How to Do the Circus Bell

Expert · Other · Targets Shoulders, Forearms, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Traps, Triceps

How to perform it

1. The circus bell is an oversized dumbbell with a thick handle. Begin with the dumbbell between your feet, and grip the handle with both hands.
2. Clean the dumbbell by extending through your hips and knees to deliver the implement to the desired shoulder, letting go with the extra hand.
3. Ensure that you get one of the dumbbell heads behind the shoulder to keep from being thrown off balance. To raise it overhead, dip by flexing the knees, and the drive upwards as you extend the dumbbell overhead, leaning slightly away from it as you do so.
4. Carefully guide the bell back to the floor, keeping it under control as much as possible. It is best to perform this event on a thick rubber mat to prevent damage to the floor.

Muscles worked

The Circus Bell primarily targets your Shoulders, with support from your Forearms, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Traps, Triceps. You'll need other.

Make it count toward your goal

Random sets rarely move the needle. In NYUS, the Circus Bell slots into a plan built for your goal — sets, reps and progression auto-suggested, logged in two taps, and folded into a weekly review that adapts what comes next.