Weightlifting
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Become a Jerking Fool: Mastering one of the Most Difficult Lifts in Weightlifting
Why the Jerk is More Challenging Than the Snatch or Clean
From the feedback I get online and at coaching clinics, many lifters struggle more with the jerk than with the snatch or clean. While a video of a snatch or clean often attracts a wealth of coaching comments, the same isn’t true for the jerk. It’s a skill that many new lifters find challenging to master. Even some powerful lifters with monstrous cleans often fall short when it comes to the jerk.
If your jerk is lagging, don’t worry—there’s a solution. The same principles that help improve the snatch and clean apply to the jerk. The key? Learn and practice consistently.
How to Improve Your Jerk: Essential Training Strategies
1. Study Jerk Technique Like a Student
Before you can excel, you need to understand the biomechanics of the jerk. There is plenty of content available on SportsEdTV that breaks down proper technique—seek it out, study it, and apply what you learn in training.
2. Jerk at Every Workout
Just as you perform snatches and cleans in every session, you should be practicing some form of jerking every time you train. This builds consistency and reinforces proper movement patterns.
3. Always Jerk After Cleans or Power Cleans
After every set of cleans or power cleans, jerk the weight using the perfect technique. This ensures you integrate the movement into your routine rather than treating it as an afterthought.
4. Use Variations: Power Jerks, Push Presses, and Presses
Incorporate movements like power jerks, push presses, and strict presses to develop shoulder strength and train proper torso bracing. Strength alone isn’t enough—you need stability and control under heavy loads.
5. Strengthen Your Overhead Position with Rack Work
Overhead supports, jerk lockouts, and jerk recoveries in a power rack are highly effective for developing the stabilizing muscles of the torso. Unfortunately, power racks have become underutilized in modern weightlifting, but they remain a fantastic tool for building overhead strength.
6. Count Jerk Reps Separately from Cleans
Some coaches count a set of two cleans and two jerks as two reps, but this fails to emphasize the jerk adequately. Instead, count the jerks separately to ensure they receive proper training focus. Consider programming one clean followed by three jerks in the same set to place more emphasis on improving your jerk.
7. Pre-Fatigue the Legs Before Jerking
Try performing three front squats before every jerk. This pre-fatigues the legs, making the jerk more challenging and reinforcing proper technique even under fatigue.
The Jerk: The Championship-Deciding Lift
The jerk is the kill shot in Olympic weightlifting—titles and records are won through effective jerking. Looking back at international competitions, the lifters who take gold often have the biggest clean & jerks.
Should You Move Up a Weight Class?
If your snatch and clean & jerk are both technically sound and your snatch is over 82% of your clean & jerk, it may be time to consider moving up a weight class. A heavier bodyweight allows you to handle heavier training loads and recover better from high-volume training.
