Bent press- One of the most difficult Kettlebell Lifts
Comrades, I’m in pain today because I’ve just learn’t one of the meanest kettlebells exercise ever. Boy am I sore !!
What’s it called?
It’s the BENT PRESS!
What makes it so unique? We”ll its a combination of a windmill, a press, an overhead squat and somehow it manages to smash your lats to pieces even though your not performing a pulling movement!?!
It’s the Swiss army knife of Kettlebell lifting!
Originally used by oldtime strongmen to perform massive feats of strength (Arthur Saxon managed to lift something like 415lbs) its been recognised as one of the most technical Kettlebell moves…… don’t i know it!
The difficulty starts with trying to get your arm in the right position. Your triceps needs to be sitting on your lat, huge shoulder flexibility. The initiating movement is corkscrewing your body down and away from the bell, ‘flaring’ you lat as you go. Like the windmill it requires huge core stability as well as massive shoulder stability as you drop under it like an overhead squat. All this combined creates a hugely technical move that a lot of people will struggle with! (Checkout our Russian Guru Phil Kourbatski as he performs the move below)
I’m determined to get on top of the lift so tune into my next couple of blog posts and I’ll put up some vids of me attempting the Bent Press with various weights and maybe some of our old school barbells (bring on the Lycra weightlifting suit)
Stay tuned and keep up the bells! DaVie!
Billy
Hey Billy,
I’m worried that my shoulders aren’t strong enough to attempt this move. How do I know when I have enough stability to safely perform this move. The man in the video makes it look tough!
Thanks,
Gabri
Hey Gabri
I didnt say this was the one of the hardest for no reason!
To perform this move properly the weight has to be quite substantial. For a guy whose uses a 16kg bell regularly it would have to be a minimum of 24kg. for a girl who uses 8kg normally it would have to be a minimum of 16kg. My point here is you’d want to be confidant you could hold that weight above your head before you should attemp this move.
Before performing the bent press (or any kettlebell move for the first time) get someone who knows what they’re doing to supervise you.
Good luck. Da Vie!
Billy
Arthur Saxon bent pressed a barbell weighing 158kg (336lb) in one hand and reached down and picked up a 51kg (112 lb) kettlebell with the other- then held them both overhead. Total = 204kg (448lbs)
A guy in the Ukraine can side press a 117kg kettlebell. So if you think you are strong…you are not! We all have work to do!
Never seen a female do a bent press . How about a video or two?
hey billy, i freakin love this lift, one of my favs, i currently bent press a 40 kg kettlebell for three reps left and right arm! i love will always pratice made be back and shoulders super resilient and very strong..