What's a Thruster?

Strength WOD:

Thruster

3/3/3/3/3

Check Out WOD Immediately After:

As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 12 Minutes of:

5 Thruster (115#/75#)
2 Rope Climbs (15′)

Or

As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 12 Minutes of:

5 Thruster (115#/75#)
8 Pull-ups

Results

View this photo

Cathy locking out a Thruster:

Thruster_Cathy

Rope Climbs:

Rope Climb_Rona Rope Climb_M

“What’s a thruster?” Quote of the day from Cristin to Michelle.

Even though she was joking and knew what it is we couldn’t help but laugh since this is probably the most popular question heard in the box. The thruster is a movement that combines the front squat with the press or push press. It involves a squat with a barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell or other weighted object and uses the momentum out of the squat to transition directly into a press or push press. Using the leg and hip drive helps propel that load up into a locked overhead position. Pausing at the rack position to rest after the rep is complete is perfectly acceptable but try not to stop before completing the thruster itself. No matter what this movement is paired with it will utterly exhaust you quickly. What sounds like an “easy” weight quickly will make you think again.

For a barbell thruster:

  1. Start in a rack position (after cleaning the bar from the ground)
  2. Focus on a solid front squat with hips going back, weight on the heels, and knees out
  3. Front squat down while keeping the bar in the rack position with the elbows up to keep your chest up and to avoid contact with your knees and elbows 
  4. Front squat should reach below parallel for full range of motion
  5. Stand tall and drive the hips open, keeping the elbows slightly in front of the bar
  6. Move directly into an overhead press, driving the bar up in a vertical path (not around your head)
  7. Lock out overhead with knuckles facing the sky (“punch the sky”). This gets your wrists to move flat rather than “cocked” back with a load overhead (this is tough to do as it gets heavier)
  8. Return to the rack position
  9. Complete the next rep. Or simply combine with pull-ups in a 21-15-9 rep scheme and do them as fast as possible.

Food for thought: “Form Matters: Do It Right Or Don’t Do It At All” from CrossFit Charlottesville

Notes:

Frankenchipper on Saturday starts at 10am! We will run waves and have a costume contest for best costume. Everyone who shows gets to vote. Winner will get a prize!