Dumbbell Thruster
A high-intensity compound exercise that combines a front squat with an overhead press to build explosive power and full-body conditioning. This movement targets the legs, glutes, and shoulders while demanding significant core stability.
Thrusters are metabolically demanding and require high coordination. The AI analyzes your performance data—specifically rep speed and heart rate recovery—to detect fatigue early. If your HRV or sleep data from HealthKit indicates low recovery, the AI may suggest reducing load or volume to prevent form breakdown, as this exercise requires your central nervous system to be fresh for safe execution.
Form Cues
- Hold dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing in
- Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor
- Drive explosively through your heels to stand up
- Use the momentum from your legs to press weights overhead
- Lock out arms fully at the top with biceps by ears
- Don't press the weights up before your hips extend
- Don't let your chest collapse forward during the squat
- Don't arch your lower back excessively at the top
- Don't let your heels lift off the ground
- Don't pause between the squat and the press
Common Mistakes
- Pressing too early
- Squatting too shallow
- Rounding the lower back
- Using only arms to press
- Holding breath throughout the set
Muscles Worked
This exercise is a true full-body builder that relies on the quadriceps and glutes to generate vertical force out of the squat. That momentum is transferred through a rigid core to the anterior deltoids and triceps, allowing you to press heavier loads overhead than you could with a strict press.
Primary
Secondary
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