Dumbbell Thruster
The dumbbell thruster is a full-body exercise that combines a squat and an overhead press.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
- Lower into a squat, keeping your chest up and back straight.
- As you rise from the squat, press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height and repeat.
How to perform the Dumbbell Thruster
- Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Thruster using your dumbbell.
- Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your calves.
- Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.
Coaching cues
- Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
- Drive force through your calves rather than momentum.
- Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.
Common mistakes
- Using too much weight and losing positional control.
- Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
- Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.
Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.
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