What's Wrong with Kettlebells (And Why They Go Unused)
Table of contents
Originally published in 2020. Updated in 2026
Most Kettlebells in Gyms Go Unused—What’s Wrong with Them?
Most people think it’s a training problem.
It’s not.
Walk into many gyms and you’ll see the same thing.
Unused kettlebells sitting alone in the corner or shoved up against a wall.
Sometimes they get used as doorstops.
Sometimes they collect dust.
Sometimes someone tries them once… and never touches them again.
If you’re a gym owner, you’ve probably wondered why you bothered.
After all, kettlebells are often described as one of the most versatile and effective training tools available.
So how do they end up being some of the loneliest pieces of equipment in your gym?
The Real Problem Most People Miss
Many people say the issue is that the average gym member has a:
Lack of interest
Misunderstanding of what they're used for
Thinks kettlebells are “advanced”
And sure—if someone doesn’t understand the benefits or how to use them, that can be part of it.
But after years of coaching, we’ve found something far more common.
Interest is for sure not the problem.
The problem often starts with the kettlebell itself.
A Tool That Wasn’t Built for Modern Training
Kettlebells weren’t originally designed for strength training—they were scale weights used to measure goods.
Over time, strongmen began using them for training. Eventually, Russians formalized kettlebell sport (girevoy sport) and standardized the weights in the mid-20th century.
But despite their growing popularity, very little changed in the design itself.
Ergonomics weren’t the priority.
User experience wasn’t the priority.
Soviet Russia was cold and hard—and so were the kettlebells.
The shape we see in most gyms today still reflects those origins.
It wasn’t designed with your gym members in mind.
And that creates problems.
The Friction People Feel (But Don’t Always Say)
If you’ve coached kettlebells long enough, you’ve heard it:
“This hurts my forearms.”
“This feels awkward.”
“I’m not sure if I’m doing it right.”
That last one may be the biggest deterrent of all.
Small adjustments in grip and positioning can completely change how kettlebells feel on the body.
Learning how to use kettlebells correctly makes a huge difference from the very first workout.
👉 Don't Hold a Kettlebell Like a Dumbbell! Get a Proper Kettlebell Grip – Pro Kettlebell
Experienced lifters push through it.
But most people don’t.
When something feels:
uncomfortable
confusing
or slightly painful
They don’t adapt…
They avoid it.
That’s why kettlebells end up sitting unused.
What We Saw Coaching Thousands of People
When we opened Seattle Kettlebell Club in 2014, we built an entire gym around kettlebell training.
Over the years, we trained thousands of clients and grew into one of the largest kettlebell clubs in the world.
The results were undeniable.
But so were the patterns.
We consistently saw people struggle with:
Forearm impact from the bell
Handle shapes and coatings that limit functionality of the kettlebell
Bottom-heavy designs that were harder to control
Bells that were too large or too small for the person's body
Narrow bases that made floor work unstable
Bells that bounce and roll away when dropped
Even with great coaching…
The equipment was creating friction.
Here’s the Part Most People Get Wrong
When someone struggles with kettlebells, the assumption is:
“They just need better technique.”
But that’s not always true.
Use the wrong tool for the job, and it's harder every time.
And when that happens…
People don’t stick with it.
Why do kettlebells hurt my forearms?
Kettlebells rest on the forearm during many exercises and depending on the design of the kettlebell, the impact can be uncomfortable. While experienced users adapt over time, they are still not exempt from interrupted training and injury from repeated damage to the tissue. Time and improved technique help. The right design (e.g. Pro Kettlebells) eliminates the issue altogether.
Why do kettlebells feel awkward to use?
Kettlebells can feel awkward because the weight sits below the handle, unlike a dumbbell where the weight is centered. This changes how movements are performed and requires coordination and timing. For new users, this unfamiliar feel can make exercises seem harder than expected.
Are kettlebells bad for beginners?
Kettlebells are not bad for beginners—but they can feel challenging at first. The combination of technique, timing, and equipment design creates a learning curve. With proper instruction and the right kettlebell, most people can learn quickly and safely.
Choosing the right starting weight is one of the biggest factors in early success.
👉 [LINK: What Weight Kettlebell Should I Get Quiz]
Do kettlebells hurt your back?
Kettlebells don’t hurt your back—but like any training tool, using them incorrectly can. Most issues come from poor hinge mechanics or losing control during swings and deadlifts. The kettlebell swing, in particular, is where most of these issues show up first.
👉 [LINK: Kettlebell Swing Technique Guide]
When done properly, kettlebell training strengthens the muscles that support your back. The difference comes down to technique and control.
And just like forearm discomfort or awkward handling, sometimes the issue isn’t the movement—it’s how the tool interacts with your body.
What Happens When You Remove the Friction
During COVID, when the gym shut down, we had time to focus on a question we’d been asking for years:
How can the kettlebell itself could be improved?
Not to change kettlebell training.
But to remove the barriers that stop people from doing it.
We took everything we had seen from years of coaching and started designing from scratch.
.
Designing a Kettlebell for Real Training
After 5 CAD Designers, more than 30 prototypes, and hand-sanding the contours to achieve the final shape, we created the Pro Kettlebell.
Not as a replacement for kettlebell training.
But as a refinement of the tool itself.
You can see exactly how that design comes together here:
👉 https://prokettlebell.com/pro-kettlebells-game-changing-design
It was designed to address the exact issues we saw in real gyms:
Reduced forearm impact
Intuitive, ergonomic shape
A hollow-body design for optimum weight balance
A handle created for performance
A wide, stable base for floor work
Anti-roll design for safer environments
An open bottom machined for compatibility with magnetic chip weights
Why This Matters
Kettlebells are one of the most powerful training tools available.
They can build:
strength
conditioning
coordination
joint health
mobility
endurance
and injury resilience
All with a single piece of equipment.
If you want to see what kettlebells are truly capable of, explore our full library of kettlebell exercises.
👉 The Ultimate Kettlebell Exercise Library: 365 Kettlebell Moves for Wild Strength & Athleticism
But if the tool creates friction…
People will stop using it.
The Bottom Line
There’s nothing wrong with kettlebell training.
But there can be something wrong with the kettlebell.
Fix that…
The bells get used.
The members keep coming.
The benefits explode.
Everybody wins.
👉 Building out your kettlebell section? Email us now for full-set discounts and gym pricing.
👉 Wondering how many you need to outfit a class? Download our free guide here.
