Join the Party! Powe to the People!

[Matt Stone]

This weekend I attended a seminar by "Comrade" Pavel Tsatsouline. I attended his Relax into Stretch, Bulletproof Abs and Power to the People seminars in Seattle.

For anyone that does not know of Comrade Tsatsouline, I recommend you visit www.dragondoor.com and check out his information. For those of you that do, I stand as a testament of the ongoing truth to what he says.

With his methods, your flexibility will increase immediately, allowing you to develop your stretches more effectively; your abdominal strength will increase dramatically; and your strength training will be more focused.

I can't believe the things I learned. Truly good things.

Power to the People!

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[jfarnsworth]

Sounds like you had a good time. It's always fun to learn and explore new things.

 

[Klondike93]

My instructor has met Pavel and worked with him and recommends him very highly.

I just got a couple of his books for x-mas, Relax into Stretch and Super Joints. Next on my list is Power to the People and his book on Kettlebells.

I like what I've read so far too.



:asian:

 

[Matt Stone]

I am still totally amazed at the things I learned... After 16 years of martial arts (and don't get me wrong, I am most certainly not criticizing my instructor(s) whatsoever!) I was shocked at how much I was able to learn about stretching in such a short time... I did some things tonight and produced the identical effect as in the class. Awesome. Simply awesome.

In the morning I am going to start in on adding the ab workout tips to my morning routine... 5 sets of 5 reps is all you need. One month of one exercise, alternate with something else next month, then back to the main exercise. It goes against everything everyone has been taught, but that is sort of the point.

I really loved how Comrade Pavel began the classes:

"You are now in the Soviet Territory. Do not forget it."

Then:

"Everything you know about stretching/abdominal training is wrong."

His sense of humor is hilarious, his method of instruction is straightforward and direct. The information gets communicated. The only way for you to miss it is if you are really thick, in which case you probably wouldn't have been there in the first place...

I am a convert to the Party... Power to the People!

And remember, the Party is always right...

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[yilisifu]

You're going to have to send me some of those exercises! I'm anxious to see them!

 

[KenpoGirl]

I just visited the site and noticed that I have seen his books on Amazon.com. I was very interested in the super joint book as I want to strengthen my knees, but I hesitated on purchasing them. Thank you for your review, I shall investigate some more and seriously consider purchasing them.

Dot :asian:

 

[dearnis.com]

His books are entertaining and you will learn a lot; definately worth the $$.

 

[warder]

Well I jusrt orderd a few videos from hist site. One on stretching and the power to the people videos. Ive heard alot of good thing about them previous to this thread, so i figured this was a sign to buy them. Ill post reviews in 7-10 buisness days when i get them and watch them.

 

[Matt Stone]

While I don't want to sound like a Pavel fanatic, I have to admit that I am extremely impressed by what he taught us to do...

Did some stretching last night (sitting down for a few hours after 6 hours of activity makes me stiffen up quite a bit), and was amazed again at how easy the techniques are, how little they hurt my already significantly effed up back (at least according to the docs - Pavel said he has a torn ACL and the man is flexible like a man with no bones!), and how deeply I can stretch cold.

His stuff is good. Totally against the grain, totally against what we have all learned in fitness training here and there, but 100 times more effective (as far as I'm concerned, anyway).

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

Power to the People!

 

[Klondike93]

I find myself thinking the same way. I have almost 30 years of martial art training in and now I find what Pavel has written to be more effective than any stretch training I have ever done.

Now to get Power to the People and his abs books and have them tear down all that I have learned through conventional thinking.



:asian:

 

[Matt Stone]

I was screwing around before I got into the shower following my morning session with Comrade Pavel, and after one whopping day of a very short stretching routine, my roundhouse kick is at least 6 inches higher than before... For a short, tubby little sucker like me, that is a big deal!

Now to work on doing the splits...

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[warder]

I just finished watching his Power to the People video. This deals with weight lifting and the proper mechanics. It is interesting, and very contradictial to what ive been doing. He prefers you lift while being very tense and very rooted. He demonstrates different breathing techniques that seem to make very good sense. he doesnt believe in isolating the one muscle while lifting, but instead using techniques that will stimulate other muscles throughout the body to get you to optimize every excerise. We'll have to wait till i go to the gym tomorrow to try the techniques. I have to say, he makes good sense, and explains why he does everything he does, which i really like. Ill report back when i try some of the stuff out. all in all, i enjoyed the tape and i found it very informational, but i wont know how practical it is till tomorrow.

also his accent is pretty sketchy in the video, it almost sounds fake.

 

[Matt Stone]

Well, as far as the accent goes, he has been living in the US for quite some time, so it is entirely possible he is simply growing out of it.

I knew a girl, the wife of a co-worker, when I lived in Japan, who was from Britain (Nottingham, specifically). After only 2 years of being around her, I noticed a dramatic change in her accent.

As for the contradictory information Pavel is passing out (contradictory to commonly held "truths" of fitness training), I can attest to some short term benefits already with only spordadic training... I have bad knees and a bad back, and doing his squats (holding onto a vertical post, squatting all the way down while keeping my weight through my heels and shins vertical) has yet to make my knees or back sore...

Good luck at the gym!

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[Erkki]

The principles Pavel espouses are only contradictory to us here in the west. They've been doing things like that for years in Russia. Most importantly, Pavel's way works and is terrific for martial artists.

As far as the accent goes, there are plenty of people in this world that can speak multiple languages so effortlessly that you couldn't tell which one was their 'native' tongue.

 

[Matt Stone]

Well, we only know that they have been doing things like that in Russia for years based on what Pavel has told us... For all we know, there really aren't any people in Russia that lift weights at all!

Anyway, all kidding aside, I think his methods are very helpful for MA, and actually reinforce certain things we are taught.

Gambarimasu.
:asian:

 

[warder]

hey, i was only making a joke about the accent.. i had no intention to stir up emotions. its a great tape, and i feel he has alot to teach. I only hope i have the oppurtunity to see him, and learn from him, in person. so, relax all pavel fans.
Fred Warder

 

[Angus]

Just ordered his power to the people and relax into the stretch books. I'm really quite excited, as I want to get a lot of the flexibility back that I lost over the last couples year. Hopefully a different approach will help me get the last couple inches on the splits, etc. Thanks for the recommendation!