How to do the Thruster, step by step
- Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders, feet about shoulder-width.
- Drop into a full squat, elbows high.
- Stand up explosively and transfer the momentum into the bar.
- Press the bar overhead in one motion.
- Bring the bar back to your shoulders and go straight into the next squat.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Squat too shallowget your hip crease below your knees
- Pressing before the hips openstand up first, then press
- Elbows drop in the squatkeep your elbows up
How to scale the Thruster
If you can't do the movement cleanly yet or the workout is too heavy, use one of these variations:
- Dumbbell Thruster
- Thruster with an empty bar
- Wall Ball
Benchmarks with Thruster
- Fran21-15-9 Thruster 42.5 kg, Pull-ups
- Jackie1000 m Row, 50 Thruster 20 kg, 30 Pull-ups
- Hope3 rounds, 1 min each: Burpees, Power Snatch 34 kg, Box Jump 61 cm, Thruster 34 kg, Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups; 1 min rest
- Daniel50 Pull-ups, 400 m Run, 21 Thruster 42.5 kg, 800 m Run, 21 Thruster, 400 m Run, 50 Pull-ups
- Tommy V21 Thruster 52.5 kg, 12 Rope Climbs, 15 Thruster, 9 Rope Climbs, 9 Thruster, 6 Rope Climbs
- The Seven7 RFT: 7 HSPU, 7 Thruster 60 kg, 7 Knees-to-Elbows, 7 Deadlifts 110 kg, 7 Burpees, 7 KB Swings 32 kg, 7 Pull-ups
- Coe10 RFT: 10 Thruster 42.5 kg, 10 Ring Push-ups
- Holbrook10 rounds, each for time: 5 Thruster 52.5 kg, 10 Pull-ups, 100 m Sprint; 1 min rest between rounds
- Open 13.54 min AMRAP: 15 Thruster 45 kg, 15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups; every 3 full rounds (90 reps) add 4 min. Score: reps
- Open 14.5 / 16.521-18-15-12-9-6-3 Thruster 42.5 kg, Bar-facing Burpees
- Open 15.527-21-15-9 Row (kcal), Thruster 42.5 kg
- Open 17.510 RFT: 9 Thruster 42.5 kg, 35 Double Unders (Cap 40 min)
- Open 18.5 / 12.5 / 11.67 min AMRAP: 3 Thruster 45 kg, 3 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups, 6/6, 9/9 … (+3 each round). Score: reps
- Open 19.533-27-21-15-9 Thruster 42.5 kg, Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (Cap 20 min)
- Open 21.315 Front Squats, 30 Toes-to-Bar, 15 Thruster; 1 min rest; 15 FS, 30 C2B, 15 Thruster; 1 min rest; 15 FS, 30 Bar Muscle-ups, 15 Thruster – all at 42.5 kg (Cap 15 min)
- Open 22.3 / 25.221 Pull-ups, 42 DU, 21 Thruster 42.5 kg, 18 C2B, 36 DU, 18 Thruster 52.5 kg, 15 Bar Muscle-ups, 30 DU, 15 Thruster 60 kg (Cap 12 min)
- Open 23.2B1RM Thruster from the floor within 5 min (right after 23.2A)
- Open 24.35 RFT: 10 Thruster 42.5 kg, 10 C2B; 1 min rest; 5 RFT: 7 Thruster 60 kg, 7 Bar Muscle-ups (Cap 15 min)
- Open 26.32 rounds each: 12 Bar-facing Burpees, 12 Cleans, 12 Bar-facing Burpees, 12 Thruster – first 42.5 kg, then 52.5 kg, then 60 kg (Cap 16 min)
These descriptions are general guidance and don't replace a coach. Have someone at your box show you new movements, and stop if anything hurts.