kettlebell sumo high pull: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of kettlebell sumo high pull

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing outwards.
Step:2 Hold a kettlebell with both hands in front of your body, arms extended downwards.
Step:3 Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat position, keeping your back straight.
Step:4 Drive through your heels and explosively extend your hips and knees, pulling the kettlebell up towards your chin.
Step:5 As you pull the kettlebell up, keep your elbows high and wide, and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Step:6 Lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Kettlebell
Body part: Arms Shoulders Back Thighs Glutes
Target muscle: Trapezius Quadriceps Adductors Gluteus maximus Lateral deltoid
Secondary muscle: Biceps Forearms Hamstrings Anterior deltoid

Hypertrophy grade

Average5 / 10

Nemeo’s take

This exercise is a dynamic hybrid, combining a large movement of the lower limbs like a sumo squat and a chin pull for the upper back. It provides a good overall stimulus, but stability and coordination often limit targeted tension on the trapezius and deltoids, unlike a true barbell chin pull. Ideal for explosiveness and metabolism, it remains secondary to more insulating variants for pure hypertrophy.

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 sumo high pull

How to do this exercise

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