IGX

Actually it's a "Kettlebell Conditioning System", not a program, but I can't edit the title.

This arrived in the mail last week. Good stuff.

The DVD is an instructional video, demonstrating Maxwell's preferred versions of the Birdball exercises we all know and love. The accompanying manual also shows the exercises in sequential photograph form in the 1st half; the 2nd half is devoted to an 8 week program, along with two warm up routines (these are the same exercises as he taught in "The Boys Are Back In Town) and several specialized routines ("Laying the Foundation", "Core Especiale", "Lung Buster", etc.)

The DVD is professionally shot and well miked and easy to follow. OTOH, it contains no follow along routines (for those of you who like that kind of content). The manual is professionally photographed with full color and slick paper, but the binding looks as if it might break loose with time.

Maxwell's approach to kettlebells differs somewhat from Pavel/RKC/Strongfirst in both emphasis and programming. He doesn't put a whole lot of emphasis on "strength irradiation", sphincter locks, power breathing etc. (He does teach and differentiate between anatomical breathing and efficiency breathing). The programming is quite a bit more sophisticated (to my eyes) than RKC program minimum or the stuff from "Enter The Kettlebell". (I don't have "Return Of the Kettlebell", so I can't say if the info in ROK would change my opinion). There's no particular emphasis on the snatch, no equivalent to the "Secret Service Snatch Test" or the "Rite Of Passage" pressing ladders. (He does incorporate ladders, he just doesn't put any emphasis on it). There's no "FMS" stuff, and this definitely isn't a "Girevoy Sport" oriented program either - I think Steve assumes that his audience just wants to get in shape and look and feel better, not become PTs or lifestyle coaches or go off and become "android work capacity" machines.

I think his 8 week program looks good - 4 work outs a week, each workout has a different emphasis, the attributes they develop are rotated from week to week and session to session. A kettlebell enthusiast could do this for 8 weeks, take a break for a while, then come back in a week or a month and do it again with slightly heavier bells. Or you could just work on some of the individual "specialty routines" for a while, whatever keeps you interested.

All in all, a pretty decent package for the price. Meat and potatoes stuff, no hype or hyperbole or overheated ad copy. No trying to get you to join a birdball cult or to mistake the iron balls for your fleshy ones, (Admittedly, Pavel has an amusing and entertaining way of packaging his information.)