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Kettlebell buyers' guide

by Scott Andrew Bird | June 7, 2006
Filed in Equipment , General , kb

For anyone considering adding a kettlebell or two to their home gym, here are a couple of points to keep in mind :

Kettlebells have traditionally been manufactured in various sizes, each of them based on the old Russian unit of measurement pood. A pood is equal to 40 funt (фунт, Russian pounds), and is approximately 16.38 kilograms (36.11 pounds). The pood was abolished in the USSR in 1924, but many kettlebells are still manufactured in multiples of 16kg.
Men usually start out with a 16kg(36lb) bell - this is the one I have, and it's harder than the weight would suggest. For anyone with a few years of weight training under their belt (and certainly for competitive powerlifters), or anyone over 183cm/6' and about 90kg/198lb, a 24kg bell is worth considering. If you get a chance to try one out somewhere before you buy it, pick it up and clean it. That'll give you a reasonable idea.
The female equivalents of the 16 and 24 are about 8kg and 12kg (on average - of course there are those who would easily work with more than this). Once again, if you can try before you buy, great. The thick handles and concentrated weight make a difference.
If you've already got a kettlebell and are considering a second, a typical progression (for men) is 16/24/32. Once you have these three, if you want more, start again at 16. There are plenty of exercises involving two bells, and many of these are easier with the same weight for each.
I've never tried the adjustable kettlebells - I'm sure that some of them are great - but remember that you'll be swinging them over your head, dropping them on various surfaces (particularly if you try a bit of kettlebell juggling - good fun), and generally giving them a bit more punishment than the typical dumbells. Personally, I prefer the old-style lumps of iron for that reason.
If you do end up going for the traditional bells, remember that they last indefinitely and the design hasn't really changed over the years. If you see one on ebay, or a friend is selling one; grab it.
There are many more kettlebell exercises than you might imagine. It can be well worth investing in a book or DVD demonstrating some of the basic moves.

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Dragon Door Kettlebells
These are easily the best kettlebells I've used; and I'd strongly recommend them above all others. Well-made, comfortable to use and ready to take any abuse you send their way. Love them.
RMAX Clubbells
I'm a big fan of leverage training in any form, especially things like the RMAX Clubbells. Beautiful things.
MBG Powerwheel
Although I generally avoid single-purpose tools, I'll happily make an exception for the Powerwheel. Ab training has never been so much fun.
Battling Rope Kit
This is easily my favourite form of conditioning work. Incredibly fun, exhausting and - most importantly - effective.
Precision Nutrition
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's a increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat - this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.
The Ultimate Sandbag
I love sandbag training, and this is definitely the way to do it right. Beautiful thing.
Gymboss Interval Timer
If you've ever tried to do interval work with a stopwatch, or by counting out the time, grab a Gymboss. The perfect way to time your fat-shedding sessions.

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