Thanks for the responses.
I'll clarify my meaning.
I'm trying to get my press to where I can use 16kg regularly. Currently it's my 2rm.
I weigh 130, 47yo, in first year of training. Going from 16kg to 24kg for swings was ok-ish. For TGU it was dangerous (for me).
When Pavel does his macho "for any man, there is no need ..." I find it mildly oppressive, and a bit disingenuous. He'll write programs that say "choose a bell that you can press 5-8 times".
We all know that because of big jumps, for some of us, the heaviest such bell is one that we can press 12 times, which makes the rep scheme break down.
SF sells kettlebells by 2kg, up to 20kg. Why? Because enough people know that big jumps are not always a feature to create the demand for 14kg and 18kg bells.
@Eric Wilson, I have suggested before that you work with an SFG or post videos of your press, getup, or other lifts here. I repeat that suggestion to you now.
If you don't like how Pavel expresses himself, I'm not quite sure what to tell you. I'm sure it's not intended to oppress, and in the minds of most of us, what he says is consistent, genuine, and honest to the point of bluntness. I'd say probably more than just "most," likely the overwhelming majority. Some of us are put off by the communication style of others - that seems to be the case here for you. I'm not sure quite what voicing your disapproval of Pavel's style here accomplishes for you or for anyone. There are plenty of other sources of strength and conditioning advice and programming out there.
As to what StrongFirst sells in terms of kettlebell sizes and why, you may speculate as much as you wish, but if you read the other posts in this thread, you'll find many people saying that larger jumps are good until one is nearly at one's 1RM, at which point large increases may not work. Several folks voiced the opinion that going from 16 to 24 kg worked for them but 24 to 32 did not, and I'm one of those people - I created a homemade 28 kg for myself with a few small plates and duct tape. Adjust those numbers for women, and the sizes we sell begin to make a lot of sense.
So, Eric, I ask, "What can we do for you?" We are happy to help you become stronger, but just discussing the matter won't help you any more than my telling you how to play the piano will cause you to learn to play the piano. Strength is a skill, and most of us here believe that an improvement in your skill will make the subject weights seem significantly different to you. Not everyone needs a teacher for everything, and we each have our own path, but I know I would never have had the success I've had in lifting without a lot of one-on-one and group instruction. And I sure as heck wouldn't have learned to play the piano without a lot of lessons.
I'll note, as I have in the past, that although I'm not 130 lbs., I'm 150 lbs. and the 2002 date I mentioned as buying my first 24 kg bells found me at your age 47, and still in the process of recovering from a debilitating back injury 4-1/2 years prior. I believe, and I think I speak for most others here when I see _we_ believe, that you can press a 24 kg kettlebell if you'll let one or more of us teach you how to do it. More than that, we cannot offer you, IMO.
-S-