Do Kettlebells Work Shoulder Muscles More Than Dumbbells?
The Effect of the Weight and Type of Equipment on Shoulder and Back Muscle Activity in Surface Electromyography during the Overhead Press—Preliminary Report
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Kettlebells increased EMG activity in all major shoulder and back muscles compared to dumbbells of equal weight, despite no statistical significance.
Most people assume that if two weights are the same, the muscle effort should be too—especially with trained lifters. But the kettlebell’s off-center weight seems to demand more stabilization.
Practical Takeaways
Use kettlebells for overhead pressing if you want to challenge shoulder stabilizers like the serratus anterior and lower trapezius, even at moderate loads.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Kettlebells increased EMG activity in all major shoulder and back muscles compared to dumbbells of equal weight, despite no statistical significance.
Most people assume that if two weights are the same, the muscle effort should be too—especially with trained lifters. But the kettlebell’s off-center weight seems to demand more stabilization.
Practical Takeaways
Use kettlebells for overhead pressing if you want to challenge shoulder stabilizers like the serratus anterior and lower trapezius, even at moderate loads.
Publication
Journal
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
Year
2022
Authors
M. Błażkiewicz, Anna Hadamus
Related Content
Claims (5)
When guys who lift weights do shoulder presses sitting down with a kettlebell instead of a dumbbell that weighs the same, their shoulder and back muscles seem to work a bit harder — maybe because of how the kettlebell is shaped and balanced.
For guys who lift regularly, the top part of their shoulder muscle (trapezius) works differently when doing overhead presses — it doesn’t ramp up much with kettlebells and doesn’t respond as strongly to heavier weights, which might mean it’s more about keeping things stable than powering the movement.
Using a kettlebell for overhead presses might make your shoulder and back muscles work harder than using a dumbbell, because the kettlebell's weight hangs below the handle and makes you stabilize more as you lift.
When guys who lift weights do a one-arm shoulder press, using heavier weights (up to 70% of their max) makes several key shoulder and back muscles work a lot harder than using just a light 6 kg dumbbell.
Using a heavier kettlebell during shoulder presses activates key shoulder-blade muscles way more than a light dumbbell — up to 72% more, according to this claim.