Table of Contents
Choosing the right weight kettlebell is an important part of kettlebell training as it will help you perform these dynamic movements with the proper mechanics. Going too heavy or too light both have their disadvantages.
Choose the perfect kettlebell weight and enjoy your gains with the help of the following piece:
Choices for All Ages
Kettlebell training is a universally efficient method of training, whatever your goal may be, whether it’s building muscle, increasing mobility and flexibility, or just training to get your cardio in, kettlebells have got you covered.
The only thing you need to worry about is the weight of the kettlebell. Our bodies are all different with different strengths and weaknesses depending on our fitness experience, age, gender, and much more. Fear not though, kettlebells come in all different shapes and sizes.
What’s The Best Starting Kettlebell Weight for Women?
Kettlebell training and its benefits should be utilized by everyone regardless of their gender. Although there are some big differences in strength and muscle-building capabilities between both genders because of hormonal differences, this does not mean that there aren’t kettlebell sizes available to cater to these differences.
The average woman with little to no fitness experience should train with a starting weight of around 10-25 lbs depending on age and body weight. This is the ideal weight and the perfect range for building muscle, losing fat, strengthening your cardiovascular system, and overall achieving a better quality of life over a period of time.
After a bit of experience, increased strength, mobility, and muscle mass, they should practice progressive overload and slowly increase weight, sets, and reps in every workout session.
What’s The Best Starting Kettlebell Weight for Men?
The same goes for men, being biologically stronger due to higher amounts of testosterone in the body, thus being able to lift heavier weights making it slightly easier to pack on muscle mass. For the average man, with little to no fitness or weight lifting experience, 25-45 lbs is more than plenty of a weight for kettlebell training.
In this range, you can easily build muscle, lose fat, increase heart health, and much more over a period of time, ultimately allowing you to live a longer, healthier, and overall better life! After a bit of experience, increased strength, mobility, and muscle mass, they should practice progressive overload and slowly increase weight, sets, and reps in every workout session.
What Weight Kettlebell for Kids?
Most children around the age of 13 do not really have the genetic capabilities to start building muscle, however, it is important for them to build their cardiovascular endurance at a young age. As they are beginners, a good starter kettlebell weight for most children would be 4-10 lbs.
At this weight, kettlebell training would be efficient and would provide all sorts of physical and mental benefits to their developing bodies. A short, light kettlebell only workout once or twice a week will help create mental and physical discipline that would help these children in all aspects of life including their school life.
As they get older into their teenage years, they will already be far ahead of the person who started weight training in their adult years. Children also should practice proper form and progressive overload in their training for maximum efficiency.
What Weight Kettlebell for Seniors?
Whatever your age might be, whatever health status you might be, staying active is essential to ensuring the longevity of a healthy life. Even for seniors and the elderly, kettlebell training with lighter weight provides many benefits and should be promoted amongst older men and women.
Kettlebells are easy on the joints and help tackle any tight muscles you may have. 5-20 lb kettlebells or lighter weights are fine for most senior people depending on their health, age, and fitness experience. Even in old age, basic kettlebell movements and kettlebell training as a whole provide many benefits.
Joint pain, weak muscles, and other issues like a bad back can all be solved with some regular kettlebell training.
Standard Kettlebell Sizes
Kettlebells are available in all shapes and sizes, starting from 1lb all the way to over 80 lbs. Kettlebells usually have 4,5 and 9-pound increments in weights. This is why you will see kettlebells with increasing weights like 26, 35, 44 lbs and 15, 20, 25 lbs, and so on in the catalogs of different producers.
Pro Kettlebell, which is one of the most renowned and established competition kettlebells manufacturers has two traditional kettlebells which are the Atlas and Apollo. The Atlas kettlebell lineup is mainly for beginners and ranges from 4-24 kg kettlebells. The Apollo on the other hand is more premium and comes in 8-32 kg kettlebells.
Kettlebell training involves dynamic, whole-body movements that enhance strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. Its effectiveness for athlete-like conditioning stems from the combination of resistance training and functional movements. You need good equipment to get the most out of this style of training, that's why we choose Kettlebell Kings.
What Kettlebell Exercises You Perform
There is an abundance of amazing kettlebell exercises available to help you build the physique of your dreams, implementing many different exercises throughout your weekly kettlebell workout routine will take your weight training experience and gains to the next level!
List of Beginner Exercises:
If you’re new to kettlebell exercises, it is very important to take notice of adequate form and technique. Below are a number of Kettlebell beginner-friendly exercises that are a must to incorporate in your early development stage.
Upon practicing these exercises, one is assured to result in increased strength, improved stability, and increased overall body control. The key is to start off with the same exercises with a lighter weight and gradually increase the load with comfort.
Kettlebell Goblet Squat
This variation of exercise is a fantastic method to target your lower body. Hold a kettlebell close to your chest with both hands, making sure the weight is not in contact with your chest. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
Lower your whole body into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Keep your chest up and core engaged. Push through your heels to stand back up. This exercise strengthens your quads, glutes, and core while also improving your balance and stability.
Kettlebell floor press
This exercise is great for targeting your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Hold the kettlebells in each hand with your palms facing in. Bend your elbows and lower the kettlebells until your upper arms touch the floor.
Press the kettlebell back on your starting position, completely extending your arms. Perform this exercise with proper form and enjoy some serious gains in your upper body strength, and stability.
Kettlebell Curls
As for the biceps, the best way to train them with kettlebells is with curling movements like standing or seated kettlebell curls by holding the weight from its handle. Another great variation to target the biceps in the standing position or the lengthened position is the concentration curl which is where you keep your arm pressed against your knee and curl against it in a strict manner.
For forearms you do not necessarily need to do any direct training, the reason being that all kettlebell exercises train your grip strength which in turn translates to stronger and more defined forearms. Moreover, any other kettlebell bicep exercise also targets the forearms very well
However, if you do want to directly train your forearms, your best option is by far heavy kettlebell farmers’ walks. These are simple and effective, you simply grab yourself a pair of heavy kettlebells and just walk around while squeezing the weights as much as possible for as long as possible.
Kettlebell Swings
Next is one of the most famous and versatile movements in kettlebell workouts, none other than the kettlebell swing. The reason for the popularity of this movement is that it targets almost the entire body like a compound movement from your shoulders to your lower back and even to your entire lower body.
The kettlebell swing move consists of two main movements, the hinge, and the thrust. The first step is to stand upright holding the kettlebell with its handle, keeping your feet around shoulder width apart. Next is to bend in a hinged manner to let the weight freely glide backward between your legs, at this point, you should feel a good stretch in your hamstrings and glutes.
This stretch is basically the green light for you to thrust the kettlebell in front of you, pushing with your glutes. You should note that at this point your arms should be loose allowing the weight to move freely in front of you after which you return to the original starting position.
Kettlebell Shoulder Press
There are different ways to target the triceps but the most efficient will always be any sort of pressing movement. The most versatile press is the standing kettlebell shoulder press. This movement is great because it challenges your core, shoulders, and also triceps. Moreover, all you need is one kettlebell.
The simplest way to do this is to normally stand with your feet at shoulder width and hold the kettlebell in the front rack position from the handle such that the bottom part of it rests on your wrist. After which you may brace to engage your core which will keep you tight as you press the weight above you until full lockout.
You should note that it is recommended to keep your back straight during overhead pressing movements. Other good overhead press exercises for triceps include kettlebell floor press and kettlebell tricep kickbacks
Kettlebell training involves dynamic, whole-body movements that enhance strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. Its effectiveness for athlete-like conditioning stems from the combination of resistance training and functional movements. You need good equipment to get the most out of this style of training, that's why we choose Kettlebell Kings.
List of More Advanced Exercises
Let’s dive into some more advanced kettlebell exercises! These exercises will challenge your strength, stability, and coordination while targeting multiple muscle groups. Get ready to take your workout to the next level with these amazing kettlebell moves!
Kettlebell Turkish Getup
The Turkish Get-Up is an awesome kettlebell exercise that involves going from lying down to standing while holding the kettlebell overhead. It challenges your strength, stability, and coordination. The steps include rolling to your elbow, pressing up to your hand, bridging your hips, sweeping your leg, and standing up.
This exercise targets your core, shoulders, hips, and more, improving stability, mobility, and overall strength. It’s a full-body workout that enhances your functional core fitness. Give it a try to take your fitness routine to the next level!
Kettlebell Clean and press
The kettlebell clean and the press is a dynamic exercise that involves explosively driving your hips forward to bring the kettlebell up to your shoulder and then pressing it overhead. It targets your shoulders, core, legs, and back, helping to build strength, power, and stability.
This exercise requires coordination and proper technique to maximize its benefits. Incorporating the kettlebell clean and press into your workout routine can enhance your overall fitness and contribute to improved functional strength. Give it a go and feel the burn!
Kettlebell Snatch
The kettlebell snatch is an explosive exercise that involves swinging the kettlebell from between your legs to overhead in one fluid motion. It targets your shoulders, core, hips, and legs, providing a full-body workout. With proper technique, the kettlebell snatch can improve power, strength, and cardiovascular endurance.
It requires coordination and control to generate maximum force and safely execute the movement. Incorporating kettlebell snatches into your fitness routine can add variety and intensity. Give it a try and experience the benefits of this dynamic exercise!
Kettlebell Pistol Squat
The kettlebell pistol squat is an incredible exercise that targets your lower body and core. It involves squatting down on one leg while holding a kettlebell in front of you for balance. This movement challenges your strength, stability, and mobility.
By performing kettlebell pistol squats, you can develop stronger legs, improve balance, and enhance overall functional fitness. Remember to start with a lighter kettlebell and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable with the exercise. Give it a go and feel the burn in your legs!
Kettlebell Windmill
Another excellent option that directly fires up your abs is the kettlebell windmill. This exercise puts some serious strain on your obliques and will definitely take a toll on your hips and shoulder as well. This movement is great for strengthening your shoulder mobility and after a few sessions of these, a new more flexible you will surely prevail.
This movement is for the slightly more experienced athlete so it is better you first do it with light weight. The technique for this is to stand tall with your legs slightly wider apart than your shoulders with the kettlebell overhead pressed to lockout.
After which you slowly bend to your side whilst keeping your core engaged and using your other arm to balance if needed. The key for this is to go nice and slow, a five-second eccentric will do your core wonders and also avoid injuries.
Renegade Row
One of the most recognized exercises is none other than the kettlebell Renegade row which is one of the best compound kettlebell movements. This movement is versatile and can be done anywhere, you also do not need heavy kettlebells for this movement.
To perform this exercise you will need two kettlebells of moderate or heavier weight and must be on all fours in the push-up position, you should have your hands and feet slighter wider than shoulder width, however, you may find what feels comfortable.
After setting up your position holding the kettlebells from the top of their handles, engage your core and pull the weight up and toward your hips like you would with any other regular variations of rows. If you want to make this an even more efficient exercise variation, add a pushup between each kettlebell lifting rep.
Adjustable Kettlebells vs Standard Kettlebells
Kettlebell weights are available in a wide variety of types, shapes, and sizes. The right kettlebell weight for you depends on your circumstances: budget, time, space, fitness goals, and experience with kettlebell exercise. With so many kettlebell manufacturers all producing weights with their own specs and unique selling points, you are sure to find the best kettlebell weight that fits whatever need you have!
Adjustable Kettlebells
An adjustable kettlebell is a type of kettlebell that allows you to easily change the weight according to your preference. This versatility makes it a convenient and space-saving option for your fitness routine. So, if you’re looking for a kettlebell that offers flexibility and adaptability, an adjustable kettlebell is a great choice!
Pros
The pros of adjustable kettlebells are their versatility, convenience, and cost-effectiveness. You can easily change the weight to suit your fitness level and goals. They also save space since you only need one kettlebell with adjustable weights.
Plus, they can be more budget-friendly compared to buying multiple fixed-weight kettlebells. So, if you want a flexible and efficient workout tool, adjustable kettlebells are a great option!
Cons
The cons of adjustable kettlebells are that they may not be as durable as standard kettlebells, and the weight adjustment mechanism can sometimes be less stable. Additionally, if you’re using adjustable kettlebells in a group fitness class, it may take some time to adjust the weights for each participant. However, these drawbacks are minor compared to the convenience and versatility they offer.
- Adjustable
- Easy to use
- Various Options (weight)
- Can train various weight
- Typically more costly
Best One To Buy: REP Fitness Adjustable Kettlebell (Latest Pricing)
Standard Kettlebells
Standard kettlebells are a popular fitness tool that comes in a fixed weight. Kettlebells are known for their versatility and effectiveness in targeting multiple muscle groups, including the legs, core, and upper body. They can be used for exercises like swings, snatches, and Turkish get-ups. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced lifter, standard kettlebells can be a great addition to your fitness routine.
Pros
The major pro of many other advantages offered by standard kettlebells is providing a consistent weight, allowing for progressive overload. They are durable and long-lasting making them a long-term investment. They also come in a wide range of weights, which is extremely helpful in catering to different workout routines for its goals.
On top of that, their traditional design helps people find a comfortable grip and overall use. In conclusion, kettlebells are said to be a reliable and effective piece of tool that is good for overall strength training and conditioning.
Standard kettlebells are also much cheaper than adjustable kettlebell weights, they are easily and widely available, brand new as well as used for even cheaper.
Cons
However, like its pros, it also comprises cons such as their ability to take up more space compared to adjustable kettlebells. Also, you may need to invest your money in different weights according to your preference and need.
If you’re already limited on storage or have a small workout area, the collection of a range of standard kettlebells can become cumbersome. In the end, the simplicity and versatility of standard kettlebells outshines the drawbacks of this equipment.
Kettlebell training involves dynamic, whole-body movements that enhance strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. Its effectiveness for athlete-like conditioning stems from the combination of resistance training and functional movements. You need good equipment to get the most out of this style of training, that's why we choose Kettlebell Kings.
Best Ones to Buy: Kettlebell Kings (Latest Pricing)
How Many Kettlebells Do I Need?
If you’re looking for a specific recommendation on how many kettlebells to get, it’s generally suggested to have a set of kettlebells with varying weights. This allows you to adjust the intensity of your workouts and progress as you get stronger.
A good starting point would be to have kettlebells in different weight increments, such as light, medium, and heavy. This way, you can perform a wide range of exercises and target different muscle groups effectively. Remember, it’s always better to start with a weight that challenges you but still allows you to maintain proper form.
Best Kettlebell Set: Professional Grade Kettlebell Set – Vinyl Coated, Cast Iron Kettlebells (Latest Pricing)
Finding the best kettlebells for home workouts has never been easier. Make this year the year you increase muscle mass and your strength!
What Size Kettlebell for Beginners?
More often than not people assume that 5 or 10-lb kettlebells are good enough for a beginner kettlebell workout. However, this is not at all the case if you go too light you are simply wasting your time going through the movements. If you go too heavy, you risk getting injured as you sacrifice form.
It is very important to challenge yourself safely; to do so you must pick a decent weight to work out with. The sweet spot for most kettlebell workouts for most women is 10-25-lb kettlebells; for men, it’s 25-45 lbs. Anything under this, and you probably won’t break a sweat using them and you’ll just be doing the movements with no real benefits.
The right size for you may also depend on your age, weight, and fitness experience. However, it should be noted that if you choose the right size for you, you will gain all the benefits in the quickest and most efficient manner, that too with the lowest risk of injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kettlebell weight should I start with?
Starting weights to choose from can be challenging. The answer to this depends on your fitness level and size of the person who plans on lifting the weights. We would say that a good starting point would be to get a 15 lbs or 25 lbs kettlebell weight to start off. The great thing is that you can always get another kettlebell if it it too light or heavy. Lighter kettlebells can be used for exercises where you are just working form rather than trying to build size.
What size kettlebell do I need as a beginner?
The best-weight kettlebell that you should get as a complete beginner is close to 15 or 20 pounds. Typically, this will be a good weight to start at and as you add more exercises to your routine you can always go a bit heavier.
What weight kettlebell should a woman start with?
Women should start with 15 or 20-pound kettlebells. This is a good place to start and you can always work your way higher. If you are new to weight training start at 15 lbs.
Finding the best kettlebells for home workouts has never been easier. Make this year the year you increase muscle mass and your strength!
