Legs · Kettlebell
Kettlebell Sumo High Pull
How to do the kettlebell sumo high pull, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand with feet wider than shoulder width, toes turned out, holding a kettlebell between your legs with both hands. Hinge down, then drive your hips forward and pull the bell up to chest height with your elbows high. Lower under control and repeat.
- 1Snap your hips forward to launch the bell, then finish by pulling with
- 2high elbows
- 3Feel your glutes and hamstrings generate the power while your upper back finishes the pull
- 4Keep the bell close to your body on the way up
Common mistakes
- Don't squat the movement or lift the bell with your arms alone
- Avoid letting the bell swing out wide away from you
- Don't round your back or lean back excessively on the hip snap
Muscles worked
The kettlebell sumo high pull mainly works the glutes and hamstrings, with the upper traps, forearms, lower back, mid traps, upper abs, quads, calves, and side delts assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- BicepsMinor
- LatsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the kettlebell sumo high pull 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 glutes exercises
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- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.