Kettlebells are becoming popular not only for fitness enthusiasts, but also for ordinary people who wish to stay fit. However, there are still many people who don’t know much about it. Those who know what about it may not still be aware of its use and the available types. Hopefully this kettlebell buying guide will give you further insight into what type of kettlebell is right for you.

A kettlebell is a cast-iron piece of fitness equipment that looks like a cannonball. Imagine a cannonball that has a handle at the top! The kettlebell is used in many different types of exercises that are designed to improve flexibility, muscle strength, and cardiovascular performance.

Kettlebell works like a dumbbell. It is lifted to exercise arm muscles. On the other hand, kettlebell is more than just a muscle-forming tool. It is also used to add weight to your body by carrying it in many ways during a workout. The purpose of which is to improve heart rate and flexibility. Nevertheless, there are still many advantages of using kettlebell. Here are a few of the benefits of Kettlebells:

Although kettlebell looks very simple, it is used with various movements and is lifted in many ways. You can carry it when you squat or swing. You can apply lifting styles such as hard style or juggling.

Prices of kettlebells vary according to types, weight, and manufacturers. Some manufacturers that produce the same type, and weight may have different prices. Moreover, some stores that sell the same kettlebell product may also have price differences. But generally speaking, most cast iron kettlebells are less expensive than the steel competition kettlebells.

Cast iron kettlebell doesn’t have any welds. It is made of cast iron and shaped like a cannonball. This type of kettlebell is the most common kettlebell being used by many people. It is thick and smooth. It is partially flat at the bottom so it won’t roll when you put on the floor. In addition, cast iron kettlebells are not made out of many pieces of metal. This kettlebell is just one solid piece of iron that is designed for durability and flexibility.

Meanwhile, the cast iron kettlebell has different sizes, although it has no standard size. Some manufacturers may offer various sizes, which are totally different from another manufacturer. The best way to choose a variety of cast iron kettlebell is through its weight. Take note that the heavier the cast iron kettlebell is, the bigger the size. Most gym owners would buy a variety of cast iron kettlebell according to weight.

Some cast iron kettlebells are covered with rubber or vinyl. The purpose of which is to prevent the kettlebell from scratching the floor or to reduce the impact when it accidentally falls. This is added for safety reasons as well.

I recommend the CAP Competition Weight Kettlebells for those looking to get cast-iron kettlebells online. The price is pretty reasonable, the build quality is great, they have plenty of 5-star reviews on Amazon, and they even have different colors to prick from.

If you are a little tighter on cash, then I recommend just the plain CAP Barbell Cash Iron Kettlebell. I’ve used these before and once again they worked great. However, I would go through the reviews on Amazon with this particular one as there are one or two people claiming that this particular product broke on them after some use. I’ve personally never had that issue and I’ve thrown, tossed, slammed, and done just about anything you can think of to my kettlebells and never had an issue.

If cast iron kettlebell varies in weight and sizes. Steel competition kettlebells on the other hand, have the same size and dimension. However, competition kettlebell’s have various levels of weight. This means that a 4 kilogram steel competition kettlebell looks exactly the same as the 8 kilogram steel competition kettlebell.

All steel competition kettlebells have the same flatness of the base, dimension of the ball, and the diameter of the handle. They vary only in weight. Apparently, the movement that is done with a lighter one can also be done with the heavier one.

This is because steel competition kettlebells are designed to promote agility. In the case of cast iron, agility is reduced when the kettlebell gets heavier because it gets bigger. With steel competition kettlebell, you can hold a heavier one the same way as you hold the lighter one.

If you want to go down the route of a steel competition kettlebell, then I recommend Kettlebell Kings for your kettlebell workouts. They have superior build quality, are made out of a single cast and not several pieces welded together, have a hollow core and have a standard size so there is no adjusting when you increase your weight. These are a little pricier than the cast iron kettlebells, but if you want to go with the competition style, this is what I recommend. They also offer free shipping and a lifetime warranty.

Contoured kettlebells are relatively new and offer a groove on the side of the kettlebell that is made so that there is more comfort when the kettlebell rests on your forearms or other body part.

Additionally they give the handles a coated texture to give a non-slip grip. A lot of users have claimed that it makes cleans and presses much more comfortable and makes the kettlebell easier to grip when there is some sweat in your hands.

This type of kettlebell is fantastic for those who are getting used to the kettlebell routines but want to make sure that there is as little discomfort as possible when doing a lot of the complex movements. Contoured kettlebells are a relatively new concept and there is a patent pending on the design.

If you are going for a contour kettlebell there is little choice other than the GoFit kettlebells. They will include the cut-out on the sides that will make it more comfortable when doing cleans and snatches and have the coated texture for comfortable gripping. They offer prime shipping and some offer an included DVD – note that these are also a bit pricier than the cast iron kettlebells.

Obviously, cast iron kettlebells are made of iron while steel competition kettlebell is made of steel. In choosing a kettlebell, there is actually little consideration when it comes to materials. For fitness enthusiasts, what matters is the application or what can be done with a kettlebell. The reason why kettlebells are divided into two types of raw materials is because of size and weight considerations.

Cast iron kettlebells are for those who have different styles of using different sizes of kettlebells. Some fitness enthusiasts have designed some fitness programs that require bigger sizes of kettlebells. Other simply prefer small ones for the same reason. This means that the reason for this is to provide options for people with different styles of exercise programs.

It may seem strange that the size of steel competition kettlebell is the same regardless of weight. It is because this type of kettlebell is designed for sports. In sports, having a standard size is very important. Imagine a golf ball. You would find it hard to practice into perfection if the size of the ball you have practiced with is different in some other games that you may join.

This is the reason why this type of kettlebell is called competition kettlebell. It is used in sports and other agility training activities. Some people use steel competition kettlebell when the type of lifting they do is juggling. Of course, you can never do juggling with bigger sizes. Using steel competition kettlebell, you can perform juggling regardless of weight.

And when you are juggling, you can gradually upgrade the weight without affecting the space you consume when you perform. Furthermore, you can still have the same grip even as the weight gets heavier.

There is no actual competition between these two types of kettlebells. Of course, those who need steel competition kettlebells find cast iron kettlebells lacking in advantages while those who need cast iron kettlebells may consider steel competition kettlebells superfluous.

Many people want to stay fit and healthy. To do so, the first thing that may come to their mind is to go to the gym and lift some dumbbells or barbells. However, many of them are still unaware of the fact that kettlebells are now one of the fitness tools that can help them.

Hopefully this Kettlebell buying guide has been helpful and that you have found a kettlebell that suits your needs.

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