For most people, here are the ranges of kettlebells that you might want to start with:
- For a lighter kettlebell: 4 kg, 6 kg, or 8 kg (9lbs, 13lbs, or 18lbs)
- For a heavier kettlebell: 12 kg or 16 kg (26lbs, 36lbs)
If you are unsure of which weight to pick, sometimes it is beneficial to go to a gym and try picking it up and performing an exercise, such as a squat or overhead press to see how it feels.
If you are able to do 10 repetitions of an exercise and it feels easy, then the weight is too light. If you are only able to do 2 repetitions, then the weight is too heavy.
By your third repetition, you should feel the target muscle engage. By your sixth repetition, you should start to feel tired.
It is okay if you don’t have the perfect weight for every exercise. The jumpstretch bands will give you more options for load. If you want more loading options when first starting out, you can also purchase a heavy jumpstretch band in addition to the light and medium ones.
Some of the kettlebell brands that we like include:
- Rogue = thicker handle
- Rep Fitness = thinner handle (better if you have small hands)
For what we are doing, we recommend “standard” size kettlebells and NOT competition size kettlebells (aka the really big ones).
Because you are just starting out, purchase what makes sense for you and budget. However, long term, we don’t recommend the plastic kettlebells, because they’re harder to use for more advanced kettlebell work.
If you have sensitive wrists or joints, you can also purchase kettleguards.
Click here for a PDF with purchases to everything listed above, including the jumpstretch bands.
Or click here to watch a kettlebell equipment tutorial.
Still confused about what equipment to buy? Email us at hello@naablevy.com and we’ll help you figure it out!
