Let me say that at first, I was a little skeptical about the quality of the video. Since it was shot at a kettlebell workshop, I was expecting poor quality video and sound. However, I have no problem at all. The workshop was held indoors, so there are no outdoor sounds to muck it up. Both the video and audio are professional grade – as is the production. I’ve had no problems with the DVDs themselves, the menus, or anything else.

Now I haven’t read all of the information about it on Mike’s site – I just went ahead and ordered it. But I just gave the description a quick look, and it gives you a lot more details than I’m going to put here. You can get there by clicking here: Boys Are Back in Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD.

So, I really just wanted to give a quick overview of what’s actually on the DVDs. I own the set and have watched it. Admittedly, I haven’t absorbed it all – I’ve only seen it once. At any rate, here goes.

Here’s a basic overview of what’s in the set, broken down by instructor:

Mike Mahler

Mike has two sections in the DVD set. First up is on kettlebell training. The focus is on power and speed, and the techniques he uses are just about the polar opposite of what I’ve learned. But, different purpose, different technique. It has actually changed the way I’ve been thinking about kettlebell training – and I’m not just saying that. While slow grinds have their place, I’m going to change the way I do things for a while after watching this.

Mike’s second section is on optimizing hormones. To be honest this was the first thing I watched, and that was because it was already almost midnight and I wanted to watch something that I wouldn’t get too wrapped up in because I wanted to get to bed. I must say that I ended up staying up until 1:00 am watching the whole section. It was very interesting stuff, and he gives some practical things you can do to optimize your hormone levels – and why you’d want to.

Steve Maxwell

Steve also has two sections, and both are basically about joint mobility and core strength. The first section is general mobility with bodyweight only. Everything from the basics to advanced mobility drills. If you’ve seen Steve’s Spartan 300 videos, this touches on at least some of that.

The other section starts with joint mobility using the kettlebell. From there he goes into some of the more positionally-awkward kettlebell drills like the windmill, Turkish get-up, overhead squat, bent press, and the Gladiator. He’s also got a few other core-specific drills.

Steve Cotter

Steve Cotter also has two sections, but basically covers four topics. There’s a section on “Effortless Motion”, which goes into some athletic drills for efficiency and speed of movement. It’s really good stuff, especially for athletes (obviously). But who doesn’t want to be a little more spry? The other non-kettlebell teaching is on Chi Gong. He really just covers some basics. I know nothing about Chi Gong, so won’t really try to describe anything. Suffice it to say that he discusses the benefits of Chi Gong, deep breathing exercises, and shows some basics to get you started.

The other two topics involve kettlebells. Basically, he covers the snatch and the clean & jerk. However, his take on it is from a position of Girevoy Sport, after actually going to Russia to learn. There are very specific techniques on efficiency of movement to get the highest numbers possible in these two drills. He discusses body positioning, proper body mechanics, kettlebell positioning, etc. If your goal is to raise your numbers in these two exercises, this is what you’re looking for.

Nate Morrison

Nate also has two sections. One on breathing and one on posture alignment & mobility. There’s quite a bit on breathing techniques and when to use which ones.

In the posture alignment and mobility section, mobility refers to keeping your body mobile as a unit, not joint mobility as Steve Maxwell covers. Nate’s section here is more about finding (and taking advantage of) optimal combinations of stability and mobility. While a lot of the techniques are geared toward martial artists (refers to Systema a few times) and fighters, a lot can be learned by athletes and “regular folks” as well. He also discusses things like joint loading and impact.

The Negatives

I always try to be honest about things and point out the negatives as well. When I look at reviews, the first ones I usually look at are the one-star negative comments. This is where I figure I’ll get the “real story”. However, I really, honestly don’t have much negative to say about this set. Physically, the set comes in one normal DVD case, with all three DVDs stacked on (touching) each other. But, the case was obviously designed to hold them that way. That bugged me at first, but obviously it’s not a huge problem.

As for the content of the DVD, I only have a few, very slightly negative comments. There are a few spots where someone is talking and it fades out to the next bit. It’s obvious that no “meat” was missed, but I’d still like to hear where the comments went. I’d also like to have seen more of the instructors actually with the students, making comments on technique and such. There was some of this, but generally the instructor would call a person up to the front for demonstration. Now, that being said, I also realize that this was taken from a two-day workshop and STILL ended up at over 7-1/2 hours. Clearly, they had to do some serious editing. Overall, these are only minor issues on my part, and would probably just be considered “fluff” to most. As it is, this DVD set is all meat.

So, that’s the gist of what’s in the set – and believe me, I’m not doing it justice. It’s hard to cover everything in a review of a 7-1/2 hour DVD set. I’ll say that it’s a great deal of information. Granted, it’s not cheap, but do you have any idea what it would have cost to attend that workshop? If you are serious about your training, are an athlete, or a coach or personal trainer, you’d do well to pick it up. Also, Mike still has special pricing on this one – so order it quick. The Boys Are Back in Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD.

It was filmed during a workshop in Las Vegas, and is MUCH more than a kettlebell training DVD set. It ain’t cheap, but if you’re serious about your training, or are a personal trainer looking to expand your knowledge (and business), I highly recommend you check it out. You can read all about it here: Boys Are Back in Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD.

I didn’t want to write up a formal review until I’d seen it. However, since Mike currently has special pricing on it, I really wanted to tell you guys about it so you can take advantage of the discount.

I did get my copy a couple of weeks ago. I’ve only been able to watch about half of it so far, but it’s excellent – and not the same stuff you’ve heard before. New snatch and clean techniques (straight from Russia) by Steve Cotter to really raise your numbers. A different approach to pressing from Mike Mahler to improve your speed and explosiveness.

Before I ordered, I was concerned about the video and sound quality – since it was shot during a workshop. However, I have no issues at all. The workshop was indoors, and both the video and audio are great. Here’s a teaser video:

I won’t say any more about it here, you can find out for yourself at:

Boys Are Back in Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD

And remember – order now for special pricing!

Jeff Martone has recently started having monthly specials. Buy two get one free, 30% off of DVD bundles, that sort of thing.

Get the details at the home of H2H Kettlebells, H2H Circuit Training, and the innovative shotput workout, S.H.O.T. – Tactical Athlete.

You need to check out the current deals that Mike Mahler has right now.

Some of the biggest names in physical training – Mike Mahler, Steve Cotter, Steve Maxwell, and Nate Morrison – have a new DVD set that just came out that is just loaded with material – over SEVEN HOURS of video. He’s currently offering special pricing, so grab it NOW before the price goes up! I ordered mine a couple of days ago. You can read all about it here: Boys Are Back in Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD.

Mike also does some discount bundling with his other DVDs as well:

DVD Bundle – Fat Loss/Mental Toughness, Size/Strength, Speed/Explosiveness

DVD Combo – Fat Loss and Mental Toughness PLUS Speed and Explosive Strength

DVD Combo – Size and Strength PLUS Speed and Explosive Strength

Check them out – especially the Boys Are Back in Town Kettlebell Workshop DVD. That’s a can’t miss deal at the current price.

As expected, the first H2H Kettlebells DVD is made for the beginner, and covers the basics. These drills take your standard kettlebell training to the next level, allowing the bells to leave your hands.

Here’s the link: H2H: Kettlebell Drills

The second DVD is more advanced, and also covers more exercises. This one doesn’t detail the basic body mechanics quite like the first one, as it’s geared more for trainees who are already fairly advanced.

Here’s the link: H2HII: Harder. Faster. Stronger.

The third DVD is H2H:Kettlebell Circuits. Designed for beginners through advanced people, this DVD focuses on applying the H2H principles to circuit training. This adds a practical, workable follow-along aspect to the series, with flexible circuit sessions.

Here’s the link: H2H: Kettlebells Circuits.

So, whether you just want to keep your workouts interesting while you’re burning fat, or if you’re looking for an effective speed training workout, increased strength and stamina, or agility, the H2H series could fit the bill for what you’re looking for.

If you’re looking to mix things up from your standard bread-and-butter swings or snatches, check them out at Tactical Athlete.