only.

Read Full Story

The De Lorme Method

Andrew Read, RKCII

Mar 07, 2011 10:02 PM

Senior RKC Dan John has an expression that he applies to football – armor building. It refers to being the right size to withstand the rigours of the sport.

Read Full Story

The Five Phases of Mastery: Techniques and Tactics

Feb 18, 2011 10:47 PM

How can I guarantee to significantly increase your deadlift by training with two ten pound plates that you don’t even add to the bar?

Read Full Story

Want To Make “The Beast” Feel Lighter? Try A Dose Of Free Weight Barbell Training

Feb 18, 2011 10:46 PM

The 100 + pound kettlebell called “The Beast” has created a lot of consternation for those seeking to lift it in some manner or fashion.

Read Full Story

Perfecting the Pistol

Feb 18, 2011 10:44 PM

Performing a perfect pistol is a skill. It is the essence of Hardstyle …by combining strength, mobility, and internal focus the master of the pistol creates a movement that looks effortless and crisp.​

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Cueing

AC Sundberg, RKCII, MS

Jan 24, 2011 08:19 PM

Cueing is language art. It colors a descriptive picture for the listener to see and feel through words. Cueing is logical sequencing: a skill that will develop [...]

Read Full Story

Why Getups?

Dave Whitley, Master RKC

Jan 11, 2011 07:08 PM

The swing and the getup are the two foundational RKC drills. Together they make up the program minimum and give us the base of movement and strength that lead to all othe [...]

Read Full Story

Lats, The Super Muscles

Mark Reifkind, Master RKC

Jan 11, 2011 07:08 PM

At any given RKC the Chief likes to ask the candidates how many have hurt their?shoulders? Many hands usually go up(if their shoulders will allow it)? He then asks ? how [...]

Read Full Story

Simple, Not Easy

Zar Horton, Senior RKC

Dec 28, 2010 06:11 PM

What do successful coaches and athletes attribute success to? Most often it is perfecting particular aspects of their game within good productive practice sessions. This [...]

Read Full Story

How To Fix The 3 Most Common Programming Mistakes For Kettlebell Fat Loss Workouts

Geoff Neupert, Master RKC

Dec 28, 2010 06:01 PM

Losing fat with kettlebells is simple. At least it should be easier than using other tools – after all, we have high rep Swings and Snatches at our disposal. But un [...]

Read Full Story

Interview with Tim Ferriss, RKCII

about Kettlebells, Preparation for the RKC course, and his New Book The 4-Hour Body

Tim Ferriss, RKCII

Dec 14, 2010 03:40 PM

Tim Ferriss, one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Business People of 2007," is author of the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek bestseller, The 4 [...]

Read Full Story

2000 Non-Stop Swings and Foursome Tenants of Insanity

Bud Jeffries

Dec 13, 2010 06:37 PM

Recently I've been on a kettlebell swing odyssey. A quest to max out the swing, take it boldly where no one has gone before and in doing so max myself both in effort to [...]

Read Full Story

What You Thought You Knew About The Kettlebell Swing...

Tracy Reifkind, RKC

Dec 13, 2010 06:26 PM

Last month while attending Hardstyle Ventura, Team Leader Paul Daniels was complimenting me on how I put together my DVD "Programming the Kettlebell Swing" He told me th [...]

Read Full Story

A New Way to Look at Balance

Gray Cook, RKC

Nov 26, 2010 06:33 PM

Gray Cook, author of Movement: Functional Movement Systems,with Brett Jones Co-presenters of the new DVD and manual setKettlebells from the Center—DynamiI wrote my [...]

Read Full Story

Why Should YOU Attend the RKC???

Work Part-Time and Earn a Full-Time Income... If You Have Something Better Keep It To Yourself!

Brian Copeland, RKC

Nov 25, 2010 12:16 PM

If you ask the typical attendee at an RKC Certification why they attended you might be surprised at the replies. While you would certainly expect to hear people say that [...]

Read Full Story

The Snatch: Not an "Advanced" Swing

Max Shank, RKCII

Nov 25, 2010 11:29 AM

No matter what your goal, sport, or athletic ability is, you should be doing kettlebell swings.A quick rundown of what the swing does:It trains hip extension, which is t [...]

Read Full Story

Behind Perfecting the Press!

Kenneth Jay

Oct 26, 2010 05:11 PM

It has been almost two years since I started putting Perfecting the Press! together and it is always rewarding to see something come to life. For a long time the kettlebe [...]

Read Full Story

"To Press A Lot, You Must Press A Lot"

Geoff Neupert, Master RKC

Oct 26, 2010 05:10 PM

In the RKC Community, the Press is the standard measurement for upper body strength. To achieve a Level 2 credential, a man must be able to press half his bodyweight in o [...]

Read Full Story

The Cure for My Lower Back...

Danny Sawaya, RKC, CSCS

Sep 13, 2010 12:02 PM

This advice does not replace the advice of a physician and medical professionals. If you are experiencing lower back pain (or any pain) you are advised to seek out the [...]

Read Full Story

The Amped Goblet Squat - Supercharge Your Kicking Power

Jon Engum, Senior RKC, 7th Degree Blackbelt

Sep 13, 2010 11:31 AM

Everyone knows that you cannot rely on a single kick or punch to win in a fight, but often times it is just that which will turn the tide in your favor, if the strike h [...]

Read Full Story

How to Be a Harder-Working Player

Gus Petersen

Sep 01, 2010 04:45 PM

Get the Skills to Live Longer, Stronger and Tougher—with RKC, Gus Petersen's Kettlebell Athletic Training (K.A.T.) Fitness System You've seen kettlebell juggling b [...]

Read Full Story

Getting Strong, Sexy Legs, Glutes, and Abs with the Front Squat: Excerpted from Kettlebells for Dummies

Sarah Lurie, RKC

Aug 26, 2010 11:40 AM

Before I started using kettlebells, I was a traditional weight lifter for nearly ten years. Needless to say, I spent many hours in the gym each week trying to get str [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells and Time Travel - Regaining Time and Escalating Energy

Geoff Neupert, Master RKC

Aug 09, 2010 12:02 PM

From time in memorial, people have been fascinated with time travel and the manipulation of time, from H.G. Wells' classic, The Time Machine, to Star Wars and "light [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Muscle

Mark Reifkind, Master RKC

Aug 09, 2010 11:38 AM

The main thing people have told me that they want from their training hasn't changed in 30 + years: they want to lose weight and get toned. This is by far the most co [...]

Read Full Story

A Kettlebell Success Story

Chris Pate

Jul 20, 2010 11:01 AM

My name is Chris Pate. I have been a Police Officer for thirteen years and am currently employed by the Tallahassee Police Department. I am a bicycle patrol officer [...]

Read Full Story

Aerobics Anonymous: Sucker Punch Your "Cardiovascular Training-Junkie" Clients with Russian Kettlebell Snatch Training

Will Williams, Senior RKC

Jul 20, 2010 10:57 AM

We know who they are. Clothing bought just to look good on the treadmill. Alarm clocks set for 0445 to provide them a chance to be the first hamster on the wheel when t [...]

Read Full Story

Understanding Breath:

The Diaphragm, Thoracic Spine, and Alignment

Tara Robertson, RKC

Jun 25, 2010 04:42 PM

Breathing: It is important to understand the various patterns of respiration in order to help clients & students move more efficiently. Understanding this will help you [...]

Read Full Story

Do You Have the Right Combination for Fat Burning?

May 25, 2010 04:09 PM

As most of you already know, training with kettlebells is a fantastic and efficient way to shed unwanted fat. Within weeks of starting to use kettlebells, you should [...]

Read Full Story

Train Like a Man - Especially if You’re a Woman

Neghar Fonooni, RKC, FMS, NASM, ACE

May 25, 2010 04:06 PM

When I went through the RKC in October 2009, Pavel said something that really stuck with me; ?We are turning you into better men, even the ladies.? As a female ath [...]

Read Full Story

Muscle Control

Dan Cenidoza, CSCS, RKC

May 12, 2010 04:50 PM

I recently took a 16-week hiatus from lifting weights. Due to a number of lifestyle changes and re-prioritizing of training goals, it became necessary for me to stop [...]

Read Full Story

Tension vs. Relaxation

The Great Debate of Our Time... Or is it really?

Brian Copeland, RKC

Apr 29, 2010 12:56 PM

A brief history At age 17 I hurt my low back for the first time to the point where I was on the ground unable to stand. WOW! A couple of years later it happened ag [...]

Read Full Story

The Tao of Hardstyle

Grandmaster Jon Engum, Sr. RKC

Apr 29, 2010 12:50 PM

I see said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw. What do you see? If three men were to describe an elephant without the benefit of sight one might feel [...]

Read Full Story

Clarifying Hardstyle

Brett Jones Master RKC, CSCS, CK-FMS

Apr 29, 2010 12:43 PM

RKC is a "hard style" of kettlebell training born in the spec ops of the Soviet Union. In the 1970s select units adopted a karate-based style of hand-to-hand combat. [...]

Read Full Story

Can RKC & Z-Health Co-Exist?

A Definitive Answer

Dr. Eric Cobb

Apr 21, 2010 11:20 AM

Over the last several months it has become apparent that many people want definitive answers to some basic questions about RKC and Z-Health. Pavel has asked for this arti [...]

Read Full Story

Z-Health and the RKC - a Clinician's View

Courtney Neupert, PT, DPT, RKC

Apr 12, 2010 10:25 PM

Over the past few years, a growing number of RKCs have pursued Z-Health certification. With this growing interest, a number of questions have arisen regarding the compat [...]

Read Full Story

Z-Health Principles in the RKC School of Strength

&
The Fallacy of Single Factor Thinking

Kenneth Jay, Master RKC

Apr 12, 2010 05:51 PM

Author's Note: This article is both textually and conceptually dense. Please read it through several times. Thanks! Acknowledgements The people who continue to inspi [...]

Read Full Story

CK-FMS and Z-Health

Brett Jones, Master RKC, CSCS, CK-FMS

Apr 12, 2010 05:31 PM

Currently there are two systems popular with the RKC community, the CK-FMS program and Z-Health system. I have studied both being a presenter and teacher for Functional [...]

Read Full Story

Hamster to HardStyle: A Kettlebell Transformation

Doug Nepodal, Senior RKC

Mar 24, 2010 05:39 PM

Kettlebells inspire transformations. There have been many incredible testimonials that we have all read, proving that using kettlebells can assist in weight loss and i [...]

Read Full Story

The Swing... As easy as A, B, C!

Zar Horton, Senior RKC

Mar 09, 2010 07:21 PM

As long as I have been an RKC, one of the pillars of the system has been to share new ways of teaching the cornerstone movements. As you know, having only one way to te [...]

Read Full Story

The Third Red Scare!

Will Williams, Senior RKC

Mar 09, 2010 07:02 PM

The third red scare! But for real this time… It's a book! It's a certification! Wait, what is that thing he's lifting? A steely personality projected a path [...]

Read Full Story

Mastering the Kettlebell Clean

Paul Daniels RKC Team Leader

Feb 24, 2010 12:53 PM

Everybody is anxious to press the kettlebells overhead and not enough time is spent on mastering the clean. The better your clean, the better your press. Now that you [...]

Read Full Story

How to pass the current RKC snatch test:

The rules have changed...

Ken Froese, RKC II

Feb 10, 2010 08:22 PM

The RKC snatch test has gone through a few evolutions over the years. Originally RKC candidates were allowed one hand switch, depending upon the candidates' weight they [...]

Read Full Story

Sweat the Small Stuff

Tim Anderson, RKC II

Feb 10, 2010 07:26 PM

I have heard BRETT JONES say on different occasions that people stack fitness on top of dysfunction. I think he even tried to tell me that I was putting a 500 HP engine [...]

Read Full Story

How Hard is Hardstyle in Relation to the Kettlebell Swing?

Delaine Ross, RKC II

Jan 12, 2010 07:42 PM

When I attended the RKC II certification, I had a discussion with some of the participants. We noticed that a good many attendees were extremely tense throughout their en [...]

Read Full Story

Pavel said I might be crazy... A kettlebell swing odyssey that helped me lose 100+ pounds of fat, but no strength.

Bud Jeffries

Dec 31, 2009 12:57 PM

Well that was his jovial response when we spoke recently and told him about a new swing personal record and how I'd trained them the last year. I take that as high pr [...]

Read Full Story

The Beast Month

Tommy Blom, RKC II

Dec 15, 2009 06:20 PM

I'll start this article with a short presentation of myself. My name is Tommy Blom, I live just outside Gothenburg, Sweden. My daily work is teaching tactical strength to [...]

Read Full Story

With My Athletes...

Jeremy Layport, RKC Team Leader

Nov 23, 2009 03:33 PM

At the last San Jose RKC Pavel asked me to write on how I use Kettlebells with my athletes here at San Jose State. Some quick background information: the sports teams [...]

Read Full Story

King T.U.T.

Steve Mathews

Sep 28, 2009 04:11 PM

When it comes to generating strength, tension is king. Your muscles don't know whether you are lifting iron, rocks or sand, or if you are using isometric contractions, [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells for Marines

Uncle Sal

Sep 11, 2009 11:28 AM

I am a former Reconnaissance Marine with scuttlebutt for those of you thinking of joining the ranks. The command recommendations for a 12-week fitness program calls fo [...]

Read Full Story

High Tension Techniques for Max Strength

Max Shank, RKC

Aug 27, 2009 01:28 PM

Max Shank, RKC bottom up presses a 40kg kettlebell holding a gripper in the opposite hand. Every 4 years we sit and watch in astonishment at the feats of strength [...]

Read Full Story

The Ergonomics of Snatching

Jordan Vezina, RKC

Aug 11, 2009 07:48 PM

Ergonomics is defined as designing something to fit the worker, to make it better. In application to the snatch this means taking a basic template (the hard-style kettl [...]

Read Full Story

Train Hard Fight Easy

Jon Engum, Senior RKC

Jul 21, 2009 03:28 PM

As a Taekwondo Master for more years than I care to recount, I am disgusted with the public's seemingly well justified view of Martial Arts today. The proliferation of [...]

Read Full Story

Overcoming Adversity

Angelo Gala, CSCS RKC II

Jul 09, 2009 12:35 PM

After over two years of training primarily with kettlebells my body has reached levels of elite fitness that seem almost surreal. Hardstyle training progressed me to pr [...]

Read Full Story

How to Change the Game

The Art of Not Tearing Your Hands

Jordan Vezina, RKC

Jun 24, 2009 12:51 PM

In March of 2008 I was preparing for my first run at the open division of the Tactical Strength Challenge (TSC). One component of the TSC is a five minute snatch set wi [...]

Read Full Story

Progression with Presses

Tim Anderson, RKC2

Jun 12, 2009 12:53 PM

Pressing heavy just feels good. There is something about prying yourself between a large amount of weight and the ground. For many of us it is a test of strength. Bu [...]

Read Full Story

The Ultimate Combo for Overall Fitness

Kettlebell Clean/Press and Pullup Ladders Combined with Max VO2 Snatch Protocol

Michael Stehle, RKC

Jun 12, 2009 12:52 PM

How to get strong, lean and ultra-fit with minimal equipment and time! Like most health and fitness professionals, I get lots of questions about training and program [...]

Read Full Story

Tips for KB Pressing Power

Mike Nelson, RKC, Z Health Master Trainer

May 18, 2009 02:40 PM

Everyone wants to add more power to their press and they want it yesterday! Strength is a skill (where have I heard that before?) and you will need time and perfect re [...]

Read Full Story

2 out of 3 Beast Challenge Events Ain't Bad

Pat "Phil" Workman

May 18, 2009 02:07 PM

BEGINNING OF THE END…. The last article I wrote for Pavel detailed how my deadlift training evolved from training just a few days a month to at times traini [...]

Read Full Story

Getting Back To Basics

Shaun Cairns, Senior RKC

May 05, 2009 07:39 PM

?? Photos courtesy http://www.kettlebellsforafrica.co.za As a South African rugby player the basics are drilled into us. When the going gets tough the team call is "ba [...]

Read Full Story

6-Week Shoulder Shock Ladder and Swing Volume Plan

Jay Armstrong, RKC TL

May 05, 2009 01:00 PM

A few months ago I put my students through a 6-week program. This program focuses specifically on the military press and swing volume. Each of the students that went [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells and Pregnancy

Yoana Snideman, RKC TL

Apr 29, 2009 03:42 PM

The greatest Journey of my life….. and It has just started! Are you pregnant? Or thinking of getting pregnant? Are you a trainer and is your client pregnant& [...]

Read Full Story

My WTH Story

Jason Marshall, RKC, CK-FMS (in training)

Apr 29, 2009 02:29 PM

When asked, "why do you train?" how do you answer? I've been asked this question numerous times, albeit the word "train" is usually substituted for, "work out, lift wei [...]

Read Full Story

Voodoo Witch from Transsylvania

Using kettlebells and CK-FMS to work
scary magic on unsuspecting clients

Gabriella Katschthaler, RKC, CK-FMS

Apr 29, 2009 10:38 AM

Voodoo Witch ? there are actually clients that call me that, and they mean it :) (Sure, the idea of me never touching their ?problematic? shoulder but messing around with [...]

Read Full Story

Clean up your Kettlebell Clean in 5 minutes or less

Terrence Thomas, RKC

Apr 14, 2009 04:57 PM

When teaching beginners, there are 3 technical aspects of the clean that must be considered. And a solid mastery of the swing is paramount to executing an effective cl [...]

Read Full Story

Using Kettlebells To Attack Stubborn Fat

Al-Sabah Suleiman RKC (Al-Uk from the DD forum)

Apr 14, 2009 03:36 PM

One of the most common questions on the dragondoor forum (this is probably true on all fitness forums) is something along the lines of "Any tips to help me lose some we [...]

Read Full Story

Dr. Cooper Meets the USSS Snatch Test

Stefan Madsen, RKC II

Mar 31, 2009 01:28 PM

In June of last year I passed the RKC II, and am very proud of it. Great information was presented by the different senior RKC's. Kenneth Jay (the Dane of pain) made a [...]

Read Full Story

Four Kettlebell Moves for a Bigger Powerlifting Total

Mike Robertson

Mar 11, 2009 09:27 PM

Powerlifters are a resourceful group; we'll do damn near anything to add pounds to our lifts and grow our total. Go to any powerlifting gym today and you'll likely see [...]

Read Full Story

Full Circle with the Get-Up

Adam T. Glass

Feb 18, 2009 04:27 PM

After years of heavy get-ups, this is my feedback. A few years back I submitted an article to Dragon Door in which I shared my training of Turkish get-up. This artic [...]

Read Full Story

Kalos Sthenos—The Get-Up

The Rationale Behind Kettlebells from the Ground Up

Brett Jones, Master RKC, CSCS, CK-FMS

Feb 03, 2009 09:11 PM

The term Kalos Sthenos is Greek for "Beautiful Strength" and it is where we get the word calisthenics. And it is the term that Gray Cook and I feel best represents th [...]

Read Full Story

An RKC Primer

Walter J. Dorey, RKC

Jan 21, 2009 05:16 PM

So you?ve heard of the Russian Kettlebell Challenge certification course. And now you?re interested in attending, whether to get your diploma of attendance or to get you [...]

Read Full Story

I am not a Runner, but, Thanks to Kettlebells, I can Run

Robert Budd, RKC II

Jan 20, 2009 07:30 PM

I am 6'3, 225# and haven't run any more than 100yards in more than two years. I wouldn't say that I have a runner's physique but more of work horse that would rather l [...]

Read Full Story

Is the Kettlebell Swing the Fountain of Youth?

Or why is this SIMPLE exercise so GREAT?

Dr. John Sullivan, DC

Jan 02, 2009 01:31 PM

I have been using kettlebells for about a year now and I can report that I have NEVER felt better. My transformation has been remarkable. I am a 63 year old Chiropracto [...]

Read Full Story

"It's Got to Be the Kettlebells!"

Bob Ross, RKC

Nov 12, 2008 05:03 PM

That's the phrase I have been using a lot these last couple of years. Let me explain how and why I became acquainted with Kettlebells. In 2003 my doctors told me th [...]

Read Full Story

The Russian Kettlebell and Hardstyle Have Changed My Life

Adam T Glass

Nov 12, 2008 04:37 PM

In early 2000 I bought Pavel's Bullet-Proof Abs. I had never seen anyone talk training the way Pavel did. I did mostly "high intensity training" (HIT). While I was able [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells for Maxing Military Physical Fitness Tests

TSgt Philip Davis, RKC

Nov 12, 2008 04:08 PM

I am a Technical Sergeant in the US Air Force and have been active duty for almost 9 years now and been deployed numerous times. I am currently stationed at Misawa Air [...]

Read Full Story

It

Jordan Vezina, RKC

Nov 06, 2008 06:28 PM

In 1997 I had the privilege of taking an all expenses paid three-month vacation in sunny Southern California under the watchful eye of the Drill Instructors at Marine Cor [...]

Read Full Story

How to Increase Your Vertical Jump with Olympic Lifting and Kettlebells

Walter J. Dorey

Sep 22, 2008 06:24 PM

Perusing the Dragon Door forum, several queries' came up on training ones vertical jump. Now there is a ton of info out there on improving your vertical, yet I had [...]

Read Full Story

The Kettlebell Posture

Dr. Jake Caldwell, DPT, CSCS, RKC

Sep 22, 2008 06:18 PM

We all know how important good posture is, but how many of us feel that we truly understand what that is? As a physical therapist, I see many people from all ages, with [...]

Read Full Story

Latitude

Tim Anderson, RKC2

Sep 18, 2008 05:05 PM

One of the reasons I fell in love with kettlebells is that they helped me discover my lats. I knew I had to have them; I just couldn't make them flare out. Not only t [...]

Read Full Story

Abbreviated Strength Training--RKC Style

Geoff Neupert, Sr. RKC

Jul 17, 2008 04:29 PM

Problems: Opportunities in Disguise? Time, it seems, is always at a premium. No one has the time to work out anymore between work and taking Little Johnny to his socc [...]

Read Full Story

Desk Jockey Daddy Periodization

Tactical Training for the Suburbs

Bill Fox

Jun 20, 2008 09:06 PM

I basically go on two kinds of tactical maneuvers these days. One involves a suit and tie, a laptop and a plane ticket, the other involves a diaper bag, a baby seat [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Training for Full Body Fat Loss!

David Whitley, Sr. RKC

Jun 20, 2008 07:38 PM

"What is the best workout for fat loss?" How many times have I heard that one? I have searched the world over looking for the answer. I owe a huge debt to Alwyn Cosg [...]

Read Full Story

The Partial Deadlift and Why its Beneficial to Fighters

Mike "the Machine" Bruce

May 28, 2008 06:20 PM

If you're a fighter, then you want to pay close attention to a little used exercise not seen much in gyms these days. In fact it's not seen much of anywhere except th [...]

Read Full Story

Expanding Your Training with Kettlebells, Exercise Bands, and Chains

Adam T Glass, SSgt, USAF

May 14, 2008 07:52 PM

Recently I have been achieving new PR's in many of my lifts, especially my grip and pressing strength. I attribute this new found power to three things. 1) Sticking [...]

Read Full Story

Fighting Strength: Combining Kettlebells and Sandbags

Josh Henkin, RKC TL

May 14, 2008 07:29 PM

There may be no other sport that is confused about their training than combative sports. With the immense growth of the UFC, Pride, and other MMA associations, fighters [...]

Read Full Story

The One-Hand Slap

A Technique for Making the Kettlebell Swing Safer and More Effective

Jay Armstrong, RKC TL

May 14, 2008 07:12 PM

Swinging a kettlebell is a terrific, total-body workout. Do a couple hundred swings with a moderate weight and you will quickly discover that your forearms, shoulders, [...]

Read Full Story

Cooking Up A New Challenge In Functional Movement And Kettlebells!

An Interview with Dr. Mark Cheng, RKC Team Leader

Gray Cook, MSPT, OCS, CSCS, RKC

May 09, 2008 05:52 PM

Hard Style: Gray, in the world of physical therapy and corrective/rehabilitative exercise, you?ve been there, done that, and got the T-shirt. How does Pavel?s system of [...]

Read Full Story

How To Improve Your Secret Service Snatch Test Score

David Whitley, Sr. RKC

Apr 29, 2008 07:28 PM

Few things will let you know what you are made of like the Secret Service Snatch Test (SSST). Developed by United States Secret Service Counter Assault Team with the phil [...]

Read Full Story

The Get Up Stabilizer

Steve Gould RKC, CFT, CSCS

Apr 29, 2008 07:26 PM

The Turkish get-up is a staple of kettlebell lifting. It literally engages\challenges the entire body. However, specifically targeted are the strength and stability o [...]

Read Full Story

The Party Line for Passing the RKC Snatch Test

Steve Freides, RKC

Apr 18, 2008 10:47 PM

Comrades, if you are worried about passing the Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) instructor Snatch Test, this article is for you ? a solid, simple plan with four ?leve [...]

Read Full Story

Surviving Violence With Tricia Dong, RKC

Brian Copeland, RKC

Apr 18, 2008 10:25 PM

In this interview we are talking with Tricia Dong, RKC; a fitness trainer and owner of Code 5 Fitness in Vancouver, British Columbia. http://www.code5fitness.com/ [...]

Read Full Story

Can You Adjust Your "Volume"?

Brett Jones CSCS, Master RKC

Mar 17, 2008 09:33 PM

Anyone with an IPod, TV, or stereo is familiar with the volume control. You can blast your ears out or take it down to a whisper - but you are in control. What does t [...]

Read Full Story

Mixing in the Kettlebell Swing for Super Human Training, Part 3

Bud Jeffries, RKC

Mar 05, 2008 12:02 AM

World's Strongest Man contest winner Phil Pfister once said in response to an interviewer's question, "Hey, everybody needs cardio." Now I figure once you're stron [...]

Read Full Story

Mixing in the Kettlebell Swing for Super Human Training – Part 2

Bud Jeffries

Mar 05, 2008 12:01 AM

Read Part I It appears from the response that we received in the first of this series of articles that many of you are excited by the idea of joining the club of those h [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells, Rugby Players and... Opera Singers!?

Cole Summers, RKC

Feb 12, 2008 09:29 PM

As the 2007 Rugby Season began in Manitoba, I knew that some of the players taking the field for their clubs, provinces and country were better prepared for the rigou [...]

Read Full Story

10 Commandments of Fighting Fitness

Steve Baccari, RKC

Jan 16, 2008 01:19 AM

You can't out condition the dinner table. If you don't believe this, try the following experiment. Eat your favorite snack (junk food). Time yourself to see how long [...]

Read Full Story

Relaxed Tension for Fighters

Brian Copeland, RKC

Jan 07, 2008 06:38 PM

Anyone who caught the De La Hoya vs. Mayweather fight (5/5/2007) will recall De La Hoya coming out strong in the early rounds and then getting fatigued as the fight wen [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells: An Investment with Healthy Dividends

Marty Larson, RKC

Dec 18, 2007 07:37 PM

"ATTENTION BOOMERS: IS YOUR RETIREMENT SECURE? WILL YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED? DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS SURE-FIRE INVESTMENT WITH UNBELIEVABLE RETURNS!" Whether or not y [...]

Read Full Story

200 SNATCHES

Steve Gould M.S., CSCS, RKC II

Dec 05, 2007 07:05 PM

Completing 200 snatches may at first seem a bit daunting even overwhelming. This 200 rep snatch workout is very simple to execute, virtually guarantees you will reach [...]

Read Full Story

Short bending + Kettlebells = Dominating Power

Adam T. Glass

Nov 12, 2007 09:45 PM

The Hard style method is a proven formula for strength and conditioning. A person can take the minimalist approach laid out in several of the programs and achieve quick, [...]

Read Full Story

My Kettlebell Journey…

Sam Robards, RKC

Oct 05, 2007 04:25 PM

So there I was in New York City, heading to the gym. I was going over my upcoming training session in my mind and while I knew what I was going to do, there was an elem [...]

Read Full Story

A College Strength Coach
Puts Kettlebells to the Test
Part II: “It’s a new day in San Jose…”

Chris Holder, MS, RKC Team Leader, CSCS

Oct 05, 2007 04:16 PM

The Move Picture this? it is a cold day in San Luis Obispo in December of 2005. I am coming off one of the most incredible football seasons of my coaching career. My [...]

Read Full Story

Length Tension Relationships and How to Restore Lost Function

Mark Reifkind, Senior RKC

Oct 04, 2007 05:23 PM

Virtually everyone comes to training to get better. Whether you choose to train with kettlebells, barbells or bodyweight the common denominator in most people?s minds i [...]

Read Full Story

How to Work with Special Populations as an RKC—And Help Them Regain Control of Their Bodies

Andrea Du Cane, Senior RKC

Oct 04, 2007 04:28 PM

I like to consider myself a movement coach. Most of my clients come to me wanting to learn more than how to swing a hunk of iron. They are coming to me to regain control [...]

Read Full Story

How to Reclaim Mankind’s Glory Days of Superlative Strength, Endurance and Power

Introducing Cardiovascular Kettlebell Concepts

Kenneth Jay, Senior RKC

Oct 04, 2007 04:26 PM

Back in ancient Greece, in the days of the battle at the Hot Gates, the human race had superior genetics compared to us in this lifetime. A couple of years ago an exper [...]

Read Full Story

“Can you touch your toes?”

How to avoid injury and extend your athletic career by fixing your movement patterns

Brett Jones, Senior RKC, CSCS

Oct 04, 2007 04:10 PM

?How much can you bench? might be the most asked question in today?s gym. However, no one asks questions about movement skill. Even fitness evaluations performed by p [...]

Read Full Story

Look Ma, no hands!

Joe Pavel, RKC

Sep 13, 2007 06:36 PM

Problem: How do you show new trainees that it's not the arms lifting the kettlebell during swings but the hip thrust that propels the bell upwards? Solution: Take away [...]

Read Full Story

Firefighting and Kettlebells : A Great Combination

Tom Corrigan, RKC Team Leader

Aug 20, 2007 03:10 PM

Firefighting is a physically demanding job. You have no time to warm up when the alarm sounds. In fact, many of your hardest calls wake you up the middle of the night. Yo [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Training for Performance Sports

Dan John

Aug 20, 2007 07:47 AM

Wow. Seriously. You want to know how a fifty-year old man trains? Basically, I train in an intelligent fashion: I take advice from Alwyn Cosgrove and Pavel Tsatsouline [...]

Read Full Story

USA Kettlebells unique training philosophy is a magnet for women

Michael Bailey

Jul 30, 2007 08:53 PM

Driving down Washington Avenue in Minneapolis your curiosity is captured by what appears to be an un-detonated bomb penetrating a one-story building, resting half in and [...]

Read Full Story

Layoff and Improve

Justin Qualler, RKC

Jul 11, 2007 05:31 PM

Like many people, kettlebells have completely changed my training and made me a lot stronger, faster, and have given me more muscular control. When I started traini [...]

Read Full Story

EDT for GS Success

Jared Savik, RKC

Jun 19, 2007 04:14 PM

Most competitive gireveks accept that there are three phases to preparing for girevoy sport: the strength phase, the endurance phase and the pre-competition phase. Fo [...]

Read Full Story

OUTLAW!

Ron Morris, RKC

May 23, 2007 06:11 PM

Some would say that I?ve got a certain outlaw persona or personality. There are rumors that I even have an outlaw background?the word ?allegedly? comes to mind. And one [...]

Read Full Story

The Kettlebell Golf Swing

Joe Pavel, RKC, CAS

May 09, 2007 03:47 PM

Here’s a fun, easy to learn kettlebell drill that will build explosive strength throughout your core and hard to reach upper back muscles. Grab a light kettlebell w [...]

Read Full Story

Interview with Gray Cook and Brett Jones

Brett Jones Sr. RKC, CSCS

Apr 24, 2007 05:17 PM

Brett: Gray ? tell me a little bit about my background and how you got to be in the fitness industry. Gray: Well, I came out of high school as an athlete wanting to [...]

Read Full Story

My Training for the Master Of Sports

Catherine Imes, RKC

Mar 20, 2007 10:01 PM

Over Memorial Day Weekend in 2006, I achieved the rank of Master of Sports (MS) in Girevoy Sport and the NAKF Nationals. Although I?m very happy with that accomplishmen [...]

Read Full Story

Navigating Girevoy Sport Training

Lorraine Patten, RKC

Mar 09, 2007 01:35 PM

Pavel asked me to write this article upon returning from The Veterans Snatch Classic 2006 meet in Hamburg, Germany. After I finished swearing, I realized I've wanted to [...]

Read Full Story

Detail Oriented Kettlebell Training

Sara Cheatham, RKC Team Leader

Feb 22, 2007 06:10 PM

Straighten your wrist, lockout your elbow, suck in your shoulder, tighten your glutes, finish your hips, pressurize. These are just a few things I say over and over wh [...]

Read Full Story

Preventing & Recovering From Disc Herniations

Brian Copeland, RKC

Feb 22, 2007 05:59 PM

The Dreaded Conversation Doctor: ?Sorry Brian, but you should consider surgery. I can prescribe pain killers to help you feel better.? Brian: ?But what about my mar [...]

Read Full Story

What is the RKC System?

Geoff Neupert, RKC

Feb 13, 2007 10:25 PM

Who am I and why am I qualified to write about this? My name is Geoff Neupert. I have been involved professionally in the fitness / strength & conditioning industry fo [...]

Read Full Story

How to Improve your Marksmanship with Kettlebells

Anon, RKC

Jan 30, 2007 07:50 PM

Recently I attended the Kettlebells For Combat Applications course in St. Paul, Minnesota. The course was first rate and all the instructors provided a tremendous amount [...]

Read Full Story

Functional Firefighter Fitness

Tom Shook, RKC

Jan 24, 2007 01:45 AM

Firefighting and Emergency Services work places very heavy physical demands on a person. The nature of shift work requires long hours on duty, probable sleep deprivation [...]

Read Full Story

A Program Minimum for MMA Fighters

(How to Cure the Closet Curler…)

Steve Baccari, RKC

Jan 23, 2007 12:15 PM

First the program: Conditioning: Man Makers as described in Enter the Kettlebell! with some variations. Start with 10-12 minutes, but your goal is 15 minutes non-sto [...]

Read Full Story

A Case for Becoming a Girevik (Kettlebell Lifter)

David Finley, RKC

Dec 29, 2006 06:42 AM

"Okay, Okay, I have heard all about Pavel and this kettlebell lifting deal. But, do I really want to lay down my hard earned cash, only to be burned by another charlatan [...]

Read Full Story

Barbell and Kettlebell Complexes to Take Your Body to a New Level of Hardness and Conditioning

Mike Geary, NCSF-CPT, AFAA-CPT

Dec 15, 2006 06:03 PM

If you?ve never heard of ?complexes? before, the basic concept is that instead of repeating the same exercise for multiple reps to complete a ?set?, you sequence one rep [...]

Read Full Story

How to Use Kettlebells to Develop a Kung-Fu Grip

David Whitley, RKC

Nov 28, 2006 06:37 PM

The list of combative uses for our hands is almost endless: Grabbing. Striking. Gouging. Catching. Twisting. Holding. What do all these actions have in common? They sh [...]

Read Full Story

Don’t Get Burned…Kettlebells to the Rescue!

Anthony Grokaitis, RKC

Nov 15, 2006 11:25 PM

   If you are familiar with or part of the fire service, you might have heard theses words uttered a few times, its usually after a tough and grueling fire, ?I [...]

Read Full Story

Occam’s Razor in Program Design

Brett Jones, Sr. RKC, CSCS

Oct 26, 2006 05:26 PM

Warning ? Philosophical information ahead!! In the realm of program design and exercise there is a paralysis that can occur when trainees begin to seek information to [...]

Read Full Story

Weapons in the Arsenal:

Why Kettlebells and Grippers Make a Killer Combo

Chris Mays, RKC

Oct 16, 2006 04:02 PM

For those of us who work in law enforcement, reality is pretty simple. As emergency responders we run towards danger instead of away from it. Be that danger a natural dis [...]

Read Full Story

A Tip for Mastering the Kettlebell Swing

Bruce Bonafede, RKC

Oct 03, 2006 06:22 PM

The Swing is one of the key drills in kettlebell training. Without proficiency in this fundamental drill, a trainee will never master the Clean, the Snatch, or any of [...]

Read Full Story

Bull Simple Kettlebell Program for Beefy Muscularity

Joe Pavel, RKC

Sep 26, 2006 01:42 PM

   ?Bull simple.? Interesting, but what does it mean? Its means: act simple and think simple. It?s a program that doesn?t require a lot of thinking, just a l [...]

Read Full Story

Pressing the BEAST

Joe Sarti, RKC

Sep 26, 2006 01:25 PM

A common question I was asked at the April 2006 RKC was how did you press the BEAST? What did I do to prepare for the BEAST Challenge? Well, to tell you the truth I had n [...]

Read Full Story

Endurance Training: Intervals vs. Long-Slow/Steady-Distance

For Heart Health, Fat Loss, and Physical Performance

Kurt J. Wilkens, RKC

Sep 20, 2006 04:59 PM

Endurance Training goes by many names and takes many forms. If you spend a considerable amount of time in so-called ?health clubs?, it?s likely ?cardio? (probably the mos [...]

Read Full Story

How to Conquer the Two-Pood Kettlebell in Seven Days

Tom Barett

Sep 20, 2006 03:27 PM

When my 32KG kettlebell arrived, before I opened the crate, I remembered what my Comrade Jim told me when I first announced that I?d ordered it: ?Tom, snatch that bad boy [...]

Read Full Story

Hand Care: After the Fact

Dave Cronk, RKC

Sep 01, 2006 02:13 PM

?Ouch! That hurts! My blister is torn. I don?t think I can lift anymore today!? Wrong Comrade! Suck it up and try this effective hand repair method. This is a ha [...]

Read Full Story

Keep Your Heels Down For More Powerful Pulls

Randy Hauer, RKC

Aug 14, 2006 06:46 PM

In this article I will discuss a simple maneuver which will improve your pulling power. I have integrated this maneuver in my own training and teach it to my kettlebell c [...]

Read Full Story

Conditioning for Speed and Power Athletes

Patrick Beith, CSCS, PES, USATF Lv. II

Aug 02, 2006 02:44 PM

With so many articles on Speed Training, you would assume that there is plenty of great information available. The problem is that the topic of speed is not being totally [...]

Read Full Story

So, you wanna press the Beast?

Thomas Phillips, RKC

Jul 19, 2006 02:47 PM

September 2005 RKC I went out to be an assistant instructor and gave the first ever beast challenge a whirl. Only completed the pull-up, but knew the press and pistol we [...]

Read Full Story

‘Complex’ Kettlebells for Combatives

Kurt J. Wilkens, RKC-CAS

Jun 29, 2006 06:25 PM

The Russian strength and conditioning specialist formerly known as Pavel Tsatsouline ? and now simply ?Pavel? ? has offered some pretty sage advice in the past, to those [...]

Read Full Story

How to Incorporate Kettlebells Into Your Baseball Training

89 Kb PDF

Dan Huff and Jason C. Brown RKC

Jun 22, 2006 06:19 PM

Read Full Story

Rooting to Increase your Strength, Power, and Balance

Ken Black, RKC

Jun 14, 2006 06:01 PM

Martial artists have long used rooting, establishing a strong connection with the ground, for maximizing the strength and impact of their strikes. This concept may also [...]

Read Full Story

Brutal Minimalist Fitness

David Whitley, RKC

Jun 14, 2006 02:15 PM

One of the things I like the most about kettlebell training is the variety. The number of exercises and variations are limited only by your creativity. With a kettlebell [...]

Read Full Story

How to Stay Strong While Training for an Endurance Sport

Catherine Imes, RKC

May 24, 2006 03:00 PM

There are sacrifices we all make to train for a chosen sport. We set goals for ourselves and chart out our course for our practice to hopefully ensure success. This pr [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Training for Special Needs Kids: A New Twist on "Integrated" Training

Michelle Kilikauskas, NASM-CPT, RKC, Mom

May 10, 2006 04:46 PM

Like most families, we're busy. We need an effective fitness program that we can easily integrate into our routine and follow consistently for the long term. For us, ther [...]

Read Full Story

So, You Want To Try The Secret Service Snatch Test, eh?

Jared Savik, RKC

May 10, 2006 02:52 PM

For those who have done it and are contemplating doing it again, it can evoke feelings of dread. For those who have not tried it, it is a curiosity, and perhaps a percei [...]

Read Full Story

A Prelude to a Swing

Tom Corrigan, RKC

Apr 28, 2006 05:00 PM

There is no argument that the swing is the fundamental move of kettlebell lifting. It must be learned before moving on to the clean, snatch and other important lifts. So [...]

Read Full Story

Frank Shamrock’s Kettlebell Training

Mark Reifkind, RKC

Apr 11, 2006 01:27 PM

Yet another Mixed Martial Arts DVD had arrived from Netflix and my wife wanted to know what was going on. "Why are you watching so much of that?" she wanted to know. "I'm [...]

Read Full Story

A New Component to Rotator Cuff Care

Mark Reifkind

Mar 27, 2006 03:16 PM

Rotator cuff injuries are some of the most painful and debilitating an athlete can have. In order for our shoulders to do all the myriad things we like them to (throw fas [...]

Read Full Story

The Need to Train Like A Man, Especially if you are a Woman

Lauren Brooks, RKC

Mar 09, 2006 10:08 PM

Come on ladies! Are you sick of watching men do pull-ups and you can't even do one? I know I was! As a fitness coach I stay current with the latest developments. I a [...]

Read Full Story

Scientific Evidence For The Russian Kettlebell In "Fixing Bad Backs"

Steve McNamara Physical Therapist

Feb 24, 2006 11:18 PM

Anyone who has become a kettlebell devotee is aware of the testimonials purporting that training with the device ?fixes bad backs?. Others have had direct experience wit [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Training for a High Quality of Life

Richard Freeman, MD, RKC

Feb 16, 2006 03:17 PM

Strength training with Kettlebells is an integral part of the equation for health maintenance and a high quality of life. Recently, articles in USA Today stated that ?t [...]

Read Full Story

How to Max the Marine Corps PFT

Sgt. Thomas C. Buhls, USMC

Jan 18, 2006 03:27 PM

For the purposes of this article, all training mentioned will be limited to a 12-month period from August 3rd, 2004 until August 10th, 2005. In the middle of June 2004 I [...]

Read Full Story

Advanced Kettlebell Techniques: Part I

945 Kb PDF

Jim Smith, CSCS, CFT, USAW

Jan 09, 2006 03:49 PM

Read Full Story

How To Stop Being The Average American!

Dr. Wendy M. Schauer, DC, RKC, FICPA

Jan 09, 2006 03:45 PM

Break Out of Your Box! The average American lifestyle goes something like this: We drive to work in a box, we sit for 8 hours inside a box (affectionately referred to [...]

Read Full Story

Extended Kettlebell Drills: How to Mix Kettlebell Basics into Powerful Hybrid Exercises

David Whitley, RKC

Dec 30, 2005 02:05 AM

At the RKC certification in June 2003 I had the opportunity to spend some time with some of the best brains in the kettlebell world. One conversation the really got me th [...]

Read Full Story

Rings and Kettlebells: Your Ticket for Athletic Strength

Tyler Hass, RKC

Dec 30, 2005 02:02 AM

First of all, what is athletic strength? By my definition, it means strength coupled with skill. You have no doubt seen a few guys in your life that were monsters in th [...]

Read Full Story

The GS Jerk vs. the Kettlebell Power Jerk

Andrey Kuzmin

Dec 14, 2005 04:05 PM

When Girevoy Sport was young, competitors used the power jerk technique where the elbows did not touch the stomach. They did it because they were not allowed to rest wit [...]

Read Full Story

My Philosophy of Kettlebell Training

Mr. Haney, RKC

Nov 29, 2005 02:39 PM

My philosophy of kettle bell training is quite simple ? to have as much fun as possible while getting yourself into the best shape of your life! I believe that kettlebel [...]

Read Full Story

The Kettlebell Jump Start for Couch Potatoes

Jim Haines, RKC

Nov 01, 2005 01:07 AM

You know who you are. You?re the guy who has a tough time putting on your shoes, walks through the mall wear you out, and you suffer from chronic aches and pains. The e [...]

Read Full Story

A Double Kettlebell Killer Combo

Jeff O'Connor, RKC

Oct 11, 2005 03:00 PM

If you?re like so many of us that are always trying to squeeze more training into less time, or are just cursed with the need to make things more difficult, this could be [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells and Climbing

376 Kb Acrobat PDF

Kevin Perrone RKC, HFI

Sep 30, 2005 04:45 PM

Read Full Story

Stair Lunge Variations to Increase your Strength, Dynamic Flexibility, and Conditioning

510 Kb Acrobat PDF

Virgil Aponte, MS

Sep 30, 2005 04:20 PM

Read Full Story

How a Young Wrestler Got Phenomenal Results from a 20-Minute Russian Kettlebell Workout

Zach Even - Esh

Sep 21, 2005 03:32 PM

I was training a young athlete who was dedicated enough to stick to his strength & conditioning program during his wrestling season. Most young athletes cannot (perhaps ? [...]

Read Full Story

How to Improve Your Kettlebell Swing and Snatch with a Kung Fu Drill

George Hynec, RKC. Sydney, Australia

Aug 31, 2005 02:00 PM

So you finally got your client to snap those hips, brace the core, etc. It is all looking beautiful, except for the arm. The lifter just cannot let the tension go and is [...]

Read Full Story

Mixing in The Kettlebell Swing for Super Human Training - Part 1

Bud Jeffries

Aug 19, 2005 02:29 PM

You want to take your power to the next level? Do you want to take your conditioning to previously unexplored peaks? Do you want to be so radically muscled that little [...]

Read Full Story

Snatch a Heavier Kettlebell

Jeffrey Crews, RKC

Jun 10, 2005 12:55 PM

Sooner or later every kettlebell lifter is going to want to try a heavier 'bell. Over time a dedicated girevik may move up three or four times. The question is, how do y [...]

Read Full Story

Effective Sandbag Training

Josh Henkin, CSCS, RKC

Jun 10, 2005 12:55 PM

To be able to train in today?s times is such a great advantage. Not only do we have the ability to get information instantaneously, but we also have a greater varie [...]

Read Full Story

Boost Your Speed, Flexibility, and Stamina with Russian Dynamic Relaxation Techniques

Pavel

Jun 10, 2005 12:54 PM

Walter Mondale?s brother told a reporter, ?People often ask why Fritz is so stiff. He doesn?t want to be seen as pompous, but how loose can you be when you?re constantly [...]

Read Full Story

How to Reach the Spetsnaz Standard

Simon Forsyth, RKC

Jun 10, 2005 12:35 PM

The meat and bones of this article is about reaching the Russian spec-ops pull-up standard of 18 dead hang pull-ups with 10kg attached to you. I'm sure that there are [...]

Read Full Story

The Kettlebell Swing – First for a Reason

Bill Fox, RKC

Jun 09, 2005 12:13 PM

Why the Swing? In The Russian Kettlebell Challenge Pavel quotes David Willoughby, a 1920s weightlifting champion, stating that the 2 arm swing ?brings into action and [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells for Amphibious Special Operations Fitness

Charles Grady, RKC

May 31, 2005 01:38 PM

I have read a lot on kettlebell fitness for the infantryman, the SWAT officer, the Para Rescue operator, etc. I have been throwing around kettlebells for about a year and [...]

Read Full Story

Waxing Philosophic About Kettlebells

John Heinz, RKC

Apr 29, 2005 05:55 PM

Recently I was asked to put pen to paper regarding a philosophy of kettlebell training as it might relate to the philosophy of martial arts training. Let me preface [...]

Read Full Story

How to Combine Kettlebells and Bands for Explosive Sports Performance

Jason C. Brown

Apr 05, 2005 01:14 PM

The use and efficacy of jumpstretch bands within the strength and conditioning community is well accepted. However, not until recently has it been possible to combine bal [...]

Read Full Story

How to Solve Your Training Problems with the Law Enforcement S.A.R.A. Model

Michael Johnson, RKC

Mar 24, 2005 12:53 PM

"Man is at his highest plateau of intelligence when put to the task of solving problems. Without the challenges of solving problems we stagnate and become complacent. W [...]

Read Full Story

How to Make the CMS Rank in the Long Cycle

David Whitley, RKC

Mar 03, 2005 03:36 PM

The material in this article is excerpted from my soon-to-be-completed GS training manual. On December 4th, 2004 I competed in a Girevoy Sport meet and became the firs [...]

Read Full Story

How to Squat Deep without Hurting Your Knees, RKC Style

Joe Pavel, RKC

Mar 03, 2005 03:16 PM

While grocery shopping the other day we came upon a half dozen bags of flour that had fallen off the shelf and onto the floor. My three-year-old son, seeing that things [...]

Read Full Story

My Favorite Girevoy Sport Assistance Exercises

Jared Savik, 2004 American GS National Champion

Feb 21, 2005 07:40 PM

When I ordered my first kettlebell in January 2002 it was completely unfamiliar to me. I had never seen one used and certainly never hoisted one. I justified the kettle [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Split Snatch for Killer Conditioning

David Finley, RKC

Feb 14, 2005 02:26 PM

Looking to shift your anaerobic conditioning into high gear? Fry your legs and sear your lungs in the process? Well Comrade, then step up to the split snatch! Since se [...]

Read Full Story

How RKC and PTP Training Have Made Me a Competitive Swimmer Again

Marty Farrell, RKC

Feb 07, 2005 01:47 PM

Just recently I had a competed on Master?s nationals swimming competition and had placed 4th in my age group. The placement sounds impressive but that had been out of 6 [...]

Read Full Story

Off-Center Core and Body Conditioning with Kettlebells

Bud Jeffries

Feb 07, 2005 01:42 PM

I have often been accused of being a little off center? sometimes by my wife?and then sometimes by other people whose opinion has much less direct effect on what dinner i [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells for Surfing Strength and Muscle Endurance

Matt Schwartz, RKC

Jan 12, 2005 12:41 PM

Matt the Wave Rat. This article will not directly address agility, balance, or explosiveness, although the dynamic nature of the exercises below will definitely enha [...]

Read Full Story

A College Strength Coach Puts Kettlebells to the Test

Chris Holder, RKC

Jan 10, 2005 06:33 PM

My name is Chris Holder and I am the Strength and Conditioning coach for Cal Poly's 20 varsity sports. We are a Division I institution with Division I-AA Football. We are [...]

Read Full Story

The Toughest Stand up Fighting You Can Imagine

Davor Kudrna

Dec 21, 2004 02:53 PM

I am sure that most of readers have quite good idea what Muay Thai or Thai boxing is. My first live contact was with master Chang who worked as waiter in restaurant in Za [...]

Read Full Story

Strength & Conditioning for Taekwondo, the Party Way

Frankie Faires, RKC

Dec 21, 2004 02:34 PM

A few years back, I came across Pavel?s work. He totally screwed up my whole idea of strength and conditioning. I thought the best way to work out was to use supersets, [...]

Read Full Story

The 16kg Kettlebell Snatch 1000 Rep Challenge

David Whitley, RKC

Dec 15, 2004 12:51 PM

I am not exactly sure how it got started, but I blame Steve Cotter. In the late fall of 2003, talk arose on the Dragon Door Forum about doing high repetition snatches wit [...]

Read Full Story

The Party Protocol for Triathletes

Brad Nelson, RKC

Nov 23, 2004 03:46 PM

The Western world is gradually listening, receiving and applying simple, primitive, and more effective training methods from the archives of the Eastern bloc. Kettlebell [...]

Read Full Story

How Kettlebells Have Made Me a Better Royal Canadian Mountie

Jerome O’Charchin, RKC

Nov 23, 2004 03:37 PM

I attended the RKC certification workshop in April 2004 and it benefited me in numerous ways. First of all, kettlebell training has improved my work life. I am a police [...]

Read Full Story

One-Arm Kettlebell Presses –Strict vs. ‘Tempo’

Andrey Kuzmin

Oct 21, 2004 01:10 PM

The one-arm press used to be an event in Girevoy Sport competitions. In the beginning the competitors pressed strictly. But coaches were looking how to improve the techn [...]

Read Full Story

How We Trained in OMEGA, Latvia’s Anti-Terrorist Unit

Vilnis Rusins

Oct 20, 2004 07:19 PM

In "OMEGA" we just had to do just about everything. Every morning we did some running and basic mobility drills, a couple of leg swings or dynamic stretches. Then we ei [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells - Breaching Doors to Success

Devin Reynolds, RKC

Oct 20, 2004 06:19 PM

Kettlebells are like special operations -there are constantly new challenges to overcome. Recently we conducted a hostage rescue operation that required our team to break [...]

Read Full Story

Selective Tension

Coach Sonnon

Oct 20, 2004 06:13 PM

RMAX.tv Athletic Performance Enhancement Solutions Team www.RMAX.tv Selective Tension is a protocol I devised to coach my clients on maximizing strength gains thr [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Conditioning for Boxers

Steve Baccari, RKC

Oct 20, 2004 06:11 PM

The following article will show you how I have integrated Pavel?s training methods into my boxers? training. This exercise program fits boxers well because the exercises [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebells and Olympic Weightlifting

Mike Burgener

Oct 20, 2004 06:10 PM

I have been involved in Olympic weightlifting since 1964 when I was a student and football athlete at the University of Notre Dame. Luckily for me, my coaches were Fr. B [...]

Read Full Story

Perpetual Motion Workout

Wayne ‘Scrapper’ Fisher

Oct 20, 2004 06:07 PM

We?ve all been in situations that have demanded more from us than we originally thought possible. Even if you can handle the job alone it?s usually good to know there is [...]

Read Full Story

Football Pre-season "Boot Camp" Kettlebell Training

Mike Burgener

Oct 20, 2004 06:07 PM

Sunday, August 18, 02, the Rancho Buena Vista High School football team traveled to Camp Pendleton, California, the home of the United States Marine Corps, 1st Division, [...]

Read Full Story

Integrated Combative Systems (ICS) Combat Conditioning

Hunter Armstrong

Oct 20, 2004 06:00 PM

Hoplology has been defined as "the study of the evolution and development of human combative behavior and performance." (In short, the study of why we fight, how we fight [...]

Read Full Story

New Wine, Old Bottles

Washingtonpost.com, Feb 2003

Marty Gallagher

Oct 08, 2004 07:00 PM

In elite athletic circles the word is spreading as in-the-know Americans are purchasing ancient Russian fitness equipment, resurrecting old exercise philosophies and obta [...]

Read Full Story

Climbing Mountains and Lifting Kettlebells in Chile

Kenneth Lein

Sep 13, 2004 02:05 PM

I just made my first Kettlebells!!! 1, 1.5, and 2 poods. But I will come to this point later. First I will share how I came to this extreme training. Like everything, lif [...]

Read Full Story

The Three Muscle Energy Systems and How to Train Them

Part 1 of 4

Christine M. Uberti, CSCS, RKC

Aug 16, 2004 04:12 PM

Our muscles have different biochemical requirements according to our chosen activities. The energy we get to jerk a couple of 2 poods, wrestle, or XC ski comes from enti [...]

Read Full Story

Combat Calisthenics

Tony Blauer

Jul 22, 2004 01:52 PM

I've been training and teaching martial arts & combatives since 1967. During a career that has now spanned 30+ years as student, athlete, instructor and coach, I've been [...]

Read Full Story

Why the "Bottoms Up Press" Is Good For You

James "Lemon" Boelter

Jul 22, 2004 12:59 PM

For those of you unfamiliar with it, the BUP ("Bottoms Up Press") is the version of the kettlebell military press done with the kettlebell held upside down. The girevik u [...]

Read Full Story

How to Power through a Kettlebell Military Press Plateau with ‘The Rack’!

George ‘Comrade Yuri’ Nolly, RKC

Jun 22, 2004 01:46 PM

If you've hit a plateau in your pressing movements and need to break out of your rut, you might want to try The Rack. During the Spanish Inquisition, the rack was a tort [...]

Read Full Story

Neck Training for Boxers

Steve Baccari, RKC

Jun 22, 2004 01:32 PM

This is the safest and easiest neck program I know. I have used it at the gym for over 5 years with excellent results. This is a safe and effective way to train the nec [...]

Read Full Story

Russian Kettlebells for Women? -Absolutely!

Lisa Shaffer, RKC

Jun 10, 2004 03:22 PM

Listen up, ladies! I finally found the perfect form of exercise. Training with kettlebells! I won't be going back to traditional weight training because kettlebells giv [...]

Read Full Story

Suicide Frogs: Another Extreme Kettlebell Conditioning Workout

David Whitley, RKC

Jun 10, 2004 01:10 PM

Remember Suicide drills? We used to do them in high school football practice. Start at the goal line, sprint 10 yards, then sprint back to the goal line, sprint 20 yards, [...]

Read Full Story

The Gunslinger Kettlebell Circuit

Tom Corrigan, RKC

May 04, 2004 01:38 PM

The Gunslingers of the Old West felt confident going into a shoot-out knowing they had a pair of 45s on their belt. So too, will you feeling confident after training for [...]

Read Full Story

Form a fitness plan

It takes planning and dedication to lose that body fat

Victor Holtreman

Mar 01, 2004 10:40 PM

Do you have a fitness goal? I believe that it is absolutely essential to have a target or goal when it comes to improving your physique. It?s such a clich?, but compl [...]

Read Full Story

How Top College Strength Coaches Combine Kettlebell and Barbell Training

Stephane Rochet, RKC

Feb 12, 2004 05:14 PM

Every good idea I have had in strength training has been ?borrowed? from somebody else. I guess that means I?m not overly creative. However, I am smart enough to know a [...]

Read Full Story

The TFT Leg Dynamics Warm-Up

102 Kb Acrobat PDF

Tim Larkin, RKC

Feb 12, 2004 03:58 PM

Read Full Story

Three New Kettlebell Exercises for Martial Artists

Pietro Puzzuoli, RKC

Jan 26, 2004 10:54 PM

There are literally hundreds of exercises that can be performed with a kettlebell. With just a little creativity, even the lightest of bells can serve advanced athletes f [...]

Read Full Story

20-rep Super Squats for Kettlebell Pressing Power

Monty Singer, RKC

Dec 10, 2003 06:13 PM

I have been an avid user of PTP (Power to the People!) style training and KB?s for almost two years now. I was mostly fat and pretty weak and weighed 230lbs. when I firs [...]

Read Full Story

The Two Kettlebell Long Cycle Clean-and-Jerk

Chris Rubio, RKC

Dec 10, 2003 06:02 PM

This is one of the most effective exercises you can do to increase your functional work capacity and your overall physical endurance. This is a total body exercise that w [...]

Read Full Story

The Kettlebell Approach to Physiotherapy

Keith Weber, RKC

Dec 10, 2003 05:10 PM

I guess one of the things I like most about being a physiotherapist or physical therapist is the wide variety of treatment techniques that I have at my disposal to help p [...]

Read Full Story

How to Organize a Kettlebell Competition

Lorraine Patton, RKC and Christine Uberti, RKC

Oct 29, 2003 09:19 PM

The first Virginia Kettlebell competition was held on May 3, 2003. It was nothing short of a miracle that the competition was so successful. Although I'm fortunate to be [...]

Read Full Story

How To Military Press the 2-Pood in 8 Weeks

Steve Freides, RKC

Oct 29, 2003 09:14 PM

At 152 lbs. and 5?7?, I'm not exactly a big guy. As a middle aged desk jockey with a bad back who likes to run, swim, and bicycle, I'm not your ideal candidate for milit [...]

Read Full Story

A Relay-Race in Kettlebell Sport

Andrey Kuzmin

Oct 20, 2003 08:51 PM

Some years ago a new type of kettlebell sport competition got started in Russia. It?s a relay-race, a team competition. Usually a team consists of seven people, in each t [...]

Read Full Story

The Anchor Raise

Bruce Bonafede

Oct 20, 2003 08:23 PM

I began using RKC about three months ago. I started by following Pavel's recommendations for high-rep ballistic exercises using dumbbells, liked the results, and immedia [...]

Read Full Story

Increase Your Kettlebell Military Press One Size in 8 Weeks

Steve Freides

Sep 29, 2003 07:05 PM

How To Military Press The 2 Pood (or any next-larger size) in 8 Weeks At 152 lbs., five feet, seven and one half inches, 13% body fat, I'm not exactly a big guy. As [...]

Read Full Story

Infantry Physical Training & the Much Maligned Push-Up

Comrade Batboy2/75

Sep 26, 2003 03:13 PM

To many Party members the push-up is often persona non grata. Pavel doesn?t like them, and if you read the posts on dragondoor.com, neither does the Party. I should clari [...]

Read Full Story

The Structured Flexible Kettlebell Workout

Gavin Hurt

Jul 07, 2003 09:27 PM

I know what you?re thinking, how can it be both structured and flexible at the same time? Well, read on and find out, comrade. If one was to design a well-balanced workou [...]

Read Full Story

Super Joints Performed as a Form of Chi Kung

James "Lemon" Boelter

Jul 07, 2003 09:23 PM

At the same time that Dragondoor.com released Pavel's Super Joints book and video, I also happened to pick up a videotape on Kundalini Yoga by a popular Hollywood "guru t [...]

Read Full Story

Soldier Care Tips

Ancient Rifleman

Jun 23, 2003 08:21 PM

A young soldier going to selection asked about some preparation tips. The more I thought, the more I remembered. I began to realize that some of this was in the categor [...]

Read Full Story

How I Trained for the Tactical Strength Challenge

Josh Everett, RKC

May 21, 2003 03:41 PM

Head Strength Coach, University of California Riverside The TSC hosted in Vista, CA on 3/8/03 brought out some great competition. Fortunately for me, I had a good day an [...]

Read Full Story

How to Improve Your lifts by Aligning Your Neck Just Right

James "Lemon" Boelter

May 21, 2003 03:16 PM

The Party knows that learning to generate max tension is paramount for strength. I'd like to address the other side of the coin: eliminating wasted effort and taking the [...]

Read Full Story

Kettlebell Buyers Guide

Steve Freides RKC

May 14, 2003 12:08 PM

Kettlebell Buyer's Guide by Comrade Steve Freides RKC, http://www.kbnj.com I want to start training with kettlebells. What should I buy? If you are a healthy ( [...]

Read Full Story

Powerlifting: Is It The Optimal Supplementary Training Activity For Martial Artists?

Charles Staley

Apr 24, 2003 02:47 PM

If you?re a martial artist or combat athlete who has experienced the unpleasant symptoms of chronic ?paralysis by analysis? when it comes to trying to figure out the best [...]

Read Full Story

K-Bell for Boxers

Mark Anthony Montaquila

Mar 15, 2003 01:50 AM

www.combatcontroltactics.com For any combat martial artist, including boxers, stamina and strength are, of course, necessities. However, the sport of kettlebell liftin [...]

Read Full Story

Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Far East PT

Msgt. Franklin, USMC

Feb 21, 2003 05:05 PM

The United States Marine Corps has had a well-developed physical fitness program for many years. Many of the ideas we utilize are not new, but have fallen out of vogue f [...]

Read Full Story

Keep it Simple, Make it Fun

Matt Wiggins

Feb 21, 2003 04:40 PM

the author of Singles & Doubles - How the Ordinary Become Extraordinary When I was a sophomore in high school, I took a Physics course. My professor for this course w [...]

Read Full Story

Generating Power in Martial Arts

Sean Williams

Jan 03, 2003 10:31 PM

Well, first of all I would very much like to assist my fellow comrades in putting together programs for enhancing their functional power. For now, let us talk about speci [...]

Read Full Story

Russian Kettlebell Training 102

James "Lemon" Boelter

Jan 03, 2003 10:28 PM

This article is intended to help advanced beginners and intermediates continue in the wonderful ways of Girevoy sport. In academic courses, there is almost always an intr [...]

Read Full Story

TSC TRAINING 2002

Brett Jones, RKC

Jan 03, 2003 10:23 PM

On October 12th of this year, I was fortunate enough to win the Special Ops level of the inaugural Tactical Strength Challenge. AS this was my first foray into competiti [...]

Read Full Story