Kettlebell Overhead Carry

A loaded walk with a single kettlebell locked out overhead, where the bell hangs behind the wrist and pulls the arm backwards, making it harder to hold still than a dumbbell.

How to do it

1. Clean and press a kettlebell to lockout, letting the bell settle on the back of your forearm.
2. Straighten the elbow fully and turn the arm so the bell sits behind and above your wrist rather than off to the side.
3. Keep the shoulder active: push the weight up toward the ceiling and let the shoulder blade rotate up with it rather than forcing it down.
4. Brace your trunk and walk forward with even strides, keeping the bell stacked over your shoulder and hip.
5. Keep your wrist straight; letting it bend back is what makes an overhead bell feel unstable.
6. Carry for the desired distance, lower under control, then repeat on the other side.

Tips

• Go lighter than you would with a dumbbell. The offset mass makes the same weight noticeably harder to keep still.
• A bent wrist is the usual failure point. If it keeps collapsing, drop the weight rather than fighting it for the whole distance.
• Do both sides for the same distance — the unilateral load is the point of the exercise.

Muscles

Primary: Front deltoid, Side deltoid

Secondary: Forearm extensors, Obliques, Quadratus lumborum, Serratus, Traps, Triceps