How is the seesaw press different from the alternating press?

In the Kettlebell Alternating Standing Press one bell comes all the way back to the rack and settles before the other arm presses. In the seesaw press the second bell starts rising while the first is still coming down, so the bells move in opposite directions and neither pauses at the shoulder.

How heavy should the kettlebells be?

Start lighter than the bell you use for a strict single-arm press. The set lasts longer than it looks and the waiting arm holds its bell the whole time, so a pair you can press for every planned rep on each side without leaning or dipping the knees is the right choice.

Count each lockout as one rep for that arm and finish with the same number on both sides. Because the arms take turns, a set of 5 per arm means 10 presses in a row.

Should my torso lean during the seesaw press?

A little. The upper body leans slightly away from the pressing arm while the eyes follow the bell up, then comes back to center as the bells switch. Leaning back, sagging deep to one side, or leaning further to force a bell past the sticking point means the bells are too heavy or the pace is too fast.

Can I do the seesaw press with dumbbells?

Yes. The seesaw pattern was taught with dumbbells as well as kettlebells, and the timing is the same. Kettlebells rest on the forearm in the rack, while dumbbells are held beside the shoulders with the palms facing in or forward.

Kettlebell Seesaw Press

What Is the Kettlebell Seesaw Press?

Kettlebell Seesaw Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the triceps, upper back and core. It is an intermediate-level movement in which two kettlebells start in the rack position at the shoulders and are pressed overhead one at a time, with one bell lowering back to the shoulder while the other rises, like the two ends of a seesaw.

The seesaw is an old-time strength drill. Early twentieth-century strongman courses taught it with dumbbells and kettlebells, with the instruction to keep both arms working at the same time in opposite directions. Because the bells are never level, the trunk has to resist being pulled toward the higher bell for the whole set, and the arm waiting in the rack is holding its bell the entire time instead of resting.

The overlap is what separates it from the Kettlebell Alternating Standing Press, where one bell returns to the rack and settles before the other arm starts. In the seesaw, the next press begins while the first bell is still coming down, so there is no pause at the shoulder and a set takes longer than it looks on paper. The upper body also leans slightly away from each pressing arm, with the eyes following the bell up, and comes back to center as the bells switch, so the trunk works side to side through the whole set. That lean stays small and the legs stay straight, unlike the deep lean and hip hinge of the Kettlebell Bent Press. The deltoids do most of the pressing, the triceps finish the lockout, and the trapezius and serratus anterior rotate the shoulder blade upward so the arm can reach a straight overhead position. Pressing both bells together in the Kettlebell Double Clean and Press or with leg drive in the Kettlebell Double Push Press moves heavier loads, while the seesaw trades load for continuous work and trunk control.

It suits lifters who can already press a single kettlebell strictly and bring two bells to the rack with a clean. Most people use lighter bells here than for a single-arm press, because the waiting arm and the trunk tire along with the pressing arm. If it is too hard, build up with the Kettlebell Single-Arm Military Press and then the Kettlebell Alternating Standing Press before adding the seesaw timing.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Deltoid: Primary
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): High
External Oblique: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): Medium
Upper Trapezius: Medium
Erector Spinae: Low
Pectoralis Major: Low
Rectus Abdominis: Low

Instructions

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and clean two kettlebells of the same weight to the rack position.
Hold each handle with your fist near your collarbone, the bell resting on the outside of your forearm, your wrists straight and your elbows close to your ribs.
Brace your core, squeeze your glutes and keep your legs straight.
Press one kettlebell straight up, turning your palm to face forward as it rises, until your arm is locked out with your biceps beside your ear. Let your upper body lean slightly away from the pressing arm and follow the bell with your eyes, keeping the other bell in the rack.
Start lowering the top bell back toward the rack and, at the same time, begin pressing the other bell up, so one rises while the other comes down.
Bring your torso back through center as the bells pass, then lean slightly away from the new pressing arm as it locks out and the first bell arrives back in the rack, turning that palm back toward you on the way down.
Keep the seesaw going without pausing at the shoulders. Keep the lean small and controlled, and never arch back or sag to one side.
Count each lockout as one rep for that arm. When both arms have done the same number, bring both bells to the rack and lower them to the floor with a hinge and a flat back.

Common Mistakes

Pausing between presses
Waiting for one bell to settle in the rack before starting the other turns the lift into an alternating press and removes the overlap that defines the seesaw.
Collapsing into the lean
Letting the slight lean away from the pressing arm become a deep sideways bend, or using it to dodge a press the shoulder cannot finish, shifts the work off the shoulder and onto the lower back.
Leaning back to finish
Arching the lower back to complete a press turns it into an incline press and puts the lumbar spine under extra stress.
Losing the rack on the waiting side
Letting the waiting elbow drift away from the ribs or the wrist fold back strains the wrist and shoulder and makes the next press start from a weak position.
Bent-back wrist overhead
Letting the bell pull the wrist backward at lockout strains the wrist and leaks force, so keep the knuckles stacked over the forearm.
Adding leg drive
Dipping the knees to help a bell up turns the lift into a push press, so keep the legs straight and let the shoulder do the work.

Injuries

Kettlebell Seesaw Press is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. Both shoulders are loaded for the whole set, one pressing and one holding the rack, so the shoulder joint and rotator cuff carry most of the strain, especially when the bells are too heavy to lock out cleanly. The lower back is stressed when the torso arches back, or when the slight lean away from the pressing arm turns into a sideways collapse that hangs on the spine instead of the trunk muscles, and the wrists and elbows suffer when the rack collapses, with the wrist folding back or the elbow drifting out away from the ribs.

Choose a pair of bells you can press strictly for every rep of the set, and keep the rack tight on the waiting side with the wrist straight and the elbow close to the body. Squeeze the glutes and keep the ribs down so the lean away from each pressing arm stays small and controlled, never arching back, and bring the torso back to center every time the bells switch. Slow the seesaw down rather than letting the bells drift away from the shoulders.

If the timing or the uneven load is too much, go back to the Kettlebell Alternating Standing Press, which lets each bell settle in the rack between presses. If the lower back keeps arching, the Kettlebell Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Shoulder Press takes the legs out of the movement and makes the lean easier to control. Progress with longer sets or heavier bells only once every rep stays strict.

Stop the set if you feel a sharp or pinching pain in the shoulder overhead, pain in the lower back, or numbness or tingling down the arm. End it as well when either bell starts to drift forward, the waiting arm drops out of the rack, or the lean grows deeper to get a bell past the sticking point, because fatigue is breaking the technique down.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Kettlebell
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is the seesaw press different from the alternating press?: In the Kettlebell Alternating Standing Press one bell comes all the way back to the rack and settles before the other arm presses. In the seesaw press the second bell starts rising while the first is still coming down, so the bells move in opposite directions and neither pauses at the shoulder.
Q: How heavy should the kettlebells be?: Start lighter than the bell you use for a strict single-arm press. The set lasts longer than it looks and the waiting arm holds its bell the whole time, so a pair you can press for every planned rep on each side without leaning or dipping the knees is the right choice.
Q: How do I count reps?: Count each lockout as one rep for that arm and finish with the same number on both sides. Because the arms take turns, a set of 5 per arm means 10 presses in a row.
Q: Should my torso lean during the seesaw press?: A little. The upper body leans slightly away from the pressing arm while the eyes follow the bell up, then comes back to center as the bells switch. Leaning back, sagging deep to one side, or leaning further to force a bell past the sticking point means the bells are too heavy or the pace is too fast.
Q: Can I do the seesaw press with dumbbells?: Yes. The seesaw pattern was taught with dumbbells as well as kettlebells, and the timing is the same. Kettlebells rest on the forearm in the rack, while dumbbells are held beside the shoulders with the palms facing in or forward.