The Thruster

Lets talk about Thrusters…

This was the very first movement that Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit, put together in his first workout named “Fran” that created CrossFit as we know it.

“Fran” is a benchmark CrossFit workout that consists of 21-15-9 of Thrusters and Pull-Ups. You may or may not have done “Fran” yet…

We tend to test Fran around 1-2x per year.

Tips For a Successful Thruster

Tip 1: While performing Thrusters, inhale and exhale at the top of the rep when you press overhead. Do not try to exhale as the bottom of the Front Squat because you will lose your midline/core tightness.

Tip 2: Make sure you use a full loose hand grip on the bar when holding in the front rack position. A lot of athletes will make the mistake of thinking this is a Front Squat and use a two of three-finger grip on the bar. This will make it a challenge to regrip the bar when pressing overhead.

Tip 3: It’s all about pace! Depending on the WOD, moving too quickly while performing Thrusters will wear you down quickly. Pacing is a critical skill for CrossFit; sometimes faster is not always better because it will force you to take longer breaks at later points in the workout. Smooth and steady wins the race…

When first learning Thrusters, be sure to start light. A PVC pipe, trainer bar, 35-lb. or 45-lb. barbell will work perfectly…

Our philosophy as a Coaching staff is we would rather have you start light, learn proper form and technique, then progress to heavy weight.

If you need some extra help with the Thruster, ask a Coach.

We are here to help you 🙂