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Kettlebell Sots Press
by Scott Andrew Bird | October 11, 2006
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The Sots press is a fairly recent (as far as these things go) exercise, named after great Russian weightlifter Viktor Sots (pictured). If you were watching top-level Olympic weightlifting in the early 1980s, chances are you've seen him on the platform.
Despite its relative newness, the Sots press is little more than a combination of two well-known exercises: the squat and the overhead press. It's a great mix.
Performing the Sots press
It's a fairly simple affair, consisting of 3 basic steps :
- clean the kettlebell
- squat down (as deep as possible)
- press the bell (still squatting)
Things to bear in mind
- The 'squat down' phase is simply a Front Squat. Pull yourself into the hole using your hip flexors, rather than just allowing yourself to fall into it.
- Once you're in the hole, make sure you're tight (particularly abs and glutes).
- Maintain eye contact with the bell as you press it.
- If you find the weight of the kettlebell too much, simply fall over and drop it. From a safety point of view, providing you have good stability in the squat, this is a particularly safe exercise. If your squat isn't up to par, don't even think about this one.
Variations
Punch Gym's Anthony DiLuglio demonstrates [.wmv, 3.2mb] the Alternating (or See-Saw) Sots Press in his latest newsletter. Well worth a look.
Further thoughts
The first step mentioned above - clean the kettlebell - is a relatively simple matter once you have mastered the Swing. If you haven't got to this stage, or you're not yet comfortable with the Clean, get to that point before trying this exercise.
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This is a fantastic book. If you've ever considered learning this
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In addition to the articles on this site are a number I've written elsewhere. Including :
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- Interviewed by Joe Hashey
- Strength, Nutrition and Conditioning on Twitter
- Modifying Exercise Routines to Suit the Equipment You Already Have
- Rock the Kitchen: Plan for Diet Success
- 10 Challenging Bodyweight Exercises
- The Art of Working Out Alone
- A Journey from Alcoholic to Weightlifter
- Buying Your First Kettlebell
- Get Motivated: Inspiring Transformations
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Dragon Door Kettlebells
These are easily the best kettlebells I've used; and I'd strongly recommend them above all others. Well-made, comfortable to use and ready to take any abuse you send their way. Love them.RMAX Clubbells
I'm a big fan of leverage training in any form, especially things like the RMAX Clubbells. Beautiful things.MBG Powerwheel
Although I generally avoid single-purpose tools, I'll happily make an exception for the Powerwheel. Ab training has never been so much fun.Battling Rope Kit
This is easily my favourite form of conditioning work. Incredibly fun, exhausting and - most importantly - effective.Precision Nutrition
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's a increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat -
this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.Gymboss Interval Timer
If you've ever tried to do interval work with a stopwatch, or by counting out the time, grab a Gymboss. The perfect way to time your fat-shedding sessions.The Ultimate Sandbag
I love sandbag training, and this is definitely the way to do it right. Beautiful thing.
Want more? Swing by the Equipment section on the forums. Some great stuff on there.
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