General Rule of Thumb:

• Strong-Fit Men start around 35 lbs
• Strong-Fit Women start around 20-25 lbs
• Beginner Men start around 25 lbs
• Beginner Women start around 15 lbs

This is relative, and will be different for each person. Try using an overhead press as a baseline.

Hold the kettlebell in one hand, and see if you can press it overhead 10 times. If you can’t press the kettlebell overhead 10 times, then you should use a lighter weight. If you can easily press the kettlebell overhead 10 times, then you should use a heavier weight.

You can use a dumbbell or other weight to test if you do not yet own a kettlebell.

Note: You will be able to swing and squat with a much heavier weight than you can overhead press with. Ideally, you will have multiple kettlebells for working with different parts of the body, just as you would have multiple pairs of dumbbells for a dumbbell workout.

If you currently lack additional kettlebells to suit your needs, you may compensate by:

• Increasing the speed with which you do the exercises. Don’t neglect form for speed gains!
• Decrease the pauses and breaks that you take between each exercise.
• Move from a rep-based exercise to a time-based exercise. Trying to do a move for 1-2 minutes as opposed to 10-20 reps can feel like you’re doing a whole new workout, despite doing the same movement!

Kettlebell Conversion Chart:
4 kg = 9 lbs
8 kg = 18 lbs
12 kg = 27 lbs
16 kg = 35 lbs
20 kg = 44 lbs
24 kg = 53 lbs
28 kg = 62 lbs
36 kg = 79 lbs
44 kg = 97 lbs