10 Best Double Kettlebell Push Press Alternatives for Limited Equipment
If you can't do the Double Kettlebell Push Press, select presses that still load the delts and use leg drive. Effective swaps include single-arm dumbbell push press, barbell push press, landmine press, seated dumbbell press, and pike push-ups. Cue: dip at the hips, drive through the knees, brace your core, and finish with full elbow extension to stress the delts.
Original Exercise: Double Kettlebell Push Press
How to Perform Double Kettlebell Push Press
- Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders.
- Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebells overhead.
- Once the kettlebells are locked out, lower the kettlebells to your shoulders and repeat.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Compound
Best Double Kettlebell Push Press Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Push Press
99.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
- Bend your knees slightly and dip your body down, then explosively extend your legs and press the dumbbells overhead.
- Lock out your arms at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Ez Barbell Anti Gravity Press
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
- Raise the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing forward.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Bradford/Rocky Presses
94.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar at shoulder level with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down. This is your starting position.
- Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms.
- Now lower the bar down to the back of the head slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Lower the bar down to the starting position slowly as you inhale. This is one repetition.
4. Clean And Press
94.5% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Assume a shoulder-width stance, with knees inside the arms. Now while keeping the back flat, bend at the knees and hips so that you can grab the bar with the arms fully extended and a pronated grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width. Point the elbows out to sides. The bar should be close to the shins. Position the shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar. Establish a flat back posture. This will be your starting position.
- Begin to pull the bar by extending the knees. Move your hips forward and raise the shoulders at the same rate while keeping the angle of the back constant; continue to lift the bar straight up while keeping it close to your body.
- As the bar passes the knee, extend at the ankles, knees, and hips forcefully, similar to a jumping motion. As you do so, continue to guide the bar with your hands, shrugging your shoulders and using the momentum from your movement to pull the bar as high as possible. The bar should travel close to your body, and you should keep your elbows out.
- At maximum elevation, your feet should clear the floor and you should start to pull yourself under the bar. The mechanics of this could change slightly, depending on the weight used. You should descend into a squatting position as you pull yourself under the bar.
- As the bar hits terminal height, rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders while keeping the torso erect and flexing the hips and knees to absorb the weight of the bar.
5. Dumbbell W-press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
- Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Dumbbell Arnold Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing your body and elbows bent.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing forward.
- Rotate your wrists as you lift, so that your palms are facing forward at the top of the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench that has back support. Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs.
- Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time using your thighs to help propel them up into position.
- Make sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position.
- Now, exhale and push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.
- Then, after a brief pause at the top contracted position, slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
8. Dumbbell Cuban Press V. 2
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing down.
- Keeping your core engaged and your back straight, press the dumbbells straight up overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward.
- Lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height, rotating your wrists back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Cuban Press
89.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Take a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated grip in a standing position. Raise your upper arms so that they are parallel to the floor, allowing your lower arms to hang in the "scarecrow" position. This will be your starting position.
- To initiate the movement, externally rotate the shoulders to move the upper arm 180 degrees. Keep the upper arms in place, rotating the upper arms until the wrists are directly above the elbows, the forearms perpendicular to the floor.
- Now press the dumbbells by extending at the elbows, straightening your arms overhead.
- Return to the starting position as you breathe in by reversing the steps.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
10. Barbell Skier
86.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Simultaneously lift the barbell up towards your shoulders while jumping slightly off the ground.
- As you reach the top of the movement, quickly reverse the motion and lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Double Kettlebell Push Press Alternative
You might substitute the Double Kettlebell Push Press for several reasons: kettlebells may be unavailable, wrist or shoulder issues can limit holding two bells, or you want a unilateral option to fix imbalances. Alternatives change load distribution and joint angle to reduce shear on the glenohumeral joint. Use cues like keeping the scapula stable and avoiding excessive lumbar extension; this shifts force from the spine to the hips and delts. Choosing a seated strict press removes leg drive and isolates the deltoids, while a landmine or single-arm press reduces shoulder compressive forces and still activates the anterior and medial deltoid fibers.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on equipment, goals, and injury history. For pure strength with similar motor pattern, choose barbell push press and cue a fast hip dip and explosive hip extension to transfer power into the shoulders. For hypertrophy or rehab, use seated dumbbell or single-arm landmine presses with controlled eccentrics and a 2–3 second lowering phase to increase deltoid time under tension. If wrist or shoulder pain limits overhead holds, opt for angled presses (landmine) that reduce external rotation. Always prioritize scapular control, neutral spine, and full elbow extension to ensure correct deltoid activation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Double Kettlebell Push Press work?
The Double Kettlebell Push Press primarily targets the deltoids — especially the anterior and medial heads — while the triceps assist at lockout. It also uses the glutes, quads, and hamstrings for the hip drive and the core for stabilization; cue a packed shoulder and tight core to optimize force transfer.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Double Kettlebell Push Press?
A pike push-up or a handstand push-up progression is the best bodyweight substitute because both place vertical load on the delts and mimic the overhead pressing vector. Cue a tucked pelvis, elevated hips, and controlled descent to bias the anterior and medial deltoids and protect the cervical spine.
Can I build muscle without doing Double Kettlebell Push Press?
Yes. You can build shoulder muscle with any progressive overload pressing variation — barbell push press, strict seated dumbbell press, landmine press, and unilateral presses all work. Focus on progressive loading, controlled eccentrics, and cue full range of motion with scapular stability to maximize deltoid hypertrophy.
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