Kettlebell Chest Workout: 8 Best Exercises for a Stronger Chest

Kettlebells have become a staple in many fitness routines due to their versatility and effectiveness and have also been shown to be an excellent way of doing some cardio while working out through kettlebell HIIT workouts.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the best 8 chest exercises with kettlebells and further discuss the benefits of incorporating a kettlebell chest workout into your workout routine. Keep reading!

Benefits of Kettlebell Chest Workouts

Before checking out the best exercises, it’s important to understand the benefits of using kettlebells for chest workouts, as well as muscle development. Here are some of the key advantages:

Compound Exercises

Most kettlebell exercises primarily target specific muscles but also engage other muscle groups due to the nature of the exercise. These are called compound exercises, and there are several kinds of them, such as compound biceps and compound back exercises. 

This means that while you’re working on your pectoralis major, you’ll still be giving some attention to other muscle groups, such as your triceps and deltoids.

Balance and Stability Improvements

Another benefit of the compound nature of a kettlebell chest workout is improvements in your balance and stability. This is the case because the exercises usually tend to engage your core muscles and make them stronger.

According to research conducted on Pubmed, core stability is essential for proper load balance within the spine, pelvis, and kinetic chain. So, working them “passively” like this is an excellent way to enhance your skills while aiming for a chest like that of a Greek god.

Functional Strength Improvement

Kettlebell exercises are great at mimicking real-life movements so they can be an awesome option to build functional strength. Studies show that athletes  may greatly benefit from functional strength training since it translates to increased performance in their sport.

Possibility of HIIT Training

As mentioned earlier, kettlebells can be used in a HIIT routine, meaning they will also increase your endurance and work your heart as well as your other muscles. HIIT training routines have been shown to excel at fat loss and bring several benefits to the heart’s health.

The 8 Best Kettlebell Chest Exercises

 Now that you know the benefits of a kettlebell chest workout session, it's time to learn the exercises for this workout. We've selected our top 8 choices here so you can choose your favorites to add to your routine.

1. Kettlebell Floor Press

This exercise is great for targeting the chest, triceps, and shoulders. It also helps improve stability and control. Also, if you do not have access to a bench, the kettlebell floor press can prove to be particularly useful, as it can be performed on the floor with minimal equipment. Finally, for those with shoulder pains, the floor press limits the range of motion, making it a safer alternative to traditional bench presses.

Check out the step-by-step:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Hold a kettlebell in each hand with your elbows bent and palms facing each other.
3. Press the kettlebells upward until your arms are fully extended.
4. Lower the kettlebells back to the starting position with control.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
6. Kettlebell Push-Up

This exercise adds an extra challenge to the traditional push-up by having to balance on the kettlebells, which increases the range of motion and engages stabilizing core muscles. 

This exercise not only targets the chest but also works the shoulders, triceps, and core. The extended height provided by the kettlebells allows for a deeper stretch in the chest muscles, enhancing muscle activation and growth, which makes it more effective than doing 100 regular push-ups a day.

Here’s a guide

1. Place two kettlebells on the floor shoulder-width apart.
2. Grip the handles and get into a push-up position with your body in a straight line.
3. Lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows.
4. Push back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

3. Kettlebell Chest Fly

This exercise is one of the few isolating exercises on this list. The kettlebell chest fly is excellent for isolating the chest muscles and promoting muscle hypertrophy. The wide arc movement of the fly stretches the chest, leading to better muscle activation and growth.

However, be careful! It’s especially important to perform this exercise with control to avoid straining the shoulder joints.

1. Lie on your back on a bench or the floor with a kettlebell in each hand.
2. Extend your arms above your chest with a slight bend in your elbows.
3. Lower the kettlebells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
4. Bring the kettlebells back to the starting position with control.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

4. Kettlebell Renegade Row

The kettlebell renegade row is a compound exercise that incredibly targets the chest, back, and core. By incorporating a rowing motion into a push-up position, the renegade row engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making it one of our favorite exercises for building overall upper-body strength and endurance.

Here’s a tutorial: 

1. Place two kettlebells on the floor shoulder-width apart.
2. Get into a push-up position with your hands gripping the kettlebell handles.
3. Perform a push-up, then row one kettlebell towards your hip while balancing on the other hand.
4. Lower the kettlebell back to the floor and repeat on the other side.
5. Continue alternating for the desired number of reps.

5. Kettlebell Single-Arm Bench Press

This exercise helps improve unilateral strength and stability. This exercise is excellent for identifying and addressing muscle imbalances between the left and right sides of the body that can lead to injury. 

Also, by working one arm at a time, the single-arm bench press forces the stabilizing muscles to engage more actively, leading to better overall muscle coordination and balance.

How to Perform:

1. Lie on a bench with a kettlebell in one hand and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Press the kettlebell upward until your arm is fully extended.
3. Lower the kettlebell back to the starting position with control.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch to the other arm.

6. Kettlebell Pullover

If you want to improve on your lat spread, this is the exercise for you. The kettlebell pullover is a compound movement that targets the chest, lats, and triceps.

 The kettlebell pullover is particularly effective at not only strengthening but also stretching the upper body muscles. The pullover movement engages the chest muscles while also working the back and triceps, providing an almost complete upper-body workout. It's important to perform this exercise with proper form to avoid straining the shoulders and lower back.

Check out the tutorial:

1. Lie on your back on a bench or the floor with a kettlebell held with both hands above your chest.
2. Lower the kettlebell behind your head in a controlled manner.
3. Bring the kettlebell back to the starting position using your chest and lats.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

7. Kettlebell Squeeze Press

This one is for those looking to make their inner chest pop! The kettlebell squeeze press emphasizes the inner chest muscles and helps improve muscle definition. By pressing the kettlebells together, you create constant tension in the chest muscles, leading to better muscle activation and growth. The squeeze press also engages the shoulders and triceps, making it a highly effective upper-body exercise.

How to Perform:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Hold a kettlebell in each hand and press them together above your chest.
3. Press the kettlebells upward while maintaining the squeeze.
4. Lower the kettlebells back to the starting position with control.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

8. Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up

This exercise can look a bit silly, but it’s a full-body exercise that engages the chest, shoulders, core, and legs. 

The kettlebell Turkish get-up is excellent for improving overall strength, stability, and coordination. This exercise involves a series of movements that require you to transition from lying on the floor to standing while holding a kettlebell overhead. 

The complex movement engages multiple muscle groups, enhances functional strength and mobility, and is worth giving a shot if you’re low on time and need to do a full-body exercise.

See the step-by-step below:

1. Lie on your back with a kettlebell in one hand and your arm extended above your chest.
2. Bend the knee on the same side and keep the other leg straight.
3. Use your free hand to push yourself up to a seated position.
4. Continue to rise to a standing position while keeping the kettlebell overhead.
5. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch to the other side.

Conclusion

There you have it! Those are our favorite kettlebell chest workout exercises. Pick the ones you like the most and make the most sense with your fitness objectives. Before we go, There are a few things to keep in mind before engaging in any kind of physician activity:

• Warm-up: Warming up is essential to make sure you get the most out of your body during the exercise and to prevent injuries. A good chest day warm-up should take around 15 minutes and will engage all your pectoral muscles.
• Form overweight: This one is more directed toward beginner weightlifters. Proper execution is way more important than weight. It’s the execution that is going to make sure the right muscles are engaged, and you’re not going to get injured. A lousy workout with too much weight and not enough form is inefficient and can lead to injuries. 

Finally, if you want to level up your chest gains, the Flex APP has several features that can improve your workout experience. Download the Flex APP now and enjoy our auto-progression feature, plate calculator, and body-weight tracker while sharing your fitness progress with a community that cheers you on. Get fit with Flex!