all posts post new thread

Old Forum Pavel, parents, and my journey to become "Sinister"

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)

Jon_Frost

Level 5 Valued Member
It always makes me smile when Pavel, or anyone else for that matter, put out a program that gets rave reviews then everyone wants to know how they can change it.  The reply is always "follow as written".  I'm not a parent, but I remember so vividly my parents telling me to do something, then me wanting to do it differently.  I bring this up because I fall into that category.  I have been using kettlebells from pretty much the beginning when Pavel first brought them back onto the scene.  I have purchased every book, video, or dvd that Pavel has produced with the exception of "Beyond Bodybuilding".  I consider him my strength, conditioning, and flexibility guru.  Yet, I cannot say I have ever really followed a program to the letter.  Or really at all.  I like to do snatches, love to do C&J's, hate swings.  Not surprisingly I really haven't accomplished anything impressive in the last 12 or more years I've been training  with kettlebells.  Enter S&S.  At 41, 6'2" and a whopping 148lbs I decided I would follow S&S to the letter until I reach the "Sinister" goals.  And that's what I am doing.  I'm only about 3 weeks in, but I have not yet missed a training session (something I always did before) and am seeing the results already.  I started with the 16 for a week, went to the 20kg for a week, and am now using the 24kg.  I am seeing a difference in my physique, and have somehow added about 3 or 4 lbs to my frame! I am learning to enjoy swings, which I always hated, and am loving the get up, which I always avoided thinking it wouldn't deliver.  Shame it took me sooooo many years to really understand that I don't know more than Pavel, or anyone else when it comes to kettlebell training.  I am excited because I truly believe that I will someday be strong enough to do 100 swings and 10 get ups with a 48kg bell.  That will be plenty strong for this guy.  But I am committed to following the program "as written" to get the results "as written".  As much as I want to do pull ups, dips, and presses, I am avoiding them.  Simply because they do not fit into my current plan.  While some may see the program as limiting or constricting, I find it incredibly liberating.  I no longer have to try and plan my workouts.  It's all done, and it's always the same.  And they are short enough that it's not tedious, it's a "recharge" that I actually look forward to.  My point is this, to all of us that want to change or add something to a program that we couldn't possibly have given enough time to know if it works or not, don't!  Just follow "as written" until you accomplish something.  Then move on, or look for something else.  So often I switch a program without accomplishing anything.  What's the point?  A focused approach as delivered in S&S is, for me, brilliant.  I guess I just wasn't ready to listen before:)

 

Jon
 
Nice post. I think a lot of us are coming to this realization after lots of trial and error.
 
Jon, please do me a favor and post a review on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Kettlebell-Simple-Sinister-Pavel-Tsatsouline-ebook/product-reviews/B00GF2HP9G/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
 
Unfortunately I have to agree. I so badly want to do deadlifts ( not necessarily add to S&S, but later in the day), but S&S is such an easy program to follow with easy progressions that I am going to bite the bullet and do as Pavel says. I plan on ordering a 40kg and a 48kg to have on hand ready to progress to. I have both the kindle version and a hard copy ( hard copy way better than kindle in every way) and havent looked at the sinister section for fear of "jumping the gun" or undermining the Simple section.
 
Pavel I will write a review, but it keeps taking me to a different book. I will have to figure out how to review since I didn't buy from amazon. Hard to do from phone, but will try when in front of computer.
 
Jon,

I often wish I had your build;  I would go nuts with rock climbing and trail running.

There are different ways of applying Pavel's information.  Following instructions is probably best.  Being a "flaneur" can work if that's your temperament.
 
On a completely different note:  buy "Beyond Bodybuilding". Now. Today. I have as little interest in the "specialized activity" of bodybuilding as anyone, finding the oooo-ing and aaah-ing of one male looking at another pretty appalling actually. But striving toward that is not what the book is about at all. There's enough discussion of "bigger" muscles to keep bodybuilders thinking it's a bodybuilding book. But there are some gold nuggets of universal training wisdom in here and Pavel's desire that people train for strength first is front and center. I re-read this book as often as I re-read the first 80 pages of "Naked Warrior".
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom