Customer Reviews
another great book by Pavel 
2008-07-26
Again...a great book! Answers all the questions you have about using kettlebells. Very clear instruction, serious aoout his subject; an expert in his field. Not for wimps! I have MUCH respect for Pavel's books.
For the price, there is much better info about kettlebells out there 
2008-07-23
Okay, the information contained in this book is incomplete, and can be resumed in just a few pages. It is overpriced.
Yeah, I know lots of people praise Enter the Kettlebell, and I don't dispute that it contains basic knowledge about form, posture, and fundamental moves, but it stays there. It is not THAT special as others say. It us supposedly sold as something that will "make you a man" and yadda yadda yadda. Ok, you have a few routines to get stronger, and I know they are very helpful, but for what you pay, and coming from Pavel, AT LEAST it should have en easy format about how to make your own routines, more movements, and suggestions for keeping the exercises for life, implementing new variations so you can never get bored. But this book doesn't deliver it.
I believe the reason for the little information is purely commercial. Inside the book, though there is some nice stuff, you find "suggestions" to keep going with other products from the author or company, and even the part about diet, Pavel just says "I use the Warrior Diet", a book from the same company. Then, if you post questions about the product in their site, usually they suggest you to recieve a course with a specialized trainer, more $$$ just to learn how to make your own workouts.
It's a shame, because kettlebells are really a very nice tool that can completely substitute a gym, but you have to look HARD around to get sincere information. There are much better DVDs and books, CHEAPER. For example, the excellent material from more genuine people like Anthony Diluglio, Lisa Shaffer and others, that offer "do it now" information with ideas of how to use many exercises and knowledge to use your kettlebells at home without needing to spend tons of money on more products.
Those are my two cents. Keep looking out there. On the positive, I'm glad more and more KB trainers and materials are being born every day, because that gives us many options to us, so we don't have to rely on the same guy always.
Must read for every fitness buff 2008-07-20
Pavel has done a great service to fitness buffs everywhere by sharing kettlebell knowledge from Russia. If you are into fitness, especially whole body functional strength and conditioning, then this book and the companion DVD are a must read and view.
ETK Deeper Look 
2008-07-12
Overall this is a decent book. There are inconsistencies. The book starts w/a male teen who first uses a 53 lb. kettlebell. Pavel wants men today to start w/a 35 lb'er. Is it due to lifestyle differences of people from the past versus today? Another story about a kettlebeller pressing a 70 lb. KB 88 times. No one from the "Party" has mentioned they have done so. They continually mention the snatch test. Competitive Girevoy sport competitions include the jerk, snatch, and long cycle. They can use kettlebells other then the 53 lb. He talks of many studies being done. I've tried to search for many of these names and have found nothing. The citation at times is improper as well. He has done a great job of getting Americans converted to KB training. Go to their web page and you'll see. However, say something remotely critical against the "Party" principles and many will try to refute you or the post will be removed PROMPTLY. There are about ten pages of the book that were in various catalogs the company puts out. Why is that? Filler material? There are too many pictures, full of interesting poses however. Smaller print and a disk (or web link) w/proper technique vs. poor technique could have been used. He encourages the reader to buy the accompanying video as well. Money making idea-YES. Good one too. Another alternative to encourage people and not just take money would be a video link printed in the book that would link you to him demonstrating various lifts. The book is like Power to the People but using simply a KB, five total exercises mentioned (he mentions two to make one "a man." The "RKC Program Minimum" involves the Swing and Turkish Get Up. The "Rite of Passage" involves the clean and press, swing, and the snatch test (once a month or so). The body tension techniques are well worth it as well. The book does mention how to combine these techniques w/his other books Power to the People, Naked Warrior, and Bullet Proof Abs-another subtle marketing ploy. He also suggests going to RKC kettlebell instructor course. $2495 for three days w/a 20-30% failure rate? Houston what is the problem? Is it the teaching methods? Is it the student failing to prepare? Either way failing students is easy money for the organization. Again, if one wants be involved in competitive, sanctioned kettlebell events, take up girevoy sport. He continually refers to "Eastern" or "Russian" training secrets-clever marketing ploy. Why? Perhaps because of the Cold War an how the East owned lifting, Americans now want to know why. Just a thought. Only two out of the six chapters (33% YIKES) were useful. Great book for beginners, intermediate and advanced trainees its a waste of moolah. A CHEAPER alternative-search their website on Enter the Kettlebell (ETK) you can cobble together the major program points, search video websites of the exercises mentioned and you'll save yourself some money and trees. Lastly, it sounds like he's coming out w/a sequel to this book. If it's so great what is there to improve?!?!?!?!?
Short and sweet 2008-06-19
I get more out of a 5 five minute get up drill then I do working out for 30 minutes in the gym. I think a 30 dollar book and an $80, 35 pound kettelbell quickly pays for itself vice paying gym fees or buying free weights. I think this just appeals to certain types of people. I personally hate the gym culture so going one on one with a kettlebell just works for me. One other point, this type of lifting is the only think that I've found that gives me the same endorphin rush that running or moutain biking does. Who knew?
Good Basics Book by Pavel 
2008-06-16
Kettlebell Training... The Closest Thing You Can Get to Fighting, Without Throwing A Punch Federal Counterterrorist Operator The kettlebell. AK-47 of physical training hardware. Hunk of iron on a handle. Simple, sinister, brutal and ferociously effective for developing explosive strength, dramatic power and never-say-die conditioning. The man s man s choice for the toughest, most demanding, highest-yield exercise tool on the planet. Guaranteed to forge a rugged, resilient, densely-muscled frame built to withstand the hardest beating and dish it right back out, 24/7. Once the prized and jealously-guarded training secret of elite Russian athletes, old-school strongmen and the military, the kettlebell has invaded the West. And taken no prisoners thanks to former Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor and strength author, Pavel Tsatsouline s 2001 publication of The Russian Kettlebell Challenge and his manufacture of the first traditional Russian kettlebell in modern America. American hardmen of all stripes were quick to recognize what their Russian counterparts had long known nothing, nothing beats the kettlebell, when you re looking for a single tool to dramatically impact your strength and conditioning. A storm of success has swept the American S & C landscape, as kettlebell Comrades have busted through to new PRs, broken records, thrashed their opponents and elevated their game to new heights of excellence. With Enter the Kettlebell! Pavel delivers a significant upgrade to his original landmark work, The Russian Kettlebell Challenge. Drawing on five years of developing and leading the world s first and premiere kettlebell instructor certification program, and after spending five years of additional research into what really works for dramatic results with the kettlebell we have Enter the Kettlebell!
Its a good book 2008-05-24
Well i thought the book was good overall.There is some good info in on a select few of the kettlebell movements. Stuff that you dont see in other places. Pavel does explain every movment to well. There could be more and some details of the lifts were forgotten. He does explain the the selected movements a little more carefully than he has in other books. But by no means are they exaustive.He just explains them with more attention. Personally I do not like the program as he lays it out but that is a personal preference as i have seen that many people do. Kettlebells have a wide array of applications and in my opinion he does not take that into account here. He focuses more on only a few exercises which you are expected to follow for a few months and beleieves that to much variety is a bad thing. To an extent i agree but too little variety is not good either. There has to be balance. There is not enough movments in my opinion. Id brather go with steve maxwell or jeff martone, now these guys are amazing and offer much better quality work. While i am saying it again the book is not bad overall, it is not the best, there is certainly better work out there on kettlbells. I will stick with steve maxwell and Jeff martones H2H drills. Good luck
Great Book, Well Organized, Definitely Some fluff 2008-05-17
I agree with the other posters...there is definitely a lot of fluff in the book. But, frankly, that's Pavel's style. "Russian Kettlebell Challenge" was the same way but definitely unorganized. Enough about that.
"Enter the Kettlebell" is the perfect primer to get into Kettlebell lifting. Once you get past the saleman fluff and to the core, you will not be dissapointed. The "RKC Rite of Passage" Workout is spectacular and it does give you results. How often do you hear that I know but it definitely works!
I have been on this program since September 2007 and I have already progressed from a 35 lb (16kg) kettlebell to what I am currently nearing the ability to make the 70 lb (32kg) kettlebell my standard kettlebell.
Pavel's method of taking each of the crucial exercises in steps is a smart idea. The RKC Workout itself is very progressive unlike the mainstream philosophy of training of doing a million reps a day to get results. With "Enter the Kettlebell" the most reps you will do for an exercise is 75 (5 ladders of 1+2+3+4+5) with rest periods in between ladders. That is until you reach the point where you can perform the "Man amongst men" workout.
Bottom line, this is definitely worth the money and worth your attention at the bare minimum.
This is the new Russian revolution...Gireviks (That's Russian for someone who uses kettlebells, you learn that in the book, too)of the World Unite!
disappointing 2008-05-11
I have been a fan of kettlebells since I first learned of them 4-5 years ago from a martial arts friend. I LOVE kettlebells as a workout. The explosive power you can generate is an absolute rush. I wanted a book that went over the various types of kettlebell exercises since I wanted to do more with them, and this was not it.
This book is a basic intro for beginners who've never done anything with a kettlebell before. It was interesting to know some of the history. But as far as exercises it's very lacking. He only covers 4 or 5 basic moves. Pavel and the other Dragon Door people waste pages and pages on humorous pictures of Pavel doing the lifts wrong, which I guess a beginner would need but I thought it was just an insult and a waste of my money. So don't waste your time unless you've never picked up a kettlebell before. It is a good place for a beginner to start.
mediocre, full of empty pages and commercials... 
2008-05-03
Pavel's physical fitness aside, most of his books or videos are full of fluff and empty information, some of which can be useful and could be condensed into maybe 10 pages or 5 minutes of video. This particular title was very basic, with lots of filler and advertisement for his other products.
If you want decent kettle bell (which are not Russian, by the way!) exercises, look for Steve Maxwell's videos, save your money and stay away from Dragon Door's marketing gurus.
