Manuel Fortin
Level 6 Valued Member
Dear fellow kettlebell enthusiast,
Do you only have the traditional kettlebells (16kg, 24kg, 32kg) and would like smaller steps between them to progress faster?
Do you have all the kettlebell weights you need, but would like to start a double kettlebell program without buying even more kettlebells?
Do you only have 18kg, 20kg and 24 kg kettlebells and would really like to add a 22kg and a 26kg, but are discouraged by the cost of doing so?
I have a solution to these problems that I named the Betweenbells. The Betweenbells attaches to any type of kettlebell to add exactly 4kg, to create a kettlebell at a weight between the weight of the traditional kettlebell.
All this at a cost similar to price of a single 16 kg kettlebell. You could save hundreds of dollars. And the cost of shipping will be of course much smaller than the cost of shipping a heavy iron ball.
People on the forum ask all the time how they can make for example a 20kg kettlebell from a 16kg one and similar questions. Many "MacGiver" solutions have been presented to solve this problem. One popular solution if to use duct tape to attach a weight to a kettlebell. This works fine, but what if your program requires 2 kettlebell weights? Or what if you share your kettlebells with a training partner?
For example, if you do Simple and Sinister with the 24kg for the getups, but would like to swing 28kg, most of the improvised solutions will not allow this. My Betweenbells kettlebell attachment is easy to use by anyone and quick to install and remove. You could easily do your getups, attach the Betweenbells, and then do your swings.
You may also be ready to do some double kettlebell work. If you have a 20kg, a 24kg and the Betweenbells, you can attach the Betweenbells to the 20kg and do a double 24kg program. This is of course just an example, and you could use a 16kg and a 20kg or any other combination.
For those who have limited storage space, the Betweenbells is very easy to store and takes up much less space than the kettlebells it replaces.
The Betweenbells comes with two attachment systems: a quick one and a very tight one.
If you need to change weight between sets in your workout, the quick system is perfect. It is also perfect for low rep work or grinds (getups, squats, presses).
From experience, the quick one will probably loosen a bit after high rep ballistics, say 100 snatches. This is because it uses cam buckles which leave a little bit of play in the strap (think 1/8th of an inch). The weight will for sure stay attached to the kettlebell, but it may move sideways a little.
The very tight attachment is there for these high rep workouts. As you will see in the video, the weight is not going anywhere with this system. Also, If you don't like the quick system, you don't have to use it! Use the very tight one all the time.
The Betweenbells is designed to be easy to use, safe and to protect the surface of your kettlebell. Take a look at this video to see it in action.
Now, the cost of making a single Betweenbells is quite large. You need to manufacture many at once to lower the cost. That is because it is machined in steel. Someone at the machine shop must program the CNC machine. But, once the machine is programmed, additional copies come at a substantial discount.
The machine shop may also need to machine the outside of the cylinder if not rod of the right size is available on the spot. When many copie are made, a cylinder having the right size can be ordered to reduce machining time.
Because of all this, I figure that for this to make sense, I would need at least 10 forum members interested in the Betweenbells to make a first batch.
The exact cost of the Betweenbells will depend on the number of people interested in buying it, but it should be around 65$. I will do a Kickstarter to manufacture the first batch and offer it to forum members at cost.
So, if you want a Betweenbells, you can email me at the address at the end of the video, post here in the forum, or PM me with the forum and I will add you to the list. Once I reach 10 people, I will start the Kickstarter. This will be a lot of work, so please tell me you are interested only if you are ready to get one.
If you still have any questions, let me know.
P.S. If you have access to a machine shop and want to build a Betweenbells yourself, let me know. I will send you the plans for free. However, unless you operate the machines yourself, I think it will be very difficult to come close to my price if you do a single one.
P.P.S. Advanced kettlebell users may ask if the center of gravity of the kettlebell will be affected. Of course, if you add a weight at the bottom of a kettlebell, the center of gravity will move. I personally do not find that small shift in center of gravity to be problematic.
The Betweenbell weights only a fraction of the weight of the kettlebell it is attached to, so the shift will be very small. Also, unless you use competition kettlebells, the center of gravity moves anyways when you go from one kettlebell to a heavier one.
P.P.P.S. The Betweenbells is patent pending!
Do you only have the traditional kettlebells (16kg, 24kg, 32kg) and would like smaller steps between them to progress faster?
Do you have all the kettlebell weights you need, but would like to start a double kettlebell program without buying even more kettlebells?
Do you only have 18kg, 20kg and 24 kg kettlebells and would really like to add a 22kg and a 26kg, but are discouraged by the cost of doing so?
I have a solution to these problems that I named the Betweenbells. The Betweenbells attaches to any type of kettlebell to add exactly 4kg, to create a kettlebell at a weight between the weight of the traditional kettlebell.
All this at a cost similar to price of a single 16 kg kettlebell. You could save hundreds of dollars. And the cost of shipping will be of course much smaller than the cost of shipping a heavy iron ball.
People on the forum ask all the time how they can make for example a 20kg kettlebell from a 16kg one and similar questions. Many "MacGiver" solutions have been presented to solve this problem. One popular solution if to use duct tape to attach a weight to a kettlebell. This works fine, but what if your program requires 2 kettlebell weights? Or what if you share your kettlebells with a training partner?
For example, if you do Simple and Sinister with the 24kg for the getups, but would like to swing 28kg, most of the improvised solutions will not allow this. My Betweenbells kettlebell attachment is easy to use by anyone and quick to install and remove. You could easily do your getups, attach the Betweenbells, and then do your swings.
You may also be ready to do some double kettlebell work. If you have a 20kg, a 24kg and the Betweenbells, you can attach the Betweenbells to the 20kg and do a double 24kg program. This is of course just an example, and you could use a 16kg and a 20kg or any other combination.
For those who have limited storage space, the Betweenbells is very easy to store and takes up much less space than the kettlebells it replaces.
The Betweenbells comes with two attachment systems: a quick one and a very tight one.
If you need to change weight between sets in your workout, the quick system is perfect. It is also perfect for low rep work or grinds (getups, squats, presses).
From experience, the quick one will probably loosen a bit after high rep ballistics, say 100 snatches. This is because it uses cam buckles which leave a little bit of play in the strap (think 1/8th of an inch). The weight will for sure stay attached to the kettlebell, but it may move sideways a little.
The very tight attachment is there for these high rep workouts. As you will see in the video, the weight is not going anywhere with this system. Also, If you don't like the quick system, you don't have to use it! Use the very tight one all the time.
The Betweenbells is designed to be easy to use, safe and to protect the surface of your kettlebell. Take a look at this video to see it in action.
Now, the cost of making a single Betweenbells is quite large. You need to manufacture many at once to lower the cost. That is because it is machined in steel. Someone at the machine shop must program the CNC machine. But, once the machine is programmed, additional copies come at a substantial discount.
The machine shop may also need to machine the outside of the cylinder if not rod of the right size is available on the spot. When many copie are made, a cylinder having the right size can be ordered to reduce machining time.
Because of all this, I figure that for this to make sense, I would need at least 10 forum members interested in the Betweenbells to make a first batch.
The exact cost of the Betweenbells will depend on the number of people interested in buying it, but it should be around 65$. I will do a Kickstarter to manufacture the first batch and offer it to forum members at cost.
So, if you want a Betweenbells, you can email me at the address at the end of the video, post here in the forum, or PM me with the forum and I will add you to the list. Once I reach 10 people, I will start the Kickstarter. This will be a lot of work, so please tell me you are interested only if you are ready to get one.
If you still have any questions, let me know.
P.S. If you have access to a machine shop and want to build a Betweenbells yourself, let me know. I will send you the plans for free. However, unless you operate the machines yourself, I think it will be very difficult to come close to my price if you do a single one.
P.P.S. Advanced kettlebell users may ask if the center of gravity of the kettlebell will be affected. Of course, if you add a weight at the bottom of a kettlebell, the center of gravity will move. I personally do not find that small shift in center of gravity to be problematic.
The Betweenbell weights only a fraction of the weight of the kettlebell it is attached to, so the shift will be very small. Also, unless you use competition kettlebells, the center of gravity moves anyways when you go from one kettlebell to a heavier one.
P.P.P.S. The Betweenbells is patent pending!