What size Kettlebell is right for me?
Kettlebells come in ‘poods’. A pood is an old Russian measurement of weight, which is approximately 16kg, or 35 lbs. Do not underestimate the demands of this weight—it feels a lot heavier than it should because the handle is removed from the weight’s center of mass and therefore will constantly challenge you to stabilize yourself through any range of motion. The majority of women will begin with either the 9kg (18 lbs) or 12kg (26 lbs) and go onto a 36-pounder. Some women will go beyond to defuse the myths around strength and size and gender. The majority of men will begin with either the 16kg (36 lbs) or 24kg (53 lbs). A 53-pounder is the standard issue size for Russian military personnel. The next jump up is usually to the 32kg (70 lbs) kettlebell, which is used only by a few advanced practitioners and in elite competitions.
