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February 13, 2006
Which kettlebells should I start with?
"The key is to take more out of an exercise than the exercise takes out of you," says Louie Simmons of the Westside Barbell Club. "If you can train with a 53-pound kettlebell for a 700-pound bench, that's great, why go heavier?"
Start with one kettlebell, the table below will help you pick the right one. If you have the funds, get a set of three kettlebells referring to the table for sizes.
Do you need two kettlebells of the same size? –Not yet. Double kettlebell drills are great, look what they have done for Senior RKC Mike Mahler, but they are not for beginners. Get good with one bell, than we’ll talk.
An average man should start with a 35-pounder. What is ‘average’? -Given the bench press as a typical, albeit misguided, standard of strength, men with a bench press under 200 pounds should generally start with a 35. If you bench more than 200 a 44 that weighs as much as a big barbell plate will do the trick. Unless you are a powerlifter, you have no business starting with a 53. I know, it does not sound a lot, but kettlebells feel a lot heavier than their weight suggests!
An average woman should start with an 18-pounder. A strong woman can go for a 26-pounder. Most women should advance to a 35-pounder. A few hard women will go beyond.
Russian kettlebell power to you!
| An average lady | 18 | 18, 26, 35 |
| A strong lady | 26 | 26, 35, 44 |
| An average gentleman | 35 | 35, (44), 53, 70 |
| A stronger than average gentleman | 44 | 44, 53, 70 |
| A very strong gentleman | 53 | 53, 70, 88 |
Posted by james at February 13, 2006 7:08 AM