Pavel Tsatsouline Workout and Diet
Fitness Trainer
Pavel Tsatsouline is from Belarus in Eastern Europe, formerly part of the USSR. He holds a degree in Sports Science and was a physical trainer for the Soviet Special Forces. In 1998, Tsatsouline became a kettlebell instructor in the US. In 2001, he was voted Hot Trainer by Rolling Stone magazine. He has been a Subject Matter Expert to the US military, Secret Service, Navy Seals, Marines, and other law enforcement. In 2012, Tsatsouline founded the online training program Strong First. He has written several fitness books including the bestselling Kettlebell Simple & Sinister. Tsatsouline is married. He has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Tsatsouline is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs about 185 lbs.
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Pavel Tsatsouline’s Diet
Diet Summary
Tsatsouline can talk forever about training, but food bores him. Many years ago, before intermittent fasting became popular, he started eating one meal a day as he considered it to be the most efficient way to eat. He has coffee in the morning and a big dinner at night. He loves steak, hates chicken, and never snacks. He considers vegetables to be a necessary evil. He has never been interested in diets, fad or otherwise.
Estimated Macros
Medium-High Fat
Medium Carb
Medium Protein
Diet Details
Not Into Dieting
Tsatsouline says nutrition science is extremely difficult to pin down. What works for one person may not work for another. If you find something that works, do that.
Efficient Eating
Tsatsouline has coffee in the morning and eats a big dinner, primarily steak. Other than that, tries to forget about food.
Pick Your Poison
Tsatsouline believes that it is the plant toxins provoking an immune response that are the most beneficial part of fruit and veg, not the much-touted antioxidants.
Tips for a Long & Healthy Life
Tstatsouline says a couple of things that have been proven to work for health and longevity are fasting, cold exposure, and steady-state exercise.
What to Eat
- Coffee
- Steak
- High quality fats
- Quality protein
- Fresh veg & fruit
- Complex carbs
- Water
- Timing of meals matters
- Intermittent fasting
What to Avoid
- Grazing all day
- Processed food
- Junk food
- Added sugar
- Artificial ingredients
- Chemicals
- Chicken
Tsatsouline on nutrition
‘I’m an enemy of nutrition.’
Tsatsouline on nutritionists
‘I feel sorry for people in that field.’
Tsatsouline on snacking
‘It kills me.’
Tsatsouline on chicken
‘Just say no.’
Tsatsouline on health
‘Identify what’s important. Strip the non-essential.’
Pavel Tsatsouline’s Workout Routine
Workout Routine
Special Trainer
Tsatsouline has worked for decades with military and law enforcement in both the former Soviet Union and the US.
Kettlebell King
Tsatsouline is often credited with single-handedly popularizing kettlebell training.
The Downside of Too Much Choice
Tsatsouline says don’t get caught up in the latest fad exercise trend. You do not need any fancy equipment to get results.
Heavy-Load Training
Tsatsouline is not a fan of using heavy weights to build cardio endurance because he says it strains the heart, thickening the heart muscle rather than stretching it.
Long Rests Work
Tsatsouline isn’t a huge fan of heavy lifting, but he says if hypertrophy is your goal, long active rest periods (5-10 min of walking & shaking limbs) between sets are the way to go.
Don’t Work Out
Tsatsouline prefers to use the term ‘practice’ for physical training, as in you are learning a lesson.
Daily Dose
Tsatsouline believes the best way to be strong is to do some training every day, but not so much that the body needs recovery days.
Kettlebells on the Beach
Tsatsouline generally trains each morning with kettlebells on the beach.
Grease to Groove
Tsatsouline thinks doing a single rep of anything, pull-up, push-up, deadlift, etc, throughout the day is the best way to keep muscles ‘greased’ or strong and ready for work.
Steady-State Cardio for the Win
Tsatsouline says the best way to build cardiovascular endurance and strengthen your heart is steady-state movement where you can still talk.
Intervals Are Okay
Tsatsouline says that interval training also build endurance, but that it works best after doing steady-state cardio.
Triple Contraction
To get more reps, Tsatsouline recommends contracting your grip, abs, and glutes when you lift.
Don’t Do One More Rep
Tsatsouline is not a fan of pushing beyond your limits. He says it leads to injury, or at least to otherwise unnecessary recovery time. He prefers to keep reps to 5 or less.
Exercise Style
Pavel Tsatsouline’s Simple & Sinister Kettlebell Routine According to his Strong First website
- 10×10 one-hand swings (10 right, 10 left) every minute, on the minute.
- 1 min rest.
- 1 get-up every minute on the minute, alternating right and left hands (5/each side) for 10 min total.
Tsatsouline on working out
‘I hate the word “workouts”…treat your training as practice.’
Tsatsouline on training
‘Training is something that should be enjoyed.’
Tsatsouline on the best cardio
‘The best way to develop your cardio is steady-state exercise.’
Tsatsouline on interval training
‘It’s very demanding on the body…It’s too easy to have problems.’
Tsatsouline on heavy-load endurance training
‘That’s not the best idea.’
Tsatsouline the foundation of strength
‘Strength cannot be divorced from health.’
Pavel Tsatsouline’s Supplements
Tsatsouline does not take or recommend any supplements, so below is a supplement that may benefit anyone following a similar diet plan.
Creatine
Tsatsouline does say that creatine has been extensively tested and proven to promote muscle growth and strength, as well as improve brain function.
Pavel Tsatsouline’s Lifestyle
Rise & Relax
Tsatsouline is up early, most days around 6 am. He likes to ease into his day, enjoying coffee and the newspaper, and chatting with his wife.
Excellent Morning Ritual
Tsatsouline usually does his kettlebell routine on the beach near his home in Santa Monica. Even if he decides not to train, he still hits the beach for about a half hour or so every morning, taking a dip and meditating.
Regular Routine
After his morning physical training, Tsatsouline likes to do his creative work, including writing and researching.
No Electronics
Tsatsouline makes a point to avoid all electronic devices in the morning. He prefers the low-tech calm of reading a printed paper.
Keeping Distractions to a Minimum
Tsatsouline stays focused by only checking his email once a day, and only a few people have his phone number.
Remain Calm
Tsatsouline says that one of the primary qualities of a successful person is the ability to remain calm. Calmness allows a person to reflect and make smart choices rather than losing focus on what matters by constantly being reactive.
Trick for Beating Writer’s Block
Tsatsouline says when writing, he stops immediately if he finds himself stuck and switches to doing something else, and comes back to the writing later. In this way, he never experiences writer’s block.
Yin/Yang Musical Taste
Tsatsouline prefers musical extremes: one is hard like Iron Maiden, the other is very soft: Jackson Brown and Yves Montand.
Tsatsouline on his mornings
‘I like to ease into my day.’
Tsatsouline on how to be successful
‘Learn to limit your choices. Then stick to them.’
Tsatsouline on the his morning dose of news
‘I pointedly read a regular paper, not get electronic news. I appreciate the calm of print.’
Tsatsouline on his method for writing books
‘I’m very flexible…Sometimes [my books] evolve in a very unpredictable manner.’
Tsatsouline on writing struggles
‘I never fight the writer’s block.’
Tsatsouline on pop music
‘The stuff in the middle has no right to exist.’
Recommended Products
Strong First Training
Strong First Training App
Strong First Kettlebells
Strong First Athletic Apparel
