Simple & Sinister (Pavel)
Pavel Tsatsouline's iconic kettlebell longevity program: 100 two-handed swings + 10 Turkish get-ups, 6 days a week, 30-minute sessions. Joint-friendly, sustainable forever.
- Equipment
- Kettlebells, Minimal Equipment
- Style
- Low Impact, Volume
Start Simple & Sinister (Pavel) for free
Capazity schedules every session, logs your sets and adjusts the weights from your own maxes — so you just show up and lift.
About this program
Six-week progression of Pavel Tsatsouline's "Simple & Sinister" — possibly the most-validated minimalist longevity program ever written. Six training days per week (Mon-Sat), one rest day (Sun). Every session is identical in structure: a thorough warm-up, then 10 sets of 10 two-handed kettlebell swings (100 reps total) followed by 5 Turkish get-ups per side. Sessions take 25-35 minutes.
The progression is in load and density, not exercise selection. Begin at a kettlebell weight you can swing for 10 reps with crisp technique and no breath compromise. Pavel's published targets: "Simple" (men: 32kg KB, women: 24kg) and "Sinister" (men: 48kg in 5 minutes for 100 swings, 32kg get-ups in 10 minutes). Most lifters reach Simple in 12-24 months — this 6-week block builds the technical and conditioning base for that journey.
Kettlebell swings train explosive hip extension (the pattern that fades fastest with age) without the lumbar load of a deadlift. Turkish get-ups build shoulder mobility and stability under load — critical for staying functional decades into the future. Best for anyone wanting joint-friendly strength and cardio in one minimalist daily practice.
The program
Here's week 1 of 6. Percentages are of your one-rep max (1RM). In the app, weights are calculated for you.
Week 1
Day 1 Daily Practice
Goblet Squat Goblet squat warm-up — 10 slow reps to mobilize hips. 1 × 10 Kettlebell Swing Two-handed kettlebell swings. 30s rest between sets. Use a weight you can swing crisply. 10 × 10 Turkish Get-Up 5 Turkish get-ups per side. Slow, deliberate, perfect technique. 1 × 10 Day 2 Daily Practice
Goblet Squat 1 × 10 Kettlebell Swing 10 × 10 Turkish Get-Up 1 × 10 Day 3 Daily Practice
Goblet Squat 1 × 10 Kettlebell Swing 10 × 10 Turkish Get-Up 1 × 10 Day 4 Daily Practice
Goblet Squat 1 × 10 Kettlebell Swing 10 × 10 Turkish Get-Up 1 × 10 Day 5 Daily Practice
Goblet Squat 1 × 10 Kettlebell Swing 10 × 10 Turkish Get-Up 1 × 10 Day 6 Daily Practice
Goblet Squat 1 × 10 Kettlebell Swing 10 × 10 Turkish Get-Up 1 × 10 - Day 7 Rest
- Week 2
- Week 3
- Week 4
- Week 5
- Week 6
Weeks 2–6 are free in the Capazity app
Get the full 6-week program with every session scheduled, your weights calculated from your own maxes and each set logged as you go.
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