Fast Tens Are the Explosive Equivalent of Heavy Fives.
 When training explosive lifts like kettlebell swings and snatches, there is a number that works remarkably well for most athletes. That number is 10.
 Ten fast, powerful reps. Not ten reps performed at the expense of speed and technique. But how do you turn this principle into an effective training program without accumulating unnecessary fatigue?
 In The Quick and the Dead: Total Training for the Advanced Minimalist, Pavel Tsatsouline presents the results of five years of research and experimentation. 
Two exercises. Kettlebell swings and power pushups. Just 12–30 minutes, two to three times per week. 
Q&D is designed to develop explosive power while managing fatigue. It can serve as a stand-alone minimalist training program or complement an athlete's existing training. The goal is not to finish every session exhausted. It is to develop strength and power while preserving the energy you need to fight, work, play, and live. Want to understand the science and programming behind Fast Tens? Read Pavel's The Quick and the Dead: Total Training for the Advanced Minimalist. Click here: strongfirst.com/shop/books/t… Power to you! #strongfirst #bestrongfirst

The Heavy Kettlebell Clean: A Lesson in Tension and Relaxation. The heavy kettlebell clean is a powerful demonstration of one of the fundamental principles of the StrongFirst: knowing when to generate tension and when to relax. Mastering this skill is essential for efficient power production and precise control of heavy kettlebells. Unlike the Olympic weightlifting clean, the Hardstyle kettlebell clean follows different technical principles: - No shrugging the shoulders. - Keep the elbows close to the body. - Do not puff out the chest. - Do not extend upward to finish the pull. - Do not dip under the weight. Heavy double kettlebell cleans take these skills even further. Incorporated into complexes, they reinforce essential Hardstyle techniques while providing an effective stimulus for hypertrophy and conditioning. But first, master the technique. Then earn the right to go heavy. Join the SFG I StrongFirst Kettlebell Instructor Certification and take your strength, skills, and coaching knowledge to the next level. Explore upcoming certifications through this link: strongfirst.com/certificatio… Strength has a greater purpose. #strongfirst #bestrongfirst Photo: StrongFirst Korea

New National Deadlift Record. No Belt. StrongFirst Programming. At the Meet of the Americas 2026 in Mexico City, Carlos del Real broke the Mexican National Deadlift Record in the Men's Open 82.5kg Tested category. The international competition brought together more than 100 athletes from six countries: the USA, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Argentina. The event was organized by the Mexican Powerlifting League (LMP), affiliated with the International Powerlifting League (IPL). The previous record stood at 255kg. Carlos pulled 257.5kg - smoothly and without a lifting belt. Behind this achievement were more than two years of systematic strength training under Charlie Guendulain, StrongFirst Certified Team Leader. And the programming? Built on StrongFirst principles. Charlie started coaching Carlos in March 2024, using a progression of training methods: — Linear programming to establish a solid foundation and progressively build strength. — Step Cycling to refine technique and overcome plateaus. — Built Strong to address weak links. — Plan Strong™ for the final preparation leading to the record-breaking lift. The final training phase included two months of preparation and one month of competition-focused programming using Plan Strong™. But heavy deadlifts were only part of the equation. Kettlebell swings and snatches remained part of Carlos's training throughout the entire process. Starting with 20kg and 32kg kettlebells, he gradually progressed to 40, 44, 48, and even 56kg, developing tremendous grip and trunk strength. Dragon flags, planks, Zercher squats, and kettlebell front squats also played an important role in building the strength needed to support his deadlift. One principle guided the entire process: never increase the weight at the expense of technique. Charlie's biggest takeaway? - "Work your midsection." Strong trunk strength, intelligent programming, technical precision, and consistent practice. No shortcuts. No unnecessary rush. Congratulations to Carlos del Real on his outstanding achievement, and to Charlie Guendulain for the coaching and programming behind it. ➡️ Want to learn how to apply StrongFirst programming principles to your own strength training? Explore Plan Strong™ and Built Strong and discover how to build strength with a systematic approach. Click here for more information: strongfirst.com/special-even… Strength has a greater purpose!

The Hanging Leg Raise is more than an ab exercise. Done to the StrongFirst standard, it is a powerful exercise for building abdominal and lat strength and one of the best assistance exercises for your pullup. But more importantly, it is a lesson in the skill of strength. The standard is simple. Meeting it is not. From a dead hang on a high bar: — Arms remain straight at all times. — Eyes stay forward; the head does not tilt back. — Raise the legs under control, without momentum. — Keep the legs straight or nearly straight. — Bring the shins or feet all the way to the bar. No swinging. No kicking. StrongFirst strength training is not only about kettlebells or barbells. It is about mastering the universal principles that make you stronger and learning how to apply them to any strength skill, including bodyweight exercises. That is exactly what we teach at the SFB StrongFirst Bodyweight Instructor Certification. You will not simply leave with a catalog of bodyweight exercises. You will learn how to look at a strength feat, reverse-engineer it, understand what it demands, and know how to train for it. Learn the principles, master the skills and build strength anywhere. Join the SFB StrongFirst Bodyweight Instructor Certification. For more information, click the link: strongfirst.com/certificatio… #strongfirst #bestrongfirst Photo: StrongFirst Czechia

Want more power, a stronger trunk, and a grip that won’t quit? Swing heavy with one arm. A heavy one-arm kettlebell swing is much more than a heavier version of the two-arm swing. 1. Build serious hip power. A heavy bell demands an explosive hip drive. Your glutes, hamstrings, and entire posterior chain have to produce force - fast. 2. Challenge your anti-rotation strength. With the load on one side, your body has to resist being pulled, twisted, and shifted out of position. Your trunk works hard to keep you square and stable. 3. Build a stronger grip and connection. A heavy one-arm swing challenges your grip while teaching you to connect the working arm to the rest of the body through a packed shoulder and strong torso. But remember: heavy only works when your technique can handle it. Own the swing. Respect the weight. Then earn the right to go heavier. >>> Want to improve your one-arm swing? In today’s StrongFirst newsletter, you’ll find a simple training tip to help you improve your technique. Make sure you check it out. And if you’re not subscribed to the StrongFirst newsletter yet, sign up now so you don’t miss more practical training tips, valuable information, and proven methods to help you get stronger. strongfirst.com #strongfirst #bestrongfirst Photo: StrongFirst Italy

25 years ago, the first kettlebell cert developed by Pavel Tsatsouline did a lot more than put the kettlebell on the world map. It shook up the complacent trainer education industry. Instead of spewing sciency trivia useless in the trenches and coddling the students with multiple choice questions, this disruptive school taught lifting skills with military precision—and rigorously tested them. Unheard of until then, the candidates had to test their spirit in grueling workouts, pass strength tests, and demonstrate their teaching ability. While at it, they bonded through a shared challenge and often became friends for life. Since then, while others were attempting to catch up and imitate what Pavel and his team had done, we kept advancing. Polishing the chrome of our lifting and teaching skills. Perfecting our programming with the best of Eastern European and Western sports science. Doubling down on our commitment to George Hackenschmidt’s maxim: “Strength cannot be divorced from health.” Are you ready to take on our legendary kettlebell instructor certification? Start your journey here: strongfirst.com/certificatio… Power to you! #strongfirst #bestrongfirst #hardstylekettlebell #pavel

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The swing, the get-up, and the goblet squat are the three most beneficial exercises anyone could do—period. Some might need to add other moves, but they must be planted on the foundation of these three whales. The swing fills the hips with power and the back with vigor. The get-up makes the shoulders resilient and the abs bulletproof. The goblet squat unlocks the hips and puts a spring into one’s step. Muscles appear in all the right places while the fat beats a retreat. When done correctly, these exercises are exceptionally safe. They are beyond safe—they are “antifragile,” to borrow a word from Nassim Taleb. The Program Minimum plus goblet squats is true health training. I can run out of fingers on both hands listing the various health benefits of swings alone. “Customization” is just a euphemism for “differentiation” in the business world. The only “customization” you need is the size of the bell. You are the nail; I rend you the hammer. – Pavel The “hammer”— Kettlebell Simple & Sinister® - the World’s #1 kettlebell program for beginners and beyond >>> StrongFirst.SkillTrain.com/P… 🟠 Special Offer: 25% off until Thursday, September 17 #strongfirst #bestrongfirst #kettlebell

Why practice the Hand-to-Hand Swing? The H2H swing looks simple: release the kettlebell with one hand and catch it with the other. But the switch tells the truth about your swing. If the bell travels too low, too late, or off to one side, your receiving hand has to chase it. When the hips launch the kettlebell cleanly, it arrives at the same place every time and the exchange becomes almost effortless. A good switch doesn’t start with fast hands. It starts with a powerful hip drive and a predictable float. At the top, let the hands meet and make a smooth exchange. Don’t toss the bell sideways, lift it with your arm, or reach after it. The kettlebell should stay on the same path as if no switch had happened. Start with a moderate weight and practice just a few clean switches at a time. Don’t focus on catching faster. Make the bell easier to catch by improving its trajectory. Want to master the Swing and Get-Up? Take the Simple & Sinister® Online Course. 💥 Last call: 25% OFF through September 17 only. For more information, click here: StrongFirst.SkillTrain.com/P… Take the power! #strongfirst #bestrongfirst #simpleandsinister Photo: StrongFirst France

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