Kettlebell Thruster

How to do the 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

Role	Muscles
Primary	shoulders
Secondary	quads, triceps
Equipment	kettlebell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No kettlebell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Handstand Push-Ups Bodyweight Shoulder Press - With Bands Resistance Bands Arnold Dumbbell Press Dumbbell Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press Dumbbell Dumbbell Shoulder Press Dumbbell Iron Cross Dumbbell

Easier than the Kettlebell Thruster

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Alternating Cable Shoulder Press beginner · Cable Machine Anti-Gravity Press beginner · Barbell Bradford/Rocky Presses beginner · Barbell

Harder than the Kettlebell Thruster

Circus Bell expert · Other Equipment Push Press expert · Barbell Clean and Jerk expert · Barbell

Superset the Kettlebell Thruster with

Opposing middle back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

One-Arm Kettlebell Row middle back Two-Arm Kettlebell Row middle back Alternating Kettlebell Row middle back Alternating Renegade Row middle back

Common questions

What muscles does the Kettlebell Thruster work?

The Kettlebell Thruster primarily works the shoulders, with the quads and triceps as secondary movers. Clean and Press, Double Kettlebell Jerk, and Double Kettlebell Push Press train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Kettlebell Thruster?

Kettlebells. Without kettlebells, Handstand Push-Ups, Shoulder Press - With Bands, and Arnold Dumbbell Press train the same muscle, and 10 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Kettlebell Thruster suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Alternating Cable Shoulder Press, Anti-Gravity Press, and Bradford/Rocky Presses and work up.

Where should the Kettlebell Thruster go in a workout?

Early — the Kettlebell Thruster is compound, working 3 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset One-Arm Kettlebell Row and Two-Arm Kettlebell Row later.

Similar exercises

Clean and Press Barbell Double Kettlebell Jerk Kettlebell Double Kettlebell Push Press Kettlebell Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Lunge style) Kettlebell Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up (Squat style) Kettlebell Landmine Linear Jammer Barbell