Kettlebell Thruster

Also called thruster, dumbbell thruster and KB thruster.

Works

Shoulders, plus quads and triceps

Equipment

Kettlebell

Level

Intermediate

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Clean the kettlebells to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebells towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrists as you do so. This will be your starting position.

1. Begin to squat by flexing your hips and knees, lowering your hips between your legs. Maintain an upright, straight back as you descend as low as you can.
2. At the bottom, reverse direction and squat by extending your knees and hips, driving through your heels. As you do so, press both kettlebells overhead by extending your arms straight up, using the momentum from the squat to help drive the weights upward.
3. As you begin the next repetition, return the weights to the shoulders.

Cues

• Front-rack, elbows in.
• Squat to depth, drive up and press in one motion.
• Lock out overhead, bring it back to the rack.

Common mistakes

• Pausing between squat and press.
• Dropping the elbows in the squat.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.