Kettlebell One Arm Overhead Squat

Cómo hacer el Kettlebell One Arm Overhead Squat

1. 1Clean the kettlebell to the rack position, then press it overhead with one arm until your elbow is fully locked and your wrist is stacked over your shoulder.
2. 2Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes turned out 15–30 degrees to allow full hip depth.
3. 3Extend your free arm out to the side for balance, keeping it at roughly shoulder height throughout the movement.
4. 4Brace your core, take a deep breath, and fix your gaze on the kettlebell overhead — keep your eyes on it for the entire descent.
5. 5Push your knees out in line with your toes and sit your hips back and down, descending slowly over 2–3 seconds into a full squat.
6. 6At the bottom, your hips should be below your knees, your chest upright, and the kettlebell directly above your shoulder with the arm still locked.
7. 7Drive through your heels and mid-foot to stand, squeezing your glutes as you return to the top.
8. 8Complete all reps on one side before switching arms.

Consejos de técnica

• Keep your shoulder actively packed — think of pushing the kettlebell away from you toward the ceiling throughout the squat to maintain a stable shoulder joint.
• Thoracic mobility is often the limiting factor: if you cannot keep the kettlebell vertical without leaning excessively, work on upper-back and hip flexibility before adding load.
• Start with a lighter kettlebell than you think you need — the overhead position amplifies any instability and makes the movement significantly harder than a standard squat.
• Use your free arm as a counterbalance by reaching it forward or to the side; do not let it hang passively.
• Control the descent; a slow eccentric phase (2–3 seconds down) improves stability and reduces the risk of losing the overhead position.

Errores comunes

• Elbow bending overhead: allowing the pressing arm to bend during the squat shifts load onto the shoulder joint improperly and risks dropping the kettlebell — keep the elbow fully locked at all times.
• Forward torso lean: excessive forward lean offloads the quads and glutes and dumps stress onto the lower back; stay as upright as possible by improving ankle and hip flexibility.
• Knees caving inward: valgus collapse reduces adductor magnus contribution and stresses the knee joint — actively drive your knees out in line with your toes throughout the movement.
• Shallow depth: stopping above parallel reduces glute and quad range of motion and limits training benefit; descend until your hips are at or below knee level.
• Rushing the descent: dropping quickly into the squat makes it hard to control the overhead position and increases injury risk — lower yourself with intentional, controlled tempo.

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