Ideal kettlebell handle position has been mentioned in a couple of articles here, but due to the importance of it, and the general lack of knowledge in the fitness industry regarding it, we thought it deserved an article all of its own.

With our own PT clients and when we run workshops we find getting the handle position on the hand correct takes a lot of reinforcement because, due to most people having trained with conventional equipment such as barbells and dumbbells, the kettlebell handle position is counter intuitive at the beginning.

There is One Right Way - Anything Else is Wrong!

There is only ONE safe position for the kettlebell handle to sit on your hand when in rack or overhead lockout or anywhere between.  Because this is about safety and avoiding injury, it's not just a matter of opinion.

There are times when there are several ways of doing something, and it may be argued that some are better than others, but all are valid in their own right.  This is not the case here because there really is only one truly safe option, arguing for anything else is arguing for potential injury.

Due to the fact that the kettlebell has a displaced centre of mass, that is, the centre of mass of the kettlebell (the centre of the body of the kettlebell) sits away from the handle it must be held in exactly the right way to avoid any strain on the wrist.

The displaced centre of mass of the kettlebell also means that it should never be held like a dumbbell or barbell with the handle situated horizontally across the middle of the palm.

So What Exactly is the Correct Kettlebell Handle Position?

Correct kettlebell handle position is defined by the following:

  • Handle rests diagonally across your palm so the inside corner is sitting on the webbing between your thumb and forefinger
  • All of the pressure of the handle is on the heel or hip of your palm - the meaty part on the lower corner of your palm just above where your hand meets your wrist
  • Your wrist should be neutral and relaxed (there should be no hyperextension of the wrist)
  • You should be able to release and wiggle your fingers
  • The handle is "locked in" to your wrist if possible (or at least very close to this if you have small hands)

There is a really clear explanation of hand position in this video:

Catching the Kettlebell in the Correct Handle Position

When you catch the kettlebell in your hand in lifts like cleans and snatches, you want to be able to get it directly into the correct handle position above.  This is really important because if you don't catch it in the correct position, each repetition you catch could be causing mirco trauma to the wrist and over time this will add up and could lead to serious pain and injury.

Be particularly careful when your grip gets fatigued as this will usually lead to reps getting sloppy and the kettlebell landing incorrectly.

Watch in this clip how with each clean repetition the wrist is being pulled back into hyperextension by the weight of the kettlebell:

Catching the kettlebell in the correct hand position will require you to be able to relax your grip at the right moment in order to be able to spear your hand through the handle.  For more information on this check out these articles:

Kettlebell Clean - Training Tips

Kettlebell Snatch - Training Tip # 2

Why Kettlebell Training in Weight Training Gloves is a Bad Idea

We often get asked if it's ok to use gloves when training with kettlebells.  The answer is no.  When you're training with a kettlebell you need to be able to feel what the handle is doing.  Weight training gloves will impede this and will prevent the kettlebell handle sliding into the correct position when you're catching it in lifts such as the clean.

So, harden up and lose the gloves!

More Information on Kettlebell Training

To learn more about the finer points of kettlebell training, such as handle position, come to one of our workshops.  Our workshops are geared towards teaching you the safest, most effective way to train with kettlebells and how to teach others properly.

For more information go to our workshops website.

Tags: Kettlebells kettlebell training tips Kettlebell Training kettlebell handle position kettlebell Conditioning australian kettlebells