Which Kettlebell Should I get?
You want to get your first kettlebell? Awesome, let's pick the right bell for you!
So you've decided you need your first KB, but do you need a sports bell? A hardstyle bell? What weight? What colour? Where from?
Type: Sports or Traditional
Disclaimer: I'm not a KB sports person, so this is my outsider view on bells to start with. Like with any KBs training, get a coach to start with, it will cost you money, but save you frustration, poor form/technique, and, well, pain (physical and or financial).
Let's start with what you are going to use it for. If you are a crossfitter, or a kettlebell sport athlete, you are going to be doing a lot of volume or reps (KB sport, 200+ minimum reps in an event), and/or you are going to be doing one handed movements for most of your training then you need a bell intended for that. So straight away, a sportstyle bell is most likely going to be what you want. These have a narrow handle, and all are the same dimensions, just weighted differently. Jump down to choosing the right weight.
If you are a hardstyle kettlebell user (RKC, StrongFirst), or a general fitness/home user, a traditional or cast iron bell is your best choice. The wider handle will be great for two handed two handed swings. This is especially true for users like me with larger hands, we will be able to fit all or most of our fingers of both hands on the handle, unlike with a sportsbell. These bells also tend to be a bit cheaper than sports bells as those have to be weighted correctly, and require more work in manufacture.
Weight:
Common sense rules the roost here, if in doubt see if you can test a few bells at your local gym, or with your KB coach if you have one. If needed, use a dumbbell to test what you need so you have an idea of the weight you need. Try to press and swing or deadlift your dumbbell to get an idea of what you can do.
Weight choice is super important! Especially if you are on a limited budget, or only have space for one or two bells max. You need to think about what you are wanting to do again. For sports bells, you have to be able to manage the number of reps and the rpm for your event, your load will be lower, than if you are a general fitness person. I'm assuming below you don't have a coach, if you do though, listen to them.
For hardstyle, you need to think about what your training focus is. If you have to have one bell, you need to be able to press it. If you can't press it, you will be doing leg work pretty much exclusively. A weight you can press 3-5 times would be great, you can then progress up to sets of 10 reps. This might be super easy for your legs, in which case you will need to do a lot more reps or harder variation, or get a second, heavier bell for your legs.
For your legs, you want a bell you can deadlift/swing about 8-12 times to start with. You could then develop up to 20-25 reps a set. You would likely be able to squat that weight for similar numbers.
A lighter person with a smaller frame, or someone new to strength training might need 8-12 kgs to start. A person with more strength, or who has been doing strength training for a while could start with 16-24kgs. This is a very rough, and broad guide. I'm 6ft4, and was moving some reasonable weight on a barbell when I started with KBs, and a 16kg bell WRECKED ME! Remove your ego, you can always go up a bell when you are comfy.
Where to get a bell?
This is limited to NZ, sorry if you are outside New Zealand get in touch and I'll point you to someone who can recommend a supplier. I'm also assuming you want a brand new bell.
Hardstyle traditional bells
Sports bells
Buying second hand? Coming in the next blog