Everything You Need to Know To Get Started With Kettlebells (Updated 2021)

Everything you need to know to get started with kettlebells (Updated 2021)

This mega-post will have numerous resources aimed at providing everything you need to know to get started with kettlebells. Included are video tutorials, FAQ responses, podcast conversations, and book recommendations. Probably the best place to start would be to listen with my “Everything You Need to Know Kettlebells” podcast episode with Dan John.

Everything You Need to Know About Kettlebells

Part 2

Getting Started with Kettlebells – Tutorials, FAQs, and More!

I started with kettlebells in 2008. Or was it 2009? I think it was 2008. And ever since I have been coming up with new and interesting ways to use them. While I didn’t cause the rise of popularity in kettlebells (probably Pavel did), I did cause the rise of popularity in specific TYPES of kettlebell training–particularly kettlebell complexes, and the kettlebell as a generalist strength/conditioning/mobility tool. (Here’s a podcast on that.)

The kettlebell, I often say, is like the “Swiss Army Knife of Functional Fitness.”

It’s useful for many things: Strength, cardio, flexibility, and muscle building. They (kettlebells) are like a gym with a handle on top. They look like cannonballs, actually. They’re cute, if you’ve never seen one.

OK, let’s take questions, then.

Q. What Are Kettlebells Good For?

A. When I say the kettlebell is like the Swiss Army Knife of functional fitness, I mean the kettlebell can do MOST things admirably well, even if it isn’t the *best* tool for each particular job.

In short, the kettlebell can do just about everything, even if it can do some things better than others. The kettlebell is “best” (I would say) for metabolic conditioning: Short, intense, sweat-inducing workouts, where you combine multiple exercises into a complex, which we’ll explore in just a bit. But the kettlebell is also great for building strength and muscle tone, as well, through moves like front squats and double clean and press, etc. And let’s not forget their usefulness in flexibility training, with exercises like the windmill, halo, and Turkish get up.

It’s important to remember that, like a Swiss Army Knife, the kettlebell is only a tool, and it’s how you USE the tool that determines the benefit. This is why it matters so much to have a fitness philosophy, from which you can efficiently apply the tool.

Ours in “Generalism” –  In other words, being ready for, and capable of, almost everything. We want to be strong AND flexible, muscular AND mobile, well conditioned, and so on. We don’t care about being “the best” at the world in anything, we just want to good to great — or at least fairly competent — at (almost) everything.

PS – I have an entire book on the philosophy generalism called (humbly) How to Be Better at (Almost) Everything.

Q. What Size Kettlebell Should I Start With?

A. Men, I recommend 16kg. Women, 8kg.

If you can only get one.

Otherwise, grab a set. 16kg, 20kg, 24kg – men. 8kg, 12kg, 16kg – women.

Q. What are the first two exercises I should learn?

A. Funny you ask that. Sounds like a loaded question…

At any rate, you should learn the two hand swing and the goblet squat.

After that, the Turkish Get Up.

Q. OK – Can I Do a Workout With JUST Those Two Exercises?

A. Sure can. And you can even add push ups, if you want.

Q. Pat, Could You Tell Me The 5 Most Common Kettlebell Swing Mistakes?

A. You know what, I CAN show you the 5 most common kettlebell swing mistakes.

Q. What Are The Fundamental Exercises Beyond The Swing, The Squat, and The Get Up?

Swing, Squat, Get Up, Military Press, Clean, and Snatch. Start with those. If you go to my Facebook Page or Youtube Channel, you’ll see I’ve done either tutorials or Facebook Live videos on all of these, at some point.

Here’s a few to get you started, however, like the kettlebell snatch and kettlebell clean.

Q. What About If I Want to Workout with Kettlebells at Home? Can I Do That?

A. Of course! See the following from Dan John : )

Q. How About a Good (But Tough!) Beginner Workout — Got One Of Those?

You bet. My #IBetYouCantDoThisWorkout series has a lot of workouts that are extremely tough, but feature “just the basics” so far as exercise selection goes. Check this one out.

Here’s another one, called The 9 Minute Workout.

Q. How Many Calories Do Kettlebells Burn?

A. That depends entirely on the workout. But one study on kettlebell swings from the American Council of Exercise found they can burn upward of 400 calories in 20 minutes using just one exercise: Swings!

Even more impressive than that, however, would be the metabolic “afterburn”, or “exercise post oxygen consumption.” All that is merely a fancy way of saying kettlebells can really crank the metabolism and leave it revving for a long time after you’ve left the gym, especially if you train with complexes like the ones above.

Q. Next Question: What are THE 5 BEST KETTLEBELL EXERCISES FOR FASTER FAT LOSS?

A. I can’t believe you asked this. I literally (like 5 years ago, lol) JUST made a video called THE 5 BEST KETTLEBELL EXERCISES FOR FASTER FAT LOSS. So weird!

Q. What Brand of Kettlebell Do You Recommend?

A. Rogue is good. And Rep is good, too. Those are the two I like. Though I hear good things about StrongFirst and their new line of bells, as well.

Q. What Is The Difference Between Single and Double Kettlebell Exercises.

A. There’s a few. But mostly double kettlebell work is better for strength and muscle, and single kettlebell work is better for endurance and mobility/flexibility. There is always cross over, of course, but because using two kettlebells (often) implies using more weight, double kettlebell work is suited more toward heavier, lower rep sets, and single kettlebell work toward lighter, higher rep sets.

Q. Should I Do Single or Double Kettlebell Workouts?

A. Both are valuable. You want to do both.

Q. Unrelated: What Is the Best Band of All Time?

A. The answer is Extreme. Second best may be Supmuhhumbruh — that is, my band. (“Oh-em-gee, you’re in a band?!” Yeah I am!)

Q. Are Kettlebells Enough? Should I Do Anything Else?

A. All tools, even the Swiss Army Knife, are limited. Either in what they can do, or in how well they can do it. For most people, most of the time, kettlebells will cover 80 – 95% of everything you need. At a minimum, I would add walking and pull ups.

But why limit yourself? I train with all modalities. Kettlebells just make up the most of what I do. Remember, the philosophy is generalism; kettlebells are just the tool.

Where to Go From Here: The Best Kettlebell Resources

FIRST, you can get 101 FREE kettlebell workouts (and join my email) list, by going to 101kettlebellworkouts.com

SECOND, I have a $1 (and best-selling!) eBook called Introduction to Kettlebells on Amazon. If you enjoyed this article, then definitely you will enjoy that introductory eBook.

THIRD, if you want books that are a little more “in-depth,” then check out Paleo Workouts for Dummies (Pat Flynn), Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge (Dan John), and Russian Kettlebell Challenge (Pavel). UPDATE: Dan John has some basic workouts here.

Other than that, my blog–which you’re already on, also my Facebook and Youtube channel, and our Strong ON! community group. I’m also on Instagram.

Finally, there’s my podcast, the Pat Flynn Show.

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Any other questions?

Drop a comment!

Strong ON!

– Pat