How to do it
- Clean a kettlebell to the front rack so it rests on the back of the forearm, elbow tight to the ribs.
- Brace hard, then press up and slightly back, rotating the palm to face forward as you go.
- Lock out overhead with the bicep by the ear, then lower back to the rack under control.
Cues that matter
- The offset load wants to pull you sideways — hold the ribcage down and the glutes tight.
- Let the wrist stay straight; the bell rides the forearm, it is not gripped up.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbow drift out and pressing around the bell.
- Side-bending away from the working arm to get the lockout.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Shoulders
- Front delt
Also works
- Triceps
- Core
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Kettlebell Overhead Press in a session, with 150 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 4–6 reps
- Build muscle
- 6–10 reps
- Endurance
- 12–20 reps
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the shoulders with different equipment — for a day the kettlebell is taken, or a gym that does not have one.
- Pike Push-UpBodyweight · Intermediate · Compound
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressDumbbell · Beginner · Compound
- Standing Overhead PressBarbell · Intermediate · Compound
- Machine Shoulder PressMachine · Beginner · Compound
- Cable Front RaiseCable · Beginner · Isolation
- Band Overhead PressResistance band · Beginner · Compound