10 Best Kettlebell Pirate Ships Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

Kettlebell Pirate Ships are done standing with a kettlebell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Alternating Kettlebell Press, the Alternating Deltoid Raise and the Landmine Linear Jammer. Three harder versions, the Two-arm Kettlebell Jerk, the One-arm Kettlebell Split Snatch and the Double Kettlebell Snatch, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Kettlebell Pirate Ships

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do Kettlebell Pirate Ships

The steps for Kettlebell Pirate Ships themselves, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Shoulders, with abdominals · Kettlebell · Intermediate · Compound

  1. 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.
  2. Initiate the movement by turning to one side, swinging the kettlebell to head height. Briefly pause at the top of the motion.
  3. Allow the bell to drop as you rotate to the opposite side, again raising the kettlebell to head height.
  4. Repeat for the desired amount of repetitions.

The 10 Best Kettlebell Pirate Ships Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Kettlebell Pirate Ships on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Kettlebell ThrusterPlay demonstration

    1. Kettlebell Thruster

    76% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the delts rather than the shoulders.

    • Kettlebell
    How to perform it
    1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands, palms facing each other.
    2. Lower into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, keeping your chest up and your back straight.
    3. As you reach the bottom of the squat, explosively drive through your heels to stand up, simultaneously pressing the kettlebell overhead.
    4. Lock out your arms at the top of the movement, fully extending your elbows.
    5. Lower the kettlebell back to the starting position by reversing the movement, bending your elbows and lowering the weight back to your chest.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not shoulders
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Body position: standing, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than Kettlebell Pirate Ships
  2. Two-arm Kettlebell Jerk

    Progression

    2. Two-arm Kettlebell Jerk

    78% match

    Shoulders · Advanced · Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the shoulders.

    • Kettlebell
    How to perform it
    1. Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Clean the kettlebells to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you swing the kettlebells towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrists as you do so, so that the palms face forward. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly driving both kettlebells overhead. Immediately after the initial push, squat down again and get under the kettlebells. Once the kettlebells are locked out, stand upright to complete the exercise.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: shoulders, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Body position: standing, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
  4. Alternating Kettlebell Press

    4. Alternating Kettlebell Press

    74% match

    Shoulders · Intermediate · Compound

    It still works the shoulders, through a different movement.

    • Kettlebell
    How to perform it
    1. Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Clean the kettlebells to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebells towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrists as you do so.
    2. Press one directly overhead by extending through the elbow, turning it so the palm faces forward while holding the other kettlebell stationary .
    3. Lower the pressed kettlebell to the starting position and immediately press with your other arm.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: shoulders, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Body position: standing, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
  5. Barbell ThrusterPlay demonstration

    5. Barbell Thruster

    72% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    A looser match: it works the delts rather than the shoulders.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell at shoulder height with an overhand grip.
    2. Lower into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
    3. As you reach the bottom of the squat, explosively drive through your heels to stand up, simultaneously pressing the barbell overhead.
    4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height as you lower back into the squat position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not shoulders
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Body position: standing, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than Kettlebell Pirate Ships
  7. Alternating Deltoid Raise

    7. Alternating Deltoid Raise

    68% match

    Shoulders · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the shoulders.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. In a standing position, hold a pair of dumbbells at your side.
    2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise the weights directly in front of you to shoulder height, avoiding any swinging or cheating.
    3. Return the weights to your side.
    4. On the next repetition, raise the weights laterally, raising them out to your side to about shoulder height.
    5. Return the weights to the starting position and continue alternating to the front and side.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: shoulders, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Body position: standing, the same as Kettlebell Pirate Ships
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than Kettlebell Pirate Ships

Kettlebell Pirate Ships FAQ

Can I build muscle without doing Kettlebell Pirate Ships?

Yes. You can build shoulder muscle using other compound presses (barbell overhead press, dumbbell press, landmine press) and progressive overload principles. Emphasize full range of motion, controlled eccentrics, and scapular stability; cue: prioritize slow, controlled reps and progressive load increases to stimulate the deltoids and supporting stabilizers.

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