Kettlebell Should I sell my heavy kettlebells?

[Pasibrzuch]

Because of a lower back injury 3 years ago I had to first stop using kettlebells for some time, then go down with weight drastically and rebuild. Hence, I stopped using my heavier bells: 36kg, 40kg, 48kg and 56kg and they've just been gathering dust. I bought them when I was young and careless, and now my child son is on his way and additional cash would be handy.
During this time my priorities and possibilities changed: I bought a gym membership and have access to a barbell, recently I laid my hands on a 56kg sandbag.

My question is: is there any use you can think of for the aforementioned weights? My strength goals are: making 32kg my snatch bell again, making 32kg my rop weight, achieving 2x32kg press, and increasing my front squat to 140kgs. My current stats are: 24kg is my Axe snatch weight, 32kg is my Soju&Tuba weight, I do ladders of 2x24kg for my double press.

Do you think there's any rationale for keeping the heavy bells? Heavy 2H swings? 1h deadlifts? Heavy cleans? And first of all - do you think they are necessary for my goals?

 

[Eric Wilson]

I would completely sell them. I think that beyond 32kg, kettlebells are of limited use. (My opinion, others will differ)

But they are still valuable.

 

[jayjo]

Yes sell them. I am trying to sell or trade a 32kg KB myself. I 2-hand swing a 24kg and I think that is enough.
Now I am 50 years old. If I was 30 it would be a different story.

 

[WxHerk]

Were I in your circumstances I would sell the 48Kg and 56kg. Reason being that you can easily put together a “T-Handle” for two hand swings and load it with 25lb plates to replace the two heavier bells.

You have already “been there” and could want to snatch more than 32kg again. Plus, being able to “bell up” is beneficial when building snatch numbers.

Had you never used the bigger bells I’d suggest selling the 36 & 40; since you have I strongly suggest keeping them.

BTW, I’m 60 and still snatch the 32kg regularly snatch the 32kg. I’ll occasionally snatch the 36 and the 40 because I can. And yes, I have had the standard back, shoulder, elbow issues. I let them heal, strengthened them, and resumed my strength journey.

Bottom line: in your situation I’d hang on to the 36 and 40 because I believe you will be able to use them again.

EDIT: rereading your post, I believe they are necessary for your goals. The 36 & 40 will both help you return to the 2x32 press and squatting them together will do wonders, especially with the slightly different weight. Also, that you have gotten ahold of a 56kg sandbag tells me that you want to grind!!

Power to You!!

 

[Steve Freides]

@Pasibrzuch, if you sell them and decide you want them again in a few years, you can always buy them again. You've already figured out that you don't need them to achieve your current goals. Selling used kettlebells is its own project, so figure that effort into the equation as well.

Yes sell them. I am trying to sell or trade a 32kg KB myself. I 2-hand swing a 24kg and I think that is enough.
Now I am 50 years old. If I was 30 it would be a different story.

I'm 69 years and 69 kg, and I enjoy an occasional set of heavy 2-hand swings, sometimes even a few sets. I can swing my 64 kg to parallel now and, what can I say - I find it fun and entertaining to do. I've made a short workout for myself of sometimes doing sets of swings 2-handed, something like 10 x 48, 5's for 56, 56, 64, 56, 56, and another 10 x 48. It's 45 swings, enough to count as a swing session for me given the weights. I aspire to 10 x 10 @ 48 kg 2-handed swings OTM one of these days/months/years.

The thing I'd consider is selling my 36 and 44 kg bells as, since I'm not trying to press them, just swing them, I don't need the smaller weight increments. 32, 40, 48 works for me.

-S-

 

[John K]

Because of a lower back injury 3 years ago I had to first stop using kettlebells for some time, then go down with weight drastically and rebuild. Hence, I stopped using my heavier bells: 36kg, 40kg, 48kg and 56kg and they've just been gathering dust. I bought them when I was young and careless, and now my child son is on his way and additional cash would be handy.
During this time my priorities and possibilities changed: I bought a gym membership and have access to a barbell, recently I laid my hands on a 56kg sandbag.

My question is: is there any use you can think of for the aforementioned weights? My strength goals are: making 32kg my snatch bell again, making 32kg my rop weight, achieving 2x32kg press, and increasing my front squat to 140kgs. My current stats are: 24kg is my Axe snatch weight, 32kg is my Soju&Tuba weight, I do ladders of 2x24kg for my double press.

Do you think there's any rationale for keeping the heavy bells? Heavy 2H swings? 1h deadlifts? Heavy cleans? And first of all - do you think they are necessary for my goals?

I largely agree with @WxHerk … but if you’re strapped for cash by all means sell them. Just know it will cost more to rebuy them then you’re likely to get selling them, so if you think you’ll want them in the future… might help to think about why you originally bought them, and if you could ever see yourself doing that again.

 

[Red_and_Black]

Until 18 months ago I had singles from 12kg up to 40kg, and after some consideration sold the 36kg and 40kg. I could comfortably 2 hand swing them, but that was all, and realistically I was never going to be able to do more than that and goblet squat them and I can use a barbell at the local gym if I want to do that that heavy.

I don't regret it, 32kg for me is plenty, if I need more work I could 1 hand swing it, and work on a press!

I've actually just bought 2 adjustable bells that go upto 32kg, so when they arrive I'll be selling my 12-32kg Rogue singles.

 

[Luis T. Gonzalez]

This thread makes me want a bigger kettlebell… My wife said don’t you have enough kettlebells? Every time I think I have enough, I come to the realization that maybe I can lift a heavier one. Haha

 

[Bunn]

I sold my 40kg and up bells, no regrets. I still have a 36kg (1/3 body weight) for heavier 2HS, but that’s it.

 

[John K]

This thread makes me want a bigger kettlebell… My wife said don’t you have enough kettlebells? Every time I think I have enough, I come to the realization that maybe I can lift a heavier one. Haha

I passed up a sale at Great Lakes Girevoy over the holidays for a second 36kg... I found a used pair of 55lbs bumpers instead ... but my 36kg still feels lonely...

 

[Luis T. Gonzalez]

I passed up a sale at Great Lakes Girevoy over the holidays for a second 36kg... I found a used pair of 55lbs bumpers instead ... but my 36kg still feels lonely...

I got another 36 last year and a second 28 earlier this year. Now I'm torn between a 52 or 56. I see how the craving for Power turned Vader to the Dark Side. haha

 

[WxHerk]

I passed up a sale at Great Lakes Girevoy over the holidays for a second 36kg... I found a used pair of 55lbs bumpers instead ... but my 36kg still feels lonely...

As Harry Nilsson sang:

“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do….”

 

[Adachi]

is there any use you can think of for the aforementioned weights?

as I attempt to put myself into your shoes, I think the majority of attention they might get is something like swings, and laddering the weights while doing so. maybe that's something to do on a variety of day
Or, picking just one of the heavy-ish ones for focusing on power expression with very low reps, and trying in earnest to get up to the shoulder height.

as an aside, I used to struggle to get the 48kg bell up to shoulder height by rep 5(or I had doubts about holding on through the 5th rep). Now I can swing the 48kg bell up to shoulder height on the 1st or second rep of the set. this is something I work with occasionally, and I think it helps with power expression.
I'm now seeing the 56kg bell purchase on the horizon. but I digress; I'm not currently contending with an injury.

Do you think there's any rationale for keeping the heavy bells?

they may be of some use.

Heavy 2H swings?

especially this.

Heavy 2H swings? 1h deadlifts? Heavy cleans?

but also all of the above. and maybe jerks, and push presses. nothing gets my shoulder going like playing with how little kipping I put into a push press, and feeling the shoulder light up like a Christmas tree, cuz it almost wasn't enough kip to help get the press to lockout.

And first of all - do you think they are necessary for my goals?

As much as I enjoy my kettlebell work I will say that mass is mass. if you are comfortable and prefer to one extent or another to use your barbell, then great.

the heavier bells are premier stuff for 2 handed swings. but as far as I can tell none of them are mandatory for your goals.

they can be of use. but as long as you have access to similar opportunities to generate tension - it might be a worthy trade-off to sell them; maybe just for now.

I think high intensity low volume can be as much of a part of the whole picture as low intensity high volume work. but, I also don't want to encourage you in a way that might cause you to overextend your efforts to accommodate a certain bell size.

Might be worth getting rid of them for a more focused set of weights that better serves your current regime.

 

[kbgolf]

..... Hence, I stopped using my heavier bells: 36kg, 40kg, 48kg and 56kg and they've just been gathering dust. I bought them when I was young and careless, and now my child son is on his way and additional cash would be handy.
During this time my priorities and possibilities changed: I bought a gym membership and have access to a barbell, recently I laid my hands on a 56kg sandbag.

My question is: is there any use you can think of for the aforementioned weights? .....
Do you think there's any rationale for keeping the heavy bells? ..... 1h deadlifts?

Farmer's carries? Deadlifts like you mentioned.

When your son is born you might not have much time to get to the gym.

 

[Denys Carthusian]

There's a story about a Russian dropping a large kettlebell out of an apartment window to kill a car thief that has been making the rounds for years, so unless you visualize this as a realistic martial need (I think a detonator would make less of a mess) selling them would be in order.

 

[Nate]

Will always love 2h swings so even if that's all I'm using the heaviest for, it's still worth having. I did get rid of any over 1/2 bodyweight since those were just used for rare play time or max TGU.

 

[Boris Bachmann]

36kg, 40kg, 48kg and 56kg and they've just been gathering dust. I bought them when I was young and careless, and now my child son is on his way and additional cash would be handy.

Is the market for used fitness equipment pretty solid in your area? How much would be worth your while to sell and how much are you likely to get?
If it's a declutter thing then, trust me, I get it, but otherwise I might reconsider selling them. Even if you never press/snatch/TGU them again, having big bells around is nice for swings and deadlift/row/loaded carry/squat variants.

 

[AdamB]

If you’re looking to snatch the 32 again, it would be good to swing the 40

 

[Chris Hall]

Farmer’s walks. Strap something that weighs 8kg to the 48, and you are good to go with 56 in each hand.
Also heavy two hand swings. If you didn’t own the bells already I would say get a t-handle. But since you own them already, and would not get back what you paid for them…..

I own a 56 purely for heavy two hand swings and farmers walks. Other than that 32 is my heaviest. I strap a 24 to my 32 to balance the 56 for farmers walks.

Maybe think about which big one would be most suitable for those purposes and sell the others.

 

[james_1127]

I would keep at least the 36 & 40k bells... Heavy swings always have value & 32k to 36k isn't the biggest leap, so you may even start outgrowing the 32k pretty quick