Movement Tip: Kettlebell – Push Press – Double – Single Arm
By Nicole Zapoli, HYLETE in-house certified trainer
HYLETE in-house certified trainer, Nicole Zapoli, shows you how to execute the perfect double, single-arm, kettlebell push press.
Begin with your feet set directly under your hips. Grip the handles of the kettlebells set diagonally across the base of your palm from the pointer finger knuckle to the outside of your hand where your palm and wrist meet. Wrap your fingers and thumb around each handle, setting a strong, straight wrist position. Hug the handles in toward the center of your chest at the collar bone with knuckles pointing toward the center of your body. Elbows hug in toward your rib cage while the kettlebells rest in the crease of your elbows. This will put you in the front rack position.
Once you have the kettlebells in the front rack position, breathe and brace to tighten your abdominal muscles. Compress your ribs toward your hips, pull your belly button in toward your spine, maintain a vertical, upright torso with shoulders set directly over your hips, knees, and ankles. Eyes remain on the horizon.
Begin the dip and drive portion by slightly unlocking your knees and hips while maintaining your posture and vertical torso position you set before beginning the movement. The weight should be evenly distributed across your entire foot. The dip should be straight down while tracing your shoulder blades and tailbone along the imaginary wall behind you. Drive straight up maintaining contact with your shoulder blades and tailbone against that imaginary wall, all the way through. Bring your hips back in line with your body hard and fast while squeezing your glutes and engaging your legs.
Aim to do this with your whole foot on the floor, even though you will most likely leave the floor from the ball of your foot (this should not be the focus, but try to keep your entire foot on the floor for as long as possible). Doing this, will help to recruit more of the posterior chain and allow for more power and force transfer to the kettlebell when launching it into the overhead position. Focus on maintaining a solid midline as you follow through by pressing the kettlebell into the overhead position.
Your arm should finish by fully straightening at your elbow and hugging your ear keeping your knuckles pointing upward to the ceiling while also maintaining a strong and straight wrist position. The goal is to form a straight line from your wrist, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle before returning the kettlebell to the center of your chest at the collar bone, with knuckles pointing toward the center of the body. Your elbow hugs in toward your rib cage while the kettlebell rests in the crease of your elbow.
Alternate which arm is doing the pressing and which arm is holding the front rack position for each rep.
Points of Performance (POPs):
Set your feet directly under your hips
The handle of the kettlebell should be at a diagonal, across the palm from your pointer finger knuckle to the outer part of your hand where your palm and wrist meet.
Wrist should be in a strong, straight, active neutral position.
Elbows hug your rib cage
Knuckles point in toward the center of your body with the handles of the kettlebells hugged into your chest at your collar bone
Shoulders stay down and pulled back
Eyes on the horizon
Hips and shoulders stay squared straight ahead
Ribs compress toward your hips
Belly button pulls in toward your spine
Maintain a vertical torso position throughout the dip and drive portion
Shoulder blades and tailbone stay in contact with and travel along the imaginary wall behind you all the way through
Dip and drive hard and fast straight down and straight up
Squeeze your glutes as your hips align vertically with your shoulders, knees, and ankles.
The force and power you generate from your lower half will travel upward launching the kettlebell into the overhead position.
Maintain a solid midline and engaged glutes throughout to aid in stabilizing the kettlebell
Kettlebell should travel in a straight line over the top of your body into the overhead position
Arm finishes at full extension hugging your ears
Aim to form a straight line through your wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle.
The other arm remains in the front racked position
Return the kettlebell back to the center of your chest at your collar bone with knuckles pointing toward the center of your body
Elbow hugs in toward your rib cage while the kettlebell rests in the crease of your elbow
Alternate which arm is doing the pressing and which arm is holding the front rack each rep
Trainer’s Tip: Make sure that your shoulder blades are pulled back and the abdominal muscles remain tight. If you are not able to maintain this body posture, rest as needed and/or utilize a lower kettlebell weight.
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