The Kettlebell Seated Overhead Press is a beginner-friendly kettlebell strength exercise that targets the shoulders, with the triceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesShoulders
Secondary musclesTriceps
EquipmentKettlebell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Kettlebell Seated Overhead Press
Sit on a bench with back support and a kettlebell in each hand, racked at your shoulders.
Plant your feet flat on the floor and brace your core to lock the torso in place.
Press both kettlebells straight up overhead until the arms are fully extended.
Finish with the wrists stacked over the elbows and the bells resting on the back of the forearms.
Lower the bells slowly back to the rack position with elbows tracking forward, not flaring wide.
Pause briefly at the bottom, reset the brace, and press again for the next rep.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds strict shoulder and triceps strength without help from the legs.
Develops shoulder size through a long, loaded overhead range.
Reinforces a vertical press path that protects the lower back.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Arching the lower back to leverage the press instead of staying braced and vertical.
Letting the wrists bend backward at lockout, which strains the joint.
Pressing the bells out in front of the head instead of straight up over the shoulders.
Bouncing the kettlebells off the shoulders at the bottom instead of pausing under control.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Kettlebell Seated Overhead Press, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
