Overhead Kettlebell Front Raise

Also known as: two hand kettlebell front raise

In SetGrip: Kettlebell Front Raise (Overhead)

Secondary muscles
Triceps, Forearms
Body part
Shoulders
Position
Standing
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Strength

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Both hands on one kettlebell make this overhead raise a bilateral lift with a quirk: the bell's mass hangs below your grip and shifts as it rises, feeding the forearms steady extra work. One moderate kettlebell goes a long way, because the overhead finish is where light weight starts feeling heavy.

How to do the Overhead Kettlebell Front Raise

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in one hand.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
  3. Raise the kettlebell up to shoulder height, keeping your elbow close to your body.
  4. Extend your arm fully overhead, straightening your elbow.
  5. Lower the kettlebell back down to shoulder height, then return to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Tip: Lead with the elbows and think of reaching wide rather than lifting up.

Muscles worked

Primary

Delts · Shoulders

Front raises hit the front delt, lateral raises the side, and Y or rear raises the back head; whichever you pick, the burn should build across the top of the shoulder by the last few reps.

Secondary

Common mistakes

  • Swinging from the hips — a small bounce at the bottom is the sign of a weight that is too heavy; lighten it and lift from a dead stop.
  • Shrugging as you raise — the traps take over when the shoulders rise toward the ears; keep them down and lead with the elbows.
  • Raising far above shoulder height — on lateral and front raises the upper traps take over past parallel, so stop around shoulder level unless the variation is built to go overhead.
  • Locked elbows — keep a soft bend in the elbow throughout so the load stays on the shoulder rather than the joint.

Where it fits in a workout

Raises are accessory work and belong after the presses in a shoulder or push session. Superset lateral raises with a rear delt fly for a complete shoulder finisher.

How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.

Variations and alternatives

Similar exercises

When to talk to someone

  • Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
  • Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
  • Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.

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More exercises

Sources

  1. ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
  2. ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
  3. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
  4. CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)

Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.

Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.