Kettlebell Simple & Sinister: Revised and Updated (2nd Edition)

Personally, I found Pavel’s writing style to be engaging as well as entertaining. His instructions are easy to follow. He also lays out the research to back up his claims. As far as the program itself goes, it’s just like the book says: “Simple, not easy.” In my own experience, this holds true. I’ve been running S&S for almost a year now and I am working toward the Timed Simple challenge. This program is a solid foundation for beginners interested in strength/conditioning. The program includes only two main exercises: the hard style kettlebell swing and Turkish get up. There are some warm up exercises as well i.e. goblet squats, hip bridges, and shoulder halos. To move up in weight, you utilize a concept called “step loading” where weight is increased slowly over time to prevent fatigue. This also allows you to “practice” (Pavel makes it very clear this is not a workout) almost daily until you reach the goal of Timeless Simple, which is when you are able to complete 100 swings and 10 Turkish get ups with a 32kg bell (24kg for women). Once you reach this benchmark, the practice volume dials down to 3-4 times a week (should you decide to continue), with a timed challenge on Fridays where you grind through 100 swings in 5 minutes, take a 1 minute break, and then perform 10 Turkish get ups in 10 minutes without sacrificing form for speed. I am by no means an experienced weight trainer, but I found the simplicity to be liberating. There isn’t much to think about - just commit to the practice for around 45 minutes a day and that’s it. Move on with your day. I enjoy the repetitiveness of the program as well - practice becomes very meditative. As for the results, I probably lost some strength gains but I made up for it by gaining some much needed cardiovascular endurance. Prior to S&S, I felt powerful but I would get winded easily. I also leaned out a bit, which my wife appreciates. I almost forgot possibly the best part about this program - you’re not burnt out so badly that you can’t do other physical activities the rest of the day. You put in some hard work but still have gas left in the tank, to paraphrase Pavel. I highly recommend this book.

The book is well written and shows great modifications for the workouts. You can skip to the workout itself, but the other content provides a lot of nuance and context behind the mindset and philosophy of the workout. You can hear Pavel's voice as you read through the book (if you're familiar with him). I have the book and my three kettlebells and have been doing the program for the past two months. My deep squats and hip mobility have improved drastically and my functional strength has improved so much so playing with my 3 year old and 1 year old feels SO much better. Amazing practical and efficient workout that can be done daily! I recommend this to all busy and working dads needing a mindless but effective workout!

Progress review/update 2/18/14 The reviews on Simple & Sinister seemed too good to be true, but I bought it on a whim. It ended up entirely changing my training routine. It may be too early to post a review, but I have been following this routine exactly as prescribed for about a week and I love it. I thought I'd share my experience from a novice's perspective, and if I find in a few months that I am unsatisfied with the routine (or that I still love it) I will follow-up my review. Since most of the reviews are on the information and quality of the book (I'd still give it five stars-- the writing is motivating and informative), I am going to focus on the routine's prescribed itself.

I'm not your typical kettlebell/crossfit nut who asks for punishment-- I'm an out of shape guy who wants (and needs) to lose fat and get stronger. Like every other dissatisfied-with-their-bodied American, I bought a kettlebell last year but didn't really know what to do with it. I got Enter the Kettlebell like recommended, and was even more confused. So the $50 bell that was supposed to solve my fitness woes sat in the closet, and I kept paying my $25/month gym fee. I went in yesterday to cancel my membership-- I now have a fitness plan to last me a long time.

The premise behind Simple and Sinister is, well, simple. While I don't want to spoil what is in the book, it is so simple and easy to understand that it isn't going to be a secret for long. Some books on fitness tell you to "do this-- but you could also do this, this, or this", but Simple and Sinister has just two options: Simple (what I'm on), and Sinister (for the experienced kettlebeller).

Here is the layout for the simple routine. I won't share with you how many times a week to do the program or any of the other programming tips. You have to buy the book for that.

The simple routine starts with a warmup set that is repeated three times: 1x5 Goblet Squats 1x5 Halo's 1x5 Supine Bridges

After that, the workout is: 10x10 KB swings 1x5 turkish get ups, each side

That is it. While similar to the Program Minimum of ETK, this program focuses more on strength rather than time. Each rep is controlled and powerful.

When I started on the routine, I was worried by 35lb KB would be insufficient (I am a 240lb guy, after all). Did I ever get a wakeup call. The first day I had to lay in a pile of sweat after the sets. I woke up and everything hurt. But I kept coming back, and it kept getting easier. A few things I noticed after only about a week:

1. My chronic shoulder pain has all but diminished. I had heard that turkish get ups were great for shoulder stability, but even after watching dozens of youtube videos I never got them right. Pavel's tips and shoe trick got me to learn it within a day.
2. I've dropped five pounds (I'm also dieting, which helps)
3. My posture is better, and despite working out harder than I had been I feel pretty good sitting at my work desk all day.
4. My legs are tighter and stronger feeling than they were a week ago. I had been doing a 3x5 powerlifting program before this and my legs got huge. I like the idea of fitting in normal jeans again.
5. My grip is much stronger. The first few days I struggled to not drop the kettlebell on my face, and now I am finding I want more of a challenge.

The beauty of the simple program is that it can be scalable for a long time. Once my 16kg bell feels too easy, I am buying a 24kg bell. Then, a 32kg bell. If I can do the program with a 48kg beast, I'll be the baddest dude on the block. So I have years of programming that I can do in my living room for about a total of 3 hours per week. No gym memberships, and the only cost will be a collection of kettlebells that will last forever.

I look forward to continuing the program. I hope my wordy review convinces another lost beginner to just go ahead and buy the book, grab a kettlebell, and start. It's the solution to your New Years Resolution!

UPDATE 2/18/14 After nearly three months using the program, I purchased a 24kg kettlebell a week ago and have been continuing to progress. I started eating clean in January and have lost nearly 18lbs (from 247 to 229lbs) and 5 inches on my waist line (from 44 inches to 39, still got a gut). I'm down to doing the program 2-3 times a week, and I swim/go to a crossfit style workout class 3 other days a week. The Simple and Sinister routine has done wonders for strengthening my weaknesses like my hips, abs, and shoulder girdles. I hadn't touched a barbell in a few months, but I deadlifted a new personal record of 295lbs on Saturday. Still have a lot to work on, but the fact that I continue to lose weight without sacrificing the very little strength I have is a good sign! Still 5/5 stars for the program and the book, thanks Pavel.

I like to know exact instructions on how to do specific exercise. I love understanding why the exercise is part of the training regimen and how it complement other exercises in it. I appreciate simplicity.

It's almost impossible that a book about exercise has all three of these, but this one pulled it off.

The writing is also really sharp and straight to the point. The author's sense of humor works on me. I can't describe it any other way then borderline insulting/mocking. But it never went over the line for me, which is surprising because I've got a sore spot around that area.

I loved this book ❤️ Took a bunch of notes, going through Timeless Simple and went back a few times to earlier chapters to re-read them.

I’m 65 years old and have been physically active my entire adult life, doing dozens of triathlons, running races, swimming events, and hiking in the White Mountains of NH. I had tried strength training at various times but could never stick with it. I always struggled to figure out what to do and would end up with minor tweaks and pulls.

A few years ago I decided to get serious about gaining more strength and came across Pavel’s interview on the Joe Rogan podcast. I immediately bought the book and have never looked back. I look forward to my kettlebell “practice” every day. I liken it to a golfer going to the range to practice their swing or a baseball player hitting in the cages to improve their craft.

In addition to the book, Pavel’s YouTube videos are a great resource, but you still need to buy the book, it has all the details you need to set up the program plus much more. Even though I have read the book cover-to-cover, I find myself going back to it all the time for inspiration or to pick up a few nuggets I missed earlier.

In summary, I have become an ardent believer that strength is non-negotiable for your overall physical and even mental health. This book paved the way for me to get there with a straightforward program, one that I look forward to doing every day. Don’t be fooled by it only being two exercises. These two are enough, believe me, it’s all you need. Read the book and do what Pavel says - it works!

I've been following this program as written since the book was released, and I've never felt better. Having been a fitness hobbyist for years, mostly for the feel-good factor, I've explored many programs: Couch to 5k, Stronglifts/Starting Strength, Crossfit, some bodyweight training and gym rock climbing, etc etc. None has ever had such a positive impact on my fitness and feeling of wellbeing as S&S has. I am no devotee of StrongFirst or Pavel's, my only involvement has been reading a few of Pavel's books (Naked Warrior, Enter the Kettlebell, Power to the People) and experimenting with those programs a bit. No one has asked me to write a review. That said, this book blows away the totality of fitness literature I've read up until now with regards to directness and completeness of the content.

Here's what to expect from the book: a general physical preparedness program to follow every day with a single kettlebell (though ideally you'll want two sizes to start) in 20-30 minutes, including a warmup, two primary exercises to practice, and some stretches. Detailed explanations and progressions for every movement. Some material on the history and philosophy of kettlebell training, with deep insights drawn from martial arts, military, and powerlifting applications. Several chapters on cultivating tension/relaxation control, breathing exercises, tips on how to progress to higher weights, and when and how to challenge yourself or take it easy.

This is a complete book, and a complete program. If a total beginner, with literally no experience in fitness training, were to ask me for a "magic bullet" one-stop solution to develop strength, explosiveness, balance, coordination, mobility, injury resistance, and maintain good general health for life without overworking themselves, this is the book I would hand them. And I truly believe they would be well taken care of if they did nothing but follow it to the letter.

Doesn't that sound like generic hyperbole? How can I keep a straight face while affecting the same salesman mentality that's shilling so many silly books on the same topic?

The reason is because this book is NOT, in fact, a "magic bullet" or a workaround in any way. The advice is frank: to be strong, you have to apply yourself honestly. You have to learn to listen to your body, to acknowledge the smallest sensations and gauge your energy levels. In my opinion, the greatest value of this book is not the specific exercises prescribed, though they are phenomenal and I have no inclination to change anything about the program as I continue to practice it. The greatest value of this program is the mentality that comes with it: fitness is an internal pursuit, not a game to be won or cheated, and fitness training done well exposes your personal weaknesses and vulnerabilities every day. You become stronger, in body and in mind, by that process.

I can't speak to the usefulness of this book for athletes, law-enforcement/military, or fitness professionals, since I am none of them - other reviews here might be more helpful if you're looking for that perspective. I'm a musician, and fitness training is a hobby that helps me feel good, keep my energy levels up, maintain good health, and prevent injuries. That said, I can't imagine anyone reading this book and not taking away something deeply helpful. Pick it up, the price is right. It's a quick read, but I've already read it 5 or 6 times now. Enjoy.

I really like the concept and simple nature of the program design and involvement of only two exercises. It is very intriguing. I was already doing lots of kettlebell swing intervals trying to maintain strength endurance well within an aerobic metabolic pace. The material herein is largely consistent with the years of study I've completed in relationship to running and have applied a base building aerobic phase that is at least 90% aerobic training, and I've designed the swing days like a marathon training program with periodical lactate threshold training which after building the base a couple of times a year will increase to weekly with a good 20% of training being lactic and glycolytic and 78-80%aerobic taken directly from primarily Daniel's Running Formula with a Long Easy aerobic pace and a second long session weekly up to 400 swings each with the 24kg simple KB. I break the work into intervals of EMOM. However for strength endurance as presented in this book in going to try to focus my strength session more on power endurance maxing at 10*10 as directed and try to take the timed test soon with the 24. Then I may just jump to the 28 and start filling in sets of 2h and 1h alternating swings with it. I have a long upper body, and I don't want to jump straight to the 2 pud bell yet.

I'm a little concerned about there not being a specific plan to achieve Sinister presented in the book. First I can see how individual differences might play a roll in choosing not to present more specific plans. Other than signing of for their instructor course and getting stronger as mentioned in the book, I perceive already potential pitfalls in working towards that feat. However I believe 33kg Sinister is more readily achievable for me than the getups.

I'm glad the path of aerobic intensity was chosen. I've read and possess most of the earlier books particularly those that seem to be in the chain of developments toward S&S including PTP, ETK, and RTK. I'm really turned off by the cover of Q&D and don't know if I have the elbows for hard style pushups. I gave this book five stars because it's a simple read with straight forward plan and because it represents an accumulation of research on a journey i started years ago with the first book. I think the talk test is a great inclusion as a governor for most westerners who tend to overgrown and perform way too much of their training outside primary aerobic ranges. Interestingly i was already using RPE, talk test and heart rate to ensure i was well within the aerobic range as I began building up the base after Christmas and trying to build it higher than in recent years. There are many good articles on the talk test which will help beyond that describes in this book to help practitioners use this tool. Maybe not the best, but for me Bud Coated Running on Air provided considerably greater insight into LT pace based upon talk test. Despite the lack of better assessment based upon talk test which should be included for a subsequent edition and the lack of a clear program to Sinister other than spend money on our ST instructor course I still believe S&S rated 5 stars.

I highly recommend Simple & Sinister (S&S) to anyone wanting to increase their strength and resiliancy.

I was on-again off-again (heavy on the off-again) with strength training most of my life. Two years ago, in my mid-50's, I discovered S&S and began my journey. And this past week, I reached the Simple Timed goal laid out in the book! Simple & Sinister by Pavel Tsatsouline has been an essential guide throughout this transformative experience. Its clear instructions and structured program have been crucial in helping me achieve more than I initially thought possible.

One of the standout aspects of S&S is its emphasis on gradual progression and mastering form. The book advises owning a weight before moving to the next, a principle I adhered to closely. This guidance helped me navigate challenging transitions with the turkish getup, such as moving from a 16kg to a 24kg kettlebell and eventually to 32kg. Despite initial doubts about my abilities, the structured approach laid out in S&S kept me focused and on track, ultimately allowing me to achieve lifts I once deemed impossible.

Additionally, S&S stresses the importance of injury prevention and listening to your body. Pavel’s advice to avoid skipping steps was a lesson I learned the hard way when I ignored it and suffered a knee injury. This book’s comprehensive approach, which combines technical instruction with practical wisdom, has been instrumental in my success. S&S is not just a workout program; it’s a sustainable path to strength and resilience.

I started S&S about a nine months ago, but made horrible progress due to the burning need to add a little bit of like three other workout routines to the program. Every two weeks my focus would shift to a new program and I would attempt to bolt it on to S&S, thinking that S&S wasn't enough on its own.

After being stuck on the 24kg kettlebell, unable to condense the rest time on the swings any further, and really struggling to complete the first part of the get-up, I decided to take a month off from working out at all. I then decided to start all over again doing JUST S&S with the 16kg kettlebell. I was really worried about losing the tiny amount of muscle I had struggled to put on over the past few months, and I was also paranoid that I would develop many "weak links" by only performing goblet squats, one handed swings and Turkish Get-Ups. Eventually it dawned on me that my whole body was just plain weak, so weak links weren't something I needed to worry about yet. I did lose some muscle initially possibly due to the move to a lower volume program, but after a couple months of really focusing on owning the 16kg and slowly introducing the 24kg, my body regained pretty much all the muscle I thought I had lost forever. But this time around I was a lot stronger and I could really use and activate my muscles. In addition to regaining my previous muscle, I must admit that I have definitely noticed distinct changes/gains in the glute department after 3 months of doing strictly Simple and Sinister. I feel like I can activate them much better when doing swings than when I first began.

Now I totally own the 24kg and can perform the swings and TGUs under the required times, but am ever so slowly introducing two handed swings with the 32kg and am in no rush. I have finally come to trust the program and my increases in strength have been better than on any other program or amalgamation of multiple programs I have tried previously. At 143lbs 5' 11" the 32kg is almost half my bodyweight, but I feel so solid since starting S&S that it doesn't feel like it will pose a huge problem. And S&S really does take on a life of its own after a while, I look forward to doing it every day, and I am addicted to how I feel more energized after doing it, rather than feeling trashed and sore afterwards like on other programs I've tried. I have tested some of my old calisthenic numbers and they really haven't changed, despite not training the movements at all for three months, and my one armed pushups and pistol squats actually got WAY cleaner after working the TGU hard.

I know that a lot of people will need to add exercises for their specific sports and jobs, and I am not directing this to you guys, you guys are in a totally different league than I am. This review is aimed at the people like me, who are simply using S&S to gain a reasonable amount of strength and are not training for anything in particular. I know the program doesn't seem like much, but adding exercises did nothing but hinder my progress for almost 6 months. Just stick to the big 3 and you will be surprised at how quickly you will get stronger, and as a super skinny guy, I always thought strength gains were totally out of reach.

The final thing I will say is that I have not experienced any injuries while on S&S, and was in a constant state of shoulder pain and elbow pain before, doing high rep, high volume programs to failure. So for someone who needs to live a life outside of working out, this was a HUGE plus. This book helped me break out of the "more is more" mindset of training, and experience strength gains without almost killing myself each workout. I hope this review encourages someone else to try S&S and stick to it as it is and get similar results. :)

Kettlebell - Simple and Sinister (hereafter referred to as Simple and Sinister or S&S), is the latest offering from Pavel Tsatsouline, formerly head of the RKC, and now head of StrongFirst. It is available in paperback, kindle, and audiobook format. I read it on my Kindle.

Disclaimer: I am an SFG under StrongFirst, and do a great deal of my training at Skill of Strength, a StrongFirst affiliate. Clearly, I have a pro-StrongFirst bias. Read this review accordingly.

Simple and Sinister is aimed at the kettlebell novice. In a sense, this is the latest evolution of Pavel's entry-level kettlebell writings. The original Russian Kettlebell Challenge was filled with tons of exercises and programming ideas, many of them quickly glossed over and with no particular focus. Enter the Kettlebell focused on six exercises, and offered two main programs (the Program Minimum and the Rite of Passage) for the aspiring kettlebell enthusiast. Simple and Sinister cuts things down even further, for good or for ill.

In a nutshell, Simple and Sinister presents the latest version of Pavel's "Program Minimum", a minimalist training regime designed to fit into the lifestyle of almost anyone. It's appropriate for someone looking for a single workout routine, or something to supplement another physical activity. Unlike some of Pavel's other works, Simple and Sinister leaves nothing to the imagination. The whole program, including warm ups and cool downs, is laid out over the course of the book. There is no guess work. Three mobility drills done in a circuit to warm up, one-arm swings and Turkish get-ups to workout, two or three stretches to cool down. Shower, rest, repeat.

There is good and bad in this. The good, of course, is that it is very, very, straightforward. If you read this book and don't know what to do next, I would be deeply concerned. It's all laid out, plain as day. The bad, of course, is that there is just one thing to do. If you want more options, you will have to buy more books.

The writing is classic Pavel. All of the drills and exercises are explained clearly, and accompanied by pictures for reference. There is a logical progression for learning these exercises, and you'll get the whole progression, start to finish, in S&S. I saw one reviewer who complained about the picture quality, but it seemed fine to me.

Classic Pavel also means a lot of references to Russia and use of the word comrade. If you didn't like Pavel's writing before, you're still not going to like it. Just warning you.

Who is this book good for?

If you are interested in learning how to use a kettlebell, but aren't sure what to do with it, this is a good starting point. It gives you a very simple, direct, and easy to follow program that you can use to get your feet wet. The program is simple enough that you could follow it (on a modified schedule), while continuing to participate in other activities.

If you're a kettlebell instructor, you may be familiar with most of the concepts in this book (particularly if you are an SFG). This is a solid review of coaching cues for some of the core StrongFirst exercises, and if you want to see how StrongFirst teaches their mechanics, this would be the place to look.

[An aside: one thing that I really liked in this book was that Pavel credits every idea that he's taken from other people back to the source. That includes people who have long since left his organization, like Steve Maxwell (who I think he credits both for the halo and the turkish get up). Pavel could have said nothing about anyone, but he shares the name of every person who gave him an idea, a quote, or an exercise. That's cool.]

For the Martial Artist

Honestly, if you're a martial artist, you could do far, far, worse for your strength and conditioning then to follow the protocol outlined in this book. If you're a man and get to the point where you can complete this program with the "beast" (a 48kg kettlebell), on top of your training, you will be in damn good shape. A professional competitor should seek a more comprehensive program, but for the hobbyist, this would work pretty well.

If you are new to the kettlebell world, and looking for a place to start, this is it. If you've been around for a while, you not get quite as much out of it, but the book could still be worth checking out.