all posts post new thread

Kettlebell How many kettlebells do you use in a typical week?

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Eric Wilson

Eric Wilson

Level 6 Valued Member
Kettlebells are great, and you can often get by with just one.

But in practice -- I'm currently using one bell for S&S, though I use a lighter one for halos in the warm-up. And then at some point in the week I'll practice snatches with yet a different weight. And once a week I'll do the Armor Building Complex with two bells.

So currently, over the course of a week, I'm using 4 different bells, and it would be 5 if I didn't happen to be at a point where all of my S&S is with one bell.

This question is just for my curiousity -- I'd love to know: How many kettlebells did you use this week? Also, let me know if you would have used more if you were able to buy one, or if your gym were open.
 
Last edited:
Hi Eric,

I’m doing S&S and as you noted this is already a few, in my case 4 sizes including warmup. And I play with 12kg for armbars and pullovers, but I could use 16kg, it’s only that the 12kg is always around in the living room. So 5 total.

Going long time with a single bell with is a myth. You could do it but it’s not flexible and most of the people I know who have a single size ditch kettlebell training quickly.
 
About 5-6 different sizes in a typical week.

The wild card is if I do any arm bars.

My set runs from 8-40 kg in 4 kg increments, with 2x double sets at 16, 24.
 
Molson said:
I’m doing S&S and as you noted this is already a few, in my case 4 sizes including warmup. And I play with 12kg for armbars and pullovers, but I could use 16kg, it’s only that the 12kg is always around in the living room. So 5 total.
Click to expand...

I use 8kg for arm bars and 12 kg for pullovers.

I could probably bump both up a size, but my 8 kg and 12 kg are cerakote and I just love how they feel so I want to play with them.
 
Eric Wilson said:
Kettlebells are great, and you can often get by with just one.

But in practice -- I'm currently using one bell for S&S, though I use a lighter one for halos in the warm-up. And then at some point in the week I'll practice snatches with yet a different weight. And once a week I'll do the Armor Building Complex with two bells.

So currently, over the course of a week, I'm using 4 different bells, and it would be 5 if I didn't happen to be at a point where all of my S&S is with one bell.

This question is just for my curiousity -- I'd love to know: How many kettlebells did you use this week? Also, let me know if you would have used more if you were able to buy one, or if your gym were open.
Click to expand...
I do happen to be using just one. In s&s I've recently moved completely from the 16k to the 24k . And, in my case, I wouldn't be using more. I'll be intending to go right to phasing in the 32k when the 24k starts feeling like a toy, which is probably about 5-6 weeks away; as was the case with the 16k . So, just 1 for me, all the way around.
 
3 today - 28kg, 32kg, 40kg. Sometimes I'll also use a 20kg or a 24kg as part of working up. I'd like a 36kg and a 44kg tho... :)
 
Hello,

32 & 36 & 40 for S&S
24 & 28 & "30" for C&P
32 for pull ups

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
So this is confirming what I suspected.

Of course any of us could make improvements with just one bell. most people enjoy a variety of weights.

But the best thing about "just one bell" is that buying one or two kettlebells is plenty to start learning the movements, gaining strength, and evaluating whether kettlebells are for you.

The same can't be said for barbell training, for example.
 
I guess it depends what goals I’m working on. One bell certainly has a limiting factor , but it’s handy to have a bell ( I usually use a 24kg) to have at work to get some reps of various exercises when I get a chance ( sorta GTG) . The recommendation I was given was a light/ medium/ heavy at minimum ( which for me is the 16/24/32 kg bells) double bells are interesting and would be cool , but too expensive for quality bells to justify at the moment ( I think for the price of double quality bells you could buy a good barbell/ plates and get more versatility)I think simple and S&S could be done with 3 bells as well as ETK.one thing I would like to see is how to program with a limited number of bells , there have been some cool asymmetrical workouts that I have seen.If you want to follow planstrong methods with kettlebells it requires a large number of bells with 2-4 kg jumps in sizes which is pretty cost prohibitive.and the percentages aren’t even exact which may or may not effect the results / progress. Anyway I try not to get too dogmatic towards kettlebells and enjoy the training
 
A&A snatches: 32kg

2H swings: 40 & 36 kg. Also use my adjustable "Hungarian Core Blaster" with ~48kg.

Getups: 20, 24, 28, and 32kg

Long Cycle: Double 20, 24, 28, plus 32 if I'm feeling bulletproof.

Double Front Squat: 24, 28, 32, and sometimes 36.

Double KB movements obviously not possible with just one bell.
 
Eric Wilson said:
So this is confirming what I suspected.

Of course any of us could make improvements with just one bell. most people enjoy a variety of weights.

But the best thing about "just one bell" is that buying one or two kettlebells is plenty to start learning the movements, gaining strength, and evaluating whether kettlebells are for you.

The same can't be said for barbell training, for example.
Click to expand...

I'm not quite following the barbell training comment.

A barbell and a full weight set has a massive range of training potential.

You don't even need a bench. I don't have a bench, most Olympic lifting facilities don't, and I don't think Crossfit boxes have benches, either.

Or did you mean you can't do much with a barbell but no weights?

Or that it's sort of a high cost, all or nothing commitment?

If the latter, that makes sense.
 
Last edited:
watchnerd said:
I'm not quite following the barbell training comment.

A barbell and a full weight set has a massive range of training potential.

You don't even need a bench. I don't have a bench, most Olympic lifting facilities don't, and I don't think Crossfit boxes have benches, either.

Or did you mean you can't do much with a barbell but no weights?
Click to expand...
I mean, you can start working with KB for under $100, easily.

A decent bar and a few hundred pounds of weights will be several hundred dollars if you find a deal used. That's what I meant.
 
Eric Wilson said:
I mean, you can start working with KB for under $100, easily.

A decent bar and a few hundred pounds of weights will be several hundred dollars if you find a deal used. That's what I meant.
Click to expand...

Sure, but that may be all you ever need to buy for the rest of your life.

That downside is if you find out you don't like barbells, you've spent more. But if you bought used, you can probably sell them for what you paid.
 
Currently back into a Q&D cycle and using 4 bells per week. 40kg for Q&D swings, 28kg for a few presses following Q&D. 32kg for TGu, and 24kg (pair) for KBFS on the days in-between.
 
16 for armbar & tgu
24 for snatch, press & rack carry
32 for goblets, cleans, floor & h2h swings
40 for swings & rows.

I could get by with just 32.
 
Eric Wilson said:
I mean, you can start working with KB for under $100, easily.

A decent bar and a few hundred pounds of weights will be several hundred dollars if you find a deal used. That's what I meant.
Click to expand...

I agree with you and get your point. But at some point when you've invested in 4 or 5 bells, you are probably at the break even point for an inexpensive barbell and few hundred pounds of weights. I do believe that somebody could get a great workout only owning 1 bell.

I usr most of my kbells. The barbell is my main modality. For me, in a given week, I typically use:

8 - I never use.
12 - bottoms up kb press - great accessory lift to build my bench and core.
16 - bottoms up kb press
20 - waiter walks and rack walks and uneven farmers walk , my warmup
24 - 2 hand kb shadow swing warmup before deadlifts, halo's, goblet squats, Q&D snatches. These are for my warmup.
28 - I dont really use it that often. I will soon be transitioning my q&d snatches from 24 to 28. Occasionally use for farmers walks during deload weeks.
32 - A&A snatches and farmers walks
36 - snatches and farmers walks
40 - snatches and farmers walks
44 - I wish I owned one!
48 - I rarely use. Experimenting with to snatch/swing. It's a little too heavy for me, I can only do a few reps. I like to stay in 1st gear when using the kbell. This heavy bell requires me to go to 2nd gear (right now, I reserve that for my powerlifting training). I'm trying to keep my kbell training beyond park bench, more like lounge chair (to offset my bus bench powerlifting).

Regards,

Eric
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom