Kettlebell

My instructor said start with 5 lb kettle bells until you have the form down. Form is more important than anything. Women should increase to 10 lbs, but unless they want to really bulk up they shouldn't go higher than 15. It's the exercises that you do that are key. The more muscle groups used during the exercise the better the results. Build everything up slowly.

My sister started this way and has had awesome success. I'm starting on this soon.

Ok, I'm going to say that your instructor is full of crap and giving you bad advice. I know plenty of fit women doing 35 lbs and they are far from bulky. Artofstrength.com has some videos of very non-bulky women doing 70 lb kettlebells. The common advice though is that there is a point of diminishing returns in weight of KBs and 35 lbs will do most fit women nicely.

The only reason someone would start at less than 15 lbs is due to incredible muscle weakness. If you are using less than 15, you are most likely treating kettlebells like an arm workout. Using light weights actually makes it harder, I think. Kettlebells are really using your legs and a lighter weight encourages bad form.

Umm...that's a bit presumptuous. Everybody is different and should start at a weight that they can comfortably handle and then move up once they've ready. I will fully admit that I don't have the greatest upper body strength, but I am in good shape and certainly wouldn't classify myself as having 'incredible muscle weakness'. I started with the 10lb. kettlebell and just recently moved up to the 15lb. one. I'm struggling a bit to keep proper form with the new heavier weight.

Well, as a girl with pitiful upper body strength (certain exercises using 5 pound dumbbells are in fact challenging for me lol), I'm fine with 20 lbs for swings and I still don't consider myself to be "in shape". I have a 10 pound bell as well but I only use that for presses. 10 pound swings feel like absolutely nothing is happening, I can't even imagine going lower than that, and I felt that way even after starting with kettlebells after being sedentary for months. I also don't see myself bulking up any time soon... there's no way any exercise using only 20 lbs is going to make someone bulk up. lol

Make sure your trainers are actually certified to teach with kettlebells. Otherwise they're about as trustworthy as strangers on the internet.

Well, as a girl with pitiful upper body strength (certain exercises using 5 pound dumbbells are in fact challenging for me lol), I'm fine with 20 lbs for swings and I still don't consider myself to be "in shape". I have a 10 pound bell as well but I only use that for presses. 10 pound swings feel like absolutely nothing is happening, I can't even imagine going lower than that, and I felt that way even after starting with kettlebells after being sedentary for months. I also don't see myself bulking up any time soon... there's no way any exercise using only 20 lbs is going to make someone bulk up. lol

Make sure your trainers are actually certified to teach with kettlebells. Otherwise they're about as trustworthy as strangers on the internet.

Sure, if we're talking swings - I don't have any problems doing 15lbs. with those (I could probably even use the 20lb. bell for those). I'm talking Turkish get-ups, clean & press,etc.

Replying partly so I can go back to the websites and names. I have heard of kb but if they are not an upper body workout what are they. Do they give a total body workout of more for core?

More of a total body workout. A lot of the work is actually in the legs.