How To: Half Kneeling Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press
Why and when should you lift from a half kneeling position
By lowering your center of mass, you can move your hips and shoulders without too much compensation from the pelvis and lower back. This is a godsend if you suffer from lower back pain.
With the narrower base of support, you’ll receive extra core stability and glute activation benefits.
Narrower base of support will also help dial in your technique on upper body lifts.
If hip mobility is an issue, lifting from here can improve it. Or if you’re performing squats or deadlifts, using a half kneeling exercise as a filler/recovery drill works well.
If your hips are stiff or your back is acting up and you’re looking to add variety, take these exercises out for a test run.
Half kneeling kettlebell bottoms up press
Holding the kettlebell bottoms up creates more tension in the arm through a process called irradiation.
This gives you more strength and stability in the shoulder region, which makes this a great exercise for people with shoulder issues or for those who want a break from barbell/dumbbell overhead presses
Half Kneeling Bottoms Up Kettlebell Press Instructions
Assume a half kneeling position with your knee directly underneath your hip and your toes tucked.
Position the kettlebell in a bottoms up position and keep the elbow in line with the shoulder.
Press the bell overhead until the shoulder reaches full flexion and the elbow is locked out.
Slowly lower the kettlebell back to the starting position and repeat for the assigned number of repetitions.
Half Kneeling Bottoms Up Kettlebell Press Tips
Focus on squeezing the hand tightly, almost as if you’re trying to leave fingerprints on the handle.
Don’t allow the head to jut forward excessively.
Drive the bicep to the ear and exhale as you press.
If you sense any pressure in your neck or traps during the movement, look to address a lack of thoracic spine extension or shoulder flexion.
Keeping the elbows slightly bent at the top and not locking out entirely will help to keep tension on the shoulders.
If you can’t lock out the elbows overhead than it may indicate a lack of shoulder mobility due to poor scapular upward rotation.
