I went from never deadlifting before to deadlifting 365# in a few months with Pavel's "Power to the People" plan

Pavel opened a couple doorways. Kettlebells of course. Maybe it originated somewhere else, but Pavel is the first person i heard “GTG” (grease the groove) from. This is a pivotal concept, especially for people who think they have to get to a gym. Well, you dont. Pick your movement(s), perform them throughout the day, “practice” as Pavel said it, et voila at the end of every day you will have moved. Consistent movement is the golden ticket. I do wish Pavel had shared his age. I am 66 and currently a full time paid professional firefighter. We “older” athletes have an obligation to BREAK the age paradigm. So yeah let people know. Let them know this fitness thing is for life. Age WELL, not Badly.

Years later and this is still one of the funniest questions out there. Someone accused Dan John the other day of not lifting and DJ got HEATED

Respect your elders.. We probably would not be using kettlebells right now if it wasn't for Pavel

Whatever Pavel is or is not lifting at this point, his mind and continued dedication to pursuing and teaching the KNOWLEDGE behind training is incredible.

I could be wrong about this, but I think Pavel wrote "Power to the People" before he wrote any kettlebell book. It was published in 2000. Like all of his books, it is based on the idea of using just 2 lifts, so I can believe the dips and swings answer from Rogan's show. Also, he had a serious elbow injury from arm wrestling, which has limited what he can do ever since. As or the refusal to give his age, that absolutely was suspect. Probably because Pavel was too young to actually have trained Spetsnaz fighting in Afghanistan. He more than likely embellished his resume early on. He is undeniably a very knowledgable guy who has had a big impact, despite his shortcomings.

You can find online info on weightlifting meet where Pavel did around 500 lbs deadlift with a hook grip :) so that's that...

I’m going to reiterate a couple of things. And yes I’m a fan of Pavel but don’t use his protocols any longer. The first videos including RKC ETK more Russian kettlebell exercises, all the stretching and all the abs videos were demonstrated by pavel. I’ve taught martial arts for almost 30 years and at 50 let my students demonstrate a lot of techniques. My instructor has cancer but doesn’t talk about it. If you took a class from him he wouldn’t demonstrate but you could learn a lot. Point being you never know someone’s story. All of pavels programs are 2 exercises and they work for certain things. Look at Pavel Macek and tell me it doesn’t work. “Kettlejitsu” is just as made up as hard style. And Im sure most gs champs would say the same about it as they do hard style. It’s a made up nom traditional kettlebell method. And so is every other kettlebell cert they are all someone’s creation. I have no problem with criticism but this was more of an insult or taking shots imo. And I challenge anyone to find an interview or video of him saying anything negative about anyone. And I don’t think he has to maintain that persona lots of people change over time. And he’s not nearly as “schticky” anymore. When you talk about it being his way or the highway of course it is, you wouldn’t run a certification company and let someone change your program, the whole idea is quality control so that anyone can deliver the system. It has to be simple and concrete. Try to tell chick fil a they should change their recipe.

being a pavel fan. since 2001. i believe what pavel try to get across is simple and minimalist. like myself i work long hours and get exhausted so a nice simple workout plan keeps me in shape. pavel doesn’t say this carry’s over in sports. he says you need to do more for your chosen sport. this is general fitness. i see a lot of ppl go to the gym for hours. and play around. i would rather snatch a bell or clean and jerk. get on to my own life. i could be wrong. that’s what i get from him. i’m 52 in great shape lean at 170 lbs. so living this way works. it’s not the only way. but it’s a way. for busy ppl.

Come on, guys. If you slag a guy for being good at marketing, you have to cancel the whole of America! BTW, what is the point of your video? Marketing, right?

I'm not familiar with who the bald know it all is, but success leaves clues. There are countless experts and agencies including Marty Gallagher who have worked with Pavel and praised him and his methods. As far as him just doing dips and swings, he explained it has a lot of carry over and he is doing them most days of the week and people don't get prizes for doing the most exercises. That statement that Pavel can't be passionate about training just because he doesn't do a lot of exercises is nonsense. Who said he or anyone else has to compete? If staying strong and fit till he is an old man is his goal without spending a lot of time so he can have a good quality of life that's his business. I could go on but the info is out there it's not like he's some guy that's new on the block

Do you use over 40kg Kettlebells?

Right on, a lot of good points but, one thing in particular, is about “what are you training for” I’m not an endurance athlete but I was in the military and I did train military personnel with these methods. When you’re on deployment and you’re working with guys who are on call, they have to be minimalist and not break themselves down. The other area this style of training is good for is sports! Combat sports, in particular, see almost magical qualities emerge with some of his protocols. Love him or hate him, Pavel has brought a lot of good info to the masses and I’m thankful for him.

Very cool mini episode. I didnt know Joey before. I hear stories for another reason Pavel created hardstyle and that was because kb sport was to hard for him ;). To be honest JRE with Pavel was a blast for me. I dont look so harsh on that "dips and swings" as his bare minimum in this moment. In books he always picks some 2 exercises to become your routine and help you on daily basis. Swing and dip is the variations from last book. Push & hip hinge movements. Pavel explains how to build an endurance in the good way, even in JRE podcast but I agree in Quick and the Dead he markets it like is cure for all. I believe for endurance athletes is not gonna be good but for amateurs mma or "regular" man this is basically good interval training program. To the all gentelmans that you mension I will add Andy Bolton, great powerlifter that benefit from kettlebells and their write a book together so that also add weight to that "statue" of Pavel persona. In the end of the day the kettlebell is just another tool to help you reach your goal. That title can be adress to any strength specific coach or some ex olympians who are great coaches but looks unfit right now. It will be great to have Pavel on your podcast and ask him this questions directly. I really like your quote "take every expert's opinion as guide not as a gospel".

pavel has always been a private guy. i drive back with him in mn in his car. he was extremely nice and down to earth. but private. he knows how america can be so mean and judgmental and turn on ppl. so he is a smart coach. that doesn’t want to see ppl become hurt from lifting weights. smart move on his part. i. started training at 7 yrs old. the first rocky movie. lol got me hooked. i did it all. mostly ahead of the game. when i found pavel info it changed everything. i’ve stopped all the fluff. weights are for building strength. i like to stay lean the bells help. it’s what i enjoy. i believe that’s what he enjoys. he is a great coach. forever grateful

well, i think he works out swings and dips as he says. probably for half an hour a day swings and some days periodically in the week?

As to Pavel not being an athlete and what his minimalism “carry over” mentioned in the Rogan interview pertained to, by 2020 he was ranked 1 Mens Senior USWC in Kyokushin, which was after his Rogan interview.

Like him or not, I bought a copy of Enter the Kettlebell and it’s the funniest and best reading fitness book out there. It’s worth having just to add to your library, wherever you stand/swing… ha.

I worked out with Pavel and Andrea in little Canada, MN. Great training

I first heard of Pavel back in 1998 (I think that was when his article was in Mens Health) The model did everything with dumbells before dragondoor started manufacturing kettlebells. I was hooked after that article. I am a sucker for good marketing and the marketing of pavel was one of the best I have ever seen. Incredible copy that talked to his audience. "A man among men" "As strong as you look" "THe secrets of the russian....." "The cardio of an android" and he built an incredible community.

Pavel.... the czar . ... after all... we use kettlebells because of who?

what difference does it make the fact that people are saying how much does pavel workout is subjective. the fact is he's a wealth of knowledge. its sour grapes with steve maxwell pavels methods work iv'e tried relax into the stretch beyond bodybuilding etc.

I learnt my KB technique from Enter the KB by Pavel, several years ago, he was doing all the moves there, if he does less now, well the body changes with age/injury. I am only a casual KB user x2/week with 16 and 24 for swings, but the technique i learnt from Pavel has worked well. I love your channel Lebe, as you say the discipline has evolved, and simple techniques seem to be the best....if you ever come to Vevey to train in CH be good to see you!!

I love these videos. I lovd pavels work, but will always gravitate toward dan john due to his football and track focus. I have spent alot more time on the football field and track than i have on a russian elite force. Carry over to what is the best question for pavels work.

Ich finde die Frage nebensächlich. Ich bin durch ein Buch von Pavel zum Kettlebellsport gekommen und es motiviert mich immernoch, wenn ich darin lese. Das Training, das darin vorgestellt wird, macht mir Spaß und ich werde immer stärker. Darauf kommt es für mich an.

I know I'm late to the party, but Pavel is known for his minimalist workouts. He trains swings and dips currently, in the past has advocated swings and getups, barbell deadlifts and side press, bodyweight pistol squat and one arm pushup, etc... He stays true to his teachings.

I think this critique of Pavel is looking for chinks in the armour of a very solid guy that has absolutely made a solid impact on the fitness and strength community with his career. Most all of the critiques offered fail to account for all the information involved. Pavel's focus has always been around offering a model of GPP that offers the most development of strength that has the broadest carry over into the broadest spectrum of daily activities and maintains a foundation for athletic training for sports that can be built upon, alongside taking the least toll on you system to minimize the need for recovery, so that you can add to it to develop specificity for any activity you might want further develooment for. In other words Pavel has never claimed that his basic programs are "all you need". Pavel's claim is not to offer a "Complete program" for every activity or sport. His claim is the most well rounded foundation that has the most carry over into any activity. His claim is that the Kettlebell is the tool that is most effective and efficient at that task. He never says it is the ONLY tool for that task. In fact he even offers other tools that are better at certain tasks or circumstances. For instance if your goal is maximal strength development the kettlebell isn't the absolute best tool for the task. That's why he offers a protocol with barbells. He also recognises the convenience of body weight training and offers a body weight protocol etc. Pavel also recognises the need to build on the protocols he offers for specificity in sports or other activities. That's why he offers many strength tools and methods that go beyond just a GPP protocol or certain GPP protocols that are activity or sort specific GPP protocols. Pavel's choice of swings and dips is simply a GPP protocol that he feels best supports his own current lifestyle. Since activities in our lives often change from time to time so might our GPP protocol change to give us more specific carry over into our activities. This also doesn't recognise that as a sports trainer Pavel likely does other training on top of his GPP. We have to take into account the constant demonstrations and involvement he is exposed to as an athletic trainer that likely adds to his "weekly rep count". I'm sure as he ages he likely tries to use others to demonstrate as it becomes exhausting constantly demonstrating physical lifts and movements. As a coach it starts to make more sense to have others demonstrate for you. Again let's try to understand rather than look to critique Pavel. I think we would find that what he says makes sense when we add all of the factors surrounding what he is saying. It's clear he has worked with many top sports professionals and if he was full of bologna it's not likely that wouldn't have been exposed and yet most have had nothing but positive things to say about him.

When Convict Conditioning came out I predicted that was the end of Pavel at Dragondoor and that turned out to be the case. Since then Dragondoor has published other body weight stuff and even gotten into isometrics.

I have never in my life seen such lack of self-awareness and a conversation to guys who literally do every single thing that they’re criticizing Pavel for doing. Every single human being in the fitness industry models the exact strategy that Pavel used it’s the whole reason this gentleman has a KZfaq channel. I’m not saying that a lot of what you’re saying isn’t true but it’s true for everyone in the fitness and strength and conditioning industry every single person. There wouldn’t be an industry without it because the truth of the matter is every single person can get stronger and better shape at home in the basement with some cement blocks and that’s been proven for centuries. But most of all from somebody who’s been in the strength room for 30 something years I can tell you for a fact that not one of you would even know what a kettlebell was if it wasn’t for Pavel he is the sole reason anybody uses kettle bells while you can buy a kettle bell in any store that’s all him and deserves respect for that and I’m not even a huge Pavel fan it’s just as decent respect. And lastly the idea that your modalities for strength shouldn’t change in your lifetime make you a horrible trainer because any decent trainer should know that no modality is a long-term modality number one except for walking and B that as you age in your experience in your wares and tears and lifetime stresses require you to change modalities

Speaking of swings versus presses, there is a strong first vid where Pavel says a single long cycle is the most comprehensive single exercise

Very good vídeo. But some things are better explained In the book. Pavel explained in Quick and dead that dips are not for everyone's shoulders, And that Quick and dead program is not enough to a cardio event, would Just give you a general condition.

Yeah, it's funny because I was just recently revisiting some old RKC videos and not only that you don't see Pavel quote on quote working out, but also his way of presenting is not very convincing in the era of kettlebells we are right now. Still he braught the kbs into the main stage of fitness.

yes. yes. yes. business man 100%. very good at it too

There was a guy named Matt Furey who was very much like Pável. He came in twenty years ago wrote a hit instructional book and did a seminar series called Combat Conditioning, which appealed to the grappling community. He touted “The Royal Court” which was seven body weight exercises that would solve all your problems in life, fundamentally. He made a big wave in the fitness community then, made a lot of suspect claims, then poof! He disappeared. Much like Pável, however, Furey indeed had some sound ideas but I hindsight here to sell, make a few bucks and split. *I too 😂recall the Swing and Dip response, which left me scratching my head. Made no sense as a “Full body” pan-beneficial duo of exercises.

Talking about Cult vibes: the comments don't disappoint 😄

To each his own. AXE works for me. Im an old fart and im a space cadet. i work 50-60 hrs/wk. Exercising 40 min 3-4x/wk doing something every min on the min keeps me efficient and consistent. I worship Pavel like a God

Perhaps kettle bells appeal to people for whom barbells or calisthenics don't, and have come to them via Pavel. Does it matter that Pavel didn't want to tell Joe how old he was?

Gregory, have you tried to invite Pavel to a conversation like you had with other masters? Did he refuse?

I hate how comments are disabled on the strong first channel (sets a bad precedent, not fans of discussion apparently) I owe a lot to Pavel, if nothing else than at least for his inspiration. However his concepts of grease the groove and doing 1/3 to 2/3 of your max reps have not yielded any fruit for myself.

Do you HAVE to do accents when quoting Russians?

LeabaSchtakk seriously has it out for Pavel.

Pavel is just cool.

Joey is the bomb!

Nothing to see here. Just two people trying to bash Pavel to score some points on his name.

3 minutes in and so many ignorant statements. I got my first Pavel book for free in 2001 (Beyond Crunches). I bought Beyond stretching & after enjoying that Power to the People. The Russian Kettlebell Challenge I bought in late 2002. So no Pavel didn't revert to barbells after crossfit gained steam in the early mid 2000s... He has always been focused on strength not the tool & efficiency. Bodyweight, calisthenics & Kbs have always been in his programs. How do I know? Well I went through the RKC in 2005. Strongfirst was created when Pavel allowed the "functional/ corrective fitness" crowd take too much control via John Ducain. That split was a business decision to regain control over the direction of his courses. Finally, we know Pavel has pulled heavy heavy deads in studies for Dr. Stew McGill. I haven't talked to Pavel since 2008. I don't get too deep in these groups, but I have plenty of friends who do. The pount is within the first 3 mins of this pod you just talked made trash that is probably false.

Cultic… well whatever happened to taking everything with a grain of salt? Guide not gospel you said, yeah. Well the same thing happened in the guitar world in the 80s

I think this is a little of an unfair take on Pavel. Yes he is a master brander of himself. But his whole fitness philosophy for the everyman is to do minimal amount of work for adequate levels of fitness. He talks about this minimalism alot. The idea is that if you are working, have a family, and can't take 5-10 hours in the gym each week and all you need is some general fitness to keep yourself healthy then his prescriptions are very relevant. If you want to be in the 1000 lb club or do strongman then they are not. For the average guy who is a cop, firefighter, sits at a desk, etc then it is all you really need to get and stay fit. At Pavel's point in life this is all he really needs too.

Come on Joey. You are so much better person, than that.

try getting a strongfirst instructor such as brett jones on your podcast

Pavel is a marketing genius

Pavel T. is comparable to Werner Kieser (of Switzerland). He had a really good Idea, started a franchise system, and the rest is history. Unlike W. Kieser, P.T. doesn't seem to use his product much himself. Pavel's character presentation is the very reason I avoided kettlebells for a decade or more.. It was people like Steve Cotter and LS 💪, and D. Vasilov that demonstrated to me, that Kettelbells are going to be worth it for me.

kettlejitsu is a minimalist prejudice.

Pavel is 53

Half or more of the fitness gurus out there are products of marketing. Look at the belly you see on Greg Glassman, but that one word "Cr....t" creates endless revenue. At least Pavel had some quality content that I and many others benefitted from. Besides...the Russian iron man character kept things less boring. People need to lighten up sometimes.

This dude hates the player. Pavel is the man. He found a business market and he used it. And he puts out good stuff.

Boost

Pavel looks to be mid to late 50s to me. If i could see photos of him and the years they were taken i'd be able to gauge better. I followed some of his books for a bit but when it got to the nitty gritty of an actual training programme they were not detailed enough and once I got over the newbie gains it was hard to improve using his books. I saw some of the Joe R podcast and as pointed out, it looked a bit awkward to me. If he lifts or not doesn't have to be relevant. Everyone has their own body type and training methods that is right for them. You don't have to be a top athlete to be a great coach or sport scientist. We don't need someone who was a great footballer to coach a soccer team. We need someone who understands how to get the best out of an individual and what's right for them and the team and the science behind the training. Sport/training science gets better all the time. We can only advise on practises as understood at the time and correct ourselves when science shows our understanding was lacking. Pavel is scrawny but he obviously is in good shape (from the photo at least). Even Gregory and Angie look far better now in an athletic sense than when they had more muscle mass when you see them in older videos vs where they are today. You don't need to be 102kg pure muscle to look good.

I saw a video once of Pavel pressing the beat KB overhead from the side splits. This vid is trash

Gregory, didn't I tell you the same? He is not considered as a master of anything by all great russian kettlebell lifters!

This is my most favourite thing about you Gregory! you talk to so many prominent people in the kettlebell world, but you never sit back and blindly accept anything as law. You ALWAYS think for yourself, but remain open to any and all information you come across. You also share it freely with the world. I hope to someday make it to Switzerland and visit Lebestark just to hangout for an hour and swing some bells around!🫶🏽

You're talking crap about the guy to whom you both owe your entire careers? That's pretty sad.

uuups you people messed up with the wrong dude: The 15-th U.S. Weight Category Karate Championships 2019 was held on January 27, 2019 at the Los Angeles, USA. MEN SENIOR LW 1st Pavel Tsatsouline - Manhattan Beach, CA 2nd Kosei Hatakeyama - Irvine, CA🤣