I Bit.

In case it has somehow escaped your attention, Precision Nutrition is running a special whereby you get 10 guidebooks, the Gourmet Nutrition cookbook, and a 1-year membership to the Precision Nutrition site that gives you access to the member forums, e-books, articles, workout plans and Much! Much! More! all for one Low! Low! Price! of $99 USD. Honestly I have no clue how much this particular package normally would run you, but the price seemed reasonable to me so I went for it.

While I haven't received my guidebooks and cookbook yet, I did get immediate access to the members-only areas of the PN site, and so far I am impressed. The workout programs are designed by top people in the fitness industry, including Christian Thibaudeax, Alwyn Cosgrove, Craig Ballantyne, and Dave Whitley, and there are options for all levels from novice to pro.

Since I'm a kettlebell girl the Dave Whitley workout was the first one I downloaded, and as usual Dave does not disappoint. The first four weeks of the program are all get-ups and swings. It's not quite the RKC program minimum, but the concept is the same. The second four weeks are non-competing supersets, sort of along the lines of Turbulence Training but with kettlebells. There's also some interval training, with timed sets of swings standing in for the usual treadmill or bike sprints. The final four weeks of the program introduce some double kettlebell drills that are too advanced for me right now, so I will either modify or switch to a different program altogether.

If bodybuilding is what intrigues you the Christian Thibaudeax program is outstanding. It kicks off with 12 weeks of off-season training, then segues into 12 weeks of contest prep. It's advanced and it's brutal and I frankly can't be bothered, but for those who enjoy this sport and have the motivation and discipline to train this way it's an incredible option.

(Note: I have nothing but respect for bodybuilders. They work as hard for their results as any other athlete, and when I say that bodybuilding is not my thing, all I mean is that it's one of the many, many sports in which I do not aspire to excel or even achieve competence. It seems to me that looking amazing in a posing suit is every bit as valid a goal as pressing The Beast for reps or running a four-minute mile or pulling off 32 consecutive fouette turns without falling on your ass. Whatever motivates you, right?)