Color coodinated

Do you know why all the kettlebells in the gym are color coordinated? Sure, it keeps things organized—but there’s another reason, too.

When I first started coaching, I primarily worked with middle school and high school athletes. One of my most memorable groups was a varsity girls’ soccer team. Many of them had the talent and drive to play in college, and they needed to get stronger.

At that time, it was the Wild West of kettlebells. You couldn’t just buy a full set at Target or online, and if you managed to track down a mail-order catalog, you’d pay a ridiculous price. Basically, if you had a chance to buy a kettlebell, you took it.

That meant the gym’s collection was a mismatched mess—different sizes, diameters, colors, and markings. Most were labeled only in kilograms, others had pounds stamped somewhere hard to read.

Because of that, I would hand out kettlebells for each session so everyone got the right weight. Since the bells were so inconsistent, and no one could easily tell what they weighed, the athletes simply squatted whatever was in front of them.

After a few weeks, I noticed something interesting: the girls were progressing on their goblet squats but not their trap-bar deadlifts. I couldn’t figure out why—until it hit me.

With the deadlifts, they loaded their own bars, and it’s very clear how much a 45-pound plate weighs. When they knew the number, it made them nervous. When they didn’t, they just lifted.

Once I realized that, I did two things: I went to the hardware store, bought a bunch of spray paint, and spent the afternoon color-coding the kettlebells by weight. Then, during future sessions, I’d simply tell them, “Grab the yellow,” or “Grab the blue.”

I also started loading the trap bars myself. Only after a successful lift would I tell them how much was on the bar.

That simple shift taught me an important coaching lesson:
Numbers can be intimidating. Seeing them can make people think, I’m not strong enough for that or That’s too heavy—I’ll get hurt.

So the color-coordinated kettlebells stuck around. Now, when new clients start training, I tell them not to worry about the pounds—just think of it as the orange or blue or yellow kettlebell.

That subtle mindset shift can unlock even more strength gains.

—Justin Miner