Combine a front squat with an immediate overhead press using a barbell, moving from a low squat into a locked-out overhead position to work the legs, shoulders, and core.
How to do the Barbell Thruster#
- Place the bar on the front of your shoulders near the collarbone, support it with your fingertips, and lift it from the rack into a shoulder-width stance.
- Brace your midsection, keep an upright torso, and drop into a controlled squat by bending the knees and hips.
- Descend until your thighs are about parallel to the floor while keeping weight through your heels and center of the foot.
- Drive forcefully through the legs to stand and, as you reach full leg extension, press the bar straight overhead until your arms are locked.
- Lower the bar back to the front-shoulder position with control and reset before the next repetition.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Quads (Quadriceps Femoris), Glutes (Gluteus Maximus), Front delts (Anterior Deltoid)
- Secondary: Triceps (Triceps Brachii), Abs (Rectus Abdominis), Upper back (Rhomboids & Middle Trapezius), Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus), Side delts (Lateral Deltoid)
Common mistakes#
- Allowing the knees to collapse inward during the squat.
- Starting the press with the arms before using leg drive.
- Overarching the lower back when locking out overhead.
- Dropping the elbows in the front rack position, making the hold unstable.
- Rising onto the toes instead of pushing through the heels.
