Full body
Devil's Press
A burpee with your hands on a pair of dumbbells, then one big swing of both dumbbells from the floor to overhead. It works your whole body and gets your heart rate up fast.
- Works
- Glutes, hamstrings, front shoulders, chest, core
- Equipment
- A pair of dumbbells that won't roll (hex or square)
- Load
- Light to medium
How to do it
- 1Stand over a pair of dumbbells on the floor, about shoulder width apart. Squat down and grab the handles.
- 2Jump or step your feet back to a plank, lower your chest to the floor between the dumbbells, then push back up.
- 3Jump your feet in, landing just outside the dumbbells with your hips back and your back flat.
- 4Drive your hips forward hard and swing both dumbbells from between your legs straight overhead in one move. Bring them back down to the floor with control for the next rep.
Cues
- Snap your hips. Your arms just guide the dumbbells up.
- Flat back every time you grab the dumbbells or set them down.
- Finish with your arms straight and your biceps by your ears.
Common mistakes
- Rounding your back on the swing. Set your hips back and your chest up before you swing. If your back still rounds, go lighter.
- Muscling it up with your arms. The dumbbells should float up from your hip drive. If you're pulling them up with your shoulders, go lighter.
- Hips sagging in the plank. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core as your feet land back. Step back instead of jumping if you need to.
Easier
Tiff's version steps back and in instead of jumping.
Harder
Go a little heavier, or keep moving with no standing rest between reps.
Try it: 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
What is a devil's press?
It's a burpee done with your hands on a pair of dumbbells, followed by swinging both dumbbells from the floor to overhead in one move. It's tough, so start lighter than you think.
