Pavel Tsatsouline, Master of Sports, contract instructor to the U.S. Marine Corps, the National Nuclear Security Administration/U.S. Department of Energy, and S.W.A.T. teams

About Pavel Pavel Tsatsouline, Master of Sports, is a former Soviet Special Forces physical training instructor who has been called "the modern king of kettlebells" for starting the Russian kettlebell revolution in the West. In 1998 Pavel introduced the ancient Russian strength and conditioning tool to the American public in his subversive article, Vodka, Pickle Juice, Kettlebell Lifting, and Other Russian Pastimes. The article was published by MILO, a magazine for tough hombres who bend steel and lift rocks. When Pavel started getting mail from guys with busted noses, cauliflower ears, scars, or at least Hell's Angels tattoos his publisher took notice.

In 2001 Dragon Door published Pavel's book The Russian Kettlebell Challenge and forged the first US made Russian style cast iron kettlebell. RKC™, the first kettlebell instructor course on American soil, kicked off. Finally Pavel, a kettlebell in his fist, was voted the 'Hot Trainer' by Rolling Stone. As the kettlebell invasion gained momentum Pavel appeared in media ranging from Pravda to Fox News.

Given the kettlebell's harsh reputation, Pavel's early students looked like they came from the federal witness protection program. Today these hard living men have to begrudgingly share the Russian kettlebell with Hollywood movie stars and other unlikely kettlebellers. Fed up with the touchy-feely drivel that was passed as fitness advice, smart folks have gone hardcore. In 2004 Dr. Randall Strossen, one of the most respected names in the strength world, stated, "In our eyes, Pavel Tsatsouline will always reign as the modern king of kettlebells since it was he who popularized them to the point where you could almost found a country filled with his converts…"

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To ask Pavel a training question go to the discussion site.
To schedule an interview or a seminar with Pavel contact him at paveltsatsouline@mac.com.

No training questions, please.