Shoulders
Kettlebell Press
The Kettlebell Press is a strength exercise with a kettlebell for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 29%, side delts 16% and triceps (lateral head) 9%.
Also known as: kettlebell press single arm
How to do it
- Clean one kettlebell to the rack position at your shoulder, bell resting on the outside of the forearm.
- Stand with feet hip-width and brace your core and glutes.
- Press the kettlebell straight up, turning the palm slightly forward as the arm straightens.
- Finish with the arm straight overhead and the biceps by the ear.
- Lower the bell back to the rack under control, then switch sides after the set.
Tips
- Make a fist with the free hand and squeeze to stay tight.
- Keep the forearm vertical under the bell throughout.
Common mistakes
- Leaning the torso away from the kettlebell.
- Bending the wrist back under the bell.
- Pressing the bell out wide instead of straight up.
Muscles worked by the Kettlebell Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Dumbbells travel wider and need more stabilising (Saeterbakken 2013). An offset load has to be resisted by the trunk. Pressing overhead is shoulder flexion and abduction with elbow extension: the front delt leads, the lateral delt and triceps assist, and the upper traps and serratus rotate the shoulder blade up.
Kettlebell Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Easier
No equipment
Make it harder
Make it easier
- Band Shoulder Press
- Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
- Single Arm Machine Shoulder Press
- Hammer Strength Shoulder Press
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Kettlebell Press work?
Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Kettlebell Press good for beginners?
The Kettlebell Press is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Band Shoulder Press first and build up from there.
What is a good alternative to the Kettlebell Press?
For example the Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Single Arm Overhead Press and Kettlebell Double Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Kettlebell Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press and Barbell Z Press.
Sources
- Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)
Log your sets in Zulta
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