Shoulder muscle exercises must be dynamic in nature to be effective. As a strength and conditioning professional, I can’t think of any exercise better than the overhead kettlebell press as the lift to give you upper shoulders. This exercise seems simpler than it really is. You see that pressing the kettlebell feels drastically more different than trying to press a dumbbell or barbell. The reason for this is because of the design of the kettlebell and this is also the reason for all the benefits.
To begin with, pressing the kettlebell involves a total body effort. To properly press any weight overhead, you must learn to push from behind your lats and properly tighten your core. This is what protects your shoulders and gives you more power by using larger muscle groups to handle the heavier loads overhead. To push from behind the lats when pressing overhead, you need to drive your shoulder into the socket. Retract your shoulder and lock your elbow overhead each time you press a weight overhead. This is especially important when using the kettlebell for this exercise due to the awkward design of the weight. You’ll find that the spherical design of the kettlebell causes it to constantly move away from your body, causing you to counter the resistance. This is what makes you stronger along with simply managing stamina. So strength is the first big benefit.
The second big benefit of the kettlebell press is improved mobility. You’ll see that when you press the kettlebell overhead, it sits on the back of your forearm, unlike a dumbbell that fits perfectly into the angle of your hand. With the bell positioned over the back of your forearm, it makes it easier for your joints to “break away” from your body. This “walking away” not only makes you stronger, but also improves the range of motion in your shoulders. The mobility press is the second benefit of this awesome ancient exercise.
The third biggest benefit is flexibility. If you’re going to improve your mobility, chances are you’re going to improve your flexibility. The press also allows you to stretch the shoulder when it is “locked” with the weight overhead. You’ll see that while you “block” correctly, you can simply lean your body into the bell and further help the bell away from your body by pulling it at an angle back away from your head. This will give you a great stretch through your shoulder, lats, and abdominal wall. As you start to really master the press, you can try the same lift with a couple of bells in each hand to get the same stretch. If you haven’t taken the time to include this great shoulder exercise in your equation for a great shoulder workout, then you’re missing out. Remember anyone can train hard but only the best train smart my friend!
