You've made the decision- a kettlebell is the way to go.  You've decided you need one (or three) to dress up your gym.

You start looking for kettlebells and trying to decide what's the best one for you.

But how do you know if the kettlebell you choose is awesome or awful?

Never fear, Fringe Fam- we have the answers to all your questions so you can assess the awesome factor of any kettlebell.   

Great (virgin) iron

Before you go wondering just where we’re going with this - think about it.  Do you want that kettlebell to be made up of a bunch of scrap pieces that are melted together - and might come apart mid-swing?  Or would you rather know it is a single hunk of premium iron that has never been used for anything else?   Yeah - us too - count us in for the single never-before-used hunk! 

Great coating

Are we talking about something furry? Or a sweet hoodie?  Nope - we’re talking about the tough-as-nails powder coating that will be on top of an awesome kettlebell.  This coating is made to last and will hold chalk so the kettlebell doesn’t slip out of your hand and land on the tootsies. It also makes that kettlebell look sophisticated!

Great handle

Everyone wants to wrap their hands around a great handle when they’re going to be swinging or working.  Think about handlebars in a bicycle - or grips on a motorcycle - or the slick grip on a bat - it has to fit just perfectly.  Same with a kettlebell handle.  You want it to be a Goldilocks handle - just the right fit in your hot little hand!   And - if you have a great handle, you won't be too nervous to do the fancy swinging like PK is above!

Great shape

Ahhh - a great  shape.  Whether it’s the lines of your favorite sports car, or maybe the shape of your favorite piece of sculpture , or it could be the shape of the most delicious pizza you’ve ever tasted - we all love that perfect shape.  And a kettlebell is no different.  When made just the right way (there’s Goldilocks again!), that kettlebell will fly through the air with the greatest of ease at the end of your hand and make workouts feel effortless!  Remember, when you're looking at one - there's a reason it's called a "bell!"

 Great bottom

We know what you’re thinking - and you aren’t far off.  The bottom of your kettlebell needs to be nice and smooth and level.  How frustrating is it when you’re working on a floor that isn’t  level and everything you put down rolls the opposite direction?  The same with kettlebells.  If the bottom isn’t even, it will weeble and wobble and might fall down - right on a toe or a foot!

You may be wondering, after reading through all this

REALLY, Fringe - WHY DOES IT EVEN MATTER?

Well, like we said above, you want to USE that kettlebell when you get it.  It has to be right for you - remember Goldilocks!   And here's 3 points, if you don't remember anything else from what we've talked about - remember this:

• If it's awesome, it will be a JOY to lift on
• If it's a JOY to lift on, you'll use it more
• If it's awesome, it will last forever

And if it lasts forever, you can pass it down like those heirloom cast iron skillets your grandma made the best ever biscuits and gravy in when you stayed at her house!

So there you have it, Fringe Fam - the five best ways to tell if your kettlebell ranks awful or awesome.  If you’re looking for some awesome kettlebells designed specifically with you in mind, we know just the place to find them and it’s not far away. (In fact, most of you may already know where it's at!)

Have you ever had a kettlebell that ranked closer to awful than awesome?  Tell us about it below and share your stories with people who will sympathize!

And until our next discussion - remember to Lift Heavy, Lift Happy!