10 Best Kettlebell Pirate Ships Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

If you need an alternative to Kettlebell Pirate Ships, use single-arm kettlebell or dumbbell overhead press, landmine press, push press, or pike push-ups. Each preserves overhead loading and scapular control to target deltoids and serratus anterior. Cue: brace your core, drive the elbow upward, and keep the scapula set (depressed/retracted) through the press.

Original Exercise: Kettlebell Pirate Ships

Kettlebell Pirate Ships
Primary Muscle
Shoulders
Equipment
Kettlebell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Abdominals
How to Perform Kettlebell Pirate Ships
  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.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Kettlebell Pirate Ships Alternatives

Best Match
Two-Arm Kettlebell Jerk

1. Two-Arm Kettlebell Jerk

77.9% Match
Shoulders Kettlebell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Kettlebell Thruster

2. Kettlebell Thruster

75.9% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
One-Arm Kettlebell Split Snatch

3. One-Arm Kettlebell Split Snatch

75.6% Match
Delts Kettlebell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Hold a kettlebell in one hand by the handle.
  2. Squat towards the floor, and then reverse the motion, extending the hips, knees, and finally the ankles, to raise the kettlebell overhead.
  3. After fully extending the body, descend into a lunge position to receive the weights overhead, one leg forward and one leg back. Ensure you drive through with your hips and lock the ketttlebells overhead in one uninterrupted motion.
  4. Return to a standing position, holding the weight overhead, and bring the feet together. Lower the weight to return to the starting position.
Alternating Kettlebell Press

4. Alternating Kettlebell Press

74.2% Match
Shoulders Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Barbell Thruster

5. Barbell Thruster

72.4% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder

6. Dumbbell Seated Alternate Shoulder

68.8% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inwards, and raise them to shoulder height.
  3. Press one dumbbell up overhead while keeping the other dumbbell at shoulder height.
  4. Lower the raised dumbbell back to shoulder height while simultaneously pressing the other dumbbell up overhead.
  5. Continue alternating between arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Alternating Deltoid Raise

7. Alternating Deltoid Raise

67.8% Match
Shoulders Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Landmine Linear Jammer

8. Landmine Linear Jammer

67.4% Match
Shoulders Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Position a bar into landmine or, lacking one, securely anchor it in a corner. Load the bar to an appropriate weight and position the handle attachment on the bar.
  2. Raise the bar from the floor, taking the handles to your shoulders. This will be your starting position.
  3. In an athletic stance, squat by flexing your hips and setting your hips back, keeping your arms flexed.
  4. Reverse the motion by powerfully extending through the hips, knees, and ankles, while also extending the elbows to straighten the arms. This movement should be done explosively, coming out of the squat to full extension as powerfully as possible.
  5. Return to the starting position.
Two-Arm Kettlebell Clean

9. Two-Arm Kettlebell Clean

66.9% Match
Shoulders Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place two kettlebells between your feet. To get in the starting position, push your butt back and look straight ahead.
  2. Clean the kettlebells to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you raise the kettlebells towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrists as you do so.
  3. Lower the kettlebells back to the starting position and repeat.
Double Kettlebell Snatch

10. Double Kettlebell Snatch

66.9% Match
Delts Kettlebell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place two kettlebells behind your feet. Bend your knees and sit back to pick up the kettlebells.
  2. Swing the kettlebells between your legs forcefully and reverse the direction.
  3. Drive through with your hips and lock the ketttlebells overhead in one uninterrupted motion.

Why You Might Need a Kettlebell Pirate Ships Alternative

You might substitute Kettlebell Pirate Ships because of shoulder pain, lack of kettlebells, or a need for different loading patterns. Rotator cuff strains or limited external rotation make overhead kettlebell variations uncomfortable; swapping to a landmine press or push press reduces shear and improves control of scapular upward rotation. Equipment constraints, like no single kettlebell or limited weight increments, push you toward dumbbells or a barbell. Preferences for unilateral stability or heavier bilateral loading also change the best option. Cue: before each rep, pull your shoulder blades down and back to engage the lower trapezius and protect the glenohumeral joint during pressing.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the substitute to your limitation and training goal. For shoulder stability and serratus activation choose single-arm presses; for heavier loading pick barbell or landmine presses. If rotator cuff tolerance is low, select a landmine or neutral-grip dumbbell press to reduce external rotation torque. Consider range of motion: strict seated presses emphasize deltoids, while push presses add hip drive for higher loads. Progress by increasing load, reps, or time under tension and track scapular control. Technique cue: use a controlled eccentric (3-second lower) and ensure the scapula is stable before each concentric drive to maximize deltoid recruitment and minimize impingement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Kettlebell Pirate Ships work?

Kettlebell Pirate Ships primarily targets the deltoids (anterior and lateral heads), with strong involvement from the serratus anterior, upper trapezius, and rotator cuff stabilizers to control the glenohumeral joint. Your core and obliques also engage to stabilize the torso during unilateral loading; cue: maintain slight external rotation and a set scapula throughout the lift.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Kettlebell Pirate Ships?

The best bodyweight alternative is the pike push-up (progress to decline pike or handstand push-up). Pike push-ups load the shoulders in a vertical pressing pattern and train scapular control; cue: keep hips high, lower the crown of your head to the floor with a controlled eccentric, then press by driving through the shoulders while maintaining scapular stability.

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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