Shoulders · Kettlebell
Kettlebell Seated Shoulder Press
How to do the kettlebell seated shoulder press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit upright on a bench holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height. Brace your ribs down and press the kettlebells overhead in a smooth arc, stopping just short of a hard lockout. Lower slowly until you feel a stretch in the shoulders, then repeat.
- 1Your front and side delts driving the press
- 2Triceps finishing the lockout at the top
- 3A stable trunk with a clean overhead path
Common mistakes
- Overarching your lower back or flaring your ribs
- Letting your elbows drift too far behind you
- Bouncing out of the bottom of each rep
Muscles worked
The kettlebell seated shoulder press mainly works the front delts, triceps, and side delts, with the forearms, upper chest, upper traps, and upper abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the kettlebell seated shoulder press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.