Simple & Sinister is Pavel Tsatsouline’s minimalist kettlebell program, and it might be the most popular kettlebell routine ever written. Two movements, about 15 to 20 minutes, done most days of the week. It builds real strength, a bulletproof back, and serious work capacity.
The session never changes: 100 one-arm swings and 10 Turkish get-ups, both done by the clock. You run it as an ongoing practice and chase two goals, called Simple and then Sinister, by slowly moving up in kettlebell size.
We built a session log plus a standards table so you can track your weights and your times and see exactly when you’ve earned the next bell.
Table of Contents
Simple & Sinister Spreadsheet
Spreadsheet via StrongFirst
The Standards tab shows the Simple and Sinister goal weights by sex. Use the Session Log to record your swing and get-up weights, your times, and how each session felt, so you can see your progress over the weeks.
How the Program Works
The session
- 100 one-arm swings: 10 swings every 30 seconds for 5 minutes, switching hands each set
- Rest 1 minute
- 10 Turkish get-ups: one every minute for 10 minutes, switching hands each minute
Train most days of the week, around 5 to 6 sessions. There’s no fixed end date, you run it as a daily practice and let your strength climb.
The standards
- Simple (men): 32 kg swing, 32 kg get-up
- Simple (women): 24 kg swing, 16 kg get-up
- Sinister (men): 48 kg swing, 48 kg get-up
- Sinister (women): 32 kg swing, 24 kg get-up
Stay at a weight until you can finish the whole session comfortably inside the time targets (100 swings in 5 minutes, 10 get-ups in 10 minutes). Then move up a kettlebell size and start again.
FAQ
How often do I train?
Most days. Five or six sessions a week works well, and because each one is short you can recover and repeat it often.
What weight do I start with?
Start with a kettlebell you can swing and get-up with using clean form, even if it’s below the Simple standard. Build to the time targets, then size up.
Is it really free?
The protocol and standards are free on the StrongFirst site, and our spreadsheet is free to copy. The book adds Pavel’s full coaching detail if you want to go deeper.
