Are kettlebells good for beginners?

The kettlebell is a cannonball with a handle, and it has the charm of a tool that does many jobs. It sits in a corner of a flat without looking like gym equipment, and it suits people who want something a bit more playful than a row of machines.

What makes kettlebells different

With a dumbbell, the weight sits in your hand. With a kettlebell, the weight hangs below and slightly behind the handle. That changes how it feels:

• It is easy to hold at your chest, by the horns of the handle, which makes squats comfortable.
• It sits naturally between your feet for lifting from the floor.
• It is built to swing. The offset weight is why the swing, the move kettlebells are known for, feels the way it does.
• It is awkward in some positions, such as resting on your forearm, which takes a little getting used to.

For a beginner the attraction is that one bell covers squats, hinges, carries, presses and rows. It is a compact way to try strength training at home.

Choosing a starting size

Kettlebell sizes jump in steps, so the first purchase matters. Our suggestions, rather than any official rule:

• Pick it up before you buy. Try lifting it from the floor to your chest, holding it there for a slow squat, and pressing it overhead with one arm. You want something you can squat with comfortably and press with effort.
• Err on the lighter side. A light bell is still useful later for single-arm moves and warm-ups. A bell that is too heavy just sits in the corner.
• Consider two over time. Many people end up with a lighter one for pressing and a heavier one for swings and squats.

Many gyms have a row of kettlebells, which is a good way to try sizes before buying.

Three moves to learn first

The deadlift

Stand with the bell between your feet. Push your hips back, keep your back long, grip the handle and stand up by driving your hips forward. Lower it the same way. This hip hinge is the foundation of the swing.

The goblet squat

Hold the bell at your chest by the horns, elbows tucked, and squat down between your knees. It is one of the friendliest ways to learn a squat, because the weight in front helps you stay upright.

The carry

Pick the bell up and walk with it: at your side, at your chest, or overhead once you are confident. Simple, surprisingly demanding, and oddly satisfying.

Learning the swing

The swing is a hip hinge with momentum: the bell swings back between your legs, then your hips snap forward and the bell floats up to about chest height, arms loose, before swinging back down. The power comes from the hips, not from lifting with the arms or squatting.

It is the move most likely to go wrong when learned alone, mostly by turning it into a squat or rounding the back. Our advice:

• Get a lesson or two with a coach, or join a kettlebell class.
• Master the deadlift first, then the hike pass (swinging the bell back between your legs from the floor), then short swings.
• Use a lighter bell, in a space with nothing breakable in front of you.
• Stop when your form drops. Ten good swings beat twenty tired ones.