Kettlebell Bent Press

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Clean the kettlebell to the rack position and turn your feet 45 degrees away from the loaded side.
2. Shift your weight onto the heel of the leg on the kettlebell side (the 'loaded' leg) and slightly bend that knee.
3. Pull your shoulder blade down and back, resting the tricep of the loaded arm against your lat.
4. Maintain a vertical forearm with the kettlebell resting on the outside of your wrist.

How to do it

1. Inhale to brace your core and begin hinging your hips toward the loaded side while leaning your torso away from the bell.
2. Keep your forearm perfectly vertical as you 'wedge' yourself down, allowing the arm to straighten as your body moves lower.
3. Exhale as you reach full arm extension at the bottom of the hinge, keeping your eyes fixed on the kettlebell.
4. Once the arm is locked out, drive through your heels to stand up straight while keeping the weight fixed overhead.

Form checklist

• Keep the forearm vertical throughout the entire movement; do not let the bell drift.
• Maintain constant eye contact with the kettlebell for balance and spinal alignment.
• Keep the loaded shoulder 'packed' (depressed) to engage the lat as a support shelf.
• Ensure the weight remains centered over the heel of the loaded-side leg.

Pro tips

• Think of this as pushing your body away from the weight rather than pushing the weight away from your body.
• The secret is in the lat engagement; if you lose the connection between your tricep and lat too early, the lift becomes a standard press and loses its mechanical advantage.

Make it harder

• Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom of the movement before standing up to test stability.
• Perform the movement with a 'bottoms-up' grip to drastically increase the demand on grip strength and shoulder stabilizers.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the kettlebell bent press work?

The kettlebell bent press primarily targets the biceps, deltoids, and triceps, and also works the abs, forearms, obliques, rotator cuff, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the kettlebell bent press?

The kettlebell bent press uses kettlebell.

Is the kettlebell bent press good for beginners?

The kettlebell bent press is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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