Exercise Technique

The Exercise Technique Column provides detailed

explanations of proper exercise technique to optimize
performance and safety.

COLUMN EDITOR: Jay Dawes, PhD, CSCS*D, NSCA-

CPT*D, FNSCA

Reverse Lunge With

Single-Arm Kettlebell
Overhead Press
Richard Handy, Jr, MS, CSCS and Chad Kerksick, PhD, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D
Human Performance Program, Department of Exercise Science, School of Health Sciences, Lindenwood University,
St. Charles, Missouri

ABSTRACT
THE REVERSE LUNGE WITH
SINGLE-ARM KETTLEBELL OVER-
HEAD PRESS IS A GROUND-
BASED EXERCISE THAT CHAL-
LENGES THE FRONTAL AND SAG-
ITTAL PLANES. INCORPORATION
OF THE MOVEMENT CAN AID IN
DEVELOPING STRENGTH AND
POWER WHILE ALSO REDUCING
INJURY RISK. THIS ARTICLE WILL
DISCUSS THE MUSCLES ACTI-
VATED, PROPER EXERCISE TECH-
NIQUE, BENEFITS, AND ITS
PRACTICAL APPLICATION.
INTRODUCTION
n the growing world of athletic per-
The reverse lunge with single-arm
overhead press is a ground-based exer-
cise that challenges the frontal and
sagittal plane (13). The overhead press
portion of the movement initiates mus-
cle activity within the core and shoul-
der, whereas the reverse lunge portion
effectively challenges all major muscle
groups spanning the hips, knees, and
ankles (2,5). When combined, the core
musculature is required as a base of
stability for the ensuing upper body–
pressing movement. In addition, inte-
gration of a kettlebell instead of
a dumbbell will further challenge
neuromuscular involvement (5).
MUSCLES ACTIVATED
Upper-body and lower-body muscles
studies have indicated that the gluteus
medius and vastus lateralis show high-
er activation during the reverse lunge
in comparison with other versions of
the lunge movement (2,7). The over-
head press combined with the lunge
will activate the stabilizing core
muscles including transverse abdomi-
nis, erector spinae, rectus abdominis,
and external oblique abdominis (13).
The muscles directly contributing to
the overhead shoulder movement are
the deltoid (anterior and lateral) (1,8),
rotator cuff (subscapularis, supraspina-
tus, infraspinatus, and teres minor)
(4,8,11), trapezius (upper, middle, and
lower) (6), and serratus anterior (6).
Kettlebell integration and its distant
center of gravity (COG) causes greater

I are both involved during the reverse neuromuscular control to coordinate

formance, quality and effective
movement is a top priority on and
off the field. Multiplanar movements
are excellent considerations for
coaches to improve movement quality
and maximize physical performance.
Address correspondence to Richard Handy Jr,
rhandy@lindenwood.edu.
synchronized recruitment among the
lunge with a single-arm overhead press
scapulothoracic muscles and related
exercise. For example, the primary
muscles in the glenohumeral joint to
lower-body muscles involved in the
control the overhead motion (4,5,11).
movement include rectus femoris,
vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, gluteus
maximus, gluteus medius, biceps EXERCISE BENEFITS
femoris, semitendinosus, and semi- The reverse lunge with a single-arm
membranosus (2,7). Of note, previous overhead press provides many benefits.

Copyright Ó National Strength and Conditioning Association 89

Strength and Conditioning Journal | www.nsca-scj.com

Copyright ª National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
 Exercise Technique

When compared with the traditional

forward lunge, the reverse lunge offers
unique and intricate biomechanical
challenges to test the athlete. Hip flex-
ion initiated during the reverse lunge is
similar to that seen during the tradi-
tional forward lunge but has lower
hip-joint moment allowing for more
focus on developing the weaker hip
extensor muscles (3). Interestingly,
although greater peak knee angles occur
in the forward lunge, peak relative
eccentric and concentric vertical ground
reaction forces are similar in the reverse
lunge (3).
The forward lunge produces greater
moments in the knee when compared
with the reverse lunge (3). With the
Figure 1. Starting position.
increased knee-joint moment and knee
flexion, patellofemoral-joint compres-
sive forces increase; therefore, the for- plane (13). The shoulder musculature a prime mover of the humerus because
ward lunge is likely to be more stressful (rotator cuff muscles (4,8,11), deltoid the translator force of the deltoid will
on the patellofemoral joint than the muscles (1,8), trapezius muscles (6), pull the humerus toward the acromion
reverse lunge (3). In addition, the and serratus anterior (6)) is also highly of the scapula, leading to instability (8).
increased knee-flexion angles seen in involved during the overhead press. Activation of the serratus anterior,
the forward lunge result in increased The rotator cuff muscles are important upper trapezius, and lower trapezius
tibiofemoral-joint compression load in controlling the shoulder complex works together to support proper pos-
and associated shear forces (3). From and must be effectively synchronized terior tilt and upward rotation of the
an injury prevention perspective, the with the deltoid muscles, specifically scapula on the thorax (11). A balance
reverse lunge achieves higher activa- the supraspinatus and lateral deltoid between all trapezii is important for
tion of the gluteus medius, and the force couple, to facilitate efficient over- scapular stability (4). As mentioned
entire group of hamstring muscles in head movement (8,11). Inadequate before, the scapulothoracic articulation
comparison with the forward lunge rotator cuff activation significantly and glenohumeral joint musculature
(7,10,12). In this respect, the gluteus compromises the deltoid’s function as must coordinate together and the use
medius is important for increasing pel-
vic stability, improving alignment of
the lower extremity, and decreasing
knee valgus (7). The hamstrings limit
anterior tibial translation on the femur
which subsequently reduces detrimen-
tal forces being translated to the ante-
rior cruciate ligament (7,14).
The single-arm overhead press in-
cludes an additional challenge of the
core (13) and scapulothoracic muscu-
latures (1,11), as well as the muscula-
ture of the glenohumeral joint (4,8,11).
It is executed by pressing the kettlebell
straight up, locking out the arm, while
maintaining a stable base. The abdom-
inal musculature (erector spinae, rectus
abdominis, external oblique abdominis,
internal oblique abdominis, and trans-
verse abdominis) is highly activated to
maintain spinal stability in the frontal Figure 2. Reverse lunge and bottom position.

90 VOLUME 39 | NUMBER 5 | OCTOBER 2017

Copyright ª National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

Figure 3. Kettlebell overhead press.
of a kettlebell has been shown previ-
ously, to further increase motor unit acti-
vation in comparison to performing the
same movement with a dumbbell (5).
EXERCISE TECHNIQUE
At the start of the exercise, the eyes
should be looking forward, resulting
in a neutral spine position with the feet
hip-width apart, directly beneath the
hips (Figure 1). The kettlebell is in
the rack position.
While keeping the core or abdominal
musculature tight, a long enough step
Figure 4. Return to bottom position.
Copyright ª National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
back with the ipsilateral foot should be
executed, keeping the front shin per-
pendicular to the ground (Figure 2).
A slight exhale will be executed
throughout this movement. All the
weight should be on the heel of the
front foot with the back knee approx-
imately 1 inch above the ground. The
upper body will remain upright with
the kettlebell still in rack position.
The opposite arm may be abducted
for balance purposes.
Maintaining a neutral wrist position
while holding the kettlebell is preferred,
Strength and Conditioning Journal | www.nsca-scj.com
as in the authors’ experience, exces-
sive wrist extension unfavorably shifts
the COG of the kettlebell further away
from the body, which consequently
makes the movement unnecessarily
difficult. A slight inhale into the belly
will create stability for the press. The
kettlebell should be pressed straight
up toward the ceiling. The biceps
should be covering the ears as the
head stays upright. The lower body
should remain still and the back knee
should remain approximately 1 inch
above the ground (Figure 3).
After the press, the kettlebell should
be returned to the rack position in
a slow and controlled manner. The
lunge position will be held until the
arm is no longer extended. The oppo-
site arm may be abducted for balanc-
ing purposes (Figure 4). The front leg
will drive the body up through the
front heel, and the back leg will move
forward beneath the hips. A slight
exhale will follow this movement.
Both hips should be fully extended
to reach full range of motion before
starting the next repetition (Figure 5).
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
This movement transmits lighter loads
through the knee joint which should
allow an athlete to perform consis-
tently with reduced sharing force (3).
The sets of the reverse lunge with an
overhead press should range from 1 to
6 sets (9). For muscular hypertrophy,
reps should range from 6 to 8 at 60–
70% of half the athlete’s overhead press
1 repetition maximum (1RM) (9). For
example, if an athlete has an overhead
press 1RM of 100 pounds, their 70%
load assignment would use a 35-pound
kettlebell (50% of 1RM of 100 5 50,
then 70% of 50 5 35 pounds). Rest
time should range from 1–2 minutes
between sets, allowing for optimal
muscle growth (9). Athletes who are
focusing on muscular strength should
focus on 3–6 reps at 70–80% of half
their 1RM, respectively (9). Rest time
should range from 2 to 3 minutes to
allow for full recovery for performing at
heavier loads. The amount of reps may
be less than normal for muscular
hypertrophy ranges, but the complexity
91
 Exercise Technique
Figure 5. Return to starting position.
and unilateral aspect of this exercise
causes the athlete to fatigue at a much
faster rate. Manipulating the time under
tension, by slowing down the move-
ment, can increase the perceived exer-
tion of the exercise without increasing
the amount of sets and reps. This may
help keep the quality of the movement
high, with less chance of sacrificing
technique.
The reverse lunge with an overhead
press can be used for many different
aspects of the training session. This
exercise can be used as a dynamic
movement to prepare the body for
a training session. Integration of the
exercise in the beginning of a training
session can also be done to focus on
strength development in the upper
and lower extremities. Implementation
of this exercise is appropriate for ligh-
ter training sessions and training
cycles because it is a unilateral load
and, by nature, does not allow for
maximal loads. Also, this exercise can
be placed at the end of the training
session where the athlete is asked to
be efficient in their movement when
they are tired. This is a complex
movement that requires much effi-
ciency because the sagittal and frontal
planes are challenged to a higher
degree with a combined lower- and
upper-body movement. The exercise
is much more intensified with the
92 VOLUME 39 | NUMBER 5 | OCTOBER 2017
Copyright ª National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
combination, than just a lunge or just
an overhead press (13). When looking
ahead and developing an annual plan
for training, this exercise can be per-
formed from the start to the end. Vol-
ume should remain low to moderate
due to perceived exertion being high
because of the unilateral aspect of the
movement.
All athletes should use this movement
because it is a complex movement that
challenges both the sagittal and frontal
planes tremendously. An overhead
athlete should not fear this movement
because of the benefits that it has for
scapular tracking which decreases the
risks for shoulder injuries (1). An
injured athlete should not be utilizing
this exercise because there are so many
requirements for this movement to be
completed correctly. Not only does the
lower body coordinate to stabilize the
load while getting into a lunge position,
the core and upper body must work to
maintain that stable position and syn-
chronize to stabilize the load overhead.
If one factor is not working effectively,
the movement would not be com-
pleted or could even lead to further
injury.
SUMMARY
The reverse lunge with overhead press
can be programmed and implemented
in many ways for all athletes. It may be
best to add into the warm-up when
first introducing the exercise. Although
there may not be an external load, the
movement is challenging enough to
emphasize mobility and stability of
the athlete (13). Once competent in
the movement, then load can be added
to increase the intensity. Although the
load may not be adequate for the lower
body, the combined movement and
heightened neuromuscular activity is
appropriate for improving dynamic
athletic performance.
Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding:
The authors report no conflicts of interest
and no source of funding.
Richard Handy is a Strength and
Conditioning Graduate Assistant at
Lindenwood University.
Chad Kerksick is the Director of
Research and Human Performance
for the School of Health Sciences at
Lindenwood University.
REFERENCES
1. Borsa P, Laudner K, and Sauers E. Mobility
and stability adaptations in the shoulder of
the overhead athlete. Sports Med 38: 17–
36, 2008.
2. Boudreau S, Dwyer M, Mattacola C,
Lattermann C, Uhl T, and McKeon J. Hip-
muscle activation during the lunge, single-
leg squat, and step-up-and-over exercises.
J Sport Rehab 18: 91–103, 2009.
3. Comfort P, Jones P, Smith L, and Herrington
L. Joint kinetics and kinematics during
common lower limb rehabilitation exercises.
J Athl Train 50: 1011–1018, 2015.
4. Cools AM, Witvrouw EE, Mahieu NN, and
Danneels LA. Isokinetic scapular muscle
performance in overhead athletes with and
without impingement symptoms. J Athl
Train 40: 104–110, 2005.
5. Crawford M. Kettlebells: Powerful, effective
exercise and rehabilitation tools. J Am
Chiropractic Assoc 1: 7–10, 2011.
6. Decker M, Hintermeister RA, Faber KJ, and
Hawkins RJ. Serratus anterior muscle
activity during selected rehabilitation
exercises. Am J Sports Med 27: 784–791,
1999.
7. Fauth M, Garceau L, Lutsch B, Gray A,
Szalkowski C, Wurm B, and Ebben W.
Hamstring, quadriceps and gluteal muscle
activation during resistance training
 exercises. 28th Conference Biomech
Sports; July 19–23, 2010, Marquette, MI.
8. Giannakopoulos K, Beneka A, Malliou P,
and Godolias G. Isolated vs. complex
exercise in strengthening the rotator cuff
muscle group. J Strength Cond Res 18:
144–148, 2004.
9. Haff GG and Triplett NT. Essentials of
Strength Training and Conditioning (4th
ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics,
2015. pp. 457–458.
10. Jung H. Electromyographic analysis of
lower extremity lateral stabilizer during
Copyright ª National Strength and Conditioning Association. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
upper extremity elevation movements. J Int
Acad Phys Ther Res 1: 185–191, 2010.
11. Kibler WB, Ludewig PM, McClure PW,
Michener LA, Bak K, and Sciascia AD.
Clinical implications of scapular
dyskinesis in shoulder injury: The 2013
consensus statement from the
“Scapular Summit”. Br J Sports Med 1:
1–12, 2013.
12. Meyer C, Dick D, and Scram J.
Electromyographic analysis of various hip
exercises in normal subjects. In:
Proceedings of the 7th Annual GRASP
Strength and Conditioning Journal | www.nsca-scj.com
Symposium. Wichita State University,
2011. pp. 101–102.
13. Willardson J, Fontana F, and Bressel E.
Effect of surface stability on core muscle
activity for dynamic resistance
exercises. Int J Sports Phys Perf 4: 97–
109, 2009.
14. Withrow T, Huston L, Wojtys E, and
Ashton-Miller J. Effect of varying hamstring
tension on anterior cruciate ligament strain
during in vitro impulsive knee flexion and
compression loading. J Bone Joint Surg
90: 815–823, 2008.
93