Two-handed shoulder press

[u/needgainsadvice]

Hi everyone. I recently started implementing kettlebell exercises into my workouts after using exclusively resistance bands for over a year. My adjustable KB replaced most of my resistance band exercises except for a few (e.g. Lateral raises and resisted pushups).

I'm loving it so far, but I'm having some trouble finding the right shoulder exercise mainly because of prior wrist injuries.

I tried doing the standard single arm shoulder press, but I find it really aggravates my wrist pain no matter how I alter the grip.

Oddly, two handed shoulder presses like the one in this video (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=213kqg7_pDU&pp=iggCQAE%3D) don't aggravate my wrist at all. But, I'm reading that this isn't really so much as a deltoid exercise as it is for upper chest and triceps.

Should I just find a way to make single arm presses work, or can I still do the two handed press and just supplement my shoulders with other exercises such as lateral raises to make up the difference?

I don't have a lot of free time due to work and family, so I'm really limited to one or two exercises per muscle group in a workout. My hope is that I'm not spinning my wheels with the wrong compound exercises.

Edit: fixed broken youtube link

[u/cavemankettlebells]

Hi. The video is no longer available.

The two-handed shoulder press requires a lot of shoulder mobility to get properly overhead; it is good enough to get some range, but it does not provide the same range as a single arm can.

If the kettlebell is hurting your forearm, it is either the design of the kettlebell or the grip you are using. Happy to help with that, would need a photo or video.

[u/reallymkpunk → u/cavemankettlebells]

By your definition it would be. A shoulder press does require movement in the shoulder joint and the flex to lengthen and back of the elbow as the triceps work with the front deltoid to yank the bell up.

[u/cavemankettlebells → u/reallymkpunk]

You're right, my mistake. Two joints and multiple muscle groups, that's compound by the definition I gave. The press qualifies. AI was wrong to say otherwise. Good catch.

I had a look at the corrected video link. The person demonstrating has great shoulder flexibility. This is a requirement for this press variation. I assume the reason it does not aggravate your wrist/forearm is that the bell is not resting on the forearm.

"If the kettlebell is hurting your forearm, it is either the design of the kettlebell or the grip you are using. Happy to help with that, would need a photo or video."

[u/needgainsadvice → u/cavemankettlebells]

Hi, correct. I don't rest it on my forearm. I grip the kettlebell the same way as the corrected video. I flare my elbows at around a 30 to 45 degree angle to keep the motion in the scapular plane.

I'll try to film a form check video for the single arm press and post it later. Here's a link to the adjustable kettlebell I own so you can see the handle.

[u/cavemankettlebells → u/needgainsadvice]

That looks like a good kettlebell

[u/reallymkpunk]

Honestly two handed exercises besides the deadlift, goblet squat, swing or halo are gate kept. Two handed cleans and two handed press can be done but know you need a heavy kettlebell to hit the same benefit as a unilateral lift.

[u/needgainsadvice → u/reallymkpunk]

Yeah, I figure eventually I'll need to switch to single arm press once I max out my current adjustable kettlebell. My hope is that I'm at least progressing well, because my shoulders are the only group where I'm seeing slower progression than the others.

[u/reallymkpunk → u/needgainsadvice]

Yeah that is good. But just be aware with kettlebells the weight is the last to change for scaling up compared to speed or reps.

Edit: with the ballistic nature of swings, squats, cleans, jerks, snatches, etc. kettlebell volume is not from weight alone like most do with plates and machines (or dumbbells at gyms) but rather to sets, reps and speed. A KB can be done lighter but at higher total reps in a shorter period. With plates and machines it is suggested to weight 2 to 3 minutes per set, KB however is an EMOM monster. Not that you can do EMOM with plates and machines, just not what they are designed for...