kettlebell arnold press: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of kettlebell arnold press

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing towards you.
Step:2 Engage your core and press the kettlebells overhead, rotating your palms to face forward as you extend your arms.
Step:3 Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the kettlebells back to the starting position.
Step:4 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Kettlebell
Body part: Abdominals Arms Shoulders
Target muscle: Anterior deltoid Lateral deltoid Posterior deltoid
Secondary muscle: Triceps Forearms Trapezius Rectus abdominis Internal obliques External obliques

Hypertrophy grade

Good7 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The Arnold press is a sophisticated variation that works all three fascicles of the deltoid in one fluid movement. Using a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell adds an extra dimension: the kettlebell's offset center of gravity exerts a constant force that pulls outward, forcing your shoulder stabilizer muscles and rotator cuff to work harder. It's the "big brother" of joint health and overall volume: wrist rotation (moving from palm towards you to palm forward) allows for maximum recruitment of the anterior deltoid at the start and the middle deltoid at the end of the movement. One-arm work also requires intense abdominal core training to keep the torso upright.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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kettlebell arnold press

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