Turn exercise upside down with kettlebell press
Kettlebells are an old military training tool but a fairly recent addition to the commercial fitness landscape. Their popularity has skyrocketed in the past five years. Functional workouts and small-group training are particularly suited to kettlebells, which explains why so many people have become familiar with them.
This week, I’ll shed some light on the advantages of using kettlebells and also introduce an exercise that’s designed around them.
To someone who has grown up in an era with technologically advanced weight machines, the kettlebell looks fairly archaic. It’s a simple sphere of iron with a handle on top. If I didn’t know better, I’d mistake it for a doorstop or an excessively heavy paperweight.
As weird as they may seem to today’s fitness enthusiast, these little units can be a great addition to one’s routine.
The main advantage to using a kettlebell rather than a dumbbell is the handle’s location relative to the weight distribution. A dumbbell’s weight is evenly distributed on each side of a basic handle, while a kettlebell’s weight is opposite the handle. This makes the kettlebell easier to wield during movements that require swinging.
Beyond swinging, the kettlebell is really just a dumbbell with a different weight distribution.
That said, swinging the kettlebell can provide some benefits. Momentum is generated during acceleration, which is more apparent during swinging activities. When total body momentum occurs, the core muscles have to get more involved to maintain the person’s posture.
Cleans, wood chops and squat thrusts are just a few of the many kettlebell exercises that feature a swinging motion. These types of exercises tend to provide a more functional workout than, for example, a bench press or biceps curl.
Another cool aspect of training with the kettlebell occurs when you flip it over. Holding the handle with the weight facing upward creates a mechanical disadvantage for the hand, wrist and forearm. Just balancing it can be a challenge. When you add in another movement requiring this difficult hand position, you’ve got something special.
This week’s exercise adds this special hand position to a traditional unilateral shoulder press. The Bottoms Up Press is a challenging movement that will really force the stabilizer muscles to activate to maintain good form.
1. Select a light kettlebell and hold it in your right hand while standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Flip the kettlebell upside down so that the handle is closer to the ground and the weight faces the ceiling. Hold it in your right hand in front of your right shoulder.
3. Gripping the kettlebell tightly to maintain its balance, press it straight up in an overhead press.
4. As soon as you reach full extension, slowly lower it back down in front of your shoulder.
5. Repeat for 12 repetitions and then switch sides.
If this seems too easy, try adding a squat to the movement by simultaneously standing up as you press overhead. Remember to maintain full extension with the arm to maximize effectiveness. Enjoy!