Shoulder workouts with kettlebells
A kettlebell shoulder workout: strict presses, push presses and the Arnold press, with one or two bells.
The deltoid has three heads. Overhead presses work the front and side heads hard, but the side head grows best from raises, and the rear head needs its own work from reverse flyes, face pulls and rear-delt rows. A balanced shoulder workout covers all three.
A kettlebell’s weight hangs below the handle, which suits presses, cleans and swings and makes one-arm work feel natural. One or two bells cover a full workout, which is why they are popular for training at home.
Kettlebell shoulder workout
Press from the rack position on each side.
Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press- Sets
- 4
- Reps
- 6–8
- Rest
- 2 min
Kettlebell One Arm Push Press- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 6 each side
- Rest
- 90 s
Kettlebell Arnold Press- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 8–10
- Rest
- 90 s
Kettlebell Thruster- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 8
- Rest
- 90 s
Can’t do one of these?
Machine taken or training somewhere else? Each of these has substitutes that work the same muscles.
Tips
- Keep lateral raises light and strict. The side delt is small, and a weight you have to swing is mostly trained by your traps and momentum.
- Press with your ribs down and glutes tight so the bar travels over your midfoot instead of your lower back arching to make room.
- Give the rear delts as many sets as the front. Most pressing already trains the front head; the rear head is the one that lags.
- Learn to rack the bell on your forearm, resting against your chest, before pressing; it is the starting position for most kettlebell presses.
Run this workout in SPLYT
Every exercise here is in SPLYT’s library. Save the workout as a template, log your sets on iPhone or Apple Watch, and next time your weights are already filled in from what you lifted.
19 shoulder exercises with kettlebells
Every one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration. Swap any of them into the workouts above.
- Kettlebell ThrusterKettlebell
- Kettlebell Arnold PressKettlebell
- Kettlebell One Arm Push PressKettlebell
- Kettlebell Two Arm Military PressKettlebell
Kettlebell Double JerkKettlebell
Kettlebell One Arm JerkKettlebell
Kettlebell Seated PressKettlebell
Kettlebell Seesaw PressKettlebell
Kettlebell Double SnatchKettlebell
Kettlebell Two Arm CleanKettlebell
Kettlebell One Arm SnatchKettlebell
Kettlebell Alternating PressKettlebell
Kettlebell Double Push PressKettlebell
Kettlebell Pirate Supper LegsKettlebell
Kettlebell One Arm Clean And JerkKettlebell
High Style Kettlebell One Arm JerkKettlebell
Kettlebell Pirate Supper Legs BenchKettlebell
Kettlebell Seated Two Arm Military PressKettlebell
Questions
How many shoulder exercises can you do with kettlebell?
SPLYT’s exercise library has 19 shoulder exercises you can do with kettlebell, including Kettlebell Thruster, Kettlebell Arnold Press and Kettlebell One Arm Push Press. Each one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration.
How many sets should I do for shoulders?
Around eight to sixteen hard sets a week of side and rear delt work, on top of your pressing. The front delts get plenty of work from chest and shoulder presses already.
Are upright rows bad for your shoulders?
A narrow grip pulled high can pinch the shoulder for some people. A wider grip, pulled to about chest height, is easier on the joint and still trains the side delts and traps.
What weight kettlebell should I start with?
For presses, a bell you can press 8 to 10 times with good form: often 8 to 12 kg for women and 12 to 16 kg for men. Swings usually need a heavier one.