Joining a CrossFit gym can be confusing. A CrossFit workout is different from anything you’ve done before. And every exercise seems to have a weird acronym or use a strange exercise name.

If you don’t know what a PR is or why everyone keeps saying “RX,” don’t worry. You will be a CrossFit slang pro before you know it.

One of the terms that causes a lot of confusion at first is “cluster.” This is even more confusing for people who have spent time in the fitness world and know cluster to mean “cluster sets.” But in this case, we are talking about an exercise CrossFitters call the “cluster.”

Confusing right?

What Is a Cluster in CrossFit?

A cluster is the combination of two compound movements.

The first exercise is the clean. The second is the thruster.

Two of the most popular exercises in CrossFit. Combine those, and you get the cluster. To make things more confusing, you may hear people also call this exercise “Squat clean thrusters.”

What Are the Benefits of Clusters?

Clusters are a great way to improve muscular endurance and full-body strength. The exercise uses a large number of muscles, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. It is also cardiovascularly demanding – meaning it only takes a few reps to get your heart rate up.

The cluster exercise is one of the more complex exercises to master. But learning to clean with proper form is an excellent skill to develop.

Cleans, squats, and presses translate well to sports and everyday life. Since the cluster combines all three, it is among CrossFit’s most “functional movements.”

Let’s break down the clean and thruster barbell movements to see how they form a single exercise.

What Is a Clean?

The clean and its variations are Olympic weightlifting lifts. Cleans are used in athletic training because performing the clean requires significant power generation, which translates to just about every sport.

There are a few variations of the clean, mostly differing in the catch position. In the case of the thruster, you will need to do a full clean, also referred to as a squat clean, in which the catch occurs in the full squat position. This differs from the power clean, for example, which is caught in a quarter squat position.

Step 1: First Pull

• Place a barbell on the ground in front of you. Stand in front of the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grip the bar with a shoulder-width pronated grip (palms facing you).
• Position your chest over the barbell. Position your hands outside the knees. Keep your butt close to the ground.
• Began the pull by explosively extending your hips and knees. Keep the back neutral (don’t hunch or round) and the bar close to your shins.
• Keep your elbows at full extension. DON’T CURL the bar.

Step 2: Second Pull

• The second pull begins as the bar moves above your knees.
• Keep the bar as close as possible to the front of your thighs from above your knee to below your hips.
• Extend your hips, knees, and ankles as the bar continues to transition upward.

Step 3: Catch

• Shrug your shoulders to pull your body under the bar as the bar reaches your hip crease. The feet remain flat until the arms turn over the bar. Then the ankles, elbows, and hips continue extending (triple extension) into the jump motion as the elbows come up.
• The barbell lands at your clavicle in the same bar position as the front squat.
• The knees bend, dropping the body into a front squat position.
• Once you’ve caught the bar in the squat position, stand up straight.

Step 4: Release

• From the standing rack position, rotate the arms back in a controlled manner, allowing the bar to fall back to your thighs.
• Lower the bar down your thighs, and reverse the motion of the power clean.

As you can see, the clean is a complex movement that involves the entire body.

Now let’s take a look at the thruster.

What Is a Thruster?

A thruster is one of the classic CrossFit movements. You will find it in dozens of WODs (workout of the day).

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Step 1: The Starting Position

• Place a bar a bit lower than shoulder height in a power rack.
• Grip the bar slightly beyond shoulder width.
• Remove the bar from the rack and rest it on your shoulders.

Step 2: Perform a Front Squat

• Squat toward the ground keeping your spine neutral.
• Drive your knees outward. Stop when you reach a comfortable depth.

Step 3: Stand Up and Overhead Press

• Drive through your heels, reversing the movement.
• Explode upward, driving the bar overhead.
• Pause

Step 4: Lowering the Barbell

• Lower the barbell from the overhead position.
• Drop down into a front squat as the bar reaches the starting position at your shoulders.
• Don’t pause at the starting position. You should complete thrusters as a continuous set.

Note: Good form is essential when doing barbell exercises like the thruster. Even professional CrossFit athletes get sloppy on this exercise because it’s demanding. Sloppy form can lead to driving the bar into your chin or face. And no one wants that.

How to Do a Cluster?

Now that you know how to do a clean and a thruster, let’s go over how to combine these two movements into a grueling full-body exercise.

The first few steps are going to be identical to the clean. So, start with the barbell on the ground.

Then, follow steps 1-3 of performing the clean. Begin with the first pull – bringing the barbell off the ground.

Initiate the second pull as the barbell passes your knees.

As the bar passes your hips, drop under the bar and complete the catch in the front squat position.

Here is where we switch our mindset to the thruster movement.

Explode from the squat position driving the barbell overhead as you stand up.

Pause to “own” the position with elbows extended and spine erect.

Lower the bar to the ground. Then, repeat the movement with minimal time between reps.

What Muscles Do Clusters Work?

One of the reasons clusters are such a great exercise is they work several major muscle groups.

Major Muscle Group: Hamstrings, quads, glutes, core muscles, back, biceps, shoulders

Do You Have to Use a Barbell?

You do not have to use a barbell.  Several CrossFit WODs call for the dumbbell cluster instead of the barbell. A dumbbell cluster is an excellent option if you have limited equipment. You can also use kettlebells.

The movement pattern is the same as the barbell cluster. If you are accustomed to a barbell, it will take some practice to get used to the dumbbells or kettlebells. But with a bit of time and effort, it will feel natural.

What Load and Reps Should You Use?

It’s always a good idea to start with a low weight when learning a new movement. Due to the complexity of this exercise, there is a lot of room for error. The clean alone can take months to master.

Most coaches will start teaching the clean with a PVC pipe. Starting with lighter weight and high repetition will help ingrain the movement pattern. Once it feels like second nature, then start increasing the load.

Cluster Variations

The primary variation of the cluster is the hang cluster. Instead of starting with a regular clean, you will begin hang clusters with a hang clean. The primary difference between a hang clean and a clean is you begin the movement by holding the barbell at your waist instead of starting from the ground.

You don’t see hang clusters in your average CrossFit cluster workout. If you prefer it to the standard cluster, feel free to modify the WOD as needed.

If you’re looking to dive into cluster workouts, check out the list of WODs below.

CrossFit WODs with Clusters

Lowry

For time:

• Buy-in: 1 mile Run

Then, 3 rounds of:

• 11 Clusters (135/95 lb)
• 24 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 23 AbMat Sit-Ups

Cash-out: 2012 meter Row

Last Alarm

3 rounds for time:

• 13 Deadlifts (225/155 lb)
• 13 Burpees
• 13 Dumbbell Clusters (2×50/35 lb)
• 13 Pull-Ups
• 13 Dumbbell Box Step-Ups (2×50/35 lb, 24/20 in)

Goodman

3 rounds for time:

• 1 km Row
• 14 Clusters (135/95 lb)
• 20 Pull-Ups

Rain on Me

3 rounds for time:

• 10 Squat Snatches (95/75 lb)
• 30 Double Unders
• 10 Clusters (95/75 lb)

The Last Ride

40-30-20-10 reps of:

• 10m Shuttle Sprint

• KB Clusters (24/16kg)

Chris Kyle

3 rounds for time:

• 40 Kettlebell Swings (53/35 lb)
• 40 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
• 40 Clusters (65/45 lb)
• 40 Elevated Push-Ups (feet on 24/18 in box)

YMIR – Street Parking

AMRAP in 16 minutes:

From 0:00-6:00, AMRAP of:

• 20 Burpees
• 60 Air Squats
• Max Alternating Dumbbell Power Snatches (50/35 lb)
• 4 min rest

From 10:00-16:00, AMRAP of:

• 20 Burpees
• 60 Air Squats
• Max Dumbbell Clusters (2×50/35 lb)

Feeks

4-6-8-10-12-14-16 reps for time:

• 2 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 2 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)
• 4 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 4 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)
• 6 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 6 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)
• 8 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 8 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)
• 10 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 10 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)
• 12 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 12 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)
• 14 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 14 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)
• 16 x 100-meter Shuttle Sprint
• 16 Squat Clean Thrusters (65 lb dumbbells)

Clusterfu*ck

Alternating every minute on the minute for 30 minutes:

• 50m Sprint
• 3 x Barbell Clusters (155/105 lb)

Partner 1

AMRAP (with a Partner) in 25 minutes:

• 50 Clusters (135/95 lb)
• 1,000 meter Run
• 50 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
• 1,000 meter Run
• 50 Bar Facing Burpees
• 1,000 meter Run

Evil EMOM

Alternating every minute on the minute for 15 minutes (5 sets each):

• 3 x Clusters (165/115 lb)
• 100m Sprint
• 7 x Deadlift (165/115 lb) + 7 x Bar Facing Burpees

TTTTD23

For time:

10-8-6-4-2 reps of:

• Bar Muscle-Ups
• Squat Clean Clusters (155/105 lb)

*Perform after each movement:

• 15-foot Handstand Walk

Matty Brown

For time:

Cash-In:

• 49 Pull-Ups

Then, 3 Rounds of:

• 4 Clusters (135/115 lb)
• 9 Single-Arm Kettlebell Clean and Presses (53/44 lb)
• 20 ft Back Rack Walking Lunges (135/95 lb)
• 18 Deadlifts (135/95 lb)

Cash out:

• 49 Pull-Ups

Gym (WOD) #101

EMOM for 10 minutes of:

• 2 Clusters
• 4 Thrusters
• 6 Push Jerk
• 8 Front Squats

*You choose the weight.

Den

For time:

• 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of:
• Dumbbell Clusters (2×50/35 lb)
• 200 meter Run

Freddy Krueger

5 Rounds for time:

• 36 Double-Unders
• 6 Clusters (135/95 lb)
• 1 Rope Climb

Cluster training is a phenomenal workout. Give one of the above WODs a try for yourself. Adjust the load to match your fitness level.

Check out the Outdoor Muscle CrossFit Hub for more CrossFit articles!