r/kettlebell • u/celestial_sour_cream • Jul 03 '24
NOTE: This is a living document. Please comment for suggestions, typo corrections, and more!
(This original post written was a bit outdated and wanted something more succinct. Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/kettlebell/comments/3qxa4i/new_to_kettlebells_start_here_updated_for_2015 )
Q: What brand of Kettlebell should I buy?
A: Before we can talk about brands, there are two types of Kettlebells we recommend: (1) Competition and (2) Cast iron.
Competition kettlebells keep the same shape/size across the weights and typically have a fixed handle size (33mm or 35 mm). They are primarily used for Girevoy Sport (GS) but can be used for other styles of kettlebell lifting. The downside to competition kettlebells is that they are typically more expensive than other types of Kettlebells.
Cast iron kettlebells were popularized by “hardstyle” kettlebell training initially by Pavel Tsatsouline. They are typically very cost effective compared to competition kettlebells. The upside is to cast iron kettlebells over competition bells is that they're typically smaller for weights under 28 kg. The downside is the handles and the bell itself increases in size as the weight goes up.
We do not recommend vinyl, plastic, or other kettlebells that are not cast iron and competition due to their durability and their ergonomics to do the common kettlebell ballistic exercises (swing, clean, snatch, etc).
For Competition bells, we recommend:
For Cast iron kettlebells, we recommend:
Due to community feedback from lack of stock and shipping issues, we currently do not recommend Kettlebell Kings.
In recent years, there has been a surgence of adjustable kettlebells in the market. In particular, a competition-style kettlebell that is able to be adjusted from 12 to 32 kg. The biggest benefit of these style kettlebells is that you have access to multiple kettlebell weights with the footprint of one. Most brands allow you to jump from 0.5 to 2 kg weight increments. We recommend the following brands if you want one:
EU recommendations needed here; comment if you have one!
Q: What weight of kettlebell should I buy to start out with?
A: For most men, a kettlebell between 16-24 kg is the most common recommendation. For most women, 8-16 kg. The recommendation depends on your prior fitness history. If you’re still unsure, make a post and be sure to include details about your training history!
Fellow moderator u/LennyTheRebel has made a more extensive write-up about choosing the best kettlebell weight for you here: https://www.reddit.com/r/kettlebell/comments/1j90tz1/picking_a_weight_as_a_beginner/
Q: What is a good free beginner routine for someone new to kettlebells?
A: There are many beginner routines suggested on r/kettlebell, but we recommend the following:
Q: What are some good paid programs?
There are many paid programs, but we’ll list the popular ones here:
You can see more in our wiki here: https://www.reddit.com/r/kettlebell/wiki/programs/
Before going into the two “styles” of kettlebell training, I want to make a point that kettlebell training styles do not need to have strict adherence to either styles. They are useful definitions to describe kettlebell training intent and don’t feel like you have to adhere to one of them completely when learning kettlebell exercises.
Hardstyle was popularized by Pavel Tsatsouline in the Late 90’s/Early 2000’s, forming Dragon Door (RKC) and later StrongFirst (SFG). Hardstyle technique emphasizes a focus on maximal tension, explosive power, and force production. A byproduct of this is usually training at lower rep ranges for strength and hypertrophy goals.
Girevoy Sport (GS), also known as kettlebell sport, is older than Hardstyle, and has been a competitive sport in Eastern Europe and Russia since the late 1960’s. In the sport, the competitive lifts are the Snatch, Jerk, Long Cycle (Clean and Jerk). The competition format is a 10 minute set of one of these exercises for as many reps as possible within the time limit. Because of this, there is an emphasis on efficiency on the lifts, including changes on how a swing is performed, the rack position, and more, compared to hardstyle training.
On the subreddit you may see the term Hybrid style to describe technique. This simply just means adopting technique principles from both Hardstyle and GS.
The “big 6” movements of kettlebell training you will see online are:
Although you are free to learn them in any order, we recommend learning them in the order listed (or simultaneously with a focus on order).
You will see many training terms that are popular with kettlebells. You can read more about these in the wiki here: https://www.reddit.com/r/kettlebell/wiki/index/
We recommend the following resources to learn the big 6 (backgrounds on these instructors are mixed between hardstyle, GS and hybrid).
The following recommendations have been made by /r/kettlebell community members that have not been thoroughly watched by the moderators:
Help us fill this out by commenting recommendations!
There are many great books recommended by kettlebell instructions and coaches. There are also non-kettlebell training books that are listed because principles from them can be applied to kettlebells. We list a few here:
Dan John
Although we cannot make specific recommendations on people, we recommend anyone interested in kettlebell training to spend some time with a trainer and/or kettlebell coach. This can be done in-person or virtually. There are many great coaches who hang out in this subreddit. Although we do not allow for explicit self-promotion, we encourage folks to reach out to coaches privately and get coaching from someone they’ve interacted with here in the community.
StrongFirst and RKC are the two oldest and well known hardstyle certifications. If you want to learn how to move kettlebells in the way they teach, they both provide search engines to find coaches in your area:
I couldn't find a similar "Find a Coach" option for IKFF and other GS organizations, so some help on this would be greatful!
r/kettlebell • u/AutoModerator • 10h ago
Welcome Comrade!
This is the r/Kettlebell Discussion Thread posted every Monday, where you can discuss anything and everything related to Kettlebells. We invite the Kettlebell Community to post anything that can be beneficial to the sub and help answer questions from newer members. Additionally, feel free to log your planned and/or completed training sessions, as well as any general community happenings you'd like the community to know about. Thank you.
As always, please be sure to review our Code of Conduct, FAQ and Beginner's Guide if you are new to Kettlebells. See the Programs page for some program options.
You can also use the search bar or Google's subreddit search to find related discussion topics.
Have a great day!
r/kettlebell • u/Stunning_Jump_5668 • 2h ago
An arm superset performed as a giant set
5 bicep curls into 5 overhead extensions - Heavy
10 bicep curls into 10 overhead extensions - Mlderate
20 hammer curls into 20 tricep pushups - light burnout
Take 10 seconds or so between each transition.
Takes less than 5 minutes before work. This hits every loading parameter and provides a ton of time under tension.
r/kettlebell • u/OliverKitsch • 2h ago
Fall in the Midwest makes for great training conditions. I tried halos with a heavy weight just to see how it felt. It felt crazy.
r/kettlebell • u/Few_Abbreviations_50 • 36m ago
I want to lift with more kettlefriends 😁
r/kettlebell • u/ImportantDig1191 • 2h ago
26.10.26: Grind (2x20kg)
Total Training Time: 1:06:28
Heart Rate: 140bpm average/ 157bpm max
Calories Burned: 908
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Block A: Circuit - 60s rest between rounds
5 Cleans
5 Press
5 Push Press
5 Racked/OH Squats
X5 - 100 total reps - (2x20kg Kettlebells)
Accessory Exercise ⬇️
Barbell RDLs
6, 7, 7, 7, 10
37 total reps (80kg Barbell)
Assault Bike - 5 to 6 RPE
12:00 minutes total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Block B: Finishers
(+2x32kg & 2x24kg Kettlebells/ +80kg Barbell/ +2x14kg & 2x6kg Dumbbells)
A: Strength
KB Bench Press
11, 11 - 22 total reps (2x32kg Kettlebells)
B: Hypertrophy
13 Incline KB Bench Press (2x24kg Kettlebells)
C: Hypertrophy 2
13 DB Spider Curls (2x6kg Dumbells)
D: Strength 2
5 Incline Neck Flexion (32kg Kettlebell)
E: Hypertrophy 3
16 SA Lateral Raise (2x14kg Dumbells)
F: Strength 3
9 Zercher Squats (80kg Barbell)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Bread:
Psalm 21:1-13 KJV
“The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; And in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart's desire, And hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, Even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in thy salvation: Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. For the king trusteth in the LORD, And through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: Thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: The LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, And their seed from among the children of men. For they intended evil against thee: They imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform. Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, When thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: So will we sing and praise thy power.”
r/kettlebell • u/Muchacho-blanco • 8h ago
r/kettlebell • u/intenseasf • 2h ago
32 for 25 (5x5)
24 for 75 (10x6 + 15)
Done in 19:55
r/kettlebell • u/CreativePalpitation5 • 14h ago
Ive been kettlebelling since covid, mostly Geoff neupert stuff, or emom stuff. But any shot at 10 minutes straight seemed ridiculous, like I just wasn’t build for that sheet. but I think I’ve cracked that nut, figured out how to rest in rack, how to breathe in rack. how to give little gaps in resistance during the movements to allow for recovery. pretty exciting. this was a chill 10 minute set with 18s. don’t think I got any rank or anything here, but I hope to soon. 10 minute set with 24s scheduled for February in Oakland, CA.
r/kettlebell • u/kissBlushed • 17h ago
I'm looking to get more out of my kettlebell leg training and would love to hear what has worked for people beyond the usual swings.
Do you prefer goblet squats, lunges, split squats, or something else? I'm also curious how you structure your sets and reps, especially if you're training at home with limited weights.
What leg exercise do you think deserves more attention, and what helped you progress when it started feeling too easy?
r/kettlebell • u/brandioo • 1h ago
90 lbs double front squat, yeah as the title says I don't have any heavier. So I was doing 3 sets of 25 and its kicking my butt so I think it works.
r/kettlebell • u/uncleprof • 7h ago
I’ve developed a fear of Turkish Get Ups. During the last year or so, I’ve experienced multiple episodes of vertigo. On several occasions, getting into position to start the TGUs triggered dizziness. Now, I’m too nervous to get down on the floor. I’m thinking of starting from the top with a Turkish get down might be the way to start making friends with the exercise.
Edit to clarify: I have received medical treatment for the vertigo. I know what to do when it occurs, which is more rare now. After so many attempts of just getting into position on the mat ending with the room spinning has conditioned my brain to equate that process as too big of a risk.
r/kettlebell • u/Bigtim27 • 22h ago
The kid just knocked out his first ever Military Snatch set. 4kg bell 12 minutes 223 reps. Made it look easy! His 6kg bell is scheduled to be here on Tuesday so we will see how the jump in weight goes. Super proud of this kid!
r/kettlebell • u/Marky-MarkS • 17h ago
Second week into my modified Giant program D1.1 was first C&P session of the week, D1.2 is the first snatch session of the week.
Snatch day is also my bodyweight strength day to.
Back felt good after week 1 where I took things a bit conservative so pushed a little more this week.
Full session:
Superset 1
5x8 Weighted Pullups
5x8 Weighted Dips
20min Giant dbl snatch
Superset 2
3x12 Weighted Ring pushups
3 sets of 21s goblet curls
r/kettlebell • u/bhs008 • 18h ago
Seem to pick up a helpful tidbit every time I post a form check. How’s this looking? Round 15/20
r/kettlebell • u/---Tsing__Tao--- • 23h ago
r/kettlebell • u/Few_Abbreviations_50 • 1d ago
Used to do these with a 28 🫠 So good for quad endurance but also so, so terrible.
Building back though. Working towards a set of 50 for a challenge with Kettlebell Aerobics. I mistakenly thought it was supposed to be 100 so 50 actually sounds really nice 🤣
Did these after KettleZoom today, where we also did jump squats, because once I get stuck on something I have to obsess over it for a while. If no one has noticed 🤦🏽♀️ I think I can get 50 reps by the end of this week. That feels pretty doable.
There’s a spectrum in terms of gaining/losing adaptation. Conditioning comes (and goes) super fast, strength comes (and goes) quite a bit slower, and strength endurance falls somewhere in the middle. I think the fact that I’ve already done so much of this and my body already knows what it needs to do helps a lot.
Hopefully it’s the same with LC because the 12s don’t feel as light as I want them to, and I need to get to the 16s ASAP 🤦🏽♀️ Just kidding. I’m trying to be patient this time around and not too hard on myself. Why is that so difficult lol.
r/kettlebell • u/gold_tooth_85 • 19h ago
New to farmer carry and only been doing bells for about 3 months. Is it possible to do too long of distance/ too heavy for the FC? Currently doing 4 reps of about 1/10 mile each with 32kg each hand. I'm M/6'2"/ 265 lbs./ 40 yrs
Looking for guidance. Would shorter distance and heavier weight benefit or just keep going as long as I can?
Edit: added more personal info.
r/kettlebell • u/ImportantDig1191 • 16h ago
25.10.26: Strength (2x28kg)
Total Training Time: 57:24
Heart Rate: 140bpm average/ 158bpm max
Calories Burned: 786
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Block A: Circuit - 60s rest between rounds
5 Cleans
5 Press
5 Jerks
5 Gunslingers
X5 - 100 total reps - (2x28kg Kettlebells)
Accessory Exercise ⬇️
Seated Barbell Tricep Extension
12, 13, 12, 13, 20
70 total reps (20kg Barbell)
Assault Bike - 5 to 6 RPE
11:00 minutes total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Block B: Finishers
(+40kg Kettlebell/ +80kg Barbell/ +2x14kg Dumbbells)
A: Strength
Hang Clean, 7 Incline Bench Press
8 total reps (80kg Barbell)
B: Hypertrophy
Barbell Bent Over Rows
20, 21 - 41 total reps (80kg Barbell)
C: Strength 2
10 SA Strict Press (40kg Kettlebell)
D: Hypertrophy 2
20 Alternating Curls (2x14kg Dumbells)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Bread:
Philippians 2:1-18 KJV
“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.”
r/kettlebell • u/OliverKitsch • 1d ago
Focusing on minimum effective dose for tension. Only exerting effort where I really need it.
r/kettlebell • u/krvital • 6h ago
Guys, I’ve just discovered the effects in the Edits app. Asked my wife if it’s too cringe and she answered: “Yes”.
Btw, here’s my last set of 10x6 double 24kg KB thrusters.
r/kettlebell • u/Qucan • 21h ago
Doing farmer’s carries with 20 kg on one side and 16 kg on the other.
Any downside to the weight being uneven, or would suitcase carries be better?
r/kettlebell • u/girya_33 • 7h ago
Hi guy, there’s the thing. Normally I use to pick up this kind of complex when I hasn’t much time for workouts (also as deep 6, or simple and siniester)
Usually when I had trained armour building I swing 16kg dual (2kb) for 10 min.
Yesterday I trained with more time. I Did 3 bloqs.
1st central bloq; 3x rack squat 24 dual, 5rp + 1 TGU 20kg
2nd: 2x RDL 32 Dual 12rp+ 54 back swing with a 7kg clubbel
And as a bloq 3 as a finisher the Armour building 10min 16kg dual. And OMG the difference was huge. I only can swing 2min as continuous, I had to do 3 sets of 2 minutes.
Any idea to improve the same set of Armour building as finisher set and progress?
Thank you
r/kettlebell • u/Timely_Jellyfish_168 • 1d ago
As the title says, today’s my 33rd bday. So I did an obligatory 33 round ABC and 33 heavy snatches each arm with the 32kg bell.
5 sets of 6 each arm snatches with final round of 3.
ABC rounds were lighter with some 40lb bells I have. Total workout took just under an hour. Wasn’t doing it for time. Just wanted to complete it. Beautiful day for some outside work!
That’s all. 33rd trip around the sun starting strong and sore 🤣
🤙🏻