Any thruster WOD will most likely land you in a world of pain. However, they are a hugely effective way to build endurance and mental grit. Choose one from below and add it into your training.
Use the technique tips and common problems then browse through the workouts to find the right one for you.
THRUSTER TECHNIQUE
According to CrossFit, “The thruster requires a long line of action against the normal force of gravity with a load plus body weight, creating one of the most profound accelerations possible. The movement works from full flexion to full extension at the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and arm, and involves most of the major muscle groups. These factors earn the thruster its reputation as ‘the most draining of all exercises”‘.
Thruster WOD Solutions – Your front squat needs more work
Foundations for thrusters are built with front squats: a squat variation where the barbell is positioned on your (front) shoulders. Which means your torso needs to be upright, so the weight together with your body gets balanced properly.
[wpcode id=”229888″]To keep the torso upright, you need a sufficient mobility in your ankles and hips, and a good core strength that will allow you having a better control over the weight and movement itself. In general, the demand for overall mobility is much higher than with back squats.
In the bottom position make sure you keep the weight on the heels. Engage core and drive up with your hips. Learn how to activate and use both within the movement. Your thrusters will benefit from strength built with front squats.
Thruster WOD Solutions – Your front rack mobility needs more work
Insufficient front rack mobility is a common reason why so many athletes struggle with either front squat or thruster. The bar needs to rest on your shoulders, you should look for a “comfortable” position which feels strong and where your arms only control, not carry the bar/weight.
So if your torso is upright, your shoulders, wrist and arms in general need to be mobile enough to only control the position of the barbell. Until the top position of the squat, your torso carries the weight. Avoid touching the bar only with finger tips; grab it with a hook grip. If this is impossible, make it manageable with mobility drills.
Read More: Learn how to improve your front rack mobility
THRUSTER WODS
Practice your thruster technique and then try these 15 workouts with thrusters to improve strength in your legs, core and arms.
COE
10 Rounds For Time
- 10 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- 10 Ring Push-Ups
Good Times for “Coe”
– Beginner: 24-27 minutes
– Intermediate: 19-23 minutes
– Advanced: 15-18 minutes
– Elite: <14 minutes
TOMMY V
For Time
- 21 Thrusters (115/75 lb)
- 12 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
- 15 Thrusters (115/75 lb)
- 9 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
- 9 Thrusters (115/75 lb)
- 6 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
Good Times for “Tommy V”
– Beginner: 20-21 minutes
– Intermediate: 15-17 minutes
– Advanced: 13-14 minutes
– Elite: 8-11 minutes
THRUSTER WOD – KALSU
For Time
- 100 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 5 Burpees to start and at the top of every minute
Start with 5 burpees. Then complete as many thrusters as possible until the minute is up. At the top of the minute (1:00) complete another 5 burpees. Repeat each minute until 100 total thrusters are completed.
Score is the total time it takes to complete all 100 thrusters.
Good Score for “Kalsu”
– Beginner: 22-30 minutes
– Intermediate: 19-22 minutes
– Advanced: 15-19 minutes
– Elite: <14 minutes
Tips and Strategy
Prior to the start of the workout, decide how many thrusters you can realistically complete every minute (remember you always start with 5 burpees). Stick with that number, no matter how much it hurts. For example, if you get 5 thrusters every minute, you’ll be done in 20 minutes.
Intended Stimulus
This WOD should feel REALLY hard. This is a mental test as much as it is a physical one–the ticking clock (the one that tells you it’s time to do burpees AGAIN) feels like an enemy within minutes of starting the workout. Embrace the burning lungs and legs. Scale the load/volume so you can finish in 30 minutes or less; but don’t scale “the suck” out of “Kalsu.”
Scaling Options
Just like the other CrossFit hero workouts, “Kalsu” is grueling and unforgiving. Scale the load and/or reps so you finish in 30 minutes or less.
Intermediate
100 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
5 Burpees to start and at the top of every minute
Beginner A
100 Thrusters (75/55 lb)
3 Burpees to start and at the top of every minute
Beginner B
50 Thrusters (45/35 lb)
3 Burpees to start and at the top of every minute
ADAM RAND
EMOM for 15 minutes
From 0:00-5:00, every minute on the minute of:
- 5 Thrusters (115/85 lb)
From 5:00-10:00, every minute on the minute of:
- 3 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
From 10:00-15:00, every minute on the minute of:
- 1 Thruster (165/115 lb)
OMAR
For Time
- 10 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- 15 Bar-Facing Burpees
- 20 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- 25 Bar-Facing Burpees
- 30 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- 35 Bar-Facing Burpees
THRUSTER WOD – THOMAS HETZEL
EMOM For As Long As Possible
First minute:
- 1 Thruster (135/95 lb)
- 1 Burpee
Second minute:
- 2 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 2 Burpees
- etc…
This is a “Death By…” style workout, which means with a running clock you start the workout by doing 1 thruster and 1 burpee. Rest until 2:00, then do 2 thrusters and 2 burpees. Rest until 3:00, and continue, adding one repetition to each movement each minute, until you can no longer complete the required repetitions in the allotted minute. Score is total number of rounds/minutes completed.
FRAN
21-15-9 Reps For Time
- Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- Pull-Ups
Perform the 21 Thrusters and 21 Pull-Ups, then 15 Thrusters and 15 Pull-Ups, then 9 Thrusters and 9 Pull-Ups, as fast as possible.
Score is the time it takes to complete all 90 reps.
Good Times for “Fran” (source)
– Beginner: 7-9 minutes
– Intermediate: 6-7 minutes
– Advanced: 4-6 minutes
– Elite: <3 minutes
Tips and Strategy
Prior to “3…2…1…GO!” pick a tough (yet realistic) rep scheme that allows you to go fast. If unbroken sets isn’t appropriate for your fitness level yet, try this: Break the sets of 21 into 3 sets of 7 reps; break the sets of 15 into 2 sets of 8 and 7 respectively; and go unbroken on the sets of 9. Rest minimally during breaks.
Intended Stimulus
“Fran” should be fast and light. During the WOD, you should (at least once) wonder why the hell you agreed to this.
Scaling
This WOD is meant to feel light, fast, and evoke pain—the good kind of pain. Both the thrusters and pull-ups should be done in large or unbroken sets. Scale the movements so you can go FAST—sets of two and three repetitions won’t get your lungs/legs/arms burning in the way they were intended to burn for this WOD.
Intermediate
21-15-9
Thrusters (75/55 lb)
Pull-Ups
Beginner
21-15-9
Dumbbell Thrusters (2×15/10 lb)
Ring Rows
FRACTURED FRAN
5 Rounds for Time
- 9 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- 9 Pull-Ups
THRUSTER WOD – HEAVY FRAN
15-12-9 Reps For Time
- Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- Weighted Pull-Ups (45/30 lb)
For weighted pull-ups place a dumbbell between the legs or wear a belt with a kettlebell (1.5/1 pood) between the legs. Or use a weight vest.
TRUE GRIT
For Time
- 2,000 meter Row
At 1-minute mark, begin:
- Death by Thrusters (95/65 lb)
With a running clock start the row. At the 1-minute mark get off the rower and do one thruster, then resume rowing until the 2-minute mark. Do two thrusters, row until the 3-minute mark, do three thrusters, etc. until the 2K row is complete – or until you can no longer continue.
STEPHEN HARRELL
7 Rounds for Time
- 5 Overhead Squats (95/65 lb)
- Max Thrusters (95/65 lb)
2 minute Rest
Your score will be the total number of thrusters completed in the 7 rounds. Each round of thrusters must be performed unbroken, once the athlete sets the bar down that round has ended.
DUTCH VS SPEAL
For Time
- 10 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 50 Double-Unders
- 8 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 40 Double-Unders
- 6 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 30 Double-Unders
- 4 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 20 Double-Unders
- 2 Thrusters (135/95 lb)
- 10 Double-Unders
EVIL EMOM
EMOM for 14 minutes
- Odd: 10 Thrusters (95/65 lb)
- Even: 20 Kettlebell Swings (54/35 lb)
With a running clock, each minute on the minute (EMOM), athlete starts by performing 10 thrusters, then rests until the second round (starting at 1:00). Then athlete completes 20 kettlebell swings. Continue, alternating each minute, for 14 total minutes.
LINCOLN QUAPPE
For Time
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of:
- Thrusters (95/65 lb)
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 reps of:
- Burpees
With a running clock, perform one round of the thrusters before moving on to one round of burpees. Alternate the two movements until you finish all the repetitions required.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of Burpees is completed.
THRUSTER WOD – FAST AND HEAVY
For Time, Fast and Heavy
- 21 Dumbbell Thrusters
- 400 meter Run
- 18 Dumbbell Thrusters
- 400 meter Run
- 15 Dumbbell Thrusters
- 400 meter Run
Typically CrossFit workouts prescribe a weight, but in this case, the weight is athlete’s choice. The athlete should choose a dumbbell that, as the name says, is heavy but that they can still move fast. Score is dumbbell weight used and total time to complete.
Scaling
As stated, pick dumbbells that are relatively heavy for you yet still allow you to complete each round of thrusters in very few sets. This workout should be treated like a sprint, so run hard and try to avoid resting until it is over. Intermediate athletes can perform this workout as prescribed, just with lighter dumbbells. Newer athletes can reduce the reps and shorten the runs.
Beginner Option
For time, fast and heavy:
15 dumbbell thrusters
Run 200 meters
12 dumbbell thrusters
Run 200 meters
9 dumbbell thrusters
Run 200 meters
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