Devil Press: A Complete Guide
Also called DB Devil Press
Quick Intro
Devil Press, also called the DB Devil Press, is a HIIT exercise performed by starting standing with two dumbbells, performing a burpee while gripping the dumbbells throughout and finishing in one explosive motion by snatching both dumbbells overhead at the top.
Equipment Needed
Devil Press needs a pair of dumbbells, gripped throughout the entire movement from the burpee through the finishing overhead snatch.
Why Devil Press Matters
Holding the dumbbells through the burpee portion calls on the chest (pectoralis major), the front of the shoulder (deltoid, anterior) and the back of the upper arm (triceps brachii), with the forearms (forearm flexors) working hard just to maintain grip through the plank and push-up. The finishing snatch drives through the glutes (gluteus maximus) and back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris), with the lower back (erector spinae) and upper back and neck (trapezius) helping transfer that hip drive up into the dumbbells. The deep core (transverse abdominis) braces the trunk through the entire sequence. The overhead snatch at the top isn’t a separate, deliberate pull the way a strict dumbbell press would be. It’s initiated by the same hip drive that brings the body up out of the burpee, and timing that transfer correctly, rather than trying to muscle the dumbbells up with the arms alone, is what makes the movement efficient across a long set. A loaded burpee followed by a double snatch uses a great deal of energy per rep and keeps the heart rate high, and the snatch asks for power and coordination on top.
When to Do It
Devil Press fits naturally into a conditioning circuit or a benchmark-style workout, often used as a finisher because of how much it demands from the whole body in a short time. Once or twice a week, with a few days between sessions, is reasonable given the demand it places on grip, shoulders and the posterior chain together.
Anyone with a current shoulder, wrist or lower back issue should approach this cautiously, since the dumbbells stay gripped through a loaded plank, push-up and explosive overhead pull in one continuous sequence.
Getting Ready
Standing with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at the sides, comes first. Setting a grip that stays secure through the whole movement, with no need to readjust mid-rep, establishes the base before the first rep begins.
Letting the hip drive from standing up out of the burpee carry the dumbbells into the overhead snatch is the cue that keeps this exercise efficient.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The drop. From standing with a dumbbell in each hand, bend down and place both dumbbells on the floor.
2. The plank and push-up. Kick the feet back into a plank while still gripping the dumbbells, lower the chest between them and press back up.
3. The jump-in and stand. Jump the feet back up toward the dumbbells and stand while still holding them.
4. The snatch. In one continuous motion driven by the hips, snatch both dumbbells overhead to full lockout.
How Many, How Often
Devil Press is dosed by work-to-rest interval or a set rep target, since it is used both as a fast interval movement and as a benchmark conditioning exercise.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to combining the burpee with a dumbbell snatch | 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps with light dumbbells, focused on a clean hip-driven snatch. |
| Intermediate | The burpee and snatch connect smoothly for a full round | 20 seconds of work, 40 seconds of rest, 8 rounds, at a moderate dumbbell weight. |
| Advanced | Comfortable holding pace across a full interval set | 30 seconds of work, 30 seconds of rest, 8 to 10 rounds or a set rep target like 30 reps for time. |
A hip-driven snatch on every single rep matters more here than the total number completed, since muscling the dumbbells up with the arms alone burns out the shoulders far faster than the intended movement pattern does.
Modifications and Variations
Devil Press has two easier options.
As an easier option, the standard burpee (Burpees) removes the dumbbells entirely and finishes with a plain vertical jump instead of an overhead snatch.
As an easier option, Single Dumbbell Devil Press performs the same sequence gripping only one dumbbell, halving the load managed through the plank and snatch.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pulling the dumbbells up mostly with the arms. Trying to muscle the snatch up using shoulder strength alone tires the shoulders out far faster than letting the hip drive do the lifting. Timing the snatch off the hip extension keeps the movement efficient.
Losing grip on the dumbbells during the plank. Letting the dumbbells roll or shift during the push-up portion forces awkward regrips that slow the whole set down. A firm, deliberate grip from the very first rep prevents mid-set fumbling.
Letting the hips sag during the push-up. Allowing the hips to drop toward the floor while gripping the dumbbells shifts strain onto the lower back. Keeping a straight line from shoulders to heels protects the spine through that phase.
Choosing dumbbells too heavy for a clean snatch. Selecting a weight that can barely be muscled overhead defeats the timing this exercise depends on. A weight that allows a hip-driven snatch on every rep is more valuable than a heavier one that turns into a slow overhead press.
After Your Set
Reaching one arm overhead and gently pulling it across the body with the other hand stretches the shoulders that finished each snatch. A deep squat hold with the elbows pressing the knees outward releases the hips that drove the movement.
Going Deeper
Progress on Devil Press often gets judged by how heavy the dumbbells are, but the test is whether the snatch stays hip-driven through the last rep of the set, not just the first. Heavier dumbbells muscled up with the arms trade away the efficiency this exercise is meant to build.
Someone comfortable with a controlled burpee and a controlled dumbbell snatch performed separately typically holds a connected devil press cycle through a full round within the first two to three weeks, and moves to heavier dumbbells somewhere in the six to eight week range.
A burpee joined to a dumbbell snatch asks for a lot of work in a single repetition, which suits timed formats. The AMRAP and EMOM articles explain two common ones, the first asking for as many rounds as possible and the second setting a task at the start of every minute.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A snatch that stays driven by the hips through the final rep, not just the first
- A grip on the dumbbells that stays secure without mid-set regripping
- A push-up phase that keeps a straight line from shoulders to heels
- Heavier dumbbells attempted only once the current weight stays fully hip-driven through a complete set
A hip-driven snatch held through the last rep, not how heavy the dumbbells are, is what progress looks like here.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Maximus (the largest glute muscle, snapping the hips open to throw both dumbbells overhead)
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, loading through the hinge that starts the snatch)
- Anterior Deltoid (the front of the shoulder, receiving both dumbbells at the overhead finish)
- Pectoralis Major (the chest muscle, pressing the body up in the burpee with the handles still in the hands)
- Trapezius (the broad muscle spanning the upper back and neck, shrugging to accelerate the dumbbells upward)
- Triceps Brachii (the back of the upper arm, locking both elbows out at the top)
- Erector Spinae (the lower back muscles, holding the spine solid through the hinge under load)
- Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, bracing between the floor work and the overhead finish)
- Gastrocnemius (the main calf muscle, extending the ankles to add drive to the snatch)
- Forearm Flexors (the muscles of the inner forearm, holding both dumbbells through the burpee and the overhead catch)
FAQ
Why does this exercise feel so demanding? Because it combines a loaded burpee with an explosive overhead snatch in one continuous rep, taxing the whole body at once in a way few other exercises can be repeated for volume without breaking down technique.
How do I know if my dumbbells are too heavy? If the overhead snatch turns into a slow, arm-driven press rather than a quick, hip-driven pull, the dumbbells are likely too heavy for a clean version of this exercise.
What’s the difference between this and a standard burpee? A standard burpee finishes with a plain jump. This version adds two dumbbells gripped throughout and swaps that jump for an explosive overhead snatch.
Should I start with a single dumbbell version first? Starting with one dumbbell is a reasonable way to build the hip-driven snatch timing before managing two dumbbells and the added grip demand of the full version.
Next in this series: Single Dumbbell Devil Press, the same sequence with one dumbbell.