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(This original post written was a bit outdated and wanted something more succinct.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 • 2d 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/youssefbeneloumda • 3h ago
Hello All,
I want to buy this kettlebell from decathlon that can go up to 24 kg as i just want to start kettlebell training, is this a good one or do you recommend another one
Thank you everyone
r/kettlebell • u/Alone-Silver-2757 • 20h ago
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Playing with some single leg transitions I saw on the webbbbb lol so hard so fun 8 kg and a bottoms up get up to wake shizzzz up
And then me fing around some more with internet things and waking up poor Winnie girl 😅😂
r/kettlebell • u/Pasta1994 • 12h ago
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Ladders sets.
Stacking TGU up to 3 then back down.
r/kettlebell • u/Euphoric_Mastodon_93 • 9h ago
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Hey guys, this is my first kettlebell workout and I need some help figuring out what I’m doing wrong. I’m a beginner so everything feels awkward and I need some feedback. Everything was much harder than I expected but I’m trying to stay positive!!
Notes for the swing:
- I kept forgetting that it was a hinge movement and I can see some unnecessary arm movements.
- at some points, I felt like the kettlebell was dragging me rather than me controlling it (10 kg).
- also I felt like the base of my neck but looking back at the video, I kept moving my head back and forth.
Please be kind and helpful, thank you!!
r/kettlebell • u/Balcony_Lifter • 6h ago
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Thanks to recording myself, I noticed that my left arm path is different than the right one. Left elbow goes more to the outside. I wonder what the reason is for so visible imbalance, especially that my right arm and shoulder are stronger side.
r/kettlebell • u/mikrophon09 • 1h ago
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I followed your advice and watched a few tutorials; I’ve now tried to edit my old thread from two weeks ago and upload my new video, but I can’t seem to manage it.
Hence this new post.
Anyway, I think the technique’s a bit better now.
It’s lacking a bit of energy, or perhaps speed, but maybe that’s normal given the sluggish weight of 16 kg (?).
Thanks, everyone. k
r/kettlebell • u/Stunning_Jump_5668 • 18h ago
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16kg - 24kg - 32kg
2 Snatch - 1 Windmill - 3 Overhead Squats
Full body power with the snatch. Complete rotational control with the windmill. Total movement mastery under load with the overhead squats.
Inspired by Dan John's ABC and built to compliment it.
How heavy can you progress while maintaining ownership of the weight?
r/kettlebell • u/Few_Abbreviations_50 • 15h ago
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Did 3’(4’)x3. 8 rpm and then 8,8,10 on this last set. Not super happy with my cleans. Sloppy elbows galore, especially at the end. I enjoyed all the extra rest I gave myself between sets though 🤣 My lungs are still cranky from being sick.
I complain a lot about LC but what a beautiful movement when you get in the groove. There’s beauty in all of it but I’m too tired to write an essay today lol. I just really fucking love lifting.
r/kettlebell • u/celestial_sour_cream • 16h ago
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Rounds 3,6,9,12 shown.
r/kettlebell • u/cavemankettlebells • 2h ago
r/kettlebell • u/---Tsing__Tao--- • 21h ago
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r/kettlebell • u/No_Author_4476 • 19h ago
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Any tips are appreciated
r/kettlebell • u/Marky-MarkS • 20h ago
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Tough day but pushed through, quite hot and humid, and in between night shifts.
Improved on last week's day 2 by 12 reps.
Finished off hitting legs.
5x10 Bulgarian split squats
4x10 Sommersault Squats
r/kettlebell • u/chickenandlime • 3h ago
24M, 5'7", 67 kg. I have some muscle definition but carry extra fat around my midsection.
I trained with a 12 kg kettlebell until the year before last, then barely trained after an accident last year. I'm getting back into it with an 18 kg bell.
I'm running this routine 3 days a week: https://youtu.be/zGxnnKrvDvY, with a pull-up routine on the other 3 days. I'm only one week in.
My problem is the overhead press. With the 18 kg, I can't hold 5 reps per side past round 3-4.
Questions:
Is this normal for a first week back, and should I keep running the routine to build strength?
Or is a different program a better fit for my situation?
Any advice is appreciated.
r/kettlebell • u/Alarming_Sherbet6122 • 16h ago
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r/kettlebell • u/Dakotesmagoats • 21h ago
Just to clarify, I am no beginner. Been doing a variety of different programs for the past 10 years. Personally, I am at a point in my fitness career where fun is essentially the most important part to me. Progressive overload is still a core principle, but I am more concerned with just keeping things fresh to avoid burnout/boredom.
So, my question for you kettlebell enthusiasts, do you follow a specific written program, or do you just kinda do whatever you feel like doing day to day?
My favorite thing about KB is the versatility, the sky being the limit. You can really get creative coming up with different complexes or movement patterns. For example, recently I've been doing single kb work in a 3x3x3 format, 3 cleans, 3 press, 3 FS emom style.
r/kettlebell • u/Flaskaboozen • 23h ago
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I recently posted a video of myself doing this. I tried to follow all the advice that I received from it. Emphasis on tried. I think I did it better but I'm not too sure.
r/kettlebell • u/Bannnerman • 1d ago
Had to stretch a merino wool shirt and this is what I came up with after some advice on another sub.
r/kettlebell • u/Successful-Height384 • 1d ago
It can be an isolated move or compound. Maybe you were lacking on your quads so goblet squats works wonders. Just a curiosity post.
r/kettlebell • u/Stunning_Jump_5668 • 1d ago
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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/ImportantDig1191 • 1d ago
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27.10.26: Daily Practice (20kg)
Total Training Time: 1:03:42
Heart Rate: 139bpm average/ 157bpm max
Calories Burned: 865
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Block A: Circuit - 60s rest between rounds
10 SA Flips
10 SA Snatches
10 SA Strict Press
10 SA Bottoms Up Cleans
X5-200 total reps (20kg Kettlebell)
Accessory Exercise ⬇️
Archer Pushups
10, 14, 14, 16, 16
70 total reps (115kg Bodyweight)
Assault Bike - 5 to 6 RPE
12:00 minutes total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Block B: Finishers
(+40kg & 24kg Kettlebells/ +100kg Trap Bar/ +20kg Plate)
A: Hypertrophy
Deadlift, 35 Shrugs
36 total reps (100kg Trap Bar)
B: Mobility
KB Pullovers
7, 8 - 15 total reps (24kg Kettlebell)
C: Technique/Grip
10 Snatches (40kg Kettlebell)
D: Mobility 2
10 Kneeling Press, 6 Kneeling Bent Press
16 total reps (20kg Plate)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Bread:
James 1:1-15 KJV
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: but the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. ”
r/kettlebell • u/PrestigiousTomato8 • 16h ago
I also do SUP paddle up practice on a wingfoil board, and I felt my left shoulder get a little twingy.
Not sure which it was - the move up or the paddle up.
But the solution?
Doing some Turkish Get Ups.
I don't do them very often, but I love that they are in my toolbox to solidify the shoulders.
r/kettlebell • u/zonular • 1d ago
Hey folks,
What do you do to rotate programs / change up training over a year?.
I'm debating alternating DFW to the giant to king sized killer from neupert.
I've seen others mix easy strength and abf