Built by a certified kettlebell instructor

Every Kettlebell Standard. One Place.

Bell size, S&S goals, SFG cert prep, snatch test pacing — the tools serious practitioners actually need.

Find my bell size Get the right starting weight for your level and goal Simple & Sinister Track progress toward the S&S timed standards SFG cert prep Know your snatch test weight and press requirement Snatch test pace Calculate the rep cadence you need to pass in 5 minutes
Calculators

The Tools

Eight calculators covering every question a kettlebell practitioner faces — from day one through SFG II.

Bell Size FinderWhat weight should you start with?
S&S Progress TrackerSimple & Sinister goal checker
SFG Cert CalculatorSFG I & II requirements for your bodyweight
Snatch Test Pace Calculator100 reps in 5 minutes — plan your cadence
Q&D Readiness CheckAre you ready for Quick & the Dead?
Program SelectorWhich Pavel program fits where you are?
S&S Timeline EstimatorHow long to Simple or Sinister?
Beast Tamer / Iron MaidenThe ultimate StrongFirst challenge
Reference

All Major Standards

Every significant kettlebell program standard in one table. Use this as your roadmap.

Standard / program Men target Women target Format Level
Simple & Sinister (Pavel Tsatsouline)
Timeless Simple
No time limit — own the weight		 32 kg24 kg swings
16 kg TGU		 100 swings + 10 TGUs Foundation
Timed Simple
Swings in 5 min, TGUs in 10 min		 32 kg24 kg swings
16 kg TGU		 10×10 swings / 5 min
10 TGUs / 10 min		 Intermediate
Sinister
Same format, heavier bell		 48 kg (Beast)32 kg 10×10 swings / 5 min
10 TGUs / 10 min		 Elite
StrongFirst SFG Certification
SFG I Snatch Test
Bodyweight-based bell selection		 24 kg (most)16 kg (most) 100 reps / 5 min
Unlimited switches + rest		 Cert
SFG I Skills Swing, Double Clean, Press, Double Front Squat, Snatch, Get-up — 5 reps/side Technical assessment Cert
SFG II Press
Must hold SFG I		 ½ bodyweight⅓ bodyweight Strict military press
+ snatch test + skills		 Advanced cert
StrongFirst Challenges
Beast Tamer (men)
Iron Maiden (women)		 48 kg press
48 kg pull-up
48 kg pistol		 24 kg press
24 kg pull-up
24 kg pistol		 All 3 lifts in one attempt at a StrongFirst cert Elite
Quick & the Dead (Pavel Tsatsouline)
Q&D Protocol
Prerequisite: Timed Simple		 32 kg swings20–24 kg swings 10×10 swings + 10×10 push-ups
Alternating in 3-min sets, 3×/wk		 Advanced
Enter the Kettlebell / ROP (Pavel Tsatsouline)
ROP Right of Passage 24 kg C&P16 kg C&P Clean & press ladders
5 rungs × 5 ladders		 Intermediate
RKC Snatch Test 24 kg16 kg 100 reps / 5 min Cert
StrongFirst certification

The SFG Path

The StrongFirst SFG kettlebell certification has a 25–30% failure rate. Here's what each level demands.

Prerequisites

Before you register

No formal prerequisite for SFG I, but StrongFirst strongly recommends arriving at the Simple standard or close to it. Three to six months of dedicated prep is realistic for most.

Minimum suggested before attending:
Timed Simple standard (or close)
Comfortable double kettlebell work
100 snatches in under 6 minutes with test bell
Solid technique in all six SFG skills
SFG Level I

SFG I

A three-day physical weekend. Technique is assessed across all six fundamental skills plus the snatch test on the final day. Chalk allowed; no supportive gear.

Snatch test: 100 reps / 5 min (bodyweight-based bell)
Skills: Swing, Double Clean, Press, Double Front Squat, Snatch, Get-up
All: 5 reps/side with appropriate double bells
Credential: Valid 2 years; recertification required
SFG Level II

SFG II

Must hold a current SFG I. A two-day event testing advanced skills plus a demanding press strength standard — the most common point of failure.

Press test: ½ BW for men · ⅓ BW for women
Additional skills: Windmill, Bent Press, Double Snatch, Double Push Press, Double Jerk
Snatch test: Same SFG I standard repeated
Masters 50+: Separate requirements apply
Work with a certified instructor

Train smarter.
Get coached.

These tools tell you where you stand. A StrongFirst certified instructor tells you exactly how to get where you're going — and stops you wasting months on the wrong program.

Find an SFG instructorStrongFirst worldwide directory
SFG I certificationDates, pricing & how to register
Kettlebell KingsPremium bells — affiliate link
Rogue FitnessCompetition & cast iron bells — affiliate link
Common questions

FAQ

For men with no training background, a 16 kg bell is the standard starting recommendation — heavy enough to teach you to use your hips, light enough to learn technique safely. Athletic men often jump straight to 24 kg. Women typically start at 8–12 kg; those with a strength training background start at 12–16 kg. The Bell Size Finder above gives you a personalised recommendation based on your background and goal.
The Timed Simple standard (32 kg for men, 24/16 kg for women) takes most dedicated practitioners 6–18 months of near-daily training. Sinister (48 kg for men) is a multi-year goal — realistic for strong, committed practitioners but genuinely rare. The S&S Timeline Estimator above gives you a rough projection based on where you are now and how often you train.
The snatch test bell is determined by your bodyweight and sex. Most men use 24 kg and most women use 16 kg — but heavier lifters may be required to use a 28 or 32 kg bell. The SFG Cert Calculator above shows your exact required weight plus your double kettlebell testing weights and, for SFG II, your military press requirement. Always verify current requirements directly at StrongFirst.com.
No. Pavel explicitly designed Q&D for advanced practitioners — it requires the Simple standard as a prerequisite because the protocol demands you express max power, which requires a solid strength base. Without that foundation, Q&D will just be another conditioning workout rather than the power-development tool it's designed to be. Complete Timed Simple first. The Q&D Readiness Check above will tell you where you stand.
The Beast Tamer (men) and Iron Maiden (women) are the most elite challenges StrongFirst offers. Men must strict press, pull-up, and perform a pistol squat with the 48 kg "Beast" kettlebell in a single attempt. Women do the same with 24 kg. It can only be attempted at a StrongFirst certification event. The Beast Tamer / Iron Maiden checker above shows you how close you are to each of the three lifts.
100 reps in 5 minutes works out to 20 reps per minute, or a rep roughly every 3 seconds. Most people use the classic 10R/10L pattern: 10 snatches right, switch, 10 left, rest for the remainder of the minute, repeat 5 times. The key is not going out too fast — a pace you can hold for all 5 rounds beats an all-out first set that blows up by round 3. The Snatch Test Pace Calculator above gives you a full set-by-set breakdown based on your strategy.