Guide · Kettlebells
What size kettlebell should a beginner buy? A sizing table, not a guess
One bell you can press strictly for five and swing for twenty. That rule, as a table by sex and training history in kg and lb, plus the test to run in a store, and when the second bell arrives.
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Black kettlebells on a textured gym floor. Licensed stock photograph of the category — not the specific product.
The table
| New to strength training | Trains regularly (bodyweight or gym) | Strong (presses body weight, etc.) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most women | 8 kg / 18 lb (15 lb) | 12 kg / 26 lb (25 lb) | 16 kg / 35 lb |
| Most men | 12 kg / 26 lb (25 lb) | 16 kg / 35 lb | 20–24 kg / 44–53 lb |
| Smaller or older beginners of either sex | 6 kg / 13 lb (10–15 lb) | 8 kg / 18 lb | 12 kg / 26 lb |
These are the conventional starting points that kettlebell instruction has settled on — heavier than most people guess, because the swing and the squat use the biggest muscles in the body and a bell that suits the press is light for both. If the number surprises you, it's because the press is the limiting lift.
The test
- Strict press, each arm, 5 reps. Clean the bell to the rack, press it overhead with no leg drive, lower under control. Five clean reps with the harder arm.
- Two-hand swing, 20 reps. Hinge, swing to chest height, hips snap, back flat. Twenty without the back rounding or the arms doing the lifting.
- If you can press it for 10, it's too light. If you can't press it for 3, it's too heavy. If you can press for 5 and swing for 20 but the swing feels like nothing, buy it anyway — that's your press bell, and the second bell comes sooner.
Why not buy a set
Sets are usually 10/15/20 lb or 5/10/15 lb. For most adults the lightest is a doorstop and the heaviest is too light for swings within a month. One right bell, then a second 8–10 lb heavier when the first is light on swings, is cheaper and both get used. Where each exercise sits by weight:
| Exercise | Bell |
|---|---|
| Press, get-up, halo, windmill | Lighter bell |
| Two-hand swing, goblet squat, deadlift, carry | Heavier bell |
| One-hand swing, clean, snatch | Lighter bell first, heavier later |
| Rows | Either |
Kilograms or pounds
Traditional bells come in 4 kg steps (8, 12, 16, 20, 24 kg — 18, 26, 35, 44, 53 lb); US-market cast iron bells come in 5 lb steps. The 5 lb steps let you buy 25 or 30 lb between the traditional 26 and 35; that is genuinely useful for the press. The beginner roundup lists the bells sold in every step.
When the second bell arrives
When twenty swings feel like a warm-up and you can press the first bell for eight, buy 8–10 lb heavier: a 16 kg after a 12, a 20 after a 16, a 35 lb after a 25. That is usually two to four months in. A third bell is for people who've decided kettlebells are the program; most home trainers stop at two and a pull-up bar.
If you'd rather buy one adjustable
The BowFlex 840 covers 8–40 lb by dial — every weight on the beginner table — in one object. The Titan adjustable starts at 12 kg (26 lb) and goes to 32 kg. Both are in best adjustable kettlebells.
Picks
Bells sold in the sizes the table gives
Two cast iron bells sold in every 5 lb step, and the dial adjustable for someone who'll move through three sizes fast.
Key specs
- Weights
- 5–80 lb in 5 lb steps
- Handle
- ~1.25 in. (35 mm), textured
- Base
- Flat
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Handle & finish
- 7
- Weight increments / adjustability
- 9
- Footprint & floor safety
- 7
- Build (casting, seams)
- 8
- Value
- 10
Pick 1 · Kettlebells
Yes4All Solid Cast Iron Kettlebell
Yes4All
The one-piece cast iron bell sold in 5 lb steps from 5 to 80 lb with a 1.25 in. handle and a flat base — the default first kettlebell because you can buy exactly the size you need.
Best for
A first bell in the exact weight you need without paying for a coating you don't
Pros
- 5 lb increments across the whole range — 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 lb are all there for a beginner's first two bells
- One-piece casting, no welded handle to fail
- Flat base sits still for rows, push-ups and storage
Cons
- Painted (not powder-coated) finish on the basic version chips and can leave marks on a wood floor — use a mat
- 35 mm handle is a bit thick for smaller hands on high-rep snatches
Specs from Yes4All — Solid Cast Iron Kettlebell listing (weights, handle, base).
Key specs
- Weights
- 5–80 lb (13 sizes)
- Finish
- Powder coat, no seams
- Accuracy
- Within 1% of stated
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Handle & finish
- 9
- Weight increments / adjustability
- 9
- Footprint & floor safety
- 7
- Build (casting, seams)
- 9
- Value
- 8
Pick 2 · Kettlebells
CAP Barbell Cast Iron Competition Kettlebell
CAP Barbell
Seam-free, powder-coated cast iron in 5–80 lb, weight accurate to 1%, with a wide opening handle and a flat base — a step up in finish from painted bells at a small premium.
Best for
A powder-coat bell with an honest weight in the widest range of sizes
Pros
- Powder coat holds chalk and doesn't chip like paint or enamel
- Machined seam-free casting — no ridge under the handle
- Color-coded band and lb/kg markings
Cons
- Bell dimensions scale with weight (it's cast iron, not a true competition bell despite the name)
- Costs more than the painted Yes4All at the same weight
Specs from CAP Barbell — Competition Weight Cast Iron Kettlebell (weights, finish, accuracy).
Key specs
- Weights
- 8 / 12 / 20 / 25 / 35 / 40 lb
- Size
- 8.8 × 7 × 12.5 in.
- Adjust
- Dial
Scores · editorial, out of 10
- Handle & finish
- 6
- Weight increments / adjustability
- 9
- Footprint & floor safety
- 9
- Build (casting, seams)
- 6
- Value
- 7
Pick 3 · Kettlebells
BowFlex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell
BowFlex
Six bells in one: 8, 12, 20, 25, 35 and 40 lb by turning a dial, in an 8.8 × 7 × 12.5 in. footprint — the adjustable bell for an apartment corner that can't hold a rack.
Best for
Replacing a beginner's first three bells with one object that fits under a desk
Pros
- Six weights in the footprint of one 40 lb bell — the space argument is decisive in a studio
- Dial change takes a second between sets
- Flat base; the 8–40 lb range is exactly the beginner-to-intermediate window
Cons
- Plastic shell and a flat, wide handle — it's not a bell you should drop or use for hard snatches
- Tops out at 40 lb; the jumps (20→25→35) aren't even
Specs from BowFlex — SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell (weights, dimensions).
FAQ
Questions readers ask
What size kettlebell should a beginner start with?
Most women: 8 kg / 18 lb new to training, 12 kg / 26 lb with training history. Most men: 12 kg / 26 lb new, 16 kg / 35 lb with history. Test: press it strictly for 5, swing it for 20.
Is a 35 lb kettlebell too heavy for a beginner?
For a man with some training history, 35 lb (16 kg) is the standard first bell. For most women and men new to training, start at 25–26 lb or lighter.
What kettlebell weight for a beginner woman?
8 kg / 18 lb (or 15 lb) new to training; 12 kg / 26 lb with training history; 16 kg / 35 lb if already strong.
Should a beginner buy a kettlebell set?
No — sets are usually the wrong three weights. One right bell, then a second 8–10 lb heavier in a few months.
Related
Keep reading
- Best kettlebells for beginners
Bells sold in every 5 lb size.
- One kettlebell workout for beginners
What to do with the one bell.
- Best adjustable kettlebells
If you'd rather own one object.
- Kettlebell vs dumbbell
If you're still deciding which.
Sources