Kettlebells are one of the most versatile and effective tools in training – capable of building raw strength, explosive power, and conditioning all in one session. Our kettlebell classes in London are led by experienced coaches who know how to get the best from every rep, whether you’re brand new to kettlebells or looking to master advanced techniques.
Why Train with Kettlebells?
More than just a dynamic little accessory for everyone’s home gym, these powerful cast iron bells are deeply ingrained in Russian history – meaning they’re destined to be in the hands of the strong, right?
Following its use in the Russian army, the craze for the kettlebell spread so vast that it was no longer a mere conditioning tool, but it developed its own sport and was even declared the national sport. It was even advocated as a mandatory form of training for all workers during the Cold War since it was proven to bring a fitter population with higher productivity. So forget the trendy brain supplements, grab yourself a kettlebell and put in some candid hard graft!
Commando Temple kettlebell cater for both Hardstyle and Kettlebell Sport disciplines. We have full sets of both typs of kettlebell, including some very rare monsters up to 92KG!
Unlike barbells or dumbbells, kettlebells shift the load away from the centre of your hand, challenging your grip, stability, and coordination in every lift. This unique design makes them perfect for:
- Strength: developing the posterior chain, shoulders, and grip.
- Power: building explosive hip drive for athletic performance.
- Conditioning: boosting cardiovascular fitness without endless cardio.
- Mobility: improving range of motion under load for long-term joint health.
Kettlebell training can stand alone or complement strength, endurance, and sport-specific programmes.
Differences Between Kettlebell Training and Traditional Weight Training
Kettlebell Training
- Load is offset from the handle, challenging grip and stabilisers in every lift.
- Emphasises dynamic, full-body movements that combine strength, power, and conditioning.
- Builds rotational strength, anti-rotation control, and mobility under load.
- Easy to switch between strength and conditioning within the same session.
- Requires lighter equipment and space — can be highly time-efficient.
Traditional Weight Training
- Load is evenly distributed, allowing for heavier maximal lifts.
- Often focuses on isolated muscle groups or single movement patterns per lift.
- Builds linear strength in fixed planes of motion.
- Usually separates strength and conditioning work into different sessions.
- Requires racks, benches, and more space for set-up.
Who Our Kettlebell Classes in London Are For
Our classes are open to all levels, with coaching tailored to your ability and goals. They’re ideal for:
- Beginners learning safe, efficient technique from day one.
- Strength athletes adding kettlebells as accessory work.
- Martial artists looking for rotational power and explosive conditioning.
- Strongman and Strongwoman competitors building grip endurance, shoulder stability, and work capacity.
- Calisthenics athletes improving core control, anti-rotation strength, and shoulder endurance.
What You’ll Learn
You’ll develop both the fundamentals and advanced skills, including:
- Foundational lifts: swing, clean, press, snatch, goblet squat, Turkish get-up.
- Double kettlebell drills for increased load and complexity.
- Complexes and flows for conditioning and movement efficiency.
- Programming principles so you can integrate kettlebells into your wider training.
Class Structure
A typical class includes:
- Warm-up and mobility work focused on kettlebell movement patterns.
- Skill block: learning or refining a lift.
- Strength block: heavier loads, lower reps.
- Conditioning block: timed sets, complexes, or EMOM work.
- Cooldown and mobility drills to aid recovery and joint health.
Every kettlebell class is coached to ensure proper form, smart progression, and an appropriate challenge for your level.
Sport-Specific Benefits
Strongman / Strongwoman
- Grip endurance for farmers carries and axle lifts.
- Shoulder stability for pressing events.
- Core bracing under awkward loads.
Calisthenics
- Dynamic shoulder stability for handstands and levers.
- Posterior chain strength for pull-ups and planches.
- Anti-rotation control for midline integrity.
Combat Sports
- Rotational power for strikes and throws.
- Conditioning for high-intensity exchanges.
Injury Prevention and Joint Health
Kettlebell training strengthens stabilising muscles, ligaments, and tendons in ways traditional lifts sometimes miss. This can:
- Improve shoulder and hip mobility under load.
- Balance opposing muscle groups to protect against overuse injuries.
- Build resilient connective tissue that can handle heavy or repetitive loading.
By combining strength and mobility work, kettlebells help you train harder for longer — without breaking down.
Equipment and Coaching
- We have the largest collection of kettlebells in London up to 48kg in competition style and to 93kg black series/ hardstyle kettlebells. Further down the page, there are descriptions in case you are unsure about the distinction between the two types.
- All kettlebells will be provided to you at the gym, from light to heavy competition-grade.
- 121 and small group classes for personal attention and feedback.
- Expert coaching – Our kettlebell coaches have years of experience in kettlebell sport, strength training, and athletic development.
- Numerous strongfirst / RKC qualified kettlebell instructors (seen as the gold standard for the industry)
Join a Kettlebell Class in London
Whether you want to master the swing, build all-round athleticism, or add a powerful conditioning tool to your training, our kettlebell classes give you the coaching, challenge, and progression you need.
The 2 Kettlebell Training Types
Hardstyle Kettlebells
The kettlebell requires strength, mobility, balance, coordination and mental tenacity, so this is the ultimate conditioning workout for both the seasoned athlete and the gym newbie. Gain total mastery of the kettlebell with a safe, yet explosive workout which will see you torching body fat and strengthening your body so it is primed for all of life’s hankerings. Our overall aim in these classes is to develop fool proof form, performing each movement with maximum force and tension so your body is fit to shrug off the most demanding of applications.
Kettlebell Sport
For those wanting to take their training one step further, Kettlebell Sport adopts simple rules but with a savage task at hand. With three main events (snatch, jerk, and long cycle), the aim is to perform the prescribed exercise for a maximum number of reps in 10 minutes. Looking to throw yourself deeper into that lactic-acid whirlpool? Kettlebell Marathon (60 minutes for maximum reps) or Kettlebell Pentathlon (5 different lifts at 5 different weights, performed for 6 minutes over 50 minutes) is for the braves and most accomplished of the sport. If you’re ready to level up, let one of our coaching team introduce you to the wonderful world of competition.
THE COMMANDO TEMPLE GYM
The Commando Temple has a world class, unrivalled collection of equipment and apparatus available to our Old Time Strongman Training Classes including:
- Training logs, plate loadable at 40 kg, 62.5 kg and 80 kg
- Conan’s Wheel with built-in Viking Press
- Kegs weighing 27 kg, 40 kg, 50 kg, 65 kg, 80 kg and 100 kg
- Replica Dinnie stones weighing 104 kg, 147 kg and 207 kg
- Poliquin and Watson strongman bars
- 227 kg, 350 kg and 512 kg tyres
- Farmer’s walk handles weighing 40kg, 150 kg (plate loadable) and a pair of plates
- Eight Atlas platforms and stones weighing 30 kg, 40 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 77 kg, 100 kg, 125 kg and 143 kg
- Husafell stones weighing 55 kg, 75 kg, 100 kg, 125 kg and 140kg
- Adjustable yoke
- Thomas Inch-style circus bells weighing 21 kg, 32 kg, 43 kg, 65.9 kg, 71.7 kg and three at 78 kg
- Texas Power Bar, safety squat bar, hex bar
- Texas Deadlift Bar
- Blacksmiths anvil weighing 126 kg (and pimped for additional uses) and 56 kg anvil
- Thick stubby 2 1/2″ and 3″ bars, long axle bar, Watson Dr Tom’s Combo Bar
- Iron Mind pulling harness
- Prowlers
- Olympic lifting platforms with Taishan competition plates
- Kettle bells up to 93.3 kg
- Chalk and lots of it!
- Dumbbells up to 80 kg in pairs
Read more about the Commando Temple Gym.