Pavel's Bear Program

[Mike]

Has anyone here tried Pavel's bear approach with clubbells?

[James Boelter]

Keep in mind that the Bear program was originally meant for the 'show division' soldiers of the Russian regiments whose only purpose was to train to march in the annual 'May Day' parades through Moscow for propaganda purposes. Those soldiers were essentially bodybuilders in uniform. I don't imagine that the Spetsnaz bothered training Bear style.

I imagine that Clubbell exercises could be adapted for Bear purposes by stressing the 'show' muscles, and you could keep upping the load by carefully tracking, recording and marking your grip increments down the handle for each exercise...but it seems like a needless contortion. Sort of like using a tire iron to pound screws.

I've never used the Bear program myself, never felt the need to, so I could be off base about this.