If there is one exercise that spikes my heart rate, it’s the thruster. Everytime I add these into my workout, I know the workout is going to be challenging.
This is an awesome exercise to train your body as a whole and not simply isolating certain muscle groups. Working on thrusters will also help improve such things as leg strength, core stability, hip power and shoulder strength just to name a few. This exercise is commonly confused with a squat and shoulder press. However, the thruster is a strict version of a wall ball (see wall ball video for additional tips).
Here are some tips for success:
– Place DB’s up on shoulders (or place barbell in the front rack position , resting on your shoulders).
– Sit butt back into a squat position, keeping heels on the group and driving knees out.
– Keep chest upright a bit more with weight being front loaded.
– Once you get to the botton of the squat position, drive up with legs and hips as if to “pop” the DB’s off your shoulders (same as barbell).
– The momentum from your hips will start the “shoulder press” portion of the movement. Then press the remainder of the way, locking out arms overhead.
– Squeeze your glutes and keep ripcage down keeping your back nice and straight (not overextended).
These tips should help you out the next time you perform thrusters in your workout! What weight to grab?? Because your hips are doing the majority of the work, you should be able to use more weight than you can strict shoulder press. This is a great starting off point to help you see what you are capable of.
Watch above video for more tips and exercise demonstration! (Plus- my hair tie broke and you get to see me attempt thrusters with my hair everywhere LOL.)