Kettlebell high pull: how to do it, muscles worked and variations
Dynamic vertical pull with a kettlebell for shoulders, hips and coordination.
- Main muscles
- Deltoid, Gluteus maximus
- Secondary muscles
- Quadriceps, Trapezius
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Variations
- 2
All 2 variations
Kettlebell sumo high pull
High pull from a sumo stance with a kettlebell that transfers leg and hip force into a controlled vertical pull.
Form. Start with your hips back, extend with power and guide your elbows up without turning the finish into a neck shrug.
Common mistake. Pulling only with the arms, rounding the back, raising the shoulders toward the ears, or using a load you cannot brake.
Single-arm kettlebell sumo high pull
High pull from a sumo stance with one kettlebell and one arm, which adds anti-rotation demand to the hip and shoulder pattern.
Form. Alternate sides with a moderate load, generate the drive from the hips and guide the elbow up without turning the trunk toward the kettlebell.
Common mistake. Pulling only with the arm, shrugging the neck, opening the pelvis too much, or using a load that makes the wrist lose control.
