Now that kettlebells have grown in popularity and become a fitness industry buzzword Two of the most common options on the market are cast iron kettlebells and competition kettlebells. Each has a unique set of characteristics ideal for different types of training. Let’s talk about why competition kettlebel is more popular in kettlebell workout exericise?
Competition Kettlebells, sometimes called “Pro Grade Kettlebells” or “Sport Kettlebells”, are always the exact same size regardless of the weight. The only thing that changes is the weight of the kettlebell. This means that whether you are using an 8 kg – 18 lb kettlebell or a 32 kg – 70 lb kettlebell, it will always rest on your forearm in the exact same place. This ensures that your technique stays consistent regardless of the weight you are using. The handle diameter never changes with competition kettlebells and neither does the space inside the handle. This means that your “hand insertion” on a competition kettlebell never changes so that you can concentrate on technique, the most important aspect of kettlebell training.
Competition kettlebells are made from steel, not iron and this makes them slightly more durable than iron kettlebells. This is not to say that our cast iron kettlebells will fall apart, it just means that steel is stronger than cast iron and therefore more durable.
The type of steel we use in our Elite Precision competition kettlebells is a special high tensile strength alloy that is slightly more porous on the handle portion of the kettlebell so that it can absorb weightlifting chalk more easily. The handles are designed to prevent lateral slipping and minimize fatigue with high repetition sets
A competition kettlebell will look a little “fat” when compared side by side to a cast iron kettlebell. They have a larger mass in the ball of the kettlebell, imparting different, and many think, better ballistic properties due to this larger center mass.
Competition kettlebells are universally color-coded to signify the different weights, so you can find the weight you need at a glance. Competition kettlebells are all the same size regardless of weight, which means they are ideal for practicing highly technical movements like the Turkish Get Up or high-repetition exercises such as the Snatch. The handles of competition kettlebells are uniform as well. The window of the bell handle has more of a rectangular shape, and the handle diameter is smaller than cast iron kettlebells. The reason for this is a smaller handle reduces grip fatigue, which is incredibly important in competitive kettlebell lifting. Competition kettlebell handles are more porous than cast iron handles, which allows them to absorb chalk better, which is also essential for high-repetition exercises.
If you plan to do high-repetition sets in your workouts or do a lot of focused technique work, the competition kettlebell is your best bet.