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Kettlebell A *Stupid* Question.

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My 40kg and 48kg are Russian Style Kettlebells with wide, large diameter handles. I do not find them any harder to work with than other bells.
 
spawn said:
Is a kettlebell with a wide handle harder to press?
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No, should be the same, perhaps a little different if you grab the bell near the corner of the handle but, with any bell, it's good to experiment to find where you like to grip it best.

-S-
 
In my experience the thickness of the handle and the distance between the handle can affect the difficulty of the press.

  • Skinny Handles:
    Too skinny of a handle makes bottom up pressing harder: It's common to see new female students who can't bottom press a 14lb bell with a skinny handle but can bottom up a heavier bell with a thicker handle.

  • Fat Handles:
    Too thick of a handle can make a kettlebell harder to grip and hold on to. I've used a 100lb kettlebell with a handle that well over 2 inches thick. To perform getups with it is significantly harder compare to using my standard 106lb bells.

  • Weight Distribution:
    Too big of a space between the handle and the bell essentially lowers the center of gravity making the press more difficult because it changes the sticking point. Lets say you can press a 32kg bell for 5 reps. If you try pressing a 16kg bell with another 16kg tied below it, you find the same 32kg with the weight distributed differently is harder to press.
 
@Geoff Chafe: Thanks for replying. Yeah, I realized that it has more to do with my grip, as @Steve Freides pointed out.
@Steve Freides: Thanks for replying. Yeah, I experimented. Turns out, since the handle is long, I was gripping it wrong.
@JSStevens: Thank you! Very detailed! Yeah, I went down to the gym. Turns out, the competition bells are much easier to press than these "wide" ones.
 
JSStevens said:
  • Fat Handles:
    Too thick of a handle can make a kettlebell harder to grip and hold on to. I've used a 100lb kettlebell with a handle that well over 2 inches thick. To perform getups with it is significantly harder compare to using my standard 106lb bells.
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John, do you know what brand that was? That sounds like a treat to use.
 
I seem to remember reading somewhere that a gap of an inch between the tips of the fingers and the thumb was about right when gripping the bell? I suppose it's down to personal preference and hand size. I'm 6'5" so a thicker handle fits my hand better. I find thinner handles uncomfortable.
 
Paul Sellers said:
I seem to remember reading somewhere that a gap of an inch between the tips of the fingers and the thumb was about right when gripping the bell.
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This is a new one for me. Thicker means more grip work so nothing wrong with that.

-S-
 
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