Kettlebell Thruster

A shoulders exercise targeting the shoulders, performed with kettlebells.

Kettlebell Thruster demonstration
Kettlebell Thruster — demonstration

Body part

Shoulders

Equipment

Kettlebells

Target muscles

Shoulders

Secondary muscles

Quadriceps, Triceps

How to do Kettlebell Thruster

  1. Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders. Clean the kettlebells to your shoulders by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebells towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrists as you do so. This will be your starting position.

  2. Begin to squat by flexing your hips and knees, lowering your hips between your legs. Maintain an upright, straight back as you descend as low as you can.

  3. At the bottom, reverse direction and squat by extending your knees and hips, driving through your heels. As you do so, press both kettlebells overhead by extending your arms straight up, using the momentum from the squat to help drive the weights upward.

  4. As you begin the next repetition, return the weights to the shoulders.

Muscles worked

Primary (target)

Shoulders

Secondary

QuadricepsTriceps

Related exercises

All shoulders exercises →

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