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TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz SWINGBLADE Workout

Copyright 2010 TACFIT Commando. All rights reserved. Important: You may
PRINT one copy of this manual for personal use (you have our full permission).
Disclaimer: The information in this book is presented in good faith, but no warranty is
given, nor results guaranteed. Since we have no control over physical conditions
surrounding the application of information in this book the author and publisher
disclaim any liability for untoward results including (but not limited to) any injuries or
damages arising out of any persons attempt to rely upon any information herein
contained. The exercises described in this book are for information purposes, and may
be too strenuous or even dangerous for some people. The reader should consult a
physician before starting this or any other exercise programs.
TACFIT is a registered mark of Sconik International, LLC. Clubbell, Intu-Flow, and Circular
Strength Training are registered trademarks of RMAX.tv Productions.

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How to Use This Manual

Read the opening sections of this manual: understand the rules of engagement, and understand the scope
of the mission youre about to accept.
Read the program chapter for specific workout instructions.
Download the instructional video briefing and study the movements.
Download the Warm Up and Cool Down recovery videos.
Download the follow-along workout video, cue it up, and get to work!
Its that easy.

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Part 1: Introductory Briefing

Background
My name is Scott Sonnon, and Ill be your Coach as you build superior rotational power with the
Kettlebell Swingblade.
For those of you who dont know me, I was the first Westerner licensed to teach the "Russian System of
Training" in Russia by this I mean that I was the first foreigner to be licensed in Russia, and I was
also the first foreigner to teach to members of the Russian Spetsnaz.
My time in Russia taught me several important things about kettlebell training. The most important
piece of advice I received is that the kettlebell is a fantastic weapon in your arsenal, but it's just a tool.
Like equally effective variations in handguns and shooting styles, every unit and team trainer in the
former USSR had different kettlebell techniques. Some were sloppy, and many were bad-ass. None were
stagnant. They continued to conduct research which pointed to the use of many different, equally valid
mechanics. Only outside of Russia do we see arguments about who has the "best" technique. The
greatest coaches I had in Russia advised me to master the basics, study the underlying mechanics, absorb
what was useful, and then adapt it to the needs of my students.
My advice remains the same when it comes to training with kettlebells: do not seek common rule
structures. Periodize your training to provide you with an annually rotated series of rule structures. All
variations are just tools in the toolbox. I use whats most effective to my task and I leave the rest. But
this does not mean that I simply made up my methods out of thin air.
The movements contained in my unique TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz program were based upon drills
that I learned in Russia. I taught those Russian drills and I later modified them to become resistance
exercises with kettlebells, which I then started teaching to various combat teams around the world as an
international category referee in 6 different combat sports, including the Sambo, Combat Sambo, and

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Combat Sambo Spetsnaz teams. The movements I teach have been tested, and theyve proven
themselves again and again both on and off the field.
This Swingblade training progression you have in your hands is an example of the type of innovation
and originality contained in TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz. NO ONE else is doing anything like this yet
and thats a shame. These unique and incredibly functional movements develop the kettlebell
athletes physique beyond the traditional lifts, increasing attributes like strength, power generation, and
neuro-muscular efficiency. They ramp up competitive performance by correcting imbalances due to
repeated training in sport-specific ranges. And they add new depth and versatility to a coachs toolbox,
setting him or her apart from the average kettlebell crowd.
But of course, as with any program, the proof is in the results.
I hope youll give these movements a try.

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How is TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz Different?

What makes my TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz program so special? Where this program truly excels in
comparison to other kettlebell programs is in its levels of sophistication.
Other kettlebell programs attempt to teach you a technique complex or simple and then adjust
standard variables like intensity, volume, speed, duration, etc to increase the challenge. Even kettlebell
sport is composed of the most basic movements, and though mastery of the sport is indeed impressive, it
doesn't translate into the complex and chaotic theater of combat and crisis response, which is why
kettlebell special forces training differs so much from sport and from fitness kettlebell lifting.
While you can certainly increase kettlebell weight and speed with my program, that isnt the primary
goal. Rather, the exercises included in TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz and in this Swingblade program
are specifically progressive in their complexity: each sequence develops the neuro-muscular
efficiency for the next higher level. Your nervous systems becomes "smarter" or more efficient as you
move through the programs, and you also benefit from faster results thanks to the "complex training
effect" (where coupled simple movements provide a synergistic effect greater than if the individual
simple exercises were completed for the same volume independently).
When your goal is to develop neuro-muscular efficiency, each individual movement should have
primary components which, if trained, build the next step. Russian biomechanics called this
Component Learning, and it influenced Olympic and professional athletics worldwide by introducing
the back-shaping or reverse engineering of sport-specific skill augmentation.
So where does tactical come in? What determines a programs efficacy for tactical fitness, and why
should it matter to you?
Tactical fitness develops the motor patterns and energy systems that directly impact your ability to
respond to a crisis, whether that be a fight against the elements, against calamity or against another
human. Our focus is dynamic movements for real world strength.

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The movements contained in such a program must cover all 6 degrees of freedom: heaving (up-down),
surging (front-back), swaying (right- left), rolling (bending right-left), yawing (twisting right-left) and
pitching (bending front- back).
The program must also take into account the fact that, just as with any other group of people, Military,
Law Enforcement, and even special operations all contain varying fitness populations, and the vast
majority of individuals within those populations suffer from typical over-compensations that happen
from getting damaged on the job, and from the repetitive stress of load bearing.
The incremental levels of complexity included in TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz allow for continual
improvement of the neuromuscular system while permitting all personnel to train together in the same
skill families and program protocol, but at various levels of development and recovery.
Finally, what about losing fat and building muscle?
It is working through progressive levels of sophistication that gives our people the coveted commando
physique, not merely the work ethic involved in training hard. You can have the best ingredients in the
world, but you also need a great recipe if you want to get cooking.
So lets get cooking...

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Movement Sophistication
Before we get to the Swingblade program, Id like to include one last note on Movement Sophistication.
I want you to know exactly why this is so important and why you should focus on it, even if you never
pick up one of my programs. It might just be the best take home lesson youll ever apply to your
training...
Most of the fitness world is stuck in simplistic stupidity. This is the polar opposite of TACFIT training.
We dont just move moremore weight, more time, more frequencywe move better, and we do this
by increasing movement sophistication.
Adding motor sophistication to the mix doesnt just increase the challenge of the exercises. Youre
actually teaching your body a new skill. Youre assimilating a new tool that you can use to meet the
demands you face on the battlefield and on shore leave.
Theres one other benefit to increased motor sophistication. Although some people refer to it as muscle
confusion, the increased demands on your system go beyond just muscle. Your entire organism must
adapt to this new stimulus. Placing this new demand on your body creates a need for further adaptation
causing greater metabolic disturbance and gains like youve never seen before.
You also get there faster because a complex movement chain practiced as a single movement produces a
sum total training effect which is greater than that produced if the individual components were practiced
for the same number of repetitions.
TACFIT Kettlebell Spetsnaz incorporates movements that increase in complexity, so your gains
compound as your movement ability develops. And so does this Swingblade tutorial.

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Part 2: The Swingblade Protocol

The Swingblade For Superior Rotational Power trains each movement in 30 second blocks, working
continuously through each round of the circuit.
At first youll feel like you want to coast through the movements, to spread out your reps. Your body
will lie to you under severe biochemical stress. Itll tell you its better to set an easy pace. Dont believe
it. Your strategy should be to keep the fastest pace you can manage while maintaining good form.
Our goal is to "trick" you into learning to regulate your intensity levels to a rather precise degree. This
goes beyond simply getting in shape or building a pretty physique. You're becoming more sensitive to
your energy output, your moment-by-moment condition, and you're learning how to regulate it and the
effect that doing so has on your overall system from day to day and in terms of recovery and growth.
Youre building neural sophistication at the same time as physical strength.
This translates to a seemingly superhuman ability to recover rapidly from exertion, and a shredded,
functional commando physique that looks great on the beach, but is also serious go musclenot just
show muscle.

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The Warm Up
Perform the 8 minute warm up mobility program for active recovery. Each movement is performed for
60 seconds (or 30 seconds per side).
Warm Up
Guard Circles
Prone Worm
Side Threaded Circle
One Leg Runner
3 Point Cossack
Belt Figure 8 (Kneeling)

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The Workout
Your task is to complete 4 rounds of the following circuit:
Movement

Time

Flag Stir

30 seconds

Flag Stir Side Lunge

30 seconds

1/2 Swingblade

30 seconds

Swingblade

30 seconds

Rest

1 Minute

Your goal during effort phase of each minute is to crank out your reps as quickly as possible while
maintaining good form.
Your goal during the remaining rest phase is to shake it off, recover your breathing, and lower your heart
rate as quickly as possible in preparation for the next round.
This is how youll put it into practice. When the clock starts, perform the Flag Stir for 30 seconds, then
transition immediately into the Flag Stir Side Lunge, etc, moving down the column in the Chart above.
When youve completed all 4 exercises, rest for 1 minute. When the minute is up, begin another round.
Follow this pattern until youve completed all 4 rounds of the circuit.

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The Cool Down

Perform the 8 minute warm up mobility program for active recovery. Each movement is performed for
60 seconds (or 30 seconds per side).

Cool Down
Shin Box Frog
Camel Side Bend
Elbow Down Dog
Shin Lunge Side Angle
Crossbow
One Arm Locust
Corpse

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Workout Schedule
If the Swingblade for Superior Rotational Power is your main exercise modality, we suggest doing 3
sessions per week. Those who are already used to a vigorous training routine can perform the
Swingblade as often as every other day.
If the Swingblade for Superior Rotational Power is NOT your main exercise modality, you can still
schedule the workout into your existing program. Here are some suggestions for doing so:

Replace your conventional cardio session with the Swingblade

Use the Swingblade as a convenient solution for training on business trips, vacations or hectic
weeks when you cant get to the gym
Do 3-4 repetitions of each exercise as a warm-up for your regular workout routine
Use the Warm Up and Cool Down exercises on your rest days to accelerate your recovery and
improve your health and mobility

Remember: with deeper understanding comes greater benefit. Execute fewer but better reps and youll
reach your targets faster. The overriding objective is always quality quantity.
Good luck, and be safe out there.

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Exercise Descriptions
Flag Stir
Begin standing with feet shoulder width apart, holding the kettlebell by the horns bottom-up to one side
of your spine (this is Guard position). The two hips of the kettlebell handle should be in one line. Your
shoulders are pulled down away from your ears and elbows tucked tight to your ribs.
Exhale hard to activate the core as you press the kettlebell straight out to arm lock, then pull it in to the
opposite side Guard position. Repeat to return to the original side Guard position.
Keep your glutes and thighs strong throughout. Done smoothly, the movement forms an
ellipse.

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Flag Stir Side Lunge

Begin standing in a side lunge, holding the kettlebell by the horns bottom-up in Guard position at the
side of the bent leg. The two hips of the kettlebell handle should be in one line. Your shoulders are
pulled down away from your ears and elbows tucked tight to your ribs.
Exhale hard to activate the core as you press the kettlebell straight out to arm lock, then pull it in to the
opposite side Guard position. Continue through in the same direction to the opposite side Guard as you
step out into a lunge with the other leg. The kettlebell continues in a second ellipse and comes to rest in
Guard position as you absorb down into the lunge. There are two ellipses in each rep. Reverse to return
to the original side Guard position.

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1/2 Swingblade
Begin standing in a side lunge, holding the kettlebell by the horns with shoulders packed and elbows
locked. Feet are turned out at 45 degrees, with one knee bent in a lunge. Your torso is aligned with the
straight leg, forming a straight line from crown to heel.
Absorb the weight down towards the straight leg, ribs to bent leg thigh, with a flat back and a hard
exhale to activate the core. Drive off the rear (straight) leg and snap the hip to swing the kettlebell up in
an arc. Arms remain locked, shoulders packed, and glute is squeezed to prevent lumbar arch. The torso
turns from thoracic as you come up but does not roll.
Allow the kettlebell to swing back down and absorb into back position as before. Change sides on the
next round.

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Swingblade
Begin standing in a side lunge, holding the kettlebell by the horns with shoulders packed and elbows
locked. Feet are turned out at 45 degrees, with one knee bent in a lunge. Your torso is aligned with the
straight leg, forming a straight line from crown to heel.
Absorb the weight down towards the straight leg, ribs to bent leg thigh, with a flat back and a hard
exhale to activate the core. Drive off the rear (straight) leg and snap the hip to swing the kettlebell up in
an arc. Arms remain locked, shoulders packed, and glute is squeezed to prevent lumbar arch. The torso
turns from thoracic as you come up but does not roll.
As the kettlebell comes overhead, execute a drop step to the closed side (behind), and then another drop
step so that you come around and face the original direction. Allow the kettlebell to swing down and
absorb into back position as before, and then swing it up again to repeat in the opposite direction.

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Scott Sonnon, TACFIT Founder

TACFIT was created by RMAX International co-founder Scott Sonnon, former USA National Police
Team Coach for Sambo submission fightingpart of the Police and Fire Fighter Olympics.
Sonnon trained for six years with the former USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and
Special Operations Unit (Spetsnaz) Physical Conditioning and Performance Enhancement
Specialists at the RETAL (Physical Skill Consultant Scientific & Practical Training) Center, and
became the first American to be licensed by the Russian government in these studies. He is also
one of a handful of individuals outside the former USSR to earn the coveted Honourable Master
of Sport the highest athletic distinction recognized in the former Soviet Union.
Sonnon capitalized upon advances in biomechanics, stress physiology, athletic biochemistry and
sports/combat psychology to become an international champion martial artist in Sambo,
Sanshou, Submission Grappling, Jiujitsu and Mixed Martial Art.
He discovered that it wasn't merely being bigger, faster or stronger than your opponents, but
being better that counted most. Through his studies of motor development technologies, he
evolved the Delta-Alpha motor sophistication approach of TACFIT, which allows rapid
advancement of skill and fitness for all populations.
Sonnons peak performance enhancement methods are on the scientific cutting-edge, proving themselves
again and again where it counts: in the real world, on and off the field of athletics.

TACFIT is a registered mark of Sconik International, LLC