Kettlebell High Pull
Hips first, elbow high. The kettlebell high pull is a swing that finishes with the elbow above the hand, so the power still comes from the hips and the arm only guides. Pulling with the arm before the hips have finished is the fault. Learn this one and the snatch stops being frightening.
Setup
- Bell on the floor between the feet, hinge and grip it.
- Flat back, chest up.
How To Do It
- Hike the bell back and drive the hips forward hard.
- As it floats, pull the elbow high and back.
- Let it fall back into the next hinge.
Breathing
Exhale sharply on the hip drive.
Common Mistakes
- Pulling with the arm before the hips have finished.
- Letting the bell get in front of you on the way down.
Programming It
Five to eight sets of 5 per side.
Why This Exercise Works
The high pull sits between the swing and the snatch: the hips still do the work, but the arm finishes the movement and the shoulder learns to accept a fast load. Get this before attempting a snatch and the snatch stops being frightening.
Where You Should Feel It
Hips driving, traps and shoulders finishing. It sits between a swing and a snatch, and it teaches the shoulder to accept a fast load safely.
Where It Fits in a Program
A swing that finishes with the elbow high: power first, arms second. Quality over quantity here. End the set the moment output falls off.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the kettlebell high pull: move up a bell, or move on to the snatch. To regress it: return to swings until the hip drive is sharp enough to float the bell.
Who It's For
Anyone working toward a kettlebell snatch. Learn this first and the snatch stops being frightening.
Equipment and Substitutions
This version uses a kettlebell. A dumbbell covers most kettlebell work. What it will not do is the ballistic movements, where the offset handle is the point.
Related Exercises
- High Rack Pull · Traps, Back, Glutes
- Cable Upright Row · Traps, Shoulders
- Kettlebell Halo · Shoulders, Upper Back
- Rack Pull · Back, Traps, Glutes
- Dumbbell Shrug · Traps
- Heavy Dumbbell Shrug · Traps
- Turkish Get-Up · Full Body, Shoulders, Core
- Kettlebell Windmill · Obliques, Shoulders, Hamstrings
Common Questions
What muscles does the kettlebell high pull work?
The kettlebell high pull primarily trains the traps, shoulders, glutes.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Five to eight sets of 5 per side.
What are the most common kettlebell high pull mistakes?
Most often: pulling with the arm before the hips have finished; letting the bell get in front of you on the way down.
Do I need a kettlebell to do this?
This version uses a kettlebell, and it trains the traps, shoulders, glutes. No bell? Use a dumbbell for the grinds. For anything that swings, pick a different exercise from the list rather than improvising.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The kettlebell high pull puts the shoulder and elbow under load through a range many people have lost, so a cranky shoulder usually objects here before anything else does. Pain that pinches at a specific point is worth assessing; ordinary training discomfort is not. Not medical advice.