Kettlebell clean and press
Also called single-arm kettlebell clean and press, one-arm kettlebell clean and press, KB clean and press.
What is a kettlebell clean and press?
The kettlebell clean and press combines a clean to the shoulder with a strict overhead press. This guide uses one kettlebell and one arm at a time: settle the bell in the rack, then press without a knee dip. Clean again before each press.
How do you perform a kettlebell clean and press?
Set up
- Clear space around and above you. Choose a bell you can press without using your legs, and practice the clean and press separately before combining them.
- Stand with your feet about hip width apart and the bell just ahead of you. Push your hips back, bend your knees and take the handle with one hand, keeping your back steady.
Execution
- Draw the bell back between your thighs, then stand sharply through the hips. Keep your elbow near your side as the bell rises.
- Slip your hand through the handle so the bell rolls around your forearm into the rack beside your shoulder. Settle with your wrist straight and elbow close to your ribs.
- Brace again and press until your arm is straight overhead. Keep your legs still and finish upright, with the bell balanced over your shoulder.
- Lower into the rack, then guide the bell back into the next backswing. After the final repetition, follow the bell down with your hips and set it on the floor; reset before changing hands.
Common mistakes
Turning the press into a push press
A knee dip changes the movement. Use a lighter bell if the strict press stalls.
Throwing the bell away from the body during the clean
Keep the handle near you as you turn into the rack; a wide loop makes the catch harder to control.
Leaning back to finish the press
Stop short of an unstable overhead position. Reduce the load and practice an upright press before combining the lifts.
Where it fits in a session
Practice the combination while you are fresh enough to control both the rack and the overhead finish.
Count one clean plus one press as a repetition on the working side. Complete your planned repetitions, set the bell down and repeat on the other side.
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
Variations
- Kettlebell swingsA related hip-hinge movement that ends around chest height without a rack or press.
Frequently asked questions
Do I clean before every press?
Yes, in the version taught here. If you clean once and perform several presses, record that as a press set so your training history stays consistent.
Is this the same as a clean and jerk?
No. This guide uses a strict press with still legs. A jerk uses a leg drive and a receiving dip beneath the bell.
Can I use two kettlebells?
That is a separate double-kettlebell variation. Learn the single-arm sequence first rather than trying to copy these instructions with two bells.