Reviews

Hi- Just wanted to say thanks for saving me from stopping my love for cycling. I've been a road and cyclocross racer for 25 years. In the last 3-4 years, I've noticed a considerable drop in my ability to keep up with guys in my masters category. Clearly, they were creating more power than I, and for years, I tried to analyze why this was happening. Finally, just a month and a half ago, I decided that the power was dependent on my strength, and so I decided I needed a radical way to improve my strength ability. So, I just looked in my library catalog, and found the PTP workout. I thought, this is easy, quick, and makes great sense.

Long story short, I was ready to cut myself off completely from cycling until I started PTP. After several weeks, and about a 100% increase in the weight stackage (I see this as a result of being the beginning lifter, so exponential gains early on will clearly plateau sometime later), I find myself back in the top 15 of my category, where I had plenty of extra effort to add, and clearly there's more potential, as I continue PTP...

It doesn't mention anywhere in the book how one optimizes the PTP with the workouts of the sport of choice, but I have basically done PTP except on days when I have performed near maximal or maximal workouts on bike/plyo. It hasn't had a negative impact on my progression in PTP.

Again, thanks. I've gained a sense of confidence on the bike I haven't had in years...

An Olympic barbell & 300-500 lbs of plates
No belt, no wrist straps, no training to failure
Bigger strength & if you want size gains beyond your wildest dreams

Every other testing system burned me out in less than a month. With PTTP's periodization you stop we'll before burnout enduring higher & higher peaks each cycle.

I can honestly say if I had had this book 30yrs ago I'd be light years ahead of where I am now despite constantly trying to progress.

Pavel,

I want to share with this forum my success with this program.

I used the PTTP program with BP and Sumo DL for 8 months. I weighed 198 lbs and ended up increasing my strength so much. I went from having a 325 lbs Deadlift to a 415 lbs Deadlift and a 270 lbs BP to a 325 lbs BP. That got my attention so I looked up more of your research and found this forum.

I did the plan exactly as written for one year, except I had no access to a squat rack so I just did Sumo DL 5×5 2 times a week (one heavy one light day) And the same with BP. I did no squats. I did however do the Russian Bear program with pullups one day a week.

I put on 20 lbs of muscle ( a bit of fat too due to massive eating, but not much) and I increased my Deadlift to 550 lbs and my BP to 365 lbs. and went from being able to do 10 pullups with just my own bodyweight to 20 pullups with 20 lbs strapped to me at 5 feet 9 inches and a bodyweight of 218 lbs. All this was done within ONE YEAR and 100% RAW with no gear, drugs or supplements. Not even whey protein powder.

I Just ate tons of vegetables, pastas, eggs, meat, and stayed away from junk and too much fruit. I drank lots of milk and water but did not drink juice or soda . I logged every session, kept my rest between sets longer than 5 mins., got lots of sleep and didn’t stray from the program though I had a hard time doing that. I’ve always had exercise ADD.

I want to thank you for your shedding of light on all the crap there is out there in the strength and fitness industry. My Bench Press became stronger than my max Deadlift was when I started to read your research and put your programs to the test. I put a lot of faith in your methodology because you are credible and your research and the research of others you quote is convincing and makes sense.

Thanks to you I am more confident, well built, and strong as HELL! Power to you my friend!

To anyone reading this, Remember the acronym K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid! Listen to Pavel and you will crush your PR’s. Welcome to the Party, the Party is always right!

This is what I sought for 20+ years. As simple and concise as a strength training program can be, it is the complete antithesis of what you read in the glossy muscle mags.

You have access to a barbell and plates and want strength? After laying off the bench for almost 5 years I am benching 275 for reps after 2 1/2 months on Power to the People. After laying off the deadlift for almost 5 years I just pulled 505 after the same 2 1/2 months.

You want size? My wife has forbidden me from doing Pavel's "Russian Bear" since my XL shirts no longer fit my back and my legs won't fit my pants anymore.

Sick of all those nagging little injuries that come with overtraining? Follow Pavel's protocol and those days are over. You'll leave the gym feeling just as energetic as you did coming in.

Don't hesitate in buying Power to the People. It costs as much as five of those glossy muscle mags that usually reprint the same complicated routines in so many different words. The difference is that Power to the People's extremely simple program delivers every bit of what it promises. Not only will you not be disappointed, you will be thrilled.

This is the second time I purchased PTTP. My first copy of PTTP, I literally worn out from use. A pretty darn-good endorsement of the value of this book, I'd say.

"Power to the People" has been the most valuable info I have found yet on weight lifting. This compact and entertaining book has 2 outstanding uses: 1. A simple and brief workout for those of us who want to build strength and control body fat on a tight schedule, and 2. Outstanding advice on the main power lifts and full-body training for those who want to supplement the great body of contradictory literature already out there with an excellent program that really works.

Buy and start this program right away, and then in a few months add to it with a couple Kettlebells and Pavel's video on how to use them. I am stronger than ever, with less time devoted to training and rare instances of muscle soreness.

No matter what your current workout, if you lift iron this book and DVD is gold and a must have. I can't wait to apply the techniques to my Olympic bar and weights!

A big thumbs up!

One of the best books for all levels of lifters/athletes.

Two things that I really like about this book! (1)It works!! (2)I'm not worn out from a weight workout that interferes with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training. An extra bonus is the straight forward, humerous way Pavel writes along with the fact you get great strength in a short amount of time. Looking forward to other Pavel books!

Great book. Simplicity is King. I have made astounding gains by following the advice in this book. I have been "on board" with the party's methods for some time, and this book is just another masterpiece from Pavel.

Thanks

I have read countless books on everything strength/fitness related... And as a professional in the field working for a major university, I am entrusted with the athletic future of over 400 student-athletes... Books like SUPERTRAINING and Zatsiorsky's SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF STRENGTH TRAINING are considered Strength and Conditioning bibles... WELL, POWER TO THE PEOPLE might be the most useful and applicable book I have ever read... Pavel's style is beyond user friendly and the principles and lessons within its pages makes POWER TO THE PEOPLE the top of my must have list... Don't waste your money anything else... buy it, read it, then re-read it...

This stuff really works. I am 57 years old and have been actively working out most of my life. I have also done a lot of reading about building strength. I have a strong background in research and have never been satisfied with "the junk" I have read in books and journals. That all changed when I started reading Pavel's work. I knew right away that I was on to something good and he is fun to read.

My experience in industrial research told me that Pavel uses good theory and he always has immediate ways to demonstrate the value of the theory. His discussion and application of "The Law of Irradiation" validated my gut feeling that Pavel knows his stuff. Strength gains and progress have never been so fast. In the last two months I have added 100 pounds to my dead lift and 150 pounds to my health lift and I have been adding weight very slowly keeping a focus on "safety first," "greasing the groove," and "practice not workout."

Over the 4th of July weekend, I found an unexpected pay off. We went canoeing and swimming in a reservoir. Past experience told me I would be tired because I have not been swimming for months and haven't been in a canoe for almost a year. I never got tired nor sore and I took my 10 year old son on a three to four mile canoe ride. Instead of getting tired, the more I stroked, the stronger I felt. It was awesome!!! Pavel knows his stuff! I am having more fun learning and doing Power to the People practices than I have ever had in a gym. Sore muscles, sore joints and workouts are history!!! Fun and Power are the future. I see people on the street and they say, "You look great, what are you doing?" My 10 year old son told his mom after our canoe ride, "Mom, look at Dad, he looks like the Russian." What a complement and testimony that "Power to the People" delivers.

When I started PTP, I weighed 135lbs. and was not very strong. I had lifted weights inconsistently for some time with very minimal results and was ready for something different. Pavel showed me that I didn't have to get big to be strong. After only one semester of using PTP, I could deadlift 325 lbs. Then I decided it was time to apply this theory to other lifts. My squat is now at 300 lbs. as well, after only a few months of squatting! It felt good, but I didn't know how good until I started outlifting guys 20-30 lbs. heavier than me! Another side effect of being able to move heavy weight was my bodyweight going up to 145 lbs. without even trying! Get this book, apply the theory, stay consistent, and you will gain real strength faster than you thought possible.

VERY INFORMATIVE

I have read Pavel's naked warrior and power to the people, and they are by far my favorate and most useful books I own. Pavel is a genous when it comes to strength traing, I can hardly wait to get his beyond bodybuilding book. Get a book by Pavel wether it be naked warrior or enter the kettlebell (which I have never read, but am sure is amazing.), you just cant go wrong. With only a barbell and my body, I have increased my strength to an astonashing degree. Between martial arts, school, and work, I dont have time for confusing weight lifting routines, were you get bigger but not stronger. With NW & PTP you get the basics that work, plain and simple.

I never would have beleived I could make the greatest gains of my life performing a simple 2 exercise routine for 2 sets each as few as 2x a wk. Totally amazing. All this can be accomplished w/ less than $150 worth of equipment.

Seriously, I am just finishing up another session of PTTP (deadlifts and presses) and I am now close to two months straight of consistent, easy sets 4 to 5 times a week.

With a goal to deadlift 405lbs by end of 2011, I am confident it will happen. For example, early this morning, I reached for the 32kg bell and having been frustrated with it for almost a year, picked it up and pressed it overhead cleanly, with a solid lockout. At first I wasn't sure I picked up the right bell.

32kg in the AIR. PTTP Works.

After a very long layoff due to non-workout related injuries, I was fat, smoking a pack and a half a day and after work, just sitting in front of the t.v. I realized what I was missing out on remembering back to my teens and early twenty's, how "alive and energetic I felt strength training. After 6 months of off and on home gym dumbell sessions following routines I did 10+ years ago, I decided it was time for up to date info. This is the one and only book I bought when I decided to get serious about strength training in May 2010. Pavel convinced me to start taking the deadlift seriously, so at the beginning of the summer, I joined a gym and my dead was 315 for 4 reps (I thought that was good @ a bodyweight of 266 lbs.). After using his approach in "PTP" I am now deadlifting 475 x1 RAW (no belt no straps). My bench went from 220 x3, to a current 310 x3. Pavel, THANK YOU!

I have always struggled with strength training in the past- rarely making gains in strength or size. I have a runner's body and thought I was a classic "hard gainer" and just needed to give up on strength training.

However, after just two weeks of following the Power To The People program I'm making steady improvements.

Pavel is right- strength is a skill and you don't need to look like a bodybuilder to get it! Thanks Pavel!

Working 80-90hrs a week leaves little time for long workouts and with Maximum Strength being my main goal, Power to the People was just what I was looking for, in less than two months my DL jumped to 450lbs for 5 reps and my press is up to 195 with no sign of slowing down.

I'm out of the gym in under 30 minutes and I feel strong.

Back in the earlier days of the internet there were far and few trusted resources when it came to strength development and muscle building.

Now, there are tens of thousands, making it VERY confusing. I've been training since age 13, now 35, that's over 2 decades of knowledge and in the trenches experience. P2P by Pavel is sooo basic, yet sooo powerful.

Sometimes we need that reminder of how to organize the basics, BUT, the way Pavel has you training in P2P is very unique and unlike any powerlifting program I have ever seen.

Whether you are a beginner or advanced, this IS a powerful book you should read and USE.

This book should be on the book shelf and in the hands of every serious strength enthusiast.

If I hadn't alredy sent back a previous title to DragonDoor, I would have returned this one as well. I just don't want them to think I am one of these deadbeats buying books, reading them and then returning them for the refund. Very little in the way of real information. Lot of fluff. Could have gotten to the real meat of the book with fewer pages and charged a lot less money for it. It should be a $10 ebook. I would have been much happier if they had done that. Two out of three books I have been very unhappy with. I will not be trying any more titles from DragonDoor. I have since found other sites with much better products.

Excellent consolidation and presentation of pivotal strength & conditioning principles. Should be one of the core training texts in your library.

In fifteen + yrs of bodybuilding I never would have guessed the plain old boring deadlift could equal the squat. Guess what it doesn't...its better by far.

If your like me and primarily train for size, if that's where your genes lie as mine do, Pavel';s Commando will pack more muscle on you than any form of the squat including Super Squats..

This is THEE book if you want to gain serious strength. It is simple and requires no special equipment. You will increase overall performance and strength in less time than you thought possible. Follow the lead of the old time strongmen and Pavel. He won't steer you wrong.

Great info! It just felt a little expensive, considering the total content of the book.

What an amazing book to read, Pavel put's his information and technique across in a simple formatt that anyone can understand. His muscle tension technique works for me and has helped already even after just one week of using it. I don't buy much for myself but I would have to say that this is one of the best things I have bought.

I've been bodybuilding for 15+ years, and while I had a great pump, I wanted to be a lot stronger. Using the plan in this book, I've added 200 lbs to my deadlift. My Squats have improved by 100 lbs, my bench by 50 lbs. Funny thing is that I look skinnier, but I'm definitely much stronger. Thanks Pavel! Keep up the good work!

Another book of solid training techniques from Pavel; broken down to the bare minimum just as it should be. Training in the manner outlined in this book and "The naked Warrior" can produce dramatic gains in strength. I do disagree with Pavel's outlook on H.I.T training - which has pushed my endurance through the roof.
Rock on Pavel!

Oh my gosh this book is the bomb! I used to be an average Joe who dreamed of becoming a top athlete. With the help of the training advice in this book, I significantly improved my strength and muscle tone and now my swimming and mixed martial arts dreams seem a close reality! All my friends are currently baffled by my seemingly superhuman weight for weight strength and it is just so satisfying! I am 5-11 and 140 pounds (in other words, most of my body weight is bone). However, I bench press 180 lbs (with a barbell, not the lame machine), leg press around 500 lbs (I go down 90 degrees), bicep curl 77.5 pounds (with both arms), and lat pull down 195 pounds. Furthermore, the principles in this book on building more tension in the muscles you already have as opposed to bulking up has allowed me to have literally rock hard muscles on all parts of my body (in particular my forearms). Anyways, great book, do go ahead and read it!

I have gained 80 lbs. on my deadlift and have gained 60 lbs. on my bench press-without supplements.

I feel stronger and more solid.

I can run faster and jump higher than ever before.

It all happened in only 12 weeks.

Buy this book, it will change the way you lift forever.

I liked the information. If used and applied it gives good results.

Don't get my headline wrong. If you follow this routine, you will put in hard and strenuous work to get remarkable results, but the plan is simple and leaves you with lots of energy to take on the day, or night, for that matter.
I used to bust my ass every time that I lifted. I got bigger. I got stronger. But the gains were not remarkable. I was pushing against the ceiling every time and the ceiling would not budge.
The concepts in this book opened up an entirely new perspective on strength training have enabled me to lift more weight than I ever did college (about 20 years ago).
Get this book. Gain some perspective. Get strong.

A very excellent book on how to get super strong by using just a simple barbell and weights. Highly recommended.

A fantastic Book on the Deadlift and Sidepress. I liked the entire first half on tension, which I can apply to all lifting. Well worth the money.

From start to finish, this book is filled with invaluable training information for anyone interested in real strength. A great read and thoroughly engaging, this book presents a training approach that is brilliantly simple and wonderfully rewarding. By implementing the techniques Pavel teaches in Power to the People, I am finally making REAL gains in strength! Power to you!

For those whose goal is maximum muscular size the Bear russian commando routine will put more size you in (1) ONE w/out than an entire cycle of Super Squats. Thats saying alot and it will require a few weeks to progress to (1) all out w/out of 20 sets of 5 w/ a respectable weight - but a week after you complete a true Bear (if you live) your clothes will be noticeably tighter I assure you.

This book is good for somebody who knows nothing and thats about all. Theres only two lifts in the whole book and you could have found out more about these with two minutes surfing. No pulling exercises are listed in the main programs, but where the curl is discussed its totally wrong and will injure your arms because the elbow is only a hinge joint. I cannot understand why this man is so over rated, but I assure you that it is not by TRUE lifters like me who know the game.

If you want to be STRONG then this is the book for you. Pavel is an iconoclast who isn't afraid to shatter years of misinformation with something radically simple. The writing style is enjoyable and I read the entire thing as soon as I got it with several rereads that month. Methods have worked better than I could have ever expected. The years of struggling, seeing minimal gains, and putting out maximal effort trained me for one thing: disappointment and low expectations. I'm in total shock at how much stronger I got while doing less work than ever before. Much gratitude to Pavel, this guy knows what he's talking about.

Since I have trained with kettlebells, it has transformed my body, mindset, goals, hobbies, career, and much else. I have since discovered the rest of your body of works, and I have (finally) been able to add nearly 15 lbs of quality muscle using the P2P program in about a month. It has also made a night-and-day difference in my current sport, acrobatic gymnastics. I look forward to getting my RKC certification as soon as I can afford it, which will unfortunately not be for a while.

Thank you for your quality instructional materials, which so far have proven much more valuable than all of the classes I have taken towards a BS in Health and Fitness.

This is the one book anyone who talks to me knows something about, because I can't stop talking about it!

I've read just about everything available about bodybuilding and strength training. A lot of the stuff is geared towards steroid users and professional body builders. I'm 48 years old and drug free. In my experience, when I train with a lot of reps and always train to failure, I hit a plateau after only a couple of months. After that, progress is slow. Tsatsouline's weight training principles in Power to the People (as well as his great articles in Muscle Media) have helped me blast past that plateau. I first read Power to the People about 4 months ago, and since then, I've added 20 to 25% more weight to my bench press, squats, and deadlifts. I started doing deadlifts, which have really helped my overall development. The main changes I've made, 1). I now follow a 4 week cycle and I only work to failure in the third week (followed by an easy week), 2). I do a lot more low-rep sets with heavy weights, 3). I added deadlifts and pullups to my routine. I like that Tsatsouline's theories are based on scientific research, and info he obtained from experienced drug-free body builders and power lifters, including many of the past masters. Furthermore, Power to the People isn't redundant; it's interesting to read. Definitely one of the best strength training books ever published.

Though you will find it countering several long held tenets of western work out orthodoxy, I think you will be happily surprised at the positive results you will get by following his suggestions.

I was introduced to PTP by my physical therapist as a new approach to rehab for my back. I have a herniation between L5 and S1 and 3 bulging disks between L1 and L5. Consequently, I've been dealing with a chronicly painful condition for about 5 years now. My trainer/physical therapist and I decided to incorporate PTP techniques into the rehab process in May of 2002 and most recently we're utilizing kettel balls in my training. What a difference! I am mostly pain free and when the injury does flair up my recovery time is measured in days not weeks! I dropped from about 20% body fat (pinch method) to around 15% while maintaining my body weight at 198 Lbs. I highly recommend the book for anyone looking for a more efficient method of developing real strength. I also recommend the techniques for those that have rehab needs for the lower back UNDER PROPER SUPERVISION OF A TRAINED PHYSICAL THERAPIST ONLY! For what it's worth, these methods continue to work for me. Thanks for a great and informative book!

Best regards,

Roger

I purchased PTP and have not been disappointed. Just like all of Pavel's materials it gets right to the point and delivers terrific results. After wasting my time with other lifting programs I will never go back. Power to the People is the best way to get strong with short, effective workouts. You can't go wrong with Pavel's materials.

Jon

I did not like the book for the following reasons:
1. Any weight-lifter with very basic knowledge of the exercise, human physiology and human anatomy - much less an advanced lifter - will know way over and above than what is offered in the book.
2. The book lacks any in-depth discussion on any one given (let alone advanced) topic.
3. The book contains very few barbell exercise descriptions; again very basic.
4. Amazingly enough, the book contains NO KB exercises (either general or detailed).
Absolutely not worth the money I paid for it.

I first heard about Pavel from my boss, who absolutely swears by him. I was a bit skeptical at first, but when my deadlift increased by about 20 pounds immediately, I knew that PTP was legit. Also, after less than a week of PTP and GTG with pull-ups and one-armed push-ups, I have much better body awareness, and I am able to recruit the assistance of those "unlikely" muscles -- whether in lifts or in day to day activities. I can't wait to see how PTP will improve my strength and tone my muscles over the next year. Thanks, Pavel!
If you are looking for an exercise program that will require hours in the gym and will give you nothing more than pretty (but weak) muscles in return, look elsewhere. If you are looking for a dramatic plateau-busting increase in strength, then PTP is for you. More power to you, comrade.

I have been on the program for almost a year and a half and the gains have not stopped coming. The book delivers everything it promises. I am 16 years old, 157 pounds and yesterday deadlifted 430 pounds. My body is lean and ripped. I don't practice armwrestling, but using tension techniques I have learned I beat adults much larger than me who also lift weights. Do yourself a favor and buy this book, and DO EXACTLY WHAT IT TELLS YOU. Pavel is a genius and he will show you how to get strong and do it fast.

Most strength training programs leave me feeling wasted for hours, but not Power to the People. After a brief session of this program I feel electrified, ready to take on the world, ready to pounce on opportunities like a panther! You train your strength and then you live your life, and that is a beautiful thing! Doing the Power to the People routine I've doubled my strength in practically no time, shattering all my old personal bests, and I've discovered a new-found energy I didn't know I could have, much more than I ever obtained in my track days from runner's high. This energy carries over into every other area of my life. This program gives you much more than just strength. It helps you get in a productive mindset for living and imbues each day with enthusiasm.

I must give a review for Power to the People, because I am grateful for the increase in strength that I have gained in less than a year.

I purchased Power to the People after several failed attempts to get stronger using weights and bodyweight resistance. That included suffering from patellar tendonitis, which derailed my training for five months. I saw the book's web page whilst looking around the DragonDoor website, claiming that I could gain beyond my wildest dreams, with less chance of injury and I can get stronger without adding bulk. This was exactly what I wanted. I was skeptical at first, wondering if it was a scam.

Fast forward eleven months later. I can say, THIS IS NO SCAM, THIS WORKS. After doing PTTP week in and week out, this is the easiest strength program I have been on, and I have been able to stick to it because of its simplicity and effectiveness. Results don't lie. Before PTTP, I was only able to deadlift 270 lbs for 1 rep and could only bench press 100 lbs for one rep. Now, ELEVEN MONTHS LATER, I can deadlift 500 lbs for 1 rep and I can side press an EZ curl bar loaded with 70 lbs with both arms, with hardly any injuries, with just chalk on my hands and gym wear(no belt, no gloves, no suit), all because I did the basic Power to the People workout. Two sets of five reps. A pull and a press with high tension. No feeling tired and wasted after the workout. If you want strength, this book is what I recommend. As a matter of fact, I know of no other better book on strength training. I just wish I had this book 10 years ago.

After 15+ yrs of strength training PTTP has totally changed everything I thought I knew about getting larger/stronger. If Pavel represents russian weightlifting technology its no wonder the US Olympic team keeps getting its tail whipped.

Mark Winchester Sr.

The simplicity of Power to the People is genius. This system, along with Enter the Kettlebell, is perfect for my busy schedule and high mileage joints. I can once again play competitive basketball, and I mean competitive.
Thank you Pavel!

One of the best books I've read on strength. Great information. Get it!

The first time I read this book I highlighted a bunch of stuff that I thought was important.

I just read it again and highlighted a bunch more.

This is a really good book and ranks up there as one of my favorites.

This is a must read for anyone who lifts weights; bodybuilder, strength trainer, athlete or otherwise.

As a track and field coach of beginner to elite athletes I am always researching new and better methods for helping my athletes to realize their potential. I feel like I have wasted countless hours reading and applying information from traditional Western "Bodybuilding" programs that offer lots of "show" with little "go." Enter Pavel, the Evil Russian! After my first reading of "Power to the People" I had to immediately read it again for a second, and then 3rd time. I could not believe how simple and straightforward strength training could be while based highly on scientific physiological principles. I have been applying this information for months and am seeing rapid lifetime strength gains. Quite simply the best book written on strength training! Easy to read, entertaining, and highly informative. The companion DVD is great too. If you're serious about reaching your maximum strength potential, don't hesitate, get a copy of Power to the People in your hands as soon as possible!

I have been looking for a straight on guide to increase my overall strength. And I found it in PttP. It helped me get to a major milestone for me, a 3 bodyweight deadlift. And it was smart planning with different powercycles layed out in the book that helped me achieve it. The book also offer guidelines to train just for strength or strength with increase in musclemass. All can find something in PttP.

This is a fantastic book it has lots of extreamly valuable information on resistance training and has helped me with my training programs for my clients.

Darren Skelton
Body Mind Conditioning
Perth Western Australia

I've tried everything and got some good results here and there, but absolutely nothing compares to the levels of muscularity and athleticism I've achieved since following Pavel. Science and simplicity in one. Pavel tells you what works and exactly why then distills it all into such basic, incredible drills and strategies. Just doing ONE exercise with the recommended volume and frequency took my physique to the level I'd always wanted. I'd gotten pretty "buff" before with other methods, but the muscle I built with Power To The People was different. It was harder and I was stronger than I'd ever been.

Everyone who wants to be lean and truly strong should start with this book. Pavel's other books deal with flexibility, endurance, etc and taken together form a true bible of personal physical perfection. I am stronger and more muscular and flexible than I can believe thanks to Pavel. People who've known me for years and know that I lift weights have all commented that I've never looked like this, so thick and strong. Strangers comment to each other about my muscularity when I walk by and I'm not "bulky" at all! Most importantly, my performance in the gym has shot up and is all the more remarkable because I'm still wiry. The average person has a hard time believing a man under 200 lbs can be that strong. But Party members know the deal.

from what i've seen so far this is a dramatic improvement over the weider principles. they'll wear an old guy out. this is simple and strong . hey at 51yrs of age we don't have alot of time to pussy around and look pretty some of us just want to be strong and hold our own well. i'm a correctional officer and being and looking strong at 50 is a major tool in how we carry ourselves. thank you pavel!!

I purchase the book, Power to the People about a year ago. At first I wasn't sure if just two exercises was going to work.When I started,I deadlifed 135 pounds. At the end of 1.5 to 2 months I was deadlifting 185 pounds.I was really surprise at my progress. The side press, I started with just a 15 pound EZ-curl bar and was up to doing the 40 pound olympic bar in the same period. Above,it ask to rate this program and the highest it goes to is 10. Well there aren't enough zeros I can put after the 1 to accurately rate this, but I'll try. 1,000,000,000,000,000: you get the idea.

This is the first productive strength traininng I have ever done. Power To the People! has done more for my strength in 4 months than all the other stuff I have tried has done in 45 years. I have been forced to radically adjust my strength goals, upward, since I have already met my old goals, goals that I have had for years until getting PTP.

Everything else I did was either geared toward body-building or just too time-consuming and involved to fit into my life.

PTP is not only effective, but, just as importantly, it is something I can do, consistently, and not lose my job or my wife!

Thanks Pavel!

Rick

I'm an Infantryman with the Texas Army National Guard deployed to Iraq. Another Soldier and I have used the Power To The People method to make fantastic gains in strength. My training partner is preparing for Airborne and Ranger Schools and needed a solid foundation of strenght. In an eight week period, He's gained 100lbs. on his deadlift and 75lbs. on his bench press. Great results in a short time!

If you follow the K.I.S.S. mentality, then this for you! Pavel ahs the ability to explain the why and how of strength training while keeping his text entertaining and readable. In this book you find a concise but effective means to increase whole body strength, no time and energy sapping isolations here. I'm now enjoying lifting again.

After (too) many years of desk-jockey dormancy, I recently returned to strength training. Imagine my disappointment when I learned that you really DO regain strength more slowly as you age! I had clawed and fought my way back up to a 230 lb. deadlift, but just couldn't get 255 lbs. up to save my soul. The day I read "Power To The People", I had tried to get 255 lbs. up just earlier that day, to no avail. I was only 61 pages into "Power To The People", when I just HAD to go abck down to the basement, and try some of Pavel's "tricks". Lo and behold, I got up the 255 lbs.! I was so ecstatic, I slapped on a bit more, and did 275 lbs! Then I went and e-mailed Pavel at, oh, about midnight! I was floored! After many, many years of weightlifting and research, I had NEVER read anything as down-to-Earth HELPFUL as Pavel's "Power To The People". I have (3) of his other books, and will soon be ordering the rest. Just yesterday -- (3) short days after I got the 275 lbs. up, I just deadlifted the WHOLE OLYMPIC BAR! Yes, all 300 lbs. on it...and NO BACK PAIN!!! I felt almost disappointed when my back was NOT sore this morning! Too many years of "no pain, no gain" brainwashing, I suppose. I will soon be heading to the local Dunhams to buy some more iron plates for my Olympic bar, and I can truly, 100% say without hesitation that I could NOT have done it without "Power To The People". And as a former Physics teacher, I truly appreciated the rock-solid facts upon which Pavel's program is built. By the way, thanks Pavel, for keeping these books SHORT! No "fluff" here: "just the facts, ma'am", as Jack Webb used to say. It is no problem to sit down and read "Power To The People" in an hour or so, even when making notes. That leaves you plenty of time to TRY OUT what you've just read before you go to bed! Read it, then DO IT: you will be amazed! I do NOT impress easily, but I have to tip my hat here: Pavel, you ROCK!

Many Thanks! : - )

This book sets out training protocols and guidelines that are based on sound physiologic principles. It is safe and effective. I have trained for athletic competition for 30 years and tried most training strategies. I have had just about every overuse injury you can imagine. My gains over the years have been good, but with peaks and troughs due to intermittant injuries. The principles in Power to the People will lead to steady gains with no overuse injuries. At first you might think you are not working hard enough, especially if you grew up with the axiom "no pain no gain." Don't train to failure, and practice rather than workout. These are the secrets. The book also spends most of its discussion on proper technique-hence the concept practice rather than simly workout. I believe that the principles put forth by Pavel have made me a better triathlete and enable me to out score most young Sailors and Marines on the Physical Fitness Test. I have never scored less than High outstanding or first class and still max out on pushups, situps and pullups-though my running has tapperd a bit due to a knee injury from Marine Corps Martial Arts. My 17 year old water polo playing son follows the principles of Power to the People in his training and no one at his high school can touch him in pushups, pullups and situps. Power to the People works--PERIOD.

Although, after careful deliberation, I personally decided to go the kettlebell route, I found Pavel's "Power to the People" principles to be of immense value in terms of day-to-day exertions. I mean, yes, I'd read the claims about people "immediately" lifting heavier weights after a single lesson by Pavel and wasn't too sure just what to make of it. But the day after I watched the "Power to the People" DVD I went out to move some rocks in my landscaping project, and yes, I could and DID hoist heavier weight - and, lifted heavier weight more SAFELY, by the way.

Book or DVD? My advice: if you are going to pursue the "Power to the People" route, get both. If you're not sure whether you might, like myself, opt for the kettlebell route, certainly get the "Power to the People" DVD anyway - for real world strength application.

I've read quite a few books and articles on strength training over the years, and this ranks high on the list. Although alot of the "Russian Stregnth Training Secrets" discused aren't necessarily Russian or secrets (Cycling, Low Reps, no isolation excercises), it's still sound training advice. The two concepts that were new to me, and I hadn't read in other sources, are the concepts of irradiation and strength without bulk. It was "get strong without bulking up" that got me to buy the book. Although minimum bulk has more to do with diet (some people have a hard time bulking up, no matter the workout), the concepts have worked for me as I have gotten stronger and harder without added bulk. Irradiation is a cool concept and DOES improve your lifting prowess as advertised. If you're new to the iron game, and don't know a lot about lifting, this is a good place to start. If you've been lifting a while, it's an easy read and chances are you'll learn something new. If you're new to lifting, however, the pictures and descriptions in the book are probably not good enough to show you the proper form. Get someone to show you, or get the DVD too.

After 10 years of "lifting" and the ongoing frustrations of NO GAINS, I had basically given up. Why make the time to go to the gym Saturday morning if it's not going to make any difference anyway? Staying home in bed with my wife seemed like a better use of my time and energy! But I've been following the guidlines in PTP for 6 months now and I couldn't be happier. Solid, workable information that delivers the goods. I put on 20 pounds in the first 10 weeks! Still can hardly believe it. Strength goals that I had years ago, which I had come to think were unattainable for me, now seem like just a matter of time (and not much time, either). My bench is way up, but my deads stalled badly after initially shooting up. Went back to the book a few weeks ago, figured out what was going on, and now deads are going great again - another testament to the excellence of the info. Get the book, do what it says, and start having fun making some real gains. GREAT STUFF! BTW, Beyond Bodybuilding is outstanding also, but if you have to pick one to start with, I'd make it PTP.

I enjoyed the book. After years of on and off weight training without well defined methods and goals, I now have focus. The methods are effective, and I have easily progressed in my lifts. Highly recommended.

If you want to be a hell of alot stronger get this book. My five rep max went up 30 pounds in three weeks by using pavel how to become a bear workout.

I had very little previous experience with deadlifting (or much of any type of lifting for that matter) when I purchased Power to the People. I found the information to be most interesting, and well written. The book is now tattered, coffee-stained, and beat up from usage a year later, and my deadlift max is 100lbs higher than when I began. The techniques and cycles are simple to understand and undeniably effective. PTP is a must-read for the individual looking to truly get stronger.

Having read this ebook, everything came into perspective after those years of training. I have stuck to Pavel's suggestion and I got stronger by 40%. My experience and his theories speak for my results. Forget those personal trainers at the gym who go against Pavel's way of life and way of training. Do you want power? Give this a try. You will definitely be not disappointed.

Allright, like all experienced fitness enthusiasts I have to admit that I was skeptical when I was introduced to this program by my friends about 3 years ago. It sounded absolutely crazy, I mean how could Schwarzenegger be wrong!? Well after years of not getting any results I got back in touch with my friends from high school (the ones who tried to get me started on this program), they'd all had phenomenal results and I was still exactly where I was 3 years ago with five more pounds of fat to boot. I've been on the program now for about 3 weeks and I'm already noticing gains. I've added 35lbs to my bench in under 1 month, and my body is already getting more cut.
I was a fool to ignore Pavel's work for years, it's one of the few places you can go for honest fitness advice in america. PTP is straight forward and well-written. Pavel explains everything in easy to understand and clear-cut terminology. This is one of the simplest, yet most effective, lifting programs out there. I'd have to reccomend this book to anyone thinking of using weights to get in shape. I certainly hope they wont be as foolish as I was and wait three years to pick up on Pavel's ideas.

I was an HIT Jedi for many many years. Sure I made gains, but certain plateaus were never overcome. Yes, theoretically it made sense "One set to failure sends the message to get stronger, and any more than that depletes recovery reserves." But, in practice I didn't feel stronger, only extremely sore for days at a time and so wiped out and mentally dull that my career suffered. Once you understand the difference between myofibrillar hypertrophy and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy there is no turning back to the "Hollywood all show and no go" muscle head scene. If you find yourself debunking Pavel's wisdom without applying it, you are in trouble Comrade. Believe Pavel. You will get results you never dreamed of, and you will FEEL strong, BE strong, and you will be more MENTALLY ALERT than ever. Isn't that why you work out in the first place?

Power to the People has transcended me to "rockdom" - hard and sinewy, all by performing two exercises 3-4 times a week. What more can you ask for? If you are interested in building a better, functionally stronger body and improving the overall quality of your life, then this book is for you. And like all the finer things in life, excellent things come in pairs. Acquire this and the Naked Warrior - you will NEVER regret it!!

After reading Pavel's book, I didn't believe that building strength was so simple. After following Pavel's program for a couple months, I couldn't believe I had made getting stronger so complicated for so many years! Here you will find a concise, to-the-point method for gaining strength and muscle tone. It doesn't take long hours in the gym, tons of sweat, thousands of reps or fancy equipment. All it takes is your desire, commitment, 20 minutes a day (max) and a barbell. Be ready to buy some extra plates, too.

I've never been one to be weak. I started weight training in junoir high, but my progress was always slow. I built more strength in 2 months using PTP than at any other time period in my adult life. I'm stronger now than I've ever been (and I'll be 50 before the year is through). And the reason for my improved strength is Power To The People. I will use it for the rest of my life.

If you haven't read Power to the People, it's hard to image that anyone would claim that a book about strength training could be "life changing". It was! My life long quest for the fitness Holy Grail was stalled, my passion for training fading and my physical condition deteriorating. I was bored silly and extremely frustrated by our culture's traditional approach to fitness. Power to the People woke me up to ideas I knew intuitively to be true. Pavel put into words, based on his unique education and experience, a "myth killing" approach to training that produces results. If you're serious about your fitness you must read this book, then you'll understand what I mean by "life changing".

This book more than any other is what sparked my passion for strength training. It is a very clearly written guide to the proper technique in key exercises, the planning of a training program, and the basics of physiology. There is nothing extra here, just the right amount of information to make you more knowledgeable than 99% of all gym-goers.
Pavel's sense of humor makes the book fun to read, his explanation of the science satisfies your curiosity and his stories of old-time strongmen are inspiring. It surprises me how many experts are not familiar with what is in this book.
Most training books do not teach you an exercise, they show you pictures and give you a description, but do not go beyond the obvious. This is inadequate for the person who wants to be serious about his fitness. Pavel also explains periodization so much more elegantly than it has ever been presented before. The high-tension techniques are the true gem of this book. Believe it when he says that you can add 30-50% strength within a week. It worked for me and it's worked for others.

Power to the People struck me on several levels particularly because the author has encapsulated every possible neurophysiological phenomenon relevant to increasing muscular tension and improving athletic performance in a very entertaining package. His ability to explain in layman's terms with abundant humor why and how to utilize these techniques is testimony to his intricate understanding of applied human neuromuscular physiology. I have been training with weights for years but have never had so many positive comments regarding my anatomy since I started using the approach in PTP less than a year ago. A friend who last saw me several years ago when I was in "hardcore bodybuilding" commented that now I look "pumped all the time". I even use this approach to rehab patients young and old as they are able to improve their functional strength much more quickly and with minimal post-exercise discomfort. The scientific foundation of safe and effective training for any type of physical activity is spelled out plain and simple in this book. Best of all, training is fun again.

This book delivers what it promises. It is concise, well-written and packed with useful training information that would be difficult to find elsewhere. Pavel combines a fine, dry sense of humor with a rare ability to impart scientific information and describe how to perform physical movements. "Power to the People!" and Pavel's other books and articles have breathed new life into my training and have given me the means and the inspiration to greatly broaden my knowledge of physical culture.

Power to the People is the best book I've ever read on strength training. Throwing out the garbage of bodybuilding, and their useless doctrines on gaining "strength", Pavel bulldozes through everything that you've ever learned about weight training. Do you want wiry strength? Do you want size and power? Pavel has programs for you.
I know you don't believe me yet. Let me tell you something: I've been training with PTP on and off for the last year--probably about four or five months out of the whole year. In that time, my bench press has increased from 185 lbs to 255 lbs--and it will be 300+ by the end of the year. Also in that time, my deadlift has increased from a puny 165 lbs to 425 lbs. And it will be over 500 lbs by the end of the year. Forget training plateaus. Forget injuries. Forget everything you know.
Power to the People will blow you away.

Dear mr.Pavel,
I would like to say that your programs are very efective.I am former black belt in judo and Serbian boxing champion but all this was about 3O years ago.I am 51 years now and though I dont attend judo I do boxing in near by club but my sons oldest is 3O years was powerlifting champion of Serbia and youngest doing MMA classes since he was 6 years old ,now he is 16een.Problem is that we cannot buy your books or DVD cause simple metter of politics of EU.I heard that soon will be done by pay pal but at the moment I am not able to do payments.With my full respect to your work I am asking will you be able to help me and shortly explain system PTP the way you think is comfortable to you and not jepordising you business.My sons are all four of them doing your 5x5 system except the youngest one not doing DL cause of his age and factor that can stop his growing taller.Further on they asked me to send you this email calling on our Slavic origin and so on.You helped us a lot by learning short but effective workout that we do at home and we have more time to spend with grand kids,wifes etc.
For any futher information please free to call me on the following numbers.Thank you in advance.

Yours Faithfully,
Dragoljub Stamenkovic
tel.: 3141834
cell: O611171O76
ul.Caplinova 15b
11271,Surcin
Belgrade
Republic of Serbia

p.s.Sorrry I forgot my email:gale6535@gmail.com

This book was not what i had expected but was still a pleasant surprise. I blindly purchased this so that was my fault completely. For what it sets out to do it accomplishes ten fold. Another highly recommended book

Power To The People is rock sold with great information on building muscle fast. Also, Pavel's humor and overall knowledge of strength training makes this book a great buy! Makes a great addition to my collection.

Power to the People is full of clear and concise information. The material is presented in an easy to read manner that make the principles easy to understand and put into practice. Pavel Tsatsouline also has a great sense of humour. Highly recommended read for all levels.

Is very insightful and makes perfect sense.