MONS Athletics
Kettlebell exercises

One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press: Drive It Overhead With Your Legs

Bell in the rack at your shoulder. A short dip and a hard drive with your legs send it overhead, and your arm only finishes the lockout.

2 min read

Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them

How to do it

  1. 1

    Clean it to the rack

    Clean the bell to your shoulder once to start the set. Fist near your collarbone, elbow in and down, wrist straight.

  2. 2

    Brace

    Tighten your trunk and squeeze your free fist. Don't lean away from the bell.

  3. 3

    Dip and drive

    A short, fast bend of the knees, heels down and chest up, then straighten your legs hard and let that send the bell up.

  4. 4

    Finish overhead

    Your arm finishes what the legs started. Arm straight, bicep by your ear, shoulder pulled down. One still moment.

  5. 5

    Back to the rack

    Bring it down to the rack under control, softening your knees as it lands. Reset and go again.

  6. 6

    The test

    It should feel launched. If your shoulder is grinding it up, your legs came up short.

Watch for

  • Pressing with the arm and skipping the leg drive.
  • A deep, slow dip. It is a few centimetres, quick.
  • Leaning away from the bell to get it overhead.

Questions

Push press or strict press?

A push press starts with your legs and your arm finishes it. A strict press is the shoulder alone. MONS uses the push press because the whole body drives it.

What weight for a one-arm push press?

Heavier than you could strict press. If your legs cannot launch it, it is too heavy.