Reviews

After showing me his ENTER THE KETTLEBELL DVD and giving me his copy of PTP, my boyfriend bought me the package FROM RUSSIA WITH TOUGH LOVE (book,DVD and a 26lb KB.) I began doing the DVD/Book workouts with Dumbells as I awaited my KB arrival. I have named it Cruella.
I am only two weeks into using the sample workouts in the book. Was I imagining I felt results immediately? No- I dodge NYC yellow taxis and get accross NYC streets faster as well as take subway stairs two at a time carrying a packed knapsack without hesitation since starting the workouts. I have a backround in Artistic Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Ballet, Pilates and some weight training. No Comrades, my dumbells are not pink! (But they were a bit dusty.) Now, I can't wait to workout!

As a physical therapist I am impressed with the foundation in science and literature that Pavel refers to in PTP. I am even more impressed with the precise breakdown of skills in the DVD. I have met world champions and famous personalities in sports and dance who had not mastered breaking down movements when giving workshops. A skilled teacher is not only invaluable but sadly, rare. Pavel has the talent for teaching necessary to get through to even us beginners. Andrea and K.C. do a wonderful job demonstrating. They have turned the KB lifts into choreography as they seemlessly perform the lifts together. Content-wise this is a high quality, precise DVD. the book/DVD and KB are well worth the investment.

Working out with KB's is a thinking person's workout! You can't afford loosing your concentration or to forget proper technique. So far, I have had strength gains, weight loss and increased energy! I am also starting to get a sense of the cardiovascular aspects of the KB workout!

My biggest sadness is that I didn't get a KB YEARS or even DECADES ago!
A big Thank You or Spaceeba Bolshoi, Pavel!

The material presented was in a straight, "no nonsense approach." My mother got interested into the femme program and has become a convert to the way of the party.

For my Tough Love victim I chose my ninety year old mother.

She did a box sit-up from the beginning of the Tough Love DVD, standing up with a 4kg kettlebell. I told her to throw the bell out from her chest, forward, to grease her get up. (ballistic box sit-up?)

I've noticed that ballistic kb exercise seems to apply traction to a joint and then smear cartilage around. My mother is trying to do that for a hip that has virtually no cartilage showing on X-ray. She's been taking all the right supplements to reduce inflammation and support cartilage and protect or improve bone density. Now it's time to "bite the hair of the dog", as Pavel says.

For a windmill she just holds an empty hand up and tries to touch her knee. Valery Federenko's grandmother can press 24kg but my mother would settle for pressing 4kg to begin a windmill. That's a reasonable goal for a month from now. VitalZymSEB and protein after workouts!

Instead of using the healthy hip and leg to step up on stairs, she's using the bad hair dog side to step up. When she can let go of the railing, then hold a kettlebell out front RKC-torture-style. Already she has progressed to carrying a bundle of laundry on the stairs instead of using a shoulder bag.

I just take the full monty from DVD matching the focus for rehab, and water it down, like for the hip do a windmill with no bell and touch the knee instead of the ground. Or box sit-up as get-up for today, and Turkish Get-Up some day.

Every allegation of elder abuse must be investigated. Is she just breaking adhesions or really smearing new cartilage around? Let's see the X-ray after a few months with kettlebells and without the original sources of inflammation. Anecdotal makes a comrade, science(knowledge not circle jerk hired hierarchicalism) makes a cadre. Pavel's wisdom overthrows an unworthy regime of pain and limited mobility. Bite the hair of the running dog of complacency, comrades!

Knowing what exercises to perform with the kettlebell is important, but performing the exercise correctly is critical. The video does an excellent job of explaining and them demonstrating each excercise which allows the viewer to take full advantage of the kettlebell training method. Give it 5/5 stars!

This is a solid, perfect instructional DVD. I am new to kettlebells, and this is what I turn to when I need help with a move. Working with a trainer is best, but if you don't have access to a kettlebell trainer, this DVD is the next best thing. I absolutely love it!

I bought this video for both my wife and me after getting Enter the Kettlebell. It's definitely a good companion to ETK. Some of the same exercises are covered, but it also goes into the squats and abdominals as well. I learned from both, so I would suggest both for a new kettlebell user. I have definitely benefitted greatly from following these exercises. I have lost about 14# of fat and gained 4# of muscle in addition to greatly increasing my shoulder strength and stability from doing these exercises. They have also loosened up my hamstrings and strengthened my back quite a bit. One of the things I like about the video is the emphasis on proper form and safety. I have recommended this video to friend interested in felling the Russian pain!

I am new at kettlebells & just started using "From Russia With Tough Love" Am very impressed at the self discipline it teaches. I am anxious to see the end results once I master every technique on the DVD.

This is like nothing I've ever done before. I was sore from head to toe the first time I did this video. It'll take some practice to get all the moves down correctly. It's fun, it's different, and it makes you feel strong. I've been recommending it to all my friends!

This is an excellent beginners video for comrades of both genders. Pavel is his entertaining self,but his sense of humor and showmanship only adds to the instructive value of the tape. Highly recommended.

This is my first kettlebell video and I am totally impressed! This workout has strengthened me very quickly and I am feeling so much better. I have fibromyalgia and am pleased to say this workout does not make me hurt! I will purchase more products from Dragon Door!I dropped one whole size in just 3 weeks.

Fast shipping. Good DVD. Easy to follow especially for beginners.

I agreed completely with a previous reviewer so I copied it here: "The exercises on this video are great. They do give a great workout. Pavel's continual use of "Comrades Ladies" is grating and annoying. I did not care for the time wasted on faux punishments,making the female atheletes "drop for five" pushups for incorrect exercise methods. They were told to do them incorrectly to show bad form.I would have benefited more from a brief overview of the exercise, complete with short demonstrations of correct and incorrect form and then a follow-up workout segment."

I am very pleased with my purchase, it is very thorough in the instructions of how to correctly perform exercises and gives common mistakes with demonstration for them as well for those who are more visual learners. I am excited to start my kettlebell adventure and look forward to ordering more when I have become competent with this one.

I am new to the kettlebell so naturally I have been reading every article and bit of information I can get my hands on about correct technique and the various exercises that can be performed with a kettlebell. Once I watched Pavel's From Russia with Tough love DVD I realised there is a lot of incorrect information out there.

If you want a no nonsense guide to correct kettlebell technique then this DVD is for you. If you are prepared to sweat and hurt in places you didnt know you had muscles the first few times you do a workout then this DVD is definitely for you. If you want to feel stronger quicker then any pilates or spin class will ever make you, get this DVD. I hope more women take the plunge into the world of Kettlebells it may seem daunting at first but the rewards are so worth it. This DVD delivers its promises unlike may of the other gimicks out there on the market. If you do the training you will reap the rewards.

The instruction and demonstration of the kettlebell exercises is very good and easy to follow. Pavel's stern instructions and admonitions are (most likely unintentionally) hilarious and make this a fun workout video. Hope to look like the ladies in the video soon!

Good introduction to technique and form, but I still need to find a routine to get started.

I really like this DVD. Well explain. Thank you

I thought this would be a kettlebell workout. it is a basic instruction of how to do kettlebell exercises. the problem is that it covers basic drills and really advanced ones. there is no workout on this video. I was pretty dissapointed.

DVD very helpful as far as performing the exercises correctly, however, it was a little more beginner than I would have liked. Will definitely order from DragonDoor.com again!

The exercises on this video are great. They do give a great workout. Pavel's continual use of "Comrades Ladies" is grating and annoying. I did not care for the time wasted on faux punishments,making the female atheletes "drop for five" pushups for incorrect exercise methods. They were told to do them incorrectly to show bad form.

I would have benefited more from a brief overview of the exercise, complete with short demonstrations of correct and incorrect form and then a follow-up workout segment.

MY FIRST TIME WATCHING THE DVD I THOUGHT IT WAS SLOW IN ITS PRESENTATION BUT AFTER I BEGAN TO TRAIN WITH THE KETTLEBELL I WAS QUICK TO LEARN I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE DVD FOR THE WELL EXPLAINED INSTRUCTIONS TIME AND TIME AGAIN. PAVEL TAKES HIS TIME TO EXPLAIN SKILL AND TECHNIQUE VERY WELL. I APPRECIATE THE DVD AND STILL GO BACK TO IT OFTEN AS I AM STILL LEARNING AND TRYING TO MASTER THE KETTLEBELL SYSTEM. KETTLEBELL TRAINING IS VERY UNQUIE WAY OF TRAINING, AND IT SETS ITSELF APART FROM THE STANDARD WAY OF WEIGHT TRAINING AS WE KNOW IT.

Although the explanation and demonstration of exercises were good, the presentation was so distracting to me that I would not watch it again. The women following orders obediently and kicking each other on command was just too much. I ordered a different book and video to assist with my training.

This is a good intro to kettlebells, and I really like how it's focus is on kettlebells for women. It's encouraging to see the two terrifically fit women in the DVD go through the entire range of exercises; if they can do it, then maybe I can too! I don't think I would feel this way if the DVD had been populated by men.

I would suggest watching the entire video BEFORE starting a workout if, like me, you've never picked up a kettlebell before. This video does a great job of showing and explaining how to do each exercise. It also shows some of the things that people do incorrectly, and explains why they're incorrect.

The women in the video make you want to be as good as them with the kettlebells - you can totally appreciate the effort involved in doing kettlebells after watching them (and then trying it for yourself).

The thing you need to be prepared for is the idea that there is no set kettlebell workout per se, unlike aerobics or even weightlifting. You decide what you want to do, and how much you need to/can do of that. It's up to you to design your workout. Cool, but daunting initially.

I didn't give this DVD a 10 because it tries to install some viewing/ad software that is totally unnecessary and unwanted (this can be circumvented by opening your DVD player software first, then opening the DVD through that). It would be better if Dragon Door released a newer DVD without this, uh, stuff.

Also, the very beginning is a little artificial in terms of acting and whatnot. Once Pavel gets into the actual training portion, you begin to understand what everybody talks about -- how he knows his stuff and is incredibly helpful in getting you to understand what is going on with your body and how to protect yourself from injury by doing it right.

I could not have begun my kettlebell practice if I hadn't gotten this DVD, and every time I do a workout, I still put this DVD on, because it increases my understanding of what I'm asking my body to do every time I watch it.

This is a great introduction to Kettlebell training for women. The exercises are shown from different viewpoints so you can see if you are doing them correctly. We are taken through each one slowly and thoroughly.
Pavel's great sense of humor adds laughs to the workout.

Somehow my wife and I got lucky. This was the first KB DVD that we ordered. Pavel does a great job breaking down in detail the basics, especially highlighting the mistakes that can cause injury. The DVD teases you with some advanced variations, too. Whenever I am asked about KBs I recommend buying this video first despite the fact that I own all of Pavel's DVDs. I will refer back to it occasionally just to be sure that my form isn't deteriorating. There is an excellent routine at the end. This is "The One" to get for your first DVD when embarking on KBs.

The instructions were very good. I felt the instructor taught me how to safely use the kettle bells. I just wish that at the end of the teaching video there was a routine I could follow.

The Russian aspect of the exercises was a little overdone. But I guess if you are Russian you would want everyone to appreciate your mother country. The first attempt at exercise went smoothly until the next morning when I felt the after effects (which was good for me). I'm not complaining. I have high hopes that this will whip me into shape.

The Dvd helps a first time user get an idea on what type of work outs you can do with the kettle bell.

Like the exercises and demonstrations, but find the words silly at times.

It teaches you everything you need to know and the correct way to do it. The only thing I wish it had was an actual workout plan for you that you could follow along with. I am however SORE! It is a Great workout I can tell I worked muscles I havent used in a while!!!

If you perform an exercise incorrectly, you have to do push-ups.
Too much stress. Everybody makes mistakes. It's a good basic beginner tape other than that feature. Very clear instructions and demonstrations. I like the demonstrations of incorrect technique and how to change to the correct technique. I just didn't respond well to the push-ups as punishment. I know it goes along with the Tough Love marketing concept and the play on words with From Russia With Love the James Bond flick - it just didn't work for me.

I'm a longtime fan of working out at home, and have rehabilated both rotator cuffs with lots of work and NO surgery, thank God. I found this DVD when I was looking for a replacement of my old vhs "Superjoints," (I have to learn to stop loaning out favorites). Ordered the FRWTL and two kettleballs (10lb & 18lb) on the spot, and received them quickly. DVD is easy to follow, most moves shown from 2 angles and explained thoroughly; nothing like standing up & getting to it,though! The ladies make it look easy, but trust me, even though I started light at my age (56), there's plenty of work involved. You too will know the joy of hard work in the adductors, quads, glutes & hamstrings,arms, shoulders, & core . Fun factor-high! Pavel's humor-subtle as usual! Only marked down for lack of defined "workout" schedule-but easy enough to play with the various moves and do what I can on a given day. Enjoy!

Very good explanation and demonstration. Could be a little more motivational. Gave me everything I need to get started!!

The video has a variety of good exercises to follow. The only negative is that it is probably the most corny video I have ever seen. It was hard to take the guy in the video seriously.

I really enjoyed the scientific education of the movements, but the video was very dry and boring. I guess it was the "Russian style!" Though the workouts were tough, but the price should probably be $5 less because of the presentation. Overall, I give it a B-!

I find Pavel rather flat and dry and his demanding 5 push ups is very annoying.

I liked the time taken to explain and show the various exercises but was VERY disappointed to get only a short work out at the end with the Ladies. More workout routines of various time lengths would have been appreciated.

As a person with absolutely no experience with a kettlebell, I found this dvd to be very informative and very clear with the demonstrations of how to use and how not to use the kettlebell. I am glad I picked this dvd for my initial training.

I am a recent convert to kettlebells and Dragon Door. I bought "From Russia with Tough Love," for my sister and she is very enthusiastic after a couple of workouts. All of my ordering and delivery experiences with Dragon Door have been smooth.

I enjoyed the over all feel - that this is serious business. But I would much prefer this to be something that I can work with as I workd out - this is not the feeling that I get. I would like to work with the DVD; add some music and put an actuall work out routine together that I can follow rather than showing me moves and then basicly leaving the work out routine up to me to create. I was debating about buying "The Kettleball Goddess workout" and "From Russia with Tough Love" and I think I might prefer "The Kettleball Goddess workout". I would have liked much more information about the Kettleball - what weight would be best and if it buying two is required for what moves and which DVD. The web site is way too busy and needs much better structure - organized information for the buyer - A new Buyer of Kettleballs - i am exited though and will use the moves from the DVD and if I deserve the other one I will buy it later.

Wow! I really enjoyed this video. I sat and watched it the first time all the way through before attempting to do any of the exercises. The next time, I gathered my kettlebells and did as much as possible. Pavel is a great teacher. Andrea and DC were perfect inspirations. A video is definitely the best way to learn the techniques.

Greetings,
The background gave clear focus of exercises.
Instruction very professional and clear.

I found Andrea very strong but I percieved a distraction
with the camera causing her form to be rushed or pushed in the swing.
overall the dvd is very good.

don't be fooled by the title- the material herein [and in the same titled book] is NOT for lady comrades only, it is simply put a brilliant distillation of other much denser PAVEL RKC materials in a bitable concise package that essentially idiot proofs the PAVEL approach. i got the femme fatale material so that i could better show my mom how to RKC [she's 81 a/o 12/2004] and found it useful for my own bad self.

in all, probably my reccomendation for THE intro materials to RKC for the rank beginner.

Comrade Pavel--
Since my wife and I train with kettlebells together, this excellent book has helped us both.
As Personal Trainers, we help each other with our form/technique while we train.
I did add the Power-Breathing Crunches to my own training regimen, however.
Another tremendous book! If you keep this up, we'll probably have all your books!

I bought the video to supplement the book ( which is the best
workout book ever ). The exercises are presented in a simple
straighforward manner, with emphasis on safety and technique.
Pavel shows you how to diagnose good vs bad form, when to use
a spotter, and the same exercise done at several levels of
strength. I am a 56 year old gal, have videos from Jane Fonda,
Tai Chi, the FIRM, etc. This is the best workout video I have
ever bought. Well worth every cent.