MovementsConditioning
Devil Press
Also known as: Dumbbell 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.
Devil PressConditioning
The 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 it
- 01Stand over two dumbbells set just inside shoulder-width.
- 02Grip the handles, jump the feet back and lower the chest and thighs to the floor.
- 03Jump the feet back in so you finish in a hinge with the dumbbells still in hand.
- 04Swing both dumbbells between the legs and drive the hips to send them overhead.
- 05Lock 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.
Coaching tips
- · Pace this like a sled, not like a burpee: it will empty you faster than the rep count suggests.
- · The swing is a hinge, so let the hips throw the weight rather than the shoulders.
- · Small unbroken sets with short rest beat a long set that stalls.