I had a lot of questions after my workout post from yesterday about the shoulder press exercise I included in the circuit.  So I thought today I would take the opportunity to expand upon the insane benefits of this exercise and how it came to be in my office.

Where did it come from?

Meghan Callaway.  This powerhouse trainer is one of my favorite to follow on Instagram and just crushes it with her knowledge of the body.  She posted this exercise a while back and I immediately started using it on myself first.  If you get a chance, check out her amazing videos and her ultimate pull-up program.

Why do I love this exercise?

First off, tall kneeling is a lost art.  It is one of the most effective positions to do exercises from but somehow it has been lost in the world of doing crazy box jumps and squatting a million pounds.  Second, the bottoms up position of the kettlebell challenges your shoulder stability and grip strength like no other.  And most importantly, this exercise is perfect for working on scapular control and stability.  All the golfers out there with crazy long arms, raise your hand because we need this in spades!

What are some cues to help get the most out of it?

The tall kneeling position is the promise land of glute activation.  Once you line up the knees, hips and shoulders, you will feel what I mean.  If you are struggling at all with this part, try putting something between your feet to squeeze and the glutes will instantly join the party.

Do the motion slowly, there is no need to rush.

As the weight raises up, I like to feel my shoulder blades drawing down towards my back pockets.

You also want to feel like your rib cage is staying anchored down, it’s really easy to let it flare open but that will only lead to over using some pesky neck muscles.

There you go, an amazing exercise that is a must for your program.  Be sure to check out Meghan Callaway to learn even more about it and what exercises like this can do to improve your athletic performance!

-S