How to Do Thrusters: Proper Form and Technique Guide
Master the thruster with our step-by-step guide. Learn how to combine the front squat and overhead press for maximum full-body power and conditioning.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in the front rack position across your collarbone.
- Lower into a deep squat while keeping your chest upright and your elbows pointed forward to support the weight.
- Drive through your heels to explode upward out of the bottom of the squat.
- Transfer the momentum from your legs to your arms as you reach the top of the squat, pressing the bar overhead.
- Lock out your elbows with the bar directly over your mid-foot and your head pulled slightly forward.
- Lower the barbell back to the front rack position in a controlled manner to begin the next repetition.
Common Mistakes
- Pausing at the top of the squat instead of using continuous momentum to press the bar.
- Letting the elbows drop during the squat, which causes the weight to pull the torso forward.
- Heels lifting off the ground because the weight is shifted too far toward the toes.
- Arching the lower back excessively during the overhead press phase.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Quads
Stabilizers
- Shoulders
- Glutes
- Core
- Triceps
Related Guides
- Dumbbell Snatch — Full Body
- Hang Clean — Full Body
- Man Maker — Full Body
Quads · Full Body