Kettlebell High Pull

An explosive one-arm pull from the swing to chest height — the swing's vertical big brother and the bridge to the snatch.

The lesson

01
Hike it back
Hips back, one hand on the handle, bell snapped high between your legs.
02
Snap the hips
Drive them forward hard. Everything that follows depends on the bell arriving weightless.
03
Pull the elbow high and back
As it floats, pull your elbow up and behind you. The handle leads, the bell hangs below it, and it arrives at about chest height.
04
Keep it close
The bell stays near your body. Let it swing wide and it'll drag you forward onto your toes.
05
The test
The pull itself should cost you almost nothing. If your shoulder is straining, the bell wasn't weightless when you pulled — the hips came up short and you're rowing it.
06
Extend into the next swing
Let your arm straighten and steer the bell back down into the backswing. Park it from a swing when the set ends.