NUCCLR kettlebells

Why choose NUCCLR kettlebells?

NUCCLR is this shop's own brand, and in this category that shows straight away in the make-up of the range: four of the six items are sets. No other brand here commits so clearly to the complete range instead of the single bell. That is a deliberate choice, because the expensive mistake with kettlebells is not the wrong brand but the wrong weight. A single 8 or 12 kg bell feels heavy for the first few weeks and six months later only earns its place in your warm-up.

The second characteristic is that both ranges exist in both materials. With many brands the material is tied to a particular weight or a particular price bracket, so you can never compare cleanly: choose a coating and you also change the range. Here the same series is ready in cast iron and in PU, so the only thing you decide is the material. That keeps the trade-off simple: how much does your floor matter, and how many repetitions do you do in one go.

The two single bells then fill in the ends. The 8 kg PU bell is there if you want to start with one weight, or to add a second light bell to a set for single-arm work, while the 28 kg cast iron bell takes the step beyond the full range. Also take a look at the other fitness equipment from NUCCLR, because the house brand reaches further than these bells alone.

The NUCCLR range of kettlebells

Six items: two weight ranges that each exist in cast iron and in PU, plus one single bell at the bottom end and one at the top.

• Cast iron set from 6 to 24 kg: the full range in bare iron. This is the most compact and most affordable way to cover everything from light swings to heavy two-handed swings and goblet squats in one go. Iron stays hard on your floor, so put something underneath.
• Cast iron set from 6 to 12 kg: the same material limited to the entry range. Plenty for swings, core and arm work and almost any beginner programme, in the slimmest shape per kilo.
• PU set from 4 to 24 kg: the full range with a plastic coating. The bells are slightly larger at the same weight, but they protect your floor and feel more comfortable when you run long sets.
• PU set from 4 to 12 kg: the entry range with a coating, and at 4 kg the lightest starting point of the four sets. That light start helps with single-arm shoulder and arm work.
• Single PU kettlebell of 8 kg: one coated bell in what is the first real working weight for a lot of people. Meant for a light start, or to top up a set with a second bell in the same weight.
• Single cast iron kettlebell of 28 kg: the step above the full range. For anyone who already swings 24 kg comfortably and wants to load hip work more heavily.

Which NUCCLR kettlebell suits you?

The choice splits into two questions here: which range do you need, and which material suits your room and your training.

You are a complete beginner training indoors: take the PU set from 4 to 12 kg. You start light enough for technique and single-arm work, the steps upward are already in the house, and the coating keeps your floor intact when you put a bell down beside you.

You already swing 12 kg and notice it getting light: move to a set that runs up to 24 kg. Above 12 kg is where two-handed swings, goblet squats and heavier hip work begin, and that is exactly where people with a single bell get stuck.

You train in a garage or shed and want as many kilos as possible: choose cast iron. It is slimmer per kilo and the cheapest route to a complete range, and on a concrete floor the protection of a coating counts for less.

You have a wooden, laminate or poured floor: choose PU and still put something underneath. The coating absorbs most of it, but a rubber base or one of our mats prevents dents in the spot where the bell lands every set.

You want to try one bell first: pick the single 8 kg PU bell. Do expect to want something heavier within a few months, because kettlebell progression moves in steps of roughly 4 kg, not in the fine increments of weight plates.

You are already strong and sit above the set range: then the single 28 kg cast iron bell is the logical addition. It stands next to your set rather than replacing it, because you keep using the lighter bells for warming up, technique and arm work.

What to look out for when buying NUCCLR kettlebells

Cast iron or PU

With this brand this is the sharpest decision, because both materials cover exactly the same range. Cast iron is cheaper and slimmer at the same weight, which makes a heavy bell easier to swing between your knees. The downside: bare iron is hard on your floor and can irritate your hands once the repetitions add up. PU is slightly bigger and a little more expensive, but it protects your floor and feels more comfortable in long sets.

Entry range or full range

Up to 12 kg covers swings, core and arm work and virtually every beginner programme. Above 12 kg is where two-handed swings, goblet squats and heavier hip work start, and people get there faster than they expect. If you are torn between the two, work out what you would pay later for the missing kilos bought separately. Almost always the larger set turns out to be the cheaper route to the same end point.

Set or single bell

Anyone buying one bell nearly always picks too light and has outgrown it within six months. That is because kettlebell progression moves in steps of around 4 kg: you work explosively and with your whole body, so a difference of one or two kilos is barely noticeable. With a set you have the whole range in the house and can grab a different weight per exercise, which a single bell simply cannot do. You do pay up front, and that is the honest flip side.

Handle width and hand size

For two-handed swings and for the clean you want a handle where two hands fit side by side; a narrow one pushes you towards single-arm work. With ordinary kettlebells like these the bell grows as the weight goes up, so the lightest bells in a set also have the smallest handle. If you mostly do two-handed work, choose the set that runs to 24 kg and keep the light bells for single-arm exercises. Wide hands or gloves are one more argument for the full range.

Floor and storage

You do not drop a kettlebell the way you drop a bumper plate, and that includes the coated version. The damage almost always happens when you set it down, and a rubber base or a mat under your working spot solves it. A set of five or six bells also needs a fixed place, otherwise they end up scattered across the floor. One of our storage systems keeps the series in order and stops you tripping over your own iron.

Our advice: first decide whether you will go above 12 kg, and only then choose the material. With this brand that second step is a real choice, because both ranges exist in cast iron and in PU, so you are not silently trading something else away. If you train on a vulnerable floor or run long sets, take PU; if it is purely about as many kilos as possible, take cast iron. And if you want finer weight increments than the 4 kg of kettlebells, dumbbells are the more logical starting point.

Who are NUCCLR kettlebells suitable for?

• Beginners who do not want to buy twice: you do not yet know which weight suits you, and with a set you do not have to predict it. You take whatever works per exercise.
• Home trainers with a sensitive floor: the PU sets cover the same range as the cast iron ones, without bare iron on your laminate.
• Anyone who wants a full workout from one tool: swings, goblet squats, presses, rows and core work all come from the same bells, and with a range up to 24 kg you have the right weight for each exercise.
• Athletes working explosively: think of field sport players, runners and anyone doing functional training at home. Steps of 4 kg match the way you train with a kettlebell.
• Trainers and small studios: two complete ranges in one material give you enough variation to work with several people side by side.
• Advanced lifters missing only the top end: the single 28 kg cast iron bell extends an existing series without buying a second set.

Less suitable if you take part in competitive kettlebell sport and want a bell with fixed dimensions and an identical handle at every weight, because that is not part of this brand's range. And if you genuinely have no room for five or six separate bells, one adjustable weight will get you further: in that case look at adjustable dumbbells or at an adjustable kettlebell within the category.

Need help choosing?

Would you like to buy NUCCLR kettlebells but are you not quite sure which weight, which finish or which set suits you? We are happy to help. You can reach our fitness specialists by phone on +31 85 773 00 57, send an email or visit our fitness store in Volkel, the Netherlands.

Frequently asked questions about NUCCLR kettlebells

Would I not be better off starting with one single bell?

You can, and the single 8 kg PU bell is the item for it. Just know that most people pick too light and have outgrown it within six months, because kettlebell progression moves in steps of about 4 kg. On top of that you often want a different weight for a press or a single-arm row than for a swing, and with one bell you cannot make that choice. So work out in advance what one bell plus two extra purchases costs against a set, because the set usually comes out better.

Cast iron or PU: which do I choose for home?

Look at your floor first. On concrete or in a garage cast iron is fine; on laminate, wood or a poured floor PU is the safer choice. Then look at your training: if you run long sets of swings, the softer coating is more pleasant in the hand than bare iron. If you are after as many kilos as possible on a limited budget, cast iron stays slimmer and cheaper at the same weight.

Which range do I need, up to 12 or up to 24 kg?

Up to 12 kg covers swings, core and arm work and most beginner programmes, which is often enough for the first few months. As soon as you add two-handed swings, goblet squats and heavier hip work, you end up above 12 kg. If you have already been training with bodyweight or dumbbells for a while, start with the full range straight away. If you are genuinely new, the entry range is defensible, but count on buying the upper part separately later.

Can I drop a NUCCLR kettlebell?

No, a kettlebell is not built for that, and neither is the coated version. Unlike bumper plates, kettlebells are meant to be set down under control, and most damage happens exactly at that moment at the end of a set. Put a mat or a rubber base where the bell lands and you spare both your floor and the coating. With cast iron that is not a luxury but a condition if your floor means anything to you.

How do I store a set of five or six bells?

Along a wall on the floor works, but in practice you lose square metres quickly and trip over the light bells. A rack or stand keeps the series in weight order and within reach, so you switch quickly during a session. Put the rack where you actually train, because moving kettlebells around is precisely what you do not want to do between sets. If you combine your bells with other free weights, choose a system that can take dumbbells or plates as well.