Kettlebells

1. Explosiveness. Kettlebells are a fantastic way to add explosive movements into your training. While a dumbbell is weighted equally on each side of the handle, a kettlebell’s weight is distributed under the handle, changing its entre of mass. This means that kettlebells are much easier to swing and thrust using momentum. Plus they are also much easier to control as the weight is closer to your body, compared a dumbbell or barbell. This opens the door for a variety of unique exercises, such as Kettlebell swings, KB Clean and presses, and KB Squat Jumps.
2. Multi-functional. Kettlebells can be used for a variety of training styles, including strength training, circuit training, and injury prevention. For example, the unique handle design makes them fantastic for Heavy Farmer’s Carries (great for building core, forearm, and back muscles). If you flip the kettlebell upside down, the kettlebell becomes very unstable, which is great for training your stabilisers. Kettlebells are also fantastic for weighted flexibility training, making it much easier to add weight to the stretch compared to loading individual weight plates onto yourself.
3. Variety. Kettlebells are fun! They are not essential, but like anything in life, it’s good to try new things and find what works for you. You may find that Kettlebell rows work your lats much better than dumbbell rows, for example. You may prefer kettlebell swings and explosive leg training over traditional dumbbell Romanian deadlifts. Kettlebells are just another fun training tool you can add to our arsenal!

Yes. Any form of progressive weight training, where we work the muscle to, or close to, failure, will build muscle. Providing you have adequate nutrition, rest, and recovery. You can perform a lot of the same muscle building exercises with kettlebells that you can with barbells and dumbbells. For example squats, lunges, overhead press, triceps extensions, rows and even bicep curls!  

The novel stimulus from kettlebells may also be what you need to break out of a muscle building plateau, if you haven’t seen any results in your current routine. 

The number of kettlebells you need depends on your goals. Most of the time, kettlebell exercises use only one kettlebell at a time. If you are just getting into kettlebell training, we recommend two kettlebells to start with, one lighter and one heavier, so you can get a feel for the different types of training you’ll do.  

The lighter one can be used for technique training for new kettlebell movements, such as kettlebell swings and stability work, and the heavier kettlebell can be used for exercises you’d commonly do with a dumbbell, such as rows and squats. 

If you decide to get more kettlebells, you’ll probably only need one of each weight that you plan on using e.g., one 8kg, one 12kg, one 16 kg, one 20kg etc. But start with two and see whether kettlebells are for you.  

You could even just buy one adjustable Kettlebell Handle, such as the Ironmaster Adjustable Kettlebell, so you can add weights to the one handle, saving space in your home gym or studio! 

The best kettlebell weight for you to use depends on your current level of strength, and your goals. There is no right or wrong answer. Everyone can make use of an 8kg kettlebell, but not everyone will be challenged by that weight. For example, a 100kg powerlifter may train with a 30-40kg kettlebell for explosive movements, whereas a casual lifter may prefer 10-20kg for basic rows and presses. 

If you’re not sure always err on the lighter side. If you are new to kettlebell training, it is best to learn your technique on the lighter side. The kettlebell won’t become redundant as you get more advanced. If you progress to two handed movements, then you will be using lighter kettlebells.  

This will depend on your goals and plans for kettlebell training. If for example, you just wanted to add some kettlebell swings to your workout. Initially you might only need one kettlebell.  

However, if you plan on moving to a complete kettlebell program you are going to need more. For a beginner you would need something like 8kg, 12kg, 16kg and 20kg. As you progress you can get heavier kettlebells. Or double up on the ones that you already have for two handed movements.  

A feather duster is the easiest way to clean the dust off a kettlebell. You can fit the duster through the handle. You can clean up a decent size set of kettlebells quickly using this method. 

If you chalk up for your kettlebell work, you might need a nylon brush. A steel brush will be too abrasive and could potentially remove the surface coating. This has the potential to lead to rust. 

If rust is an issue, you will need to use something like steel bristle brush. You need to rub the rust from the surface. If the coating is compromised, you will need to re-coat it to stop the rust from returning.