If you are trying to get into the best shape possible then you need to stop doing isolated exercises. Isolated exercises don’t get your heart rate up and they only work one muscle or muscle group at a time. Instead, your whole body needs to feel more of a burn–a burn that comes from complex movements as often as possible.
Compound exercises like squats, swings, lunges, and presses have a ton of benefits that you won’t get from isolated exercises like bicep curls. With complex movements, you’ll burn more calories, be more efficient in your workout, you’ll improve your coordination, improve your muscle-mind connection, and gain more flexibility, too.
An exercise that you will often see performed in a Crossfit gym, is one that you can take to your gym or anywhere you workout. Those Crossfitters do know a thing or two when it comes to complex movements. With this exercise, in particular, you are going to need two kettlebells. You can also use dumbbells too if you do not have access to kettlebells but really it is the kettlebell that is the optimal choice as it brings in a layer of instability that your body has to adjust to that a dumbbell does not offer.
This exercise will improve your power output while working your whole body.
Double Kettlebell Push Press
To perform the Double Kettlebell Push Press, grab two kettlebells of the same weight and place them between your feet. Stand with your feet a little wider than hip distance a part. Grab the kettlebells as if you are going to start swinging them. Keep your back flat, arms locked out, core tight and start to push your hips forward to create a swinging motion in the kettlebells. Keep doing this back and forth motion with your hips until the kettlebells are about hip height.
Once they are hip height go ahead and throw the kettlebells into rack position on your shoulder. See this video from Onnit on how to do that safely. and hold them in the rack position.
With the kettlebells in the rack position, keep your core tight, then dip your knees slightly before exploding upwards and pressing the kettlebells straight up above your head. Make sure you lock your elbows out, remember to breathe, hold for a moment and then bend your knees as you cushion the kettlebells to land back on your shoulders in the rack position.
That is one rep.
Start off with a lighter weight performing about 3 sets of 6-8 repetitions each. Once you master the form, move up to higher weights and then you will really start to feel that explosive movement in your body bringing those kettlebells up over your head.
Check out this video from Bodybuilding.com for a full demonstration of the Double Kettlebell Push Press.
