Kettlebell Pirate Ships
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Kettlebell Pirate Ships
- With a wide stance, hold a kettlebell with both hands. Allow it to hang at waist level with your arms extended. This will be your starting position.
- Initiate the movement by turning to one side, swinging the kettlebell to head height. Briefly pause at the top of the motion.
- Allow the bell to drop as you rotate to the opposite side, again raising the kettlebell to head height.
- Repeat for the desired amount of repetitions.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Kettlebell Pirate Ships
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
Push-Ups
The push-up is a fundamental bodyweight exercise that targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders while engaging the core. It's one of the most effective exercises for building upper body strength without equipment.
-
2
Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Lunge style)
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
-
3
Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Squat style)
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
-
4
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a cable machine.
-
5
Alternating Deltoid Raise
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the shoulders, using dumbbells.
-
6
Alternating Kettlebell Press
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a kettlebell.
-
7
Anti-Gravity Press
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a barbell.
-
8
Back Flyes - With Bands
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a resistance band.
-
9
Band Pull Apart
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a resistance band.
-
10
Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the shoulders, using a barbell.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do kettlebell pirate ships work?
Kettlebell Pirate Ships primarily works the shoulders. The abs assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for kettlebell pirate ships?
Kettlebell Pirate Ships uses kettlebell.
Kettlebell Pirate Ships: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Kettlebell Pirate Ships is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of kettlebell pirate ships?
Push-Ups, Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Lunge style), Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Squat style) train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my kettlebell pirate ships reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; kettlebell pirate ships 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 Kettlebell Pirate Ships 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.