Legs · Resistance Band
Resistance Band Thruster
How to do the resistance band thruster, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Resistance Band
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Vertical Press
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hold the weight at shoulder level with feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then drive through your heels to stand up and press the weight overhead in one continuous motion.
- 1Stand on the band with handles at shoulder height, squat down and then drive up, pressing overhead, you should feel your legs and shoulders working together
- 2Keep the band taut throughout so you feel continuous resistance
- 3Brace your core and move smoothly between the squat and press
Common mistakes
- Don't initiate the press before extending your hips; finish the squat first
- Avoid letting your knees cave inward or your heels lift off the ground
- Don't arch your lower back excessively during the overhead portion
Muscles worked
The resistance band thruster mainly works the quads, glutes, and front delts, with the triceps, side delts, upper traps, upper abs, hamstrings, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
Kovo programs the resistance band thruster for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
- How to do the split squat
Last reviewed April 2026.