Getting Started With Kettlebell
Additional Equipment and Considerations
The supporting cast — timer, mat, chalk, towel, water, sandpaper — plus core safety guidelines for every kettlebell session.
Additional Equipment and Considerations
Once you've picked your kettlebells and your training environment, you'll need a few small items to round out your setup.
There is nothing worse than starting a workout and realizing you can't complete it because you're missing some small but important tool. Here are the supporting cast that makes the star of the show — your kettlebells — shine brighter.
The Supporting Cast
Timer
For programs based on time intervals rather than rep counts.
Stretching Mat
A padded surface to decompress and stretch after training.
Chalk
Keeps your grip dry so the bell doesn't slip out of your hands.
Towel
Wipes sweat off you and the handle to prevent slips.
Water
Hydration for long, intense sessions — performance and safety.
Sandpaper
Smooths out rough spots and old chalk from the handle.
Timer
Programs and methods for kettlebell training revolve around using repetitions, time, or a combination of both. Repetition, time, load, and speed (or rate of movement) are the factors frequently manipulated to alter training process and effect.
Rep-Based
Example: the one-arm press with 16 kg (35 lb) for 3 sets of 10 reps with each arm.
Time-Based
Example: the one-arm press with 16 kg for 2 minutes per arm — self-paced or at a fixed cadence (e.g. 12 reps per minute for 2 minutes per hand, or 15 reps per minute for 3 minutes per hand).
For time-based methods, you'll need either a clock with a second hand you can watch, or a timer that beeps. A popular choice among kettlebell lifters is the Gymboss — it lets you set intervals and beeps at the completion of each preprogrammed interval. Very helpful for building programs around time.
Stretching Mat
Stretching after kettlebell training is part of a complete and well-rounded program.
Kettlebell training puts the body under load, so naturally some compression occurs in the joints. Stretching for a few minutes after training is important for elongating the body and helping to decompress after vigorous strength training.
If you don't have a padded area to stretch in, pick up a portable stretching mat.
Chalk
Chalk is an important part of a kettlebell lifter's arsenal.
The grip-killer: if you tend to sweat a lot, kettlebells will bring it out of you. Sweat on your hands and on the handle makes it difficult to hold the kettlebell — and if you can't hold it, you drop it or place it down, ending your training set. To progress, you need to work for longer periods or do more volume per unit of time, so you need chalk to ebb the flow of sweat.
Where to buy: the most common chalk is powdered magnesium, found in most outdoor or adventure stores that cater to rock climbers or wherever you find gymnastic equipment. You can buy it in individual blocks, bags, or in bulk. Chalk is inexpensive.
The downside — chalk is messy. Few commercial gyms allow it because it leaves a trail wherever it's used. Cleanliness and hygiene are a concern, and chalk is hard to contain. You can put the powder into bowls and buckets to mostly contain it, but it will be in the air and on whatever you touch.Workaround: find a chalk-friendly gym, or dedicate a room or area of the garage to training to keep the chalk from mixing with the non-training areas.
Chalk dries your hands faster because it absorbs moisture. To keep healthy, soft hands while still lifting, you'll have to take time to file, moisturize, and sometimes shave raised callouses. Kettlebell lifting is not great for manicured hands — but it's wonderful for the rest of your body!
No powdered chalk allowed? The next best option is liquid chalk — easier to contain to your hands and the kettlebell handles. It dries fast and only gets on the handle and your hands. As long as you don't touch other things, you can confine the chalk to your hands and bells. Certainly a better option than no chalk at all. Find liquid chalk online.
Kettlebell Safety Tips
Be mindful of the training environment as well as the equipment you are using.
General safety guidelines:
- Have a clear floor space with no obstacles to trip over — including people, pets, furniture, and other objects.
- Make sure the ceiling is high enough that you won't hit it with your hand or the kettlebell. Stay clear of walls and mirrors or anything else that can break if you lose control or need to drop a bad rep.
- Never try to save a bad rep. If you start to lose control, move out of the way quickly and push the kettlebell away from you as you step away. Train where a dropped kettlebell won't damage the environment (rubber flooring or outdoors). Quick feet are happy feet — if you drop a kettlebell, move your feet out of the way.
- Use chalk to prevent slipping, especially during high-rep movements like the swing, clean, or snatch.
- Eliminate distractions — no TV, paper, texting, or phone calls. Devote your training time to the training. Distractions reduce productivity and increase injury risk.
- Have a towel available to remove excess sweat.
- If outside, don't stare directly into the sun during overhead lifts.
- Have drinking water available and stay hydrated.
- If the kettlebell bangs your wrists or causes pain in the beginning, wear wrist wraps or wristbands for cushion. In time your technique will improve and you won't hurt your forearms or wrists.
- Wear shoes with hard or flat soles — bare feet are also OK. Running shoes are not good for kettlebell training: too soft, not enough foundation to push from.
- Don't wear baggy shorts — you might catch your thumb on the backswing in swings, cleans, or snatches. Wear close-fitting shorts or tights.
- The set is not over until the kettlebell is on the ground. Don't place the bell down sloppily and risk straining your lower back.
Towel
Keep a small towel handy to wipe sweat off yourself and the kettlebell handle.
Because kettlebell training is high-intensity exercise, you're going to sweat a lot. Sweat can adversely affect your performance by making your hands and the kettlebell slippery — and that becomes a safety hazard. All it takes is one wayward kettlebell flying out of your hand during snatches to appreciate the importance of keeping the sweat under control.
Water
Have drinking water available, especially for longer or super-intense sessions. You will sweat a lot and need to replace your fluids.
Dehydration symptoms: can greatly reduce performance during the end of a long, grueling session. It's also a health hazard and can cause:
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Cramping
- Lightheadedness
Sandpaper
A fine-grit sandpaper (appropriate for steel) should be kept on hand to periodically smooth out rough spots and remove old, caked-on chalk from the handle.
Alternative: in place of sandpaper, you can also use steel wool.
Now you have all your options for equipment and training environments listed clearly. You have the equipment and training space — you are ready to go.In the next chapter we take a look at foundational exercise principles so you can understand more about the science behind kettlebell training.