Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Kettlebell Plyo Push-Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The kettlebell plyo push-up is an explosive push-up variation performed with hands on kettlebells, targeting the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core. It requires significant upper body strength, stability, and coordination, as well as explosive power to lift the hands off the kettlebells and land safely.

Primary muscles
Chest
Equipment
Kettlebell
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the kettlebell plyo push-up
Front view: muscles worked by the kettlebell plyo push-up. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders, abs, obliques and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the kettlebell plyo push-up. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders, abs, obliques and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the kettlebell plyo push-up

  1. Step 1: Start in a high plank position with your hands on the kettlebells, shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Lower your chest towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  3. Step 3: Push through your hands explosively, lifting your hands off the kettlebells and extending your arms fully.
  4. Step 4: Land softly back on the kettlebells and immediately lower your chest back down for the next repetition.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the kettlebell plyo push-up by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Kettlebell Plyo Push-Up alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.