Devil’s Press: The Brutally Effective Full-Body Movement for Strength, Endurance, and Conditioning

You know a workout means business when you see the devil’s press programmed into your WOD. Aptly named, this hybrid movement blends a dumbbell burpee with a dumbbell snatch in one explosive, fluid motion. The result? A high-output, full-body functional movement that will spike your heart rate, fry your shoulders and legs, and push your aerobic and anaerobic systems to the brink.

Used often in CrossFit and high-intensity functional training (HIFT), the devil’s press is as much a test of grit and pacing as it is strength and technique. In this article, we’ll break down the benefits, muscles worked, variations, and how to do the devil’s press properly to maximize efficiency and performance.

What Is the Devil’s Press?

The devil’s press is a compound, full-body exercise that combines:

• A double dumbbell burpee

• A double dumbbell snatch or swing overhead

It’s typically performed for time or reps, and it taxes the body’s aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, making it a staple in metabolic conditioning and high-intensity circuits. Unlike a standard burpee or dumbbell clean and press, the devil’s press involves a unique hinge-driven momentum shift from the floor to overhead—essentially turning your entire body into a functional engine.

“Full-body compound movements like the devil’s press are essential for developing both muscular endurance and anaerobic capacity.” — Krzysztofik et al., Frontiers in Physiology

Muscles Worked in the Devil’s Press

The devil’s press recruits multiple muscle groups across both the upper and lower body, making it one of the most comprehensive movements you can program.

Lower Body:

• Quadriceps

• Hamstrings

• Glutes

• Hip Flexors

• Calves

Upper Body:

• Deltoids (Anterior and Lateral)

• Pectoralis Major

• Trapezius

• Latissimus Dorsi

• Erector Spinae

• Forearms and Grip Muscles

Core and Stabilizers:

• Rectus Abdominis

• Obliques

• Transverse Abdominis

• Spinal Stabilizers

From the explosive hip hinge to the overhead lockout, every major joint and muscle group is involved in the devil’s press—making it highly efficient and physically demanding.

Benefits of the Devil’s Press

1. Total-Body Strength and Power

Because the devil’s press merges two compound movements, it stimulates more total muscle fiber recruitment than most single lifts. You’ll build strength in your shoulders, legs, core, and back, all while moving dynamically under load.

2. Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning

Few movements challenge the energy systems quite like the devil’s press. It forces you to move between:

• Aerobic energy pathways for sustained effort and pacing

• Anaerobic systems for explosive hip drive and overhead power

“High-intensity multi-joint movements activate both aerobic and glycolytic pathways, increasing endurance and lactate threshold over time.” — Hofmann et al., Sports Medicine

3. Metabolic Burn and Body Recomposition

The devil’s press is excellent for body optimization. Combining a burpee with a loaded snatch creates a high caloric demand, leading to greater post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and fat loss. It’s a highly effective tool for:

• Burning fat

• Building lean mass

• Enhancing muscular efficiency

4. Improved Coordination and Athleticism

Transitioning from the floor to overhead in one continuous motion requires hip sequencing, postural awareness, and explosive strength—all critical attributes for athletes in any sport.

How to Do the Devil’s Press (Step-by-Step)

Equipment: Two dumbbells (moderate to heavy, depending on goal)

1. Start Position

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell on each side.

• Place the dumbbells on the ground just outside your feet.

• Engage your core and brace for movement.

2. Burpee Phase

• Place hands on the dumbbells.

• Either jump or step back into a high plank.

• Lower your chest to the floor between the dumbbells (chest should touch the floor).

• Push up into the plank position.

3. Jump or Step Up

• Either jump your feet forward or step one foot at a time.

• Keep your feet just outside or directly behind the dumbbells for a stable base.

4. Hip Hinge and Snatch

• Swing the dumbbells between your legs like a kettlebell swing.

• Use hip drive and core engagement to bring the weights overhead.

• Lock out with arms extended overhead, biceps by ears, feet firmly planted.

5. Reset and Repeat

• Return the dumbbells to the floor under control.

• Begin your next rep.

Tip: The dumbbell-to-overhead movement is more of a swing-snatch hybrid than a strict Olympic snatch. Use momentum from the hips and keep a neutral spine.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Rushing the Burpee If you sacrifice form for speed, your burpee will collapse and cost energy. Keep your chest high and core engaged.

• Not Using the Hips Don’t muscle the dumbbells overhead using your arms. Hinge properly and generate power through the glutes and hamstrings.

• Poor Dumbbell Placement Dumbbells too close or too far apart can throw off balance. Keep them just wider than shoulder-width.

• Going Too Heavy Too Soon Start with moderate weight and build up. Efficiency > ego.

• Not Locking Out Overhead Ensure your overhead position finishes with the dumbbells stacked over your shoulders and hips.

Programming the Devil’s Press

The devil’s press is best used in:

• Metcons

• HIIT circuits

• Functional bodybuilding finishers

• AMRAP or EMOM sessions

Final Thoughts: Should You Be Doing Devil’s Presses?

The devil’s press is a high-effort, high-reward movement that challenges nearly every muscle in your body—while also hammering your cardiovascular system. It’s a staple in competitive CrossFit for a reason: it builds raw athleticism, enhances aerobic and anaerobic capacity, and helps you push your mental limits.

If you’re looking for an exercise that combines strength, stamina, coordination, and fat-burning intensity, the devil’s press is it. Just remember: pace your reps, control your breath, and move with intention—and you’ll be rewarded with one of the most effective full-body movements in functional training.

“Integrated, full-body movements like the devil’s press drive superior cardiovascular and neuromuscular adaptations when performed with consistency and proper technique.” — Bergeron et al., CrossFit Training Guide

Need Help With Optimizing Your Nutrition And Training Plan To Finally Get The Results You've Been Waiting For?

The Swole Kitchen is an exclusive membership opportunity for those who are looking to pursue a performance-driven lifestyle. By combining wellness consulting, nutritional lifestyle improvement, and 1:1 customized nutrition plans to our members, our programs aim to optimize human potential. In each of our programs, you’ll receive guidance to reclaim your health, fuel your lifestyle, and pursue performance ambitions, all while learning how to make nutritional decisions from a place of self-trust and intuition. All of our coaches are committed to providing the highest level of results-driven wellness to our members.

SWOLVERINE IS AN ENDURANCE ATHLETE AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLE BRAND. MADE FOR THE ELITE ATHLETE, AND THE STRONG-WILLED OUR PRODUCTS WERE DESIGNED TO FUEL YOUR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE. WE PERFORM WHEN YOU PERFORM. 

We believe that everyone can optimize not only their athletic performance but their human potential. The way we believe we can optimize performance is through transparency, clinically effective doses, and clinically proven ingredients with evidence-based outcomes. We provide the nutrients you need to power your active lifestyle.