Alternating Kettlebell Press

An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

Alternating Kettlebell Press — Starting position Starting position
Alternating Kettlebell Press — End position End position
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Strength
Equipment Kettlebell
Primary Muscle Shoulders
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Alternating Kettlebell Press

  1. Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Clean the kettlebells to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebells towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrists as you do so.
  2. Press one directly overhead by extending through the elbow, turning it so the palm faces forward while holding the other kettlebell stationary .
  3. Lower the pressed kettlebell to the starting position and immediately press with your other arm.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Alternating Kettlebell Press does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Alternating Kettlebell Press

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 See-Saw Press (Alternating Side Press)

    See-Saw Press (Alternating Side Press)

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.

    intermediate Dumbbells
  2. 2 Double Kettlebell Push Press

    Double Kettlebell Push Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  3. 3 Kettlebell Arnold Press

    Kettlebell Arnold Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  4. 4 Kettlebell Seated Press

    Kettlebell Seated Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  5. 5 Kettlebell Seesaw Press

    Kettlebell Seesaw Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  6. 6 One-Arm Kettlebell Military Press To The Side

    One-Arm Kettlebell Military Press To The Side

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  7. 7 One-Arm Kettlebell Para Press

    One-Arm Kettlebell Para Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  8. 8 One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

    One-Arm Kettlebell Push Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  9. 9 Two-Arm Kettlebell Military Press

    Two-Arm Kettlebell Military Press

    An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.

    intermediate Kettlebell
  10. 10 Alternating Cable Shoulder Press

    Alternating Cable Shoulder Press

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a cable machine.

    beginner Cable Machine

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do alternating kettlebell press work?

Alternating Kettlebell Press primarily works the shoulders. The triceps assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for alternating kettlebell press?

Alternating Kettlebell Press uses kettlebell.

Alternating Kettlebell Press: is it suitable for beginners?

Alternating Kettlebell Press is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.

What can I do instead of alternating kettlebell press?

See-Saw Press (Alternating Side Press), Double Kettlebell Push Press, Kettlebell Arnold Press train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my alternating kettlebell press reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; alternating kettlebell press can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your Alternating Kettlebell Press with AI

Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.