Superhero Fit Workout Move of the Day: Double Kettlebell Push Press

If you’re trying to get into superhero shape, you can’t just focus on isolation — your whole body needs to feel the burn that comes from complex movements as often as possible.

Compound exercises like squats, swings, lunges, and presses have a ton of benefits that you won’t get from reps upon reps of curls. You’ll burn more calories for a more efficient workout, and you’ll improve your coordination, muscle-mind connection, and flexibility, too.

Trainer Don Saladino uses full-body exercises when he designs programs for actors like Ryan Reynolds and Sebastian Stan to prepare them for their roles as superheroes in some of the most popular movies of all time SEEMS LIKE WE’RE INTENTIONALLY LEAVING THE TITLES OUT HERE?.

Saladino doesn’t make his stars just bang away with barbells when he’s whipping them into shape. He’s a big fan of incorporating other tools, like kettlebells, into workouts.

One of Saladino’s favorite full-body kettlebell moves takes two of the weights for a well-balanced workload: The double kettlebell push press.

“This exercise improves your power output while working your whole body,” Saladino told MensHealth.com. “When we do the double KB push press, you increase strength, power, and cardiovascular endurance when we really get going for long sets.”

While the compound movement works multiple muscle groups, Saladino said there’s a particular focus on the legs, abs, and shoulders.

To perform the move, grab two kettlebells of the same weight and hold them in the rack position. Assume an athletic stance, keeping your core tight, then dip your knees slightly before exploding upwards, pressing the kettlebells straight up above your head using the momentum.

“Keep both forearms parallel and pointing straight up,” Saladino advised. “When the legs and hips push the weights up, the arms just have to follow straight up.”

You can add double kettlebell push presses to your next shoulder day, or tack it onto any workout for a full-body finisher. Start by trying 3 sets of 8 reps with light weights to nail the form, then tack on more reps and sets for cardiovascular endurance once you’re a pro. For more superhero-body building moves, you can check out Saladino’s full program.

If you want to try out the press but you don’t have any kettlebells, you can sub in dumbbells in a pinch — or, you can grab some new weights like these from Onnit for yourself to work out wherever you want.

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