Muscle

I've had many emails lately from individuals asking me about this topic .

So, in case you weren’t familiar , there is a discipline called Kettlebell Sport (GS - where the “G” stands for “Girya,” or Kettlebell) which was founded in Russia and made its way to the US in the mid-2000s.

Up until that time, the only types of kettlebells you could get were the cast iron “Strength & conditioning” type.

This is most likely the standard shape kettlebell you’ve maybe tried or at least seen .

Here’s what the Competition Bells resemble:

And here's what they look like compared to each other:

(Image courtesy: Zack Henderson)

Now, honestly, I’ve only used Comp Bells a couple of occasions .

And I appreciate them.

But I’ve always used the cast iron kind and choose them.

Thicker Handles → Stronger Grip

Ever increasing bell size as weight gets heavier → More stability demand → More work → More variety

Cheaper (usually) → More bells

Bigger bells → Over 48kg if you want to go really heavy

Now that doesn’t mean Comp Bells are inferior . Not at all.

Here are some benefits:

Same size, different weights → Consistent feel, probably more (higher) reps

Consistent size → Less stability demand → Easier to lift

Smaller handle diameter → Easier on the grip → Less forearm fatigue

Less forearm fatigue → Higher reps per set

… That's probably the reason why these are optimized for the intense kettlebell lifting found in Kettlebell Sport.

And, finally , depending on the brand , you can get Adjustable Comp Bells, which are an “all-in-one” solution from 16kg - 32kg → Less storage requirement

(Image courtesy: Bells of Steel)

However, the reality is this: Whichever type of kettlebell you choose is just that - a choice - and it’s up to you.

I recommend sampling both and deciding which you prefer.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s not the model of kettlebell you pick, it’s how you handle your kettlebell that drives the get more info results you get.

Unplanned workouts lead to random results.

Professionally designed programming = Measurable, predictable gains in strength & muscle + decreases in body fat.

Stay Strong,

Geoff Neupert.