I remember picking up a copy of Muscle Media Magazine (my favourite training publication at that time) in 2002 and seeing that the section entitled “A Question Of Strength” had a new face attached to it.  Formerly a colume by Charles Poliquin, they now had a guy with an unpronounceable surname. . . Pavel Tsatsouline??

Initially perturbed, I soon realised the quality of this man's advice as I continued to read further.   He spoke of cycling weights, not training to failure, the relationship between

tension and strength, he spoke in equations, he spoke of strength acquisition as a mathematical science, in short, he spoke my language.

Ever since then I've been a big advocate of all things Pavel and would highly recommend any and all of his works, you can find them on www.dragondoor.com. 

Pavel founded a kettlebell excellence certification known as the RKC.   The infamous RKC weekend is a 3 day kettlebell and strength certification event designed to administer gold standard performance and coaching techniques to a large congregation of advanced, and in some cases elite, kettlebell practitioners or Girevik's to use the Russian term.  

These prospective graduates are subjected to a wide array of physical, mental and technical tests throughout the weekend.  In order to earn the right to call themselves RKC, the individual must pass all performance tests and show the ability to teach what they've been taught to people they've never met. 

The nature and challenge of this certification has always intrigued me.  From the first moment I heard of it I decided that one day I'd take the Russian Kettlebell Challenge on for myself. 

In February of 2010 I booked the course.  Because of how busy i've been with 12 Week Physique and Centaur Fitness I never had much time to train for the RKC on any given day.  Luckily, with kettlebells you don't need long to get a solid training effect.  Yip, 5-20 minutes of daily practice is all I had time to dedicate, but don't feel sorry for me, it’s also all I could withstand!! 

I knew the exercises I'd be tested in, I knew the techniques as I'd read all the books Pavel had ever written (and many more besides), a lot of dragondoor articles and even watched DVD's on the subject.  So I thought I was justified in assuming that I knew all there was to know with regards to technique in the core RKC lifts. 

I also knew the physical testing procedure, 100 snatches of a 24kg kettlebell in 5 minutes or less.  This is a lot harder than it sounds.  For all those out there who think they've done this before or could do it easily let my first draw your attention to a few things. 

Is your biceps level with or behind your ear at the top of every rep?
Is your elbow locked out at the top of every rep?
Are you using a Russian kettlebell with its traditional thick handle, or are you using one of those rubber coated, health club “thin” handled varieties (this makes a massive difference)?

The first thing I did in the gym after signing up was try the snatch test.  I hadn't done any training in months and therefore knew what I was letting myself in for.  I completed the 100 reps in 3 minutes 48 seconds (switching hands every 10 reps) and then promptly threw up for a few minutes.  It could've been viewed as good news that I was able to pass the entry test without training but the more I read about the RKC weekend the more I came to see that they viewed the snatch test as a warm-up.  Seeing as this “warm-up” effectively wiped me out for the rest of the day, I clearly had my work cut out for me.  I had also heard of the infamous “Grad Workout”, all the youtube clips looked harder than hell but left clues as to what to expect. 

I'm the type of person who likes to set challenging goals every now and then.  For me, although the RKC was indeed a challenge in itself, I wanted to add even more spice to the mix and attempt to become the 14th person (and lightest ever) to complete the BEAST Gauntlet!!

What does this entail?  Well, dragondoor make a famed 48kg kettlebell known as “The BEAST”, its not just its weight that poses a problem but the massive handle and spherical circumference of the bells body.  In order to complete the gauntlet you must perform 3 different lifts with the Beast, a Clean & Press (you must bring the bell into a pressing position with one hand and press it over head without the assistance of the legs, the pressing hand must be below the chin at the start of the press), the Tactical Pull-Up (starting from a “dead hang” position with arms fully extended, you must take a thumbless overhand grip, palms facing away from you, and pull yourself over the bar touching your neck to the bar), and the Pistol (a one legged squat with the bell held in front of the body, going all the way down).

In truth, as the event got closer and closer it became increasingly apparent how little time I had to prepare myself for the sheer work load of swings I'd been told to expect, not to mention the overall conditioning needed for the snatch test, V02 Max test and Grad Workout, and so I took my eye completely off the Beast Gauntlet as this was a “nice to have” and not a “need to have” kind of thing. 

In fact everyone was noting the fact that my physique was looking smaller.  This was by design as I completely stopped training chest and arms for three reasons:

1) I didn't want any negative movement pattern cross over between different lifts and the ones I'd be tested on during the RKC, in other words I needed my body  to specifically adapt to the most important things and forget the rest.

2) I wanted my body's muscle to atrophy in the areas that weren't directly involved in those movements tested at the RKC, a big chest and arms serve no purpose within this context and represent more muscle tissue that needs to be oxygenated during tough situations like the snatch test, no thanks!
I wanted to be able to attain a more comfortable “rack” position with the kettlebells, harder to do with a big chest and arms.

As the days rolled by and the RKC drew ever closer I was starting to shape up well.  I could now complete the snatch test with one hand switch (I.e 50 reps left hand then 50 reps right hand), in about 3 minutes dead and felt fine afterwards.  I completed a simulated “Grad Workout” which involved a See Saw Press & Walk with 2 x 24kg kettlebells for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds rest followed by 20 seconds of swings with the 24 bell, followed by 10 seconds rest then repeat the cycle until I'd covered 2 football pitches, I then cleaned and racked both 24's and sprinted all the way back to the half way point then switched to farmers walk/sprint all the way back to the starting line. . . that’s all I did that day (easily twice as hard as the snatch test)!!

All and all I felt pretty up for the challenge. . . then disaster struck!  I was testing a long set with the snatch and used too much chalk, I tore the palm of my left hand very badly, this was exactly one week out from the RKC!!

I was distraught, had all my hard work been in vain, would I have to complete 100 reps in 5 minutes with one arm, if I did that would I tear my other hand and if so how would I get through the weekend like that?

I quickly decided that the best way was to try and do all 100 reps with my right hand, 20 per minute for 5 minutes.  The best I was able to get before going over was 85 reps a couple of which were questionable.

Myself and my brother Damien arrived in Italy the day before.  At this point I really need to give thanks to my brother for taking the stress out of the travelling for me, allowing me to concentrate on the task at hand, he took care of everything else, I couldn't have done as well without him!

When checked into the hotel I glanced down at the guest list book and seen many names with the letters RKC before them, this brought the reality home and I started to put the “game head” on for the first time.

The big day arrived and I remember standing outside the venue with several others (all Italian) and a very familiar vibe was in the air, nervous energy, I was very used to this with my background in boxing and to a lesser extent powerlifting.  No one knew what to expect, everyone was asking the ominous question “have I done enough”.  I'd been here before and was just eager to get things started. 

Then, suddenly, a classy yet not overtly flashy car rolls up to the gates of the old army/fire station venue.  The window rolls down to reveal a familiar face in sunglasses, it was none other than Pavel Tsatsouline.  Inside I had the pleasure and privilege to meet and speak with both John Du Cane (the owner of dragondoor) and Pavel at length.  Being a genuine Tsatsouline fan for 8 years, this was a rare treat indeed!!

After a meet and greet it was time for the snatch test!  I went early so I would have time to tape up my hands well afterwards if I needed to.  I started snatching, I'd done about 20 reps before I noticed my judge wasn't counting, I wasn't bringing my biceps behind my ear at the top of the reps.  When I finally noticed I stopped for a bit and the situation was explained to me quickly.  I'd wased valuable time!  I no longer cared about my hand splitting, I now had the real concern of failing at the first hurdle.  So I switched hands every 10 reps and completed the 100 in just over 4 minutes 30 seconds I believe (but I'd really done 120 with one stoppage as well).

As if by a miracle of God, my hand didn't split!!  No blood, not one drop, truly amazing, and I can't explain how it didn't split!

Now it was time to start the teaching and Pavel was at his brutal best!!  Earlier I spoke of how I felt I'd walk the technical stuff because I'd read all the man's books, how wrong I was.  I was better informed than most but I learned so much from Pavel that weekend about Hardstyle methods and strength, things I already knew very well but I now know them even better! 

Several times during the weekend Pavel asked me up in front of the class to demonstrate techniques and answer questions and sometimes I volunteered because I was having a ball!

I'm already a very accomplished guy in the world of strength and conditioning, but I stepped outside of my comfort zone and into a world where I was the student and not the master, this is a place that I can truly say I haven't been for quite some time and that's a disgrace because there is no growth in comfort and if we're not growing as people then we're wasting our time. 

So for 3 days straight I was Luke Skywalker to Pavel's Yoda. . . and I emerged a better man and coach.  It was truly an honour to spend so much time in the presence of one of the world’s true strength and conditioning monarchs. 

Tame The BEAST!?

After the snatch test (and several hundred hardstyle swings) it was time to face the BEAST!  After a group photo Pavel asked the crowd of hard men and women if anyone was going to attempt the BEAST tamer gauntlet.  I must admit, I thought twice about putting my hand up, after all, i'd stopped training for it a while back, it would've been right at the limits of my powers at the best of times but here I was, pre-exusted by endless snatches and swings.  Both Pavel and the crowd grew silent, pausing for an answer that didn't come, just about to move on and go to lunch, I spoke up and said I'd do it. . . . the crowed drew a very noticable gasp, as if to say "THAT wee skinny pale guy", LOL!!

I didn't eat much lunch because I was nervous, not of the task, but of failing the task in front of everyone.  I must've been asked about 20 times in the space of 30 minutes, "So, YOU can lift the BEAST" or "do you think you'll lift it".  The truth was, i'd never laid my hands on a 48kg kettlebell, so I mainly answered "beats me, I'll give it my best shot".  The time came for me to step up to the mark.  I didn't get time for a warm-up but don't think I needed one in the end, I was buzzing.  I was brought into a large room where everyone was lined up at one end, a silent, ominous audience, waiting for something evil to happen LOL.

Pavel spoke above the very loud silence, "Choose", he was referring to which of the three lifts I wished to attempt first.  I decided on the press.  I gave it all I had but the monster bell wouldn't budge, I was honestly devestated.  I then attempted the pull-up, this time I got my chin to the bar, but this wasn't enough and I knew it, as the very strict rules stipulate that the athlete must touch his neck or chest to the bar, I'd fallen short again, but this time, only just.

Afterwards, Senior RKC Peter Lacatos (one of the toughest, strongest, fittest men you'll ever meet) said simply "don't worry about it, that was a great effort".  Low key and simple, but that ment a lot coming from someone like him.  Pavel then informed everyone that they had to do 50 swings for each lift I missed which totalled 150 reps, and that they can deal with me latter for it, LOL, everyone laughed, I apologised, and we did some swings!

The rest of the day was technique and swings and get-ups and swings and then some more swings.  We used light weights, medium weights and heavy weights in every way possible to enhance the work done with swings and get-ups.  I'd read about the volume of swings done but nothing could've prepared me for the truth!!  The ethos was militant and martial arts all in one, it was brutal but enjoyable all in one, like nothing I'd ever experienced before.  Throughout the day we got hit with random, brutal workouts, which in hindsight, weren't just there to test your resolve (although that they did), they were there to reinforce your technique, pure class!

When I went back to the hotel after day 1 my brother was just relieved that I'd made it through the snatch test with my hand the way it was.  I was so fatigued I can't fully articulate it here.  I woke up for the second day's onslought and I swear my hamstrings and abdominal's were destroyed beyond all measure LOL!

On this day we faced a torrid of  torturous workout's based around military presses, snatches , front squats and cleans but amongest all of this I was privy to a standard of teaching and a depth of subject specific knowledge the like of which I'd never come across anywhere else, EVER!  The RKC truely is a school of strength, a school excellence and above all else a school of honour and respect, I can get down with that.

But as with any tough-as-hell but ultimately great experience, you end up bonding strongly with those you go through it with.  I felt a very tangible comradeship with everyone envolved, if someone was struggling, everyone picked them up (sometimes literally) and we all got through each day together.  I had the same training partner throughout, a very strong gentleman named Cico (Cico is the burly fella in the blue t-shirt and white shorts in all the pictures with me).  Myself and Cico became good friends instantly, he was one funny guy!  After each day myself and my brother, Damien, would meet Cico and his friend, Damiano (also doing the RKC), and we'd go get something to eat, have a laugh and reflect on the day of pain just past and "look forward" to the one yet to come.  Cico had the best blisters/palm tear's i'd ever seem, he tore them first thing, during the snatch test, and they'd been getting worse ever since.  We'd laugh together about how he'd never make it to the end with hands like that, but we both knew he'd do whatever it took to prove that wrong, and I'd help him to do so in any way I could.

The final day had arrived!!  This was to be the toughest and best day yet, with some very lasting moments.  This was it!!  Crunch time, put up or shut up!  We were to be tested in our personal technique in the 6 fundimental RKC lifts, then we had to demonstrate our ability to teach those skills to others that we'd never met.  The technique testing, I felt, went good for me.  Then it came time to teach the "Victums", these were supposed to be made up of the firemen who inhabited the station venue we were in.  However, over the course of the 3 days, the fireman (who I saw standing in the doorway watching from time to time) seen what we were going through and got cold feet!!  So we were without "Victums".  So, to make an already very hard task harder, we had to use the RKC's present as pretend victums!!!!  Its one thing teaching a beginner how to do something whilst being watched by an instructor, its another thing entirely having the instructors pretend to be beginners and be deliberately making all sorts of mistakes to see if you can spot it (plus try communicating that when you both speak a different lauguage)!!

I asked Pavel what should I do if the guy doesn't speak english, he said, in his characteristic deep Russian/american twang, "Deal with it, adapt", LOL, you've gotta love that.  I did deal with it, and felt better for it, I'm glad it wasn't typical, the difficulty of the RKC is its biggest gift to its graduate, it makes you a better coach, a better athlete and ultimately, a better person.

General Maximo The Great!!

One of the most amazing things of the whole weekend happened on the last day.  A deminutive and humble man named Maximo did a VERY inspiring thing on day three.  Maximo had failed the snatch test quite badly on day 1.  This must've been tough blow to come back from, knowing that you had paid all the money, done all the training and fell WAY short at the first hurdle.  He then faced all the arduous tasks that followed knowing he had in effect already failed.  This took great mental strength.  But then, on the last day it was announced that all those who failed the snatch test were being given a second chance!  To the untrained eye this might seem like a great opportunity, but by the final day my legs and hands were so tired and sore I couldn't fathom doing the snatch test AGAIN, and it was easy for me the first time.  Everyone who tried again (some big strong guys) failed worse than before, as was expected.  Then it was little Maximo's turn, everyone said it would be impossible for him. . . . Maximo didn't get that memo!!  He did it, with 1 second to spare!!!!  One of the most incredible displays of heart I've ever seen, relatively speaking.

The Grad Workout!!

One last challange stood between us and the finishing line, the infamous Grad Workout!  The calm before the strorm was a Qui Gong session with John Du Cane, this was awesome, it calmed us down, centred our minds, we were preparing to do battle one last time.  The main event was administered by the awesomely strong Senior RKC Doug Nepodal, and was one of the toughest workouts I've ever done.  The content was tough, but I'd been through harder, the big thing was that it was happening when I was at my lowest physical ebb.  I was shattered and so I picked up a pair of 16kg kettlebells to do the workout with.  That was until Pavel walked right up to me and said "16's!!  Comrade Paul, I'm surprised at you", without saying a word I went over and picked up a pair of 20's.

After what seemed like an eternity, Doug shouted "One more round"!!  This was met with universal euphoria amongst the remaining "troops".  Then, before you knew it, it was over.  Once the dust had settled on the Grad Workout there was still the same matter of if I'd passed or not?  The coaches, together with Pavel, went off to deliberate on who had made it and who hadn't.  Both myself and Cico were waiting anxiously to be called over for judgement.  My time came, my team leader Gaby informed me I'd passed!!  I was over the moon and couldn't hide the fact, but after the hugs and smiles you get the chance to look around the room through normal eyes, you then see a mixture of faces, so happy, so not.  In all the excitment I'd forgot to check on Cico. . . . he didn't make it, I was gutted for him.  This is the nature of this event, its very tough and has a 30% failure rate on average.  But, that was in May, I'm sure he'll have passed his re-sit by now, to have done as well as he did, with the hand injuries he was carrying, was tremendous!

It truely means something to me to be awarded the famous black RKC Instructor T-shirt, because its earned not given.  It was also one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, one that I would recommend whole heartedly to all those prepared for the challenge. . . The Russian Kettlebell Challenge, as a very wise man once said, Power To You Comrades!!!!