What muscles does the Dumbbell Thruster work?

Mainly the front delts, glutes and quads.

What equipment do you need for the Dumbbell Thruster?

It uses dumbbells. Without it, the Barbell Thruster and the Kettlebell Thruster train the same muscles the same way.

GymVim rates it intermediate. For a beginner-rated exercise on the same muscle and movement, see the Band Overhead Press.

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A front squat into an overhead press in one motion — the highest-output dumbbell lift for conditioning and full-body work.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell held at each shoulder with palms facing in.
Brace your core, sit your hips back and down, and squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Drive through your heels and explode up out of the squat, using the leg drive to launch the dumbbells.
Press the dumbbells straight overhead in one continuous motion until your arms reach full lockout.
Lower the dumbbells back down to your shoulders under control as you sink into the next squat.
Repeat the squat-to-press chain for the prescribed reps without resting at the top or bottom.

Pressing the dumbbells overhead before fully standing, which kills the leg drive and stresses the shoulders.
Letting the knees cave in during the squat, which loads the inside of the knee under speed.
Cutting the squat depth short, which removes the leg drive that powers the press.
Crashing the dumbbells back onto the shoulders, which jolts the joints and breaks rhythm.

What muscles does the Dumbbell Thruster work?: Mainly the front delts, glutes and quads.
What equipment do you need for the Dumbbell Thruster?: It uses dumbbells. Without it, the Barbell Thruster and the Kettlebell Thruster train the same muscles the same way.
Is the Dumbbell Thruster good for beginners?: GymVim rates it intermediate. For a beginner-rated exercise on the same muscle and movement, see the Band Overhead Press.