Please Stop Swinging Light Kettlebells for the Love of Everything

The kettlebell swing is an excellent exercise. It targets your hamstrings and glutes, enhances your grip strength, and provides an explosive movement—something many home workouts lack. However, too many aspiring kettlebell users (including trainers and New York Times fitness articles) begin with a weight that's too light to achieve any of those benefits. This only sets them up for failure.

A kettlebell that’s too light for a swing doesn’t qualify as a true swing

The kettlebell swing is all about action, not just moving aimlessly. It demands that you engage your lower body’s larger muscles to generate enough momentum for the bell to swing through the air.

Nobody is born knowing how to swing a kettlebell, and so naturally, when we first see one in action, we have no clue how to do it. We watch someone demonstrate, noticing they move their lower body in some way while the kettlebell goes up. So we mimic that by doing some sort of movement and lifting the kettlebell with our arms. That's all there is to it, right?

Here’s the thing. If you give someone a light, small, harmless kettlebell, they’ll easily lift it with their arms. But that’s not a swing, because they’re not actually swinging it. They’re just doing a front raise with a few extra steps.

Give that same person a heavy kettlebell, though, and they won’t get anywhere until they figure out how to use their lower body. You need to hinge your hips back, then thrust them forward so forcefully that your body pushes against your arms, causing the kettlebell to swing from the end of your arms like a pendulum.

How to swing a kettlebell with intent

Swinging a kettlebell correctly is like pushing a child on a playground swing. When you do that, you place your hands on the child’s back as they swing toward you. You absorb some of their momentum with a solid connection between your hands and their back, and then return the energy with an extra push, sending them flying forward again. If you just held onto the child and kept lifting them up and down, they’d probably get frustrated.

In a kettlebell swing, your arms are like the chain, the kettlebell is the child, and your hips are the adult giving the push. If you’ve got a somewhat heavy kettlebell, you can probably nail the swing with just this explanation and some practice. Stand up, gripping the kettlebell with both hands between your legs, and thrust with your hips. Picture the kettlebell shouting, “Higher! Higher!” and give it more drive with each rep.

To check if you’re truly swinging the kettlebell, loop a towel through the handle and hold the two ends. The towel now acts as an extension of your arms, much like a long chain on a playground swing. If you’re not really swinging the kettlebell, it’ll be clear: the towel will dangle awkwardly and you won’t be able to establish a smooth rhythm.

There are various kettlebell swing styles. The video above demonstrates the “hardstyle” swing, which is the most common type you’ll find in American gyms. The motion is driven by the hips, with minimal knee bend. Another style is the sport style swing, which incorporates a slight bounce and is a bit more challenging to master—but it still originates from the hips and would flow seamlessly with the towel technique.

Why do so many recommend using light kettlebells for swings?

Here’s something crucial about kettlebell weight recommendations: they’re often based on a completely different exercise, rather than the swing itself.

You might hear people suggest that women should start with a kettlebell weighing 8-12 kilograms (18-26 pounds) and that men should use a 16 kg (35 pounds) bell. (Kettlebells are typically sold in kilograms, usually in multiples of 4.) Common advice includes choosing a kettlebell you could press overhead three to five times or using the same bell for both swings and Turkish getups.

But swings can get really heavy. Like, hundreds of pounds heavy. I’ve swung a 32 kilogram kettlebell in each hand, which meant I was swinging a total weight roughly equal to my own body weight. Big guys will often load up a T-handle with barbell plates when they outgrow the kettlebells available to them.

• Bells of Steel adjustable competition kettlebell (26 to 70 pounds)

• CAP Barbell enamel coated kettlebell (available in weights up to 70 pounds)

• Kettlebell Kings competition kettlebell (available in weights up to 106 pounds)

• Titan Fitness plate loadable swing handle

People: you don’t need to be able to lift a child overhead multiple times in order to push them on a swing. For the same reason, your kettlebell swing weight shouldn’t be based on your overhead press ability or how much you can hold above your head.

Interestingly, a suitable swing weight for most people is about the same as the weight of a small child. (On a side note, kettlebells are much more convenient for swinging and don’t wriggle or scream.)

If your main motivation for using kettlebells is to compete in kettlebell sport or focus on presses or Turkish getups, then starting with a lighter weight is fine. But if you’re primarily looking to swing a kettlebell—the very essence of kettlebell training—choose a heavier weight.

How heavy should your kettlebell be for swings?

If you're just getting started with kettlebells and can only afford one bell, opt for a heavier one that provides a proper challenge for swinging. If you can't press it overhead, that's okay—use pushups to work on your arms while you save up for a lighter kettlebell.

Wondering what size your swinging kettlebell should be? Here's my recommendation for determining the ideal starting point:

• Choose a bell that’s too heavy to front raise. A front raise involves lifting a weight straight in front of you to shoulder height with your arms fully extended. If you can easily raise the kettlebell with both hands, then it's too light for swings.

• Pick a bell that’s too heavy to press. A kettlebell that challenges you to complete 1-3 reps in a press is the minimum weight you'd want for swings. A slightly heavier kettlebell would be even better.

• Consider a bell weighing one-third of your best deadlift. If you’re experienced with barbell deadlifts, this weight is ideal for swings. It's likely on the heavier side, but it’s fine if you're not ready for it yet.

• Use a bell that you can swing for 10-20 reps. Why not try swinging various bells to test your capacity? You can go to a gym or sporting goods store and gradually increase the weight. Ten to twenty reps isn’t a strict rule, but aim for a bell that offers a challenge rather than one you could swing effortlessly all day long.

This was the test I did when I bought my first kettlebell, just before stores closed due to the pandemic lockdown. I could easily swing a 32kg, and a 40kg with some difficulty. I decided on the 40kg, correctly anticipating that I'd eventually grow into it.

Taking all these suggestions together: You’ll want a kettlebell that’s heavy enough that you can't front raise it, but light enough for you to swing it effectively. This gives you a broad range of options. If you're experienced with lifting, your one-hand press and barbell deadlift will give you a good idea of your weight range.

In my case, that range would be between 20 and 48 kilos. For beginners, I’d recommend a range of 16 to 24 kilos (35 to 53 pounds), which will still allow you to progressively increase the weight as you get stronger.