Buzz
For those with limited space or budget, a high-quality adjustable kettlebell is an ideal investment for effective at-home strength training.
I own two adjustable competition kettlebells from Titan, ranging from 12 kilos (26 pounds) to 32 kilos (70 pounds). To avoid sounding promotional, Kettlebell Kings offers a similar model. Bells of Steel also provides one, including a lighter variant from 12 to 20.5 kilos, which can be upgraded later with an expansion kit.
These typically cost between $250 and $300, though they occasionally go on sale. I purchased mine for around $200, and sometimes even greater discounts are available.
The term 'competition' style refers to kettlebells that match the size and shape used in kettlebell sport events. This is worth noting because many adjustable kettlebells have unconventional designs, making them unsuitable for exercises like cleans, presses, snatches, or anything beyond swings. Adjustable competition kettlebells feature plates enclosed in a smooth, rounded shell, providing the same feel as traditional competition bells.
(For a deeper dive into the distinctions between kettlebell styles, check out my buying guide, which offers advice on selecting your first (or next) kettlebell.)
I often receive questions about my adjustable kettlebells. Do I enjoy using them? Absolutely. Do they rattle or loosen during workouts? Rarely, if ever. Are they cumbersome to adjust? Only slightly. Here’s a detailed breakdown.
The versatility of adjustable kettlebells
In short, you can perform nearly any kettlebell exercise with them. The main limitation is their minimum weight of 12 kilos, which may be too heavy for beginners, particularly children or smaller individuals. For exercises like strict presses, snatches, or clean and jerks, starting with an 8-kilo bell or lighter is often more practical.
If your primary goal is kettlebell swings, particularly two-handed swings, you might discover that 32 kilos isn’t sufficient. In such cases, a T-handle allows you to swing heavier weights. Here’s a handle available for $45; alternatively, you can create your own using $11 worth of plumbing parts. Note that neither option includes weight plates.
With an adjustable kettlebell or a pair of them, you can perform a variety of exercises, including cleans, presses, jerks, snatches, swings, front squats, goblet squats, Turkish getups (if you’re inclined), or complex routines combining multiple movements.
The reasons I adore my adjustable kettlebells
Standard kettlebells increase in increments of 4 or 8 kilos (9 or 18 pounds). Initially, I believed the purpose of an adjustable kettlebell was to replicate standard sizes I didn’t own—for instance, if I had a 16-kilo and a 24-kilo bell but lacked a 20-kilo one, I could adjust my kettlebell to fill the gap. Similarly, for exercises requiring paired 24-kilo bells, I could use my single 24-kilo bell alongside an adjusted one.
This versatility is why, if space were limited, I’d ensure at least one of my kettlebells is adjustable.
Another reason I’ve grown fond of adjustable kettlebells is their ability to provide all intermediate weights. For example, if you can strict press a 16-kilo bell for a few reps but struggle with a 20-kilo one (even if you’re strong enough, as heavier bells demand more precise technique), you can gradually progress by setting the adjustable to 18 kilos. Alternatively, since they allow adjustments in one-kilogram increments, you can move from 16 to 17, then to 18, 19, and finally 20 kilos.
Is incremental loading essential for effective training? Not necessarily. You could train extensively with a 16-kilo bell until a 20-kilo one feels manageable. However, having the option to incrementally adjust weights offers greater flexibility. You won’t need to visit a specialized kettlebell gym with 18-kilo bells; you can simply create the weight you need at home.
The drawbacks of adjustable kettlebells
Beyond the limited weight range (you can’t go below 12 kilos or easily exceed 32 kilos), the primary inconvenience of adjustable kettlebells is the need to adjust them.
To adjust my kettlebell, I need to:
Lay it on its side
Use an Allen wrench to unscrew a bolt at the base
Gently detach the bottom shell (the bell splits at the equator where the two halves meet)
Unscrew a nut from the central threaded bolt running vertically through the bell
Take out the small weight plates inside
Adjust the nut positioned above the weight plates
Reinsert the desired plates, ensuring each is placed correctly (they vary in size)
Reattach the large nut
Secure the bottom shell back in place
Tighten the bolt using the Allen wrench
For minor weight adjustments of one or two kilos, I can omit steps 5 and 6. The nuts at the top and bottom of the plate stack maintain balance; swapping a two-kilo plate for a three-kilo one doesn’t require rebalancing the entire stack.
Overall, the process takes about 5 minutes. If I’m pressed for time, I can complete it in 2 minutes. When I have more time, I involve my daughter, who enjoys assisting as my kettlebell technician.
In summary: Adjusting your kettlebells before starting your workout is manageable, but switching weights mid-session would be impractical.
Tips for simplifying life with an adjustable kettlebell
While adjustable kettlebells come with a few inconveniences, most can be resolved with a dry-erase marker and a paint pen.
Before discussing markers: Occasionally, the plates may loosen or rattle during use. From my experience, they perform well during short exercise sets but may become noisy toward the end of longer workouts. To prevent this, ensure the nuts above and below the plates are tightened, and the bottom bolt is securely fastened.
Here’s a safety tip: When the kettlebell is fully loaded, be mindful of how you tilt it onto its side. I once injured a fingernail while adjusting the bell. While I’m fine now, I’ve since become more cautious.
The most crucial tip: label everything meticulously.
Upon unboxing your adjustable kettlebell, take photos or a video to document how it’s assembled. It may seem straightforward, but you’ll likely find yourself questioning later, “Which two-kilo plate goes where?”
Next, a vital step: Use paint markers to label each plate with its weight if they aren’t already marked. My kettlebells include a 6-kg plate, a 4-kg plate, two 3-kg plates, and two 2-kg plates. (This allows for nearly every weight increment except 13 and 31.) While you can visually distinguish them when laid out, failing to label them may lead to mixing up a 2 with a 3 or a 3 with a 4.
With two adjustable kettlebells, I use a pink paint marker for one and a white one for the other. Designate a spot in your home gym for storing plates when not in use, ensuring your workout equipment fits neatly in your space.
Keep a marker near your kettlebell loading area and label the bell’s exterior with its current weight. My red kettlebells work well with a black dry-erase marker; for black bells, a chalk marker might be better. This step is essential, especially for incremental weights. Once, I mistook a 14-kg bell for 18 kg, leading to a misleadingly confident workout. Now, I always label the total weight on the bell—learn from my oversight.
