Dumbbell Thruster is a weightlifting movement on Fiz. Front squat to overhead press in one motion with a pair of dumbbells. Also known as db thruster. Primary muscles: quads, glutes, shoulders. Scored by reps + weight.
Dumbbell Thruster
also db thruster
Front squat to overhead press in one motion with a pair of dumbbells
Category
Weightliftingloaded barbell and dumbbell work
Logged as
Reps, Weight (kg)
Primary muscles
Quads, glutes, shoulders
Secondary
Hamstrings, triceps, core
How to do a dumbbell thruster
4 steps- Hold a dumbbell in each hand on your shoulders, elbows slightly forward.
- Squat until the hip crease drops below the knee.
- Drive up and press the dumbbells overhead in one continuous motion.
- Finish with the arms locked and the dumbbells stacked over the shoulders.
What counts as a rep
Movement standard- The squat must bottom out with the hip crease under the knee, exactly as the barbell version does.
- One continuous motion from squat to lockout, as with a barbell thruster.
- Both dumbbells finish locked out overhead with hips and knees extended.
Common faults
2 faults
The dumbbells drift forward off the shoulders in the bottom of the squat.
FixKeep them pinned to your shoulders and your elbows up. Dumbbells that slide forward have to be re-set before they can be pressed.
Pressing the dumbbells at slightly different times, which wastes the leg drive on one side.
FixDrive both together out of the squat. Uneven timing is usually a bracing problem rather than a strength difference.
Scaling ladder
1 harder, 1 easier
Dumbbell ThrusterWorks quads, glutes, shoulders
Goblet SquatSquat holding dumbbell or kettlebell at chest
Frequently asked
6 answersWhat muscles does the Dumbbell Thruster work?
Dumbbell Thruster primarily works quads, glutes, shoulders, with secondary engagement of hamstrings, triceps, core.
How do you do a Dumbbell Thruster?
Hold a dumbbell in each hand on your shoulders, elbows slightly forward. Squat until the hip crease drops below the knee. Drive up and press the dumbbells overhead in one continuous motion. Finish with the arms locked and the dumbbells stacked over the shoulders.
What counts as a rep on the Dumbbell Thruster?
The squat must bottom out with the hip crease under the knee, exactly as the barbell version does. One continuous motion from squat to lockout, as with a barbell thruster. Both dumbbells finish locked out overhead with hips and knees extended.
What's an easier alternative to the Dumbbell Thruster?
Scale it to Goblet Squat.
What's a harder progression from the Dumbbell Thruster?
Progress to Thruster once the Dumbbell Thruster is comfortable.
What else is the Dumbbell Thruster called?
Dumbbell Thruster is also written db thruster. Fiz resolves all of those spellings to the same movement, so a workout written either way logs to the same history.