Build Muscle Mass with Thrusters

Your “Build Muscle with Equipment”* program includes high-performance strength training exercises like thrusters. They’re great for helping you gain muscle mass and building strength and power by working several muscles at the same time. To get the most out of this exercise,  first you should learn how to do it correctly. You won’t be disappointed!

HOW TO DO THRUSTERS PERFECTLY

The thruster is a multi-joint strength training exercise that involves pushing dumbbells up over your head as you extend your hips, taking advantage of your mobility. So take the time to do this exercise to feel just how effective it really is. If you’re a weight training beginner, don’t start with too much weight. The FizzUp trainer recommends using dumbbells weighing 13 lb (6 kg) for women and 17.5 lb (8 kg) for men.

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Starting position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, as if you were about to do a squat. Your toes should be pointed slightly outward. Grasp the dumbbells and place them on your shoulders.

Step 1: Inhale and begin to lower your body, then come back up by pushing up with your thighs like when doing a squat as you hold the dumbbells on your shoulders.

Step 2: As soon as your legs are straight, thrust the dumbbells vertically into the air by extending your arms over your head. Breathe out as you thrust. You should feel your knees and hip extending. Next, gently rest the dumbbells on your shoulders. Repeat the exercise smoothly to continue the set.

TIPS FROM THE FIZZUP TRAINER

“Keep your back straight”: As you do a squat, your back should stay straight so that you don’t experience any back pain. Be careful not to point your knees inward. The better you do the squat, the more effective and safe the exercise will be.

“To keep your balance, look straight ahead”: Look straight ahead and feel free to focus on a certain object to keep you from leaning forward. That’s how you’ll do this exercise perfectly.

“Don’t lower the dumbbells too fast”: Watch out for your own safety and don’t go too fast. The exercise won’t be any more effective if you do it quickly… actually, you risk hurting yourself. Take the time to do each step while making sure to breathe.

“Pay attention to your breathing”: Your breathing plays a key role in helping you get to the end of the exercise without any trouble. Remember to inhale when you do the squat, then exhale when you thrust. Never hold your breath. This helps you contract your abdominal wall during the exercise and keeps your muscles engaged in order to protect your back.

THE BENEFITS OF THRUSTERS

Working out with equipment has a big advantage: you get faster results than using just your body weight, if you want to gain muscle mass. By including dumbbells in your workouts, the FizzUp trainer enables you to add more variety to your program and home in on specific results.

The thruster is a multi-joint and high-performance exercise, because it works your thighs, buttocks and abdominal wall, as well as your shoulders and arms. The muscles it works specifically are your quads, glutes, erector spinae, hamstrings and delts. Engage your core during the exercise to strengthen your abs, too. Thrusters also work your calves. As you can see, this exercise works all the muscles in your body.

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Thrusters build your strength and muscular power so that you can support, lift and hold more weight. The other perk of this exercise is that it actively works your cardiovascular endurance. Thrusters are quite the cardio exercise, because they require your heart to work extra hard to pump blood to your muscles to provide them with oxygen. Try different muscle-building exercises when you become an expert in strength training with equipment. You can use the same exercise to build your muscles or muscular endurance. For instance, if you want to improve your muscular endurance, you can lighten your load, which will enable your muscles to do more repetitions.

Now you know how to do thrusters perfectly. Select the “Build Muscle with Equipment” goal* the next time you start a new level to have a whole new fitness experience with FizzUp.

*FizzUp PRO feature

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