Reviews

how magnificient this book and DVD is.

Here is a true testament to the power of beautiful strength.I coach some of the best swimmers Denmark has to offer. Swimmers are notorious known for having bad shoulders and I am constantly working on perfecting their movement patterns. One young female swimmer (16 yrs of age) was having servere lower back and shoulder pain. Her FMS score was an asymmetrical 11 with pain. In 8 weeks the situation had greatly improved. For the first four weeks I worked with her TGU the Khalos Stenos way and then added the kb swing after that. So basically she was doing the PM for her conditioning with a emphasis on the Khalos Stenos progressions. Her FMS score is now a symmetrical 19 and just set 7 danish national records. All painfree!

The most important program for anybody is in my mind the PM with the TGU done Khalos Stenos style- It is truly a life of learning with amazing results!

thank you Gray, Brett and "Doc"

I am a Physical Therapist and Personal Trainer working with patients and clients with a wide variety of impairments and functional limitations. For me, having good instruction on how to implement movements like the Turkish Get Up safely with patients and clients has been most helpful. The information for the professionals section was well done and each step is easy to access when one needs reviewing. I have taken the FMS and the SFMA and seen each of the Secrets Of (Core, Primitive Patterns, Shoulder, Hip and Knee) series and reference is made to some of that material which is helpful if the professional needs further reference. If your a professional working with clients or patients who have performance or weight loss goals you WILL benefit greatly from watching these DVD's and using the information as instructed.

Thomas Perreault, DPT

I'm not a physical therapist, coach or RKC. I'm just a regular guy who loves to train with kettlebells; particularly the Turkish Get Up. When I found out about 'Kettlebells from the Ground Up' I jumped on it.

I'd been doing 24kg get ups with really good, Hard-Style form. After one session of practice with my 16kg using the drills from this package, I discovered where my body really wants to be during the TGU and I could feel my form improve throught the session.

The gentlemen who have produced this material have done a great service for me. I'll be using 'Kettlebells from the Ground Up' as I progress through the weights.

This manual and DVD set is worth every penny.

I've been working with kettelbells for 2 years now. I've tried the TGU over and over, hating every minute of it. I never felt comfortable in this exercise. Cook and Jones have broken this exercise down incrementally, allowing even a heavy weight like myself to perform and benefit from this challenging exercise.I regret not having this information 2 years ago to start with. You will not be disappointed in this DVD.

The DVD is a must for all fitness professionals who are using the FMS and corrective exercise with their clients. Gray and Brett break every step down for a complete understanding of the TGU. The manual and the "tips for the pro" is a true bonus!!! As a Physical Therapist I use the steps of the TGU as critical exercises in re-establishing the athlete's functional movement patterns.

This is a great set and great for those who learn either visually or those who like to read the information. The amount of information presented is superb. In Disk 1 starting with the background of Kalos Sthenos was a good way to start in the DVD. The spiral book for those who prefer to read and use the DVD as a supplement or as an addition to, the information is priceless and can be applied regardless if you are an RKC or not. Disk 2 is are great for both personal trainers, physical therapists, and other health professionals (in the pro tips section) or those just wanting to learning the Getup(w/o the pro tips).

This Book/DVD has a wealth of information and a great way to learn more about the getup.

Kettlebells fromt he ground up was just perfect. I was stuck on the 40kg Get Up for a few weeks and saw no progressions. After buying Kettlebells from the ground up within 2 weeks i was doing the48kg BEAST! Just the small technique tips and progressions were well worth the money. The "progressive get-uop" is now my staple warm-up for all my clients.
Thank you

Stephen Macioci
Owner head Coach CrossFit IGNITE
Westwood NJ
www.crossftiignite.com

Front and center, I need to say this: I never understood why we did Get Ups. I have to admit that the work of Dr. Mark Cheng and his clarification of the exercise made me "better" at teaching it, but I had no idea why.

Then, I watched the DVD and read the manual. My dear Team Leader Jones and Gray Cook have taken this exercise and turned it into your "one stop assessment" tool. I looked like a genius yesterday when I took a local professional strength coach through the basics of what I learned from the DVD and I was more amazed than him when I was was finding issues by simply walking him through the simplest parts of the material. Mark's accompanying manual, by the way, is now the standard for the industry. Every one else is going to be judged by this manual.

Stop asking "why hips high" and get the DVD. Stop asking why we do Get Ups. It will be so clear by the finish that you will come back to understand that the Program Minimum CONTINUES to be under appreciated. How do I know? Well, I didn't appreciate it!

There is a genius behind the Swings and Get Ups and most of us just miss it. I "thought" I knew swings. I did Swings, I got the RKC, I became a Team Leader, I did clinics, I spent more time listening and learning, then...I got the insight that Swings and planks are the same exercise. Bang! New breakthrough...

KFTGU is the breakthrough in the Get Up. The "four knots" alone should open the eyes of any one interested in building strength or "whatever."

Hats off to you Gray, Brett and Mark. You not only sold me on the Get Up, but now I do them every day as a basic part of our training and ongoing assessment. I went from "whatever" to "whenever and whereever" with the Get Up.

We are in the midst of a great moment in the development of kbell work and this DVD and manual basically have set the standards for the rest of us on training the lift.

I can't recommend it enough.

So glad I invested in this manual and DVD set. I really learned a lot from the whole series but particularly enjoyed the "Tips for The Pros Checklists>."

The Turkish Get Up has always been a favorite of mine as well as my clients and I'm excited to apply this new knowledge.

The "brettzel" is a great tool for Functional Movement and having just done it for a week I feel a new body "openness."Thanks for that and more!

Buy this set if you are an RKC who wants to continue to give more to your clients. Invest in it if you're a kettlebell user who wants to reach your stability and movement capabilities.

I had a strong TGU before I purchased this set. I had been working it hard, great results were coming and I was proud of myself. I picked up the Kalos Sthenos because I figured my technique could use a little refining. A little? I wish. I had been doing a LOT wrong with the TGU, and this series showed me how to correct it quick fast and in a hurry. I was forced to "empty my cup" and take on a whole new method of thinking/training the TGU.

I took a week off to practice the TGU with no weight and nothing heavier than a 12K. Once I got back to heavy TGU's my newfound strength surprised the hell out of me. I nearly hit a Get Up with a 32 and 16K bell stacked in one hand! Don't sleep on this set, EVERYONE can benefit and improve from the Kalos Sthenos. Beautiful strength indeed.

The authors of this DVD take what at first appears to be a complicated maneuver and by carefully breaking it down link by link, step by step, make learning the maneuver a very manageable task. I am not in the prime of life, being over 50 years old and overweight, so I thought that it would take me months of weight loss and strengthening to get through to the maneuver. However, since obtaining the DVD, I have been able to make progress that I thought would take me months.

As a Kettlebell enthusiast and Personal Trainer I use the TGU and it's parts every day. This is THE "how to" and "WHY TO" do the Turkish Get up and use it to enhance what ever else you do.

side note: My Disc 2 has had some issues, too... restarts itself or stops half way through the 7 steps when I select "play all"; but all steps are watchable.

I was reluctant at first to purchase this DVD-afterall,I have used KBs for several years and was able to perform TGUs.Recently,I have simplified my workouts and have made the TGU one of the centerpieces of my program.I figured what the heck,I'll get the DVD and see what it's all about.The instruction, clarity,and graphics are excellent. The analysis of the TGU into small building blocks along with the corresponding drills is the best I've seen on the subject.The manual is a perfect companion piece to the DVD. For anyone(from beginners to advanced) who wants to learn the TGU,this product is essential.

As I already own Gray's 'Secrets' series DVDs, I found the first DVD of this two disc set somewhat boring, given that it goes over ground previously covered.

However, the second disc more than makes up for any misgivings I had in buying this product. Quite simply, the viewer is presented with world class instruction in the finer points of the Get-up, especially when Gray and Brett's 'tips for the pros' are taken into consideration.

Mark Cheng's superb accompanying manual is also a world class resource.

As someone who'd previously avoided the Get-up due to chronic neck issues this product has convinced me to attempt the exercise again while providing me with the information to do so safely and effectively.

Highly recommended.

Excellent, documented, detailed explanations, instructions and pointers for learning the TGU. Indispensable for those who like me, for lack of time and because of personal inclination, are mostly learning from books, on their own.
Fabulous for everyone. Look out for anything Brett and Gray put out: these guys know and know how to teach: tanks a whole lot.

This product has helped to redirect my thinking towards simplifying my training. The complexity of a lot of workouts these days can often be a bit much to digest. Having watched this I learned that getting a solid basis with this one 'simple' move would be well advised, before embarking upon the more complex programs (or lifts) that are commonplace these days.
Though it is just one movement, it seems to encompass a lot of different capabilities of the human body : getting up off the ground, stabilizing a weight etc, and the authors have really detailed the different stages of the movement. Dr Mark Cheng's mnanual really increased the accessability of this product, and I'd be delighted if he would write some for the previous 4 secrets videos (sorry mr Cheng if they send some unwanted workload your way).
I'm only working on the very beginning techniques and still taking in all the material, but am very encouraged that my future training will improve. The authors should be proud of this production.

The TGU is on the surface, a simple exercise. On the surface... Beneath it, however, lies possibly one of the keys for making life easier, which of course, we all want. In order to do that you need to buy "Kalos Sthenos," watch and read it, and practice it. A lot.

Why?

Because you'll be stronger, move better, and well, what else is there? (Disclaimer: Even though "Kalos Sthenos" means "beautiful strength," you will not become more beautiful from watching this DVD. Sorry Brett...)

This DVD breaks down the TGU into 7 steps, which, I will not spoil for you. It also shows you how to become better at each step, identifying restrictions and providing corrections, for a stronger, more fluid performance of the TGU. It essentially disassembles the TGU, examines each piece, refines it, and then puts the whole thing back together. This not only makes the TGU performance easier, but for those "in the know," it becomes a movement screen in and of itself for more "advanced," yet surprisingly simple exercises. Learning how to get the most out of the TGU, which you will once you watch this DVD series and practice its contents, will automatically make everything else just feel easier.

Why make life harder than it hast to be? Get "Kalos Sthenos" today and make life easier.

This is an extraordinary and creative reworking of the Get Up exercise. It will entirely revamp your approach to the Get Up in your own exercise regimen. If you teach, it offers a whole new level of movement ideas, screening and corrections. These tools are useful not only with the Get Up but with any number of exercises that use related movements. My complete review can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/c5m9vx

Grey Cook and Bret Jones are masterful in their presentation of the material. I have been doing the Turkish Get Up for years. In my mind I had more than mastered the technique. Little did I know just how much I was missing. The TGU is the staple of my work out routine. This DVD set improved my TGU performance and allowed me to focus on my week points, which in turn strengthened my entire work out. Thank you sooo much for for such an AWESOME product. I'm a customer for life.

I am an Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases medical doctor. In my practice I see a wide spectrum of musculoskeletal injuries and /or dysfunction. I am 51 years old and I as well have suffered my share of such unfortunate injuries. These include a right achilles rupture, low back disk herniations, rotator cuff syndromes, and bilateral torn knee meniscus. The latest was a recent right knee buckle handle meniscus tear that completely locked my knee out and required arthroscopic partial meniscotomy (shaving of the damaged meniscus). The Kettlebells from the ground up, that is the TGU with all the drills for each of the seven steps, accelerated my rehab. It has an almost flawless inbuilt safety net/valve into its method. It is very challenging, specially when you do the drills with 62 lbs or more. At the same time, the nature of the movements, make it very hard to injure yourself further during the rehab. Your are not rehabing the injured body part in isolation, but rather incorporating your entire body in the movements. This whole body incorporation, as well as the inbuilt safety net, makes this kettlebells from the
ground up approach the preferred weight bearing rehab method for most musculoskeletal injuries. Sami Yasin MD.

While this video was extremely instructive, the second disc has bombed on me after only a few times through.

I'm not in the fitness profession. I'm the IT director for a school district. Unfortunately, I, like many many IT professionals, spend way too much time at a keyboard. The end result was predictable.
I decided to do something about this a couple of years ago and started losing weight and exercising. I found out about kettlebells a about 9 months into this process after reaching a plateau.
I've been doing swings and the TGU all this time, but have never fully understood why the TGU was such a wonderful exercise. After all, I'm a geek, not a fitness pro. After reading this book and going through the videos, I have a much better appreciation for all the finer points of the TGU.
I highly recommend this for anyone serious about working with kettlebells.

I admit it: I always hated the Get Up. I just didn't see the point. Yes, for wrestlers and fighters, I saw the point, but what about the rest of us?

Then, at the USMC Cert, Dr. Mark Cheng simply said to me: "It might take years to mine all the gems in the Program Minimum." The PM, as we all know, is simply mixing the Swings and the TGU. Well, anything Mark tells me is something I take to heart. Was I missing something?

When I first popped open, "Kbells from the Ground Up," and started watching and taking notes, I was amazed. As a strength coach, this little series of "moving moments" gave me a daily chance to assess my athletes (up to 65 at once!) without anything more technical than "raise your right leg" or "roll your head." Folks, as a coach, you can have 30 assistant coaches running around but you never get the feedback that you need. With the KS system, the athlete "knows" that this or that is stiff or weak and can instantly apply the fix.

These past three months have been amazing in the community. Jay's VO2 book has changed the teaching of the snatch, the new "Return of the Kettlebell" is the standard for teaching "the next level," and "Kbells from the Ground Up" will change the way you think and approach the Get Up forever.

It is a one stop assessment tool, a great workout and a magnificent book. I can't recommend it enough. Even if you don't coach a dozen athletes, use the tools in this work on yourself and amaze yourself with the simple insights about day to day issues that you instantly address in just a few minutes of "testing." Great, great stuff...

Kettlebells from the ground up comes with two DVDs and a spiral-bound reference book.

The first DVD is hardly worth watching, anyone who would spend the money to buy this already knows that the Turkish Get-up is a great exercise and doesn't need to spend an hour being told this again.

In contrast the second DVD is terrific - the get-up is broken down into 7 movements and each is clearly expalianed and demonstrated along with a number of supplimental exercises and stretches.

The book is a useful reference when you don't want to go back and watch the second DVD again but it could have been better. In many places in the book is is suggested that for more information on a topic you need to buy the "Secrets of ..." series of DVDs by the same authors. Given the price of KBs From the Ground Up, I felt a little insulted by the numerous sales pitches for other products and that it would have been entirely appropriate to put a lot more supplimentary material into the book.

Gray and Brett provide easy to follow, step by step, instruction on the seven positions for the TGU. I find that referring to both the DVD and the manual ensure refinement and mastery of the technical aspects of each position. I replay each chapter of the DVD as often as I need and I keep the manual by my side when I'm on the floor for easy reference. You won't find better instruction anywhere. These guys are experts. Presented in an engaging and friendly manner.

THE KBFTGU manual and DVD are invaluable tools to have my kettlebell training. I have learned something new about the TGU every time I practice the movement. When I started training with kettlebells in March 09, I couldn't preform one pullup, and I couldn't even hold a negitive but for maybe a second or two. Once I started practicing the TGU, I didn't think that this simple movement would do much good. At this time I had a 25lb kb that I purchased from a sporting good store. I was able to "get up" fairly easy with this bell. Well within a week of starting TGU, I was able to preform 2 pullups with my head way above the bar without any struggle at all. Never in my life have I been able to do a single pullup. The only difference was that I had stared training TGUs. Now its July 09, and I can proudly say that I can perform 8 great pullups and can do 3 pullups with the 25lb kettlebell hanging on my foot.
To make a long story short, If I can increase my overall strength from 0-8 pullups almost overnight using just swings, and TGU anyone can.
The manual and DVD will get you performing the TGU movement correctly, giving you extra stretches, and exercises to to help your body move in the correct pattern that it was meant to move in. I know this review is long, just trust me, get the dvd, practice the TGU the way Mr Cook, Jones, and Cheng suggest. I promise if you do, you'll see great gains.
This movement, simple yet complex, is in my opinion the best exercise anyone can do for their body.

I'm a newbie. In March, I could't even do 1 pull up. I started kb swings and tgu. after maybe 2 weeks, not only could I perform 1 pull up, I could do 2 without kipping. I noticed too that my shoulders were already getting stronger. I didn't think that just performing that static pressing the kb could make my shoulders strong so quick. I decided to look more into the TGU. I bought the KBFTGU. Was I shocked at how wrong I was doing the get up. This program teaches you the correct way to do a tgu, gives you exercises and stretches to do, to help you perform each stage of the movement correctly. Learning the "Brettzel" was worth the price of admission by itself.
Now after a month with the program , I can perform 8 TGU on each side ( not alternating arms) with my 16k bell, and I can perform 10 pull ups.
I think that the TGU is one of the best exercises that anyone can have in their toolbox. Get the dvds and manual, if you want to improve how you do the movement, and increase your overall strenght.

Swings and getups. That answer comes up much more often than anything else in the Hardstyle school of kettlebell lifting.

Pavel has described the swing as the "Sanchin Kata" of the kettlebells. If that is true (and I certainly ain't gonna be the one to argue with it) then the Kalos Sthenos Getup is the Sun Salutation.

This product digs deep into the oldtime strongman and martial traditions, showing how to use the getup almost as a stand alone exercise system. Beautiful Strength indeed.

I picked up tons of tips and detils watching this video. I have watched other videos, but was missing a few key points. Plain and simple this dvd has it all.

I think the most valuable piece to this work is that it brings the TGU to the fore. What a wonderful strength tool! Brett Jones and Grey Cook do a wonderful job stripping this exercise and its seven key components to the core making it accessible to anyone. At first I thought it was overkill, but as I've applied the information in this book, it has become clear why they provide so much of it. I can now easily press weight off of my shoulder that I couldn't budge before, and I owe it all to the TGU. It is also noteworthy that my previous pressing never helped my TGUs. Thanks guys! Keep up the good work.

I have been a kettlebell enthusiast from Day One (I bought my first kettlebell from Dragondoor's initial production run in 2001)and took a seminar with Pavel himself way back in 2002. Pavel has always taught the TGU, but back then the movement was basically "start on your back and end up standing with the weight over head, any way you can." The original signature RKC were the swing, press and snatch.

Over time the TGU--and particularly the highly-stylized Kalos Thenos version--has overtaken the press and snatch as the companion to the swing as the key drills in the RKC movement. I bought Kettlebells From the Ground Up with the hope of learning why.

I have to say that I am very disappointed by this production. I own every kettlebell DVD that Pavel has put out, and Kettlebells From the Ground Up does not compare. Pavel has a very high ratio of content to words; alas, Gray Cook and Brett Jones are the inverse, with a very high ratio of words to actual content.

Dragondoor advertises Kettlebells From the Ground Up as "an inch wide and mile deep" exploration of the TGU, but if there is a mile of anything, it's blah, blah, blah piled up through two DVDs that proclaim the TGU as the one-and-only exercise you'll ever need--but never exactly show why that is.

Messrs Jones and Cook are both very earnest and amiable presenters, and Mr. Cook in particular is well-spoken, confident and passionate. But those qualities were not enough to offset my disappointment in the content of this DVD set.

This is so much more than an instructional DVD on the TGU. These two experts take you through all aspects of the TGU and at the same time provide an invaluable understanding of how your joints come into play. The DVD breaks down every aspect of the TGU so you can work on your weak spots and develop your entire body from this one exercise.
I have been performing TGU's for over a year (not that long I know) and thought I was doing pretty well - after watching the DVD I'm now working on each individual step in the process as an entire work out and making substantial gains in all areas of my fitness program.

As an old powerlifter with years of hard core training under my belt, I can't say enough about how this DVD provides a better understanding of body and joint control which everyone who wants to better themselves needs to know and embrace. Buy it you will not regret it!

If I didn't love the TGU before, I do now. Anything by Gray Cook or Brett Jones is gold. They always put together high quality products and this is no exception. Buy this & watch this before you do another TGU.

Having performed and trained the TGU for years now I was amazed at how little I knew about the exercise. The breakdown and explanation at each step was thorough and incredibly informative but never overwhelming. As a fitness professional I would say this is a resource that will benefit clients across multiple demographics and can be used for a variety different goals, a true multitasker.

The get up standards and conditions portrayed in Enter the Kettlebell should be replaced by the Kalos Sthenos seven step method. The previous is not hardstyle!(in my opinion) All future trainees need to be redirected to this book and DVD.

Well laid out DVD with clear explanations and breakdown of the TGU. Excellent drills for each stage of the TGU. I will be referring to it often. Buy it if you want to master the TGU or if you want to teach the movement to others.

I would have never thought you would have needed a 2 DVD set to cover one excercise. However, when you see what is involved with the TGU, then you realize the complexity of it and all the movements involved. The authors go through the TGU step by step and in turn you can see where your weeknesses are and how to overcome them. The TGU is my favorite exercise, especially if my time is at a premium. You get what you pay for with this, they know what they are doing.

I had always poopoo'd the turkish get-up's...not anymore. I am doing them now with gusto after watching this DVD. As an older athlete the importance of maintaining proper mobility is very important...I now believe this one movement, along with swings, is the key to staying flexible, maintaining dexterity, strength, and how to teach the body to move as a "whole".

With no one to teach this locally the DVD is priceless. Clearly explained with step by step demo's so the lay guy like me could understand..and above all, do correctly without worry of injury.

These guys know their stuff..great job Gray and Brett.

If you have any interest in the get-up you should get Kettlebells from the Ground Up. The DVDs and manual give you all the information to master the get-up. The step-by-step breakdown goes in-depth on the correct form for each part, and it also gives fantastic drills to correct anything your doing wrong. I love get-ups, so getting this was an easy choice for me. If you plan on training heavily with get-ups, get this DVD/manual combo. It gives you all the info you need to perform the get-up correctly, safely, and strongly.

Awesome information that will help coaches and pupils alike, no mater if one is into functional training, weight lifting, yoga or sports in general. Very well structured, clear and simple. All can benefit from this work since you will learn or understand that ones body functions as a unit, and how to move safely and efficiently no matter your level of fitness. Congrats Grey & Brett

Awesome DVD. The manual is also full of great information. Unfortunately the diagrams don't match the text on occasion. Furthermore, it is clear that this hasn't been proof-read properly. Read p9 one armed lockout;the second sentence should read 'left arm reaches down and is placed palm down on the ground about 45 degrees from the rib.' not 'right arm'. As, far as I can see,the right foot seeems to be slid close to the buttock; therefore the pressing arm is on the same side as the bent leg: it must consequently be a right arm press. All I do in my spare time is research and apply fitness training methods. It's my life and my obsession. So it was disappointing that I had to spend a extra time deciphering what they meant. However, the manual is full of excellent drills. It's just a shame the production was not of the standard I'd expect of anything connected to Gray Cook and Brett Jones.

I am a 60 year-old kettlebell enthusiast, and registered Personal Trainer for those of us in the more mature age bracket. The TGU has always 'got me beat' ... until now. Brett and Gray's instruction (along with Mark Cheng) is the clearest and easiest to follow breakdown of the TGU that I have seen. Their careful explanation and demonstration of each stage of the get-up along with extra exercises to help perfect the stages make this DVD an absolute MUST for anyone who wants to master the Turkish Get-Up and benefit from this classic Kettlebell exercise.

I'm a relatively recent convert to KB's, and have been studying with a local RKC trainer for several months. This video is absolutely essential in any kettlebeller's library. I've also studied a number of the YouTube videos on the TGU. This is a very nuanced exercise, and overall this video does a great job of breaking it down, but there seem to be a few details that have been revised during its ongoing evolution, e.g. "corkscrewing" the posting arm, the "windshield wiper" (more a cue than an actual modification...). Overall this is one hell of a great product. Gray Cook is a damn genius and perhaps THE most articulate practitioner in the field of human movement, and Cook has found his perfect complement in Brett Jones

If you were truely new to kettlebells this would be a fantastic place to start. I have been using kettlebells for awhile. So while I did pick up many new tips and tricks, It moved a bit slowly for me. It was still a great video and I recomend it to all KB enthusiasts, but if you have some experience with KBs already go ahead and buy the "Dynami" video too.

What more can I add to the numerous glowing reviews...? The GetUp is a deceivingly complex movement, and Jones and Cook make it possible for the most challenged among us (me for one) to own this exercise.

Impressive gains can be had in single-joint exercises like curls or tricepts extensions, but it's more difficult in compound movements like, well, the TGU. The weight manipulated in compound exercises is limited not by the strength of your strongest muscle group, but of your weakest. It's the old story of a chain and it's weakest link all over again.



The patterns in Kettlebells from the Ground Up are designed to discover and strengthen the individual's weakest link, permitting the employment of a heavier weight. A heavier weight, in turn, reveals the next weakest link which is strengthened in it's turn, etc. The process is a progressive system designed to eventually permit an individual's body to safely adapt to using significanrt weight in the TGU.



Altogether, a great leap forward in exercise physiology.

My first impressions are that there is way too much filler. It starts off with way too much talk about the Greek concepts behind the meaning of the word calisthenics etc. While Brett Jones, as usual is outstanding, you also have to listen to Gray 'I'm so much in love with myself I'm unbearable' Cook. That's not a lot of fun. The sections that break the movement down are pretty good. I also felt they could have done more to troubleshoot certain parts of the movement. This could have easily been done in 1 DVD. But then they would have had to lower the price. Good in parts, very good in a few parts, tedious in others.

I was planning to wait for longer before writing a review of the Kalos Sthenos - Cook and Jones TGU programme, but after just 4 days of working through the piecework and progressions of an exercise I have done 'heavy' in the past I have learned so much about my body and how I have simply being adding strength/fitness to dysfunction over the past 30 years of Powerlifting, gym ring, kettlebell, bodyweight and martial arts training. No wonder I have suffered a prolpased disc and recently aching shoulders.

The best analogy of the bio-feedback that this programme provides (if followed as suggested - 'naked' before a 'light' kettlebell and to the letter) is "hearing your voice on a recording" - you know its you but you just don't recognise yourself!

The TGU as presented by Cook and Jones is not only a simple diagnostic tool but also provides the rehabilative exercise to address the flexibility, strength and stability issues that you will discover.

No wonder it was a strength with movement rite of passage for the olde-time lifters and so it should become now for everyone regardless of their exercise/sport. It should be an Olympic event scored by weight and execution - beautiful strength!

Do the Kettlebells from the Ground Up programme and you will feel and perform far better, adding many years to your athletic longevity - it is that good!

I've wanted to incorporate the Turkish Get Up in my gym routine for quite a while but didn't know where to get the best instruction (trainers at my commercial gym have never heard of the TGU). Read a few reviews of kettlebell books/DVDs on Amazon but those reviewers indicated those products were for people who already knew what they were doing (Kettlebells From the Ground Up is unavailable on Amazon). So, logged onto Dragon Door and saw that they had KFTGU in stock. I hesitated slightly since the price tag is $79 and I'm basically ordering it sight unseen but I took a chance and placed the order. It's a 2 disc DVD set with a spiral-bound manual and it's exactly what I was looking for! YES...Finally! Gray Cook and Brett Jones break the movement down into the 7 separate positions and it's exactly how I needed to learn it. Gray and Brett indicate you need to do 50 reps on each side before even attempting to do the TGU with a kettlebell, so I'm still doing the movement "naked" (i.e., with no weight). I'm happy to report, I'm gaining confidence and understanding the nuances of each position, and breaking into a sweat even without holding a kettlebell! Fantastic DVD set, money was well spent and thanks to Dragon Door for keeping it in stock. A+

Incredible breakdown of TGU. As advertised!

The instruction is excellent but there was a bit too much filler, sales pitches for other products and non-value added stuff that might produce some emotional souring if that kind of thing irritates you. Since I'm 63, overweight and out of shape the instruction is very helpful and I'm glad I bought it. The book is a well done companion.. 1 DVD without all the non-instruction and the book would have earned a 10.

This is a great product. I've waited awhile to review it because I wanted time to use it first. I've found the most benefit from doing one step a day like Brett recommends on the dvd; in the morning I select the step, press play, and follow along with it twice, once on the left and once on the right. Also both Brett and Gray are very patient teachers, they go over each corrective slowly, one demonstrating, while the other explains
why you're doing it. One more thing, the book is printed on very thick paper, it is a nice feature to keep it in on piece with much use.

Fantastic breakdown of a great movement. Worth it whether you're a trainer or just interested in learning more about KBs