Devil Press CrossFit: The Full-Body Challenge You Need

Safety Disclaimer

Before attempting the Devil Press CrossFit movement, consult a qualified trainer and warm up properly. This full-body exercise involves explosive movement that can stress the shoulders, hips, and lower back if performed incorrectly.
Always maintain core engagement, keep your spine neutral, and start with manageable weights. Progress gradually as your technique and strength improve.

The CrossFit Move That Tests Everything

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The Devil Press is one of the most dynamic and demanding CrossFit strength exercises, combining power, coordination, and stamina into one full-body challenge. A hybrid of a burpee, dumbbell clean, and overhead press, it pushes both your muscles and your lungs to their limits.

This movement isn’t just about brute strength. It builds endurance, balance, and explosive drive — key qualities for functional performance. Whether you’re chasing a new PR or improving overall fitness, the Devil Press CrossFit workout is an unrivalled test of your athletic capacity.

What Is the Devil Press in CrossFit?

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The Devil Press merges three movements into one seamless motion:

1. A burpee for cardiovascular endurance,

2. A dumbbell clean for hip and leg power, and

3. An overhead press for upper-body strength and stability.

Each repetition recruits your entire kinetic chain — shoulders, chest, back, core, glutes, and hamstrings. It’s one of the few CrossFit exercises that simultaneously enhances power, stamina, and coordination.

Quick Overview:

• Equipment: Dumbbells (or kettlebells for variation)

• Movement Type: Compound / Full-Body

• Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced

• Primary Focus: Strength, endurance, power, and stability

How to Do the Devil Press (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Step 1: Setup

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells placed between your legs. Keep your back straight, shoulders down, and core tight.

Step 2: Drop into a Burpee

Hinge at your hips, grab the dumbbells, and jump or step your feet back into a plank position. Lower your chest to the ground between the dumbbells.

Step 3: Explosive Transition

Push up from the floor and bring your feet forward to the starting position. Keep your chest lifted and back flat.

Step 4: Swing and Drive Overhead

Swing the dumbbells through your legs and then drive them explosively overhead in one smooth motion. Finish with your arms fully extended and biceps close to your ears.

Step 5: Controlled Lowering

Lower the dumbbells safely back to the floor, keeping control through your core and hips.

Choosing the Right Weight

Start conservatively.

• Beginners: 5–8 kg (10–15 lb) dumbbells.

• Intermediate: 10–15 kg (20–30 lb).

• Advanced: 17.5–25 kg (35–55 lb).
  Your goal is to maintain perfect form — if your back rounds or you lose shoulder stability, lighten the load.

Sets & Reps Guide

• Beginners: 3 sets of 8–10 reps

• Intermediate: 4 sets of 10–12 reps

• Advanced (WOD): Perform AMRAP 12 (As Many Rounds As Possible in 12 minutes)

Trainer Tip:
Keep your core braced and avoid arching your back during the hip drive. If you feel pressure in your lower back, pause, reset, and engage your core before continuing.

Benefits of the Devil Press

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The Devil Press CrossFit movement offers total-body conditioning benefits that extend beyond the gym. Here’s why it’s a must for athletes:

1. Builds Explosive Power

The hip-driven swing mimics Olympic lifts like the clean and jerk CrossFit movement, developing explosive power and speed.

2. Improves Muscular Endurance

Continuous compound movement challenges both the muscular and cardiovascular systems, improving stamina under fatigue.

3. Enhances Coordination and Balance

It trains your body to move efficiently through multiple planes, enhancing control and athletic agility — essential in competitive CrossFit.

4. High-Calorie Burn

The combination of strength and cardio work in one movement boosts metabolism, promoting fat loss and conditioning.

5. Strengthens Core and Posterior Chain

Your abs, glutes, and lower back stabilize the lift. Stronger core engagement reduces injury risk and enhances performance across other lifts like deadlift CrossFit or push press CrossFit workouts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

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Even experienced athletes can make errors with this lift. Here’s what to avoid:

• Rounding the Back: Keep your spine neutral during pickup and swing to avoid lower back strain.

• Lifting with Arms Only: Generate power through your hips and legs, not your shoulders.

• Rushing Reps: Control each phase to prevent poor form.

• Dropping Dumbbells: Lower with control to protect joints and maintain rhythm.

• Skipping Warm-Up: Tight shoulders or hips increase injury risk — always warm up dynamically.

Scaling and Modifications

The Devil Press can be intense, but it’s scalable for all fitness levels.

Beginners

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• Step back into a plank instead of jumping.

• Break the movement down: Burpee → Dumbbell Deadlift → Overhead Press.

• Use lighter weights and focus on form.

Intermediate

• Perform the full movement with lighter weights or reduced reps.

• Introduce tempo control (e.g., slow 3-second lower, explosive lift).

Advanced

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• Try EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute) sets: perform 10 Devil Presses each minute for 10–12 minutes.

• Use heavier dumbbells or add a jump at the top for extra intensity.

How to Add Devil Press to Your WODs

The Devil Press fits perfectly into CrossFit strength and conditioning programming.
Here are sample WODs (Workouts of the Day) to try:

WOD 1: Full-Body Engine Builder

• 10 Devil Press

• 15 Box Jumps

• 400m Run
  3 Rounds for Time

WOD 2: AMRAP Power Challenge

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• AMRAP 12 (As Many Rounds As Possible in 12 Minutes):

  • 10 Devil Press

  • 10 Pull-Ups

  • 10 Wall Balls

WOD 3: Strength & Endurance Combo

• 5 Rounds:

  • 12 Devil Press (moderate weight)

  • 20 Air Squats

  • 15 Push-Ups

Tip: Alternate Devil Press workouts with active recovery like Online Zumba Classes UK – Stay Fit, Dance Anywhere to improve mobility and endurance between heavy sessions.

CrossFit Strength Connection

The Devil Press ties directly into several other foundational CrossFit strength movements:

• Deadlift CrossFit: Builds hip hinge strength and posterior chain stability.

• Push Jerk CrossFit: Enhances timing and power transfer.

• Clean and Jerk CrossFit: Reinforces explosiveness and shoulder stability.

• Push Press CrossFit: Strengthens overhead pressing mechanics.

Together, these lifts develop a complete athlete — powerful, mobile, and resilient.

Programming and Recovery Tips

• Train the Devil Press 2–3 times weekly.

• Alternate between strength days (lower reps, heavier weight) and conditioning days (higher reps, lighter weight).

• Rest 90 seconds for strength focus; 45 seconds for endurance sets.

• Include stretching, mobility drills, and foam rolling post-workout to enhance recovery.

Nutrition & Recovery Essentials

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A powerful movement like the Devil Press CrossFit demands proper fueling and recovery:

• Eat a balanced meal with lean proteins and complex carbs 1–2 hours pre-workout.

• Stay hydrated throughout sessions.

• Prioritize sleep and rest days — strength builds during recovery, not repetition.

• Add mobility-focused recovery days to protect your shoulders and hips from overuse injuries.

Final Thoughts

The Devil Press is a true test of total-body power, endurance, and discipline. It’s brutal, but few movements deliver such comprehensive strength benefits. From explosive hips to solid shoulders, this single movement defines CrossFit intensity.

Start light, master your form, and gradually increase load and volume. You’ll not only build strength but transform your coordination and conditioning too.

For more powerful movements to add to your training, explore The Ultimate CrossFit Strength Guide: 6 Power Moves to Master — exclusively on BritonNews.co.uk.

About Briton News

Briton News is a UK-based fitness and wellness publication delivering expert insights, evidence-based training advice, and performance inspiration. From CrossFit strength training to nutrition and recovery, Briton News helps readers stay informed, motivated, and ready to perform their best — every day.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is a Devil Press in CrossFit?

The Devil Press is a full-body CrossFit exercise that combines a burpee, dumbbell clean, and overhead press. It engages the shoulders, chest, core, glutes, and hamstrings in one fluid motion. This compound movement builds explosive power, endurance, and coordination, making it one of CrossFit’s most challenging strength workouts.

2. What muscles does the Devil Press work?

The Devil Press CrossFit move targets your entire body — especially the shoulders, chest, triceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core. It also improves grip strength and cardiovascular endurance. Because it involves both a push and pull motion, it’s highly effective for building total-body strength and conditioning.

3. How do you perform the Devil Press safely?

Start with dumbbells between your feet, drop into a burpee, then swing the weights overhead in one motion. Keep your core engaged and your back neutral to prevent lower back strain. Begin with lighter dumbbells, focus on control, and increase weight gradually as your form improves.

4. What weight should I use for Devil Press workouts?

Beginners should start with 5–8 kg (10–15 lb) dumbbells to learn proper movement and coordination. Intermediate athletes can use 10–15 kg (20–30 lb). The key is maintaining perfect form through all reps. If you feel lower back or shoulder discomfort, the weight is too heavy.

5. How can beginners scale the Devil Press?

Beginners can break the movement into parts: a burpee, a dumbbell deadlift, and an overhead press. Using lighter weights or stepping back instead of jumping makes it safer and easier to learn. As strength and coordination improve, progress to the full Devil Press CrossFit version.

6. What does AMRAP mean in CrossFit workouts?

AMRAP stands for As Many Rounds (or Reps) As Possible. It’s a CrossFit format where you complete as many quality rounds of a set workout as possible within a fixed time. AMRAP workouts build endurance, intensity, and focus — often used with movements like the Devil Press.

7. Is the Devil Press good for weight loss?

Yes. The Devil Press is excellent for fat loss because it combines strength and cardio training in one movement. It raises your heart rate, burns calories rapidly, and activates large muscle groups — helping you build lean muscle while improving overall fitness and conditioning.