Devil Press

A burpee with a dumbbell in each hand, finishing by swinging both from the floor to overhead in one movement. It is one of the most expensive reps in functional fitness for the time it takes.

Standard: A valid rep has the chest and thighs touch the floor with the hands on the dumbbells, and finishes with both dumbbells locked out overhead and the hips and knees extended.

How to do the Devil Press

1. Stand over two dumbbells set just inside shoulder-width.
2. Grip the handles, jump the feet back and lower the chest and thighs to the floor.
3. Jump the feet back in so you finish in a hinge with the dumbbells still in hand.
4. Swing both dumbbells between the legs and drive the hips to send them overhead.
5. Lock out overhead with the arms straight and the body tall, then lower and repeat.

Common faults

• Cleaning the dumbbells to the shoulders and pressing rather than swinging in one arc.
• Not touching the chest to the floor at the bottom.
• Letting the back round on the swing instead of hinging at the hips.
• Dropping the dumbbells from overhead onto the floor between reps.

Scaling & progressions

• Use lighter dumbbells: this movement punishes overloading more than most.
• Break it into a burpee then a separate double snatch until the timing clicks.
• Do it with one dumbbell instead of two.
• Substitute a plain burpee when no dumbbells are available.