Kettlebell Workout for Big Delts

Fix Your Imbalances, Build Overhead Strength

Want to improve your overhead strength and grow your delts but only have minimal equipment? Build a kettlebell workout around a couple of these simple and effective pressing variations.

Kettlebell Workout 1: Single-Arm Z-Press

When training with minimal equipment or limited by weight, this is a great variation to build or maintain your overhead strength. The Z-press is highly effective. It makes the press significantly more challenging by eliminating any compensation from other muscles, and it does a great job of isolating the shoulder.

Kettlebell Workout 2: Double-Arm Z-Press

This is significantly harder than the single-arm variation. It's an extremely high "value for time" exercise.

By pressing from a seated position with your legs straight out in front of you, you're forced to keep your chest forward and torso upright, which really isolates the delts. If you want to put a nice spin on it, try the single-arm Z-press while leaving the non-working arm locked out above your head. You're training both shoulders while also focusing on one side at a time.

Kettlebell Workout 3: Standing Single-Arm Press

This is my favorite way to press kettlebells because it allows you to lift the most weight. There are countless pressing variations, but when was the last time you just took a heavy KB and pressed it over your head as many times as possible?

Remember, there's beauty in simplicity. No need to reinvent the wheel for every exercise.

Tanner Shuck is a former Division 1A football player and accomplished CrossFit athlete. He specializes in competitive fitness, with emphasis on training absolute and relative strength. Tanner is an online coach and personal trainer based out of Dubai, UAE. Follow on Instagram