Kettlebell Trainers, where are Your Clients?
Light on Clients or Class Members? Time to Rethink Your Kettlebell Pick-Up Approach
Kettlebell trainers often struggle to recruit or retain kettlebell clients—not because they lack knowledge or aren't great at coaching, but because they miss a key element that separates pros from amateurs: getting buy-in first.
They rush in, eager to drill the fundamentals—perfect form, timing, breathing, and rack position. Sure, these are all important—but none of that matters if your client isn’t ready to commit. Stop wasting time. If someone doesn’t see the value in what you’re teaching, they’ll zone out. They might nod and go through the motions, but they won’t catch the finer details that make all the difference. And that’s where we kettlebell purists know real progress lives—in the details.
The Real Reason People Don’t Learn
People don’t resist kettlebells because they’re lazy or unathletic. They resist when the bells hurt them, the experience feels foreign, and the exercises make them feel awkward.
Because we love kettlebells so much as trainers, it's easy to forget what it's like not to be in love with them. We're thinking they're on a first date with the person they'll marry. They're thinking do they like the person at all.
It’s like offering a child sushi slathered in wasabi and expecting them to say, “Yum!” They won’t. Start with something familiar—different enough to be exciting, but familiar enough to feel safe. Then you can expand their palate.
The Swing is Not Always King
This hard-earned lesson came from growing Seattle Kettlebell Club from a few personal training clients into one of the largest kettlebell gyms in the world. When we stopped relying on overly technical workshops as our primary intro offer and replaced them with fun, low-technique workouts that packed a punch, the proof was in the sweat and the smiles—people could see themselves coming back and using kettlebells again. They lined up after those sessions to become members. They left feeling great about how they did and wanting more—and were cleaning and snatching in no time after joining.
The Same Principle Applies to Coaching
Instead of technique drills and strict form cues, meet your client where they’re at with movements that are fun, natural, and familiar—movements that mirror activities your clients already enjoy, whether it’s sports, play, or simply feeling powerful.
Show them how that fun movement is not only training their hips for explosive power but also building grip strength for rock climbing and enhancing body awareness for everything from hiking to jiu-jitsu—or just getting up off the floor without pain.
Connection first. Education second.
Build Trust Before You Hammer Technique
Trust is the bedrock of effective coaching. When your client feels seen, heard, and like they’re winning from the start, you’ve earned the right to go deeper. That’s when you can introduce more technical lifts like cleans and snatches. But if you lead with the heavy stuff too soon, you lose them—every single time.
Try This Instead:
Start with wins. Eliminate as many "no - you're doing that wrong" opportunities as possible and let the kettlebell’s uniqueness shine through.
Choose low-technique kettlebell exercises —moves like ballistic rows showcase the distinctiveness of kettlebell training and are easier to do “right” than “wrong.”
Connect it to what they know— Tie every exercise back to your client’s personal goals and the activities or sports they already enjoy.
- Layer in technique over time—Once they trust you and trust themselves wielding a kettlebell, they’ll be ready for the finer details.
The Bottom Line
While we may subscribe to the mantra "To exercise is human, to lift kettlebells is divine," many trainers inadvertently turn people off from this awesome and otherwise addictive modality when they drill too much technique too soon.
Great coaches build trust and create a string of small wins before overwhelming clients with corrections. If you want to build a waitlist for classes or personal training clients focused on kettlebells, prioritize helping them enjoy every rep first—without worrying about doing it wrong. Get in there, build that confidence, and watch your clients transform.
Ready to build a long roster of kettlebell clients? Introduce your beginners to the kettlebell in a way that’s engaging, fun, and effective. Download our comprehensive guide: Top 10 Kettlebell Exercises to Hook New Clients now.
Related readings
Nikolai Puchlov
Nikolai Puchlov is a veteran strength and conditioning coach whose career began in 1995 under mentors Willie Austin and Andrew “Bull” Stewart. Over the next three decades he turned that apprenticeship into a multifaceted path as an athlete, coach, inventor, and entrepreneur.
After studying with kettlebell expert Tom Corrigan and Master of Sport Mikhail Marshak in 2012, he founded Seattle Kettlebell Club. Within a few seasons his training system had lifted the club into the top tier of teams worldwide and produced dozens of national and world‑record holders. Puchlov’s own lifts have set multiple U.S. records as well.
Powerlifting circles took notice too: in 2014 the Washington State chapter of USA Powerlifting named him Coach of the Year, citing his technical eye and athlete‑centered approach.
The innovative streak that drives his programming soon found its way into hardware. In 2020 Nikolai and his wife Amber unveiled the patented Atlas and Apollo Pro Kettlebells—competition‑grade bells whose ergonomic design has earned praise across the global kettlebell community. The pair also released Level‑Up Magnetic Weight Chips, the Pro Kettlebell Workouts app, and a growing catalogue of digital training resources.
Today the couple co‑lead the Pro Kettlebell Certification Series and Professional Kettlebell Trainer Program, distilling evidence‑based coaching methods for fitness professionals around the world. Through thousands of sessions, seminars, and brand consultations, Nikolai continues to help athletes replace guesswork with smart, progressive training and reach new levels of performance.