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Kettlebell Sots Press

The Sots press asks you to sit in the bottom of a full squat and press a bell overhead from there, which exposes every gap in your hip, ankle, and shoulder mobility. The delts and triceps drive the press while the legs and trunk hold a deep, upright squat under load. It is a humbling advanced lift that builds overhead strength, thoracic position, and squat mobility all at once.

Equipment
Kettlebells
Body part
Shoulder, Triceps
Type
Functional, Strength
Browse by movement
Squat, Vertical Press
Muscles worked
Target
Deltoid Anterior, Triceps Brachii Long Head, Triceps Brachii Lateral Head
Secondary
Deltoid Middle, Trapezius Upper, Vastus Lateralis, Rectus Femoris
Tertiary
Erector Spinae, Abdominal External Oblique, Triceps Brachii Medial Head

How to do it

  1. 1

    Clean a kettlebell to the front rack and drop into a full-depth squat.

  2. 2

    Stay tall in the bottom with your chest up and heels flat on the floor.

  3. 3

    Brace your abs and press the bell straight overhead to a full lockout.

  4. 4

    Keep your torso upright and the squat depth constant as you press.

  5. 5

    Lower the bell back to the rack under control without standing up.

  6. 6

    Complete your reps in the hole, then stand and switch arms.

Tips

  • Earn the position first; if you cannot sit upright in a deep squat, build mobility before loading this.
  • Press in a straight line so the bell finishes stacked over the shoulder, not drifting forward.
  • Keep your heels planted and knees tracking out to hold a stable base while you press.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The free arm reaches out to the side for balance and drags the torso with it, so the press finishes with the ribs turned instead of square over the hips.
  • The bell drifts behind the head to make lockout feel easier, and the only way it gets there is by arching the lower back, which in a deep squat has nowhere to go.
  • One side gets pressed from a deep squat and the other from a shallower one, because the legs are already tired by the time you swap; press the weaker side first and match the depth.
  • The bell is cleaned before the descent and never resettled, so it starts the press sitting at an angle on the forearm and rolls outward as the arm straightens.
  • The same-side knee caves in as the arm drives up, since the load is offset and the hip on that side is the one being pulled around.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the kettlebell Sots press should I do per arm?
Three sets of 3 to 5 per arm with a light bell, placed after your squatting rather than before it so the hips are already open. A comfortable deep squat and a strict standing kettlebell press are both prerequisites, and combining them is harder than either alone. Progress with depth and time in the hole first, then reps, and a heavier bell last; an extra breath spent sitting in the bottom is worth more than the next size up.
What can I use instead of a kettlebell for the Sots press?
A single dumbbell works and is arguably easier, since nothing rests on the forearm. The barbell version is a step up rather than a substitute, because it demands far more of the upper back. With no weight at all, sit in the bottom of a squat and press a light band anchored under your feet, or hold a dowel overhead in the hole for sets of thirty seconds; both build the same position.
What is the kettlebell Sots press good for?
One arm at a time asks less of the upper back than a barbell does, which makes this the more practical way to train the deep-squat overhead position, useful for lifters chasing an overhead squat and for anyone whose hips and ankles stiffen between sessions. The delts and triceps work, but the load stays light, so treat it as a position and mobility builder rather than your main pressing lift. It is the wrong movement late on a heavy leg day, and the wrong movement entirely if your squat depth comes from the lower back rounding under.

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