Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Kettlebell Thruster: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The kettlebell thruster is a compound exercise that combines a squat with an overhead press, targeting the shoulders while also engaging the quadriceps, glutes, and core. It requires coordination, strength, and some experience with kettlebell handling.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Glutes , Quads , Abs , Obliques
Equipment
Kettlebell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the kettlebell thruster
Front view: muscles worked by the kettlebell thruster. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: glutes, quads, abs and obliques.
Back view: muscles worked by the kettlebell thruster. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: glutes, quads, abs and obliques.
Primary Secondary

How to do the kettlebell thruster

  1. Step 1: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands, palms facing each other.
  2. Step 2: Lower into a squat position by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, keeping your chest up and your back straight.
  3. Step 3: As you reach the bottom of the squat, explosively drive through your heels to stand up, simultaneously pressing the kettlebell overhead.
  4. Step 4: Lock out your arms at the top of the movement, fully extending your elbows.
  5. Step 5: Lower the kettlebell back to the starting position by reversing the movement, bending your elbows and lowering the weight back to your chest.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the kettlebell thruster by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Kettlebell Thruster alternatives

More exercises that train the shoulders as their main target:

More shoulders exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.