The Devil Press is a high-intensity, full-body workout. It combines the load of a kettlebell or dumbbell with the movement pattern of a Burpee.
When you do the Devil Press, you challenge your flexibility and strength. Conducting this workout at a higher speed can also increase your cardiovascular endurance.
How to Do the Devil Press
Stand tall and have the dumbbells lay on the ground, one on each side just wider than your shoulders.
The first step should be to hinge at your hips and pick up the dumbbells from the floor. Then step or jump your feet back into a plank.
Lower your thighs and chest to the ground.
Your chest should land in between both dumbbells. Do a push-up to raise your body back into the plank position.
Step or jump your feet forward to land on the outside of the dumbbells this time.
Using a powerful hip extension, you can swing or snatch the dumbbells between your legs to raise the dumbbells overhead into a locked-out position.
Tips for Maintaining the Correct Form
To get a good rep and a good score, you need to do the following:
- Have the dumbbells finish in a locked-out position. The dumbbells should be placed overhead with your arms fully extended
- Your thighs and chest should make contact with the ground
- When moving the dumbbells from your legs to the overhead position, you should keep them as close to your body as possible. Holding the dumbbell close can make for a more efficient and faster movement.
Benefits Associated with the Devil Press
Improved Explosiveness
You can liken the dumbbells’ overhead movement to a kettlebell swing.
This isn’t something you muscle up to do. Instead, you utilize your hips and glutes while your arms guide the kettlebell in the right direction.
This same process works for the devil press. Your glutes and hips are responsible for moving the dumbbells overhead.
This familiar movement can help improve your explosiveness.
Moreover, improving your explosiveness with this WOD can better translate into conducting Olympic lifts and box jumps, which are two exercises that require explosiveness.
Strength Gains
Without being too technical, a burpee movement requires a push-up; and when you add the dumbbells, which can help lift you off the ground, your chest has to travel a bit further to reach the floor.
The devil press also comes with a weighted squat movement which requires strength to stabilize the dumbbells over your head.
