Movement Practice WOD
exercise wod
AMRAP 12
8 controlled reps
10 bodyweight reps
200m easy run or 60 sec cardio
Kettlebell
Devil Press — CrossFit Technique Guide
BB
By Borja Bes — CrossFit Athlete & Hyrox Finisher
The devil press is a high-output dumbbell conditioning movement that blends a burpee with a double-dumbbell snatch from the floor to overhead. It is brutally effective because it loads the upper body, trunk, and lungs at the same time, making it a common choice in CrossFit conditioning and functional fitness race prep. Devil presses reward efficiency: the best athletes keep the dumbbells close, use the hips aggressively, and avoid pausing between the floor phase and the overhead finish.
Quick answer
Devil Press is best used when the workout goal matches its main demand: kettlebell capacity, clean mechanics, and scalable intensity.
Muscles Worked
ShouldersTricepsChestCoreGlutesHamstrings
Equipment
Dumbbells
Best For, Avoid If, and Scaling
| Best for | Kettlebell WODs, skill practice, and athletes who can keep devil press mechanics consistent under fatigue. |
|---|---|
| Avoid if | Pain changes your movement pattern, fatigue makes reps sloppy, or the workout asks for a standard you cannot repeat safely. |
| Scaling | Single-dumbbell devil press, lighter dumbbells, or burpee + DB clean separately. |
How to Do the Devil Press
1
Start with both dumbbells on the floor just outside the feet.
2
Drop into a burpee with hands on the dumbbells and chest to the floor.
3
Jump or step feet back underneath the hips.
4
Use a powerful hip extension to move both dumbbells overhead in one motion.
5
Finish at full lockout with the ribs down and weights stable overhead.
Common Mistakes
✕
Muscling the dumbbells overhead instead of using hip drive.
✕
Letting the weights drift too far away from the body.
✕
Collapsing the trunk at the overhead finish.
Coaching Tips
✓
Think of the lift as a dumbbell snatch immediately after the burpee, not two separate exercises.
✓
Step back and step up if you need pacing control in longer workouts.
Scaling Options
Easier / Beginner
Single-dumbbell devil press, lighter dumbbells, or burpee + DB clean separately.
Harder / Advanced
Heavier dumbbells, alternating devil presses, or deficit burpee entries.
Related WODs
Use Devil Press in a Real Workout
Create a similar WOD
Technique + Conditioning
scaled workout
4 rounds for quality
10 technique reps
30 sec core hold
12 low-skill conditioning reps
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the devil press more like a burpee or a dumbbell snatch?
It is both, but efficient athletes treat the second half as an explosive hip-driven lift. If you separate the phases too much, the movement becomes dramatically more fatiguing.
Build It Into a Workout
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