Jerk
Bodyweight Strength - The Jerk is a classic lift that develops explosive power and the rapid coordination of all of the major muscles in the body. It produces very functional strength and useful athletic ability that can be utilized in many instances in real life.
The Jerk is the top portion of the Clean and Jerk which is one of the exercises performed in Weightlifting in the Olympics. In training, however, the Clean and the Jerk are frequently practiced separately to allow for maximum focus on each movement individually.
Ideally your gym will have a set of Jerk Blocks to utilize for performing Jerks. However, most gyms these do not have Jerk Blocks and most trainers probably don't even know what Jerk Blocks are. If you do have access to Jerk Blocks, consider yourself lucky and utilize them.
To perform the Jerk, rack a weight on a Squat Rack (or Jerk Blocks if you have them) and get under it with the front of your shoulders (exactly as you would for a Front Squat). If using a Squat Rack rather than Jerk Blocks, step away from the rack a few feet to give yourself sufficient space. When you are ready, dip down rapidly in a semi-squat (typically approximately a quarter squat or less) and spring back up rapidly with all the force your legs can muster (as though you are trying to perform a maximum Vertical Jump). The moment after you jump, split your legs (throw one leg to the front and one leg to the back in a lunge position (but don't drop all the way down into a full lunge...just put your legs in that split stance position and allow yourself to drop into approximately a quarter of the depth of a normal lunge). As the weight flies up from your shoulders, grasp it with your hands so that you have a firm grip on it when your arms reach a full lockout position overhead.
The moment that you "catch" the bar overhead with your arms in a fully locked out position, your feet you also lands solidly (and loudly) on the floor in the lunge position just mentioned above. It should appear to an observer that the loud pop of your feet hitting the ground was the pop of your elbows snapping into their fully locked position overhead.
Once you are in this position and are stable, step your front foot back halfway and then step your back foot forward halfway. This will leave you standing straight up with your feet right next to each other underneath you, and your arms locked out straight up overhead with the bar in your hands.
If you have Jerk Blocks then you will literally just drop the weight straight back down onto them. If you do not have Jerk Blocks then you can either lower the weight back to your shoulders in the most control manner you can in order to start the next rep, or else you will have to drop the weight on the ground (if this is allowed in your gym) and then Clean the bar back up to the shoulders again to perform the next rep.
It should be noted that when you split your legs and throw one leg forward and the other leg back, you should choose the leg that feels natural to you. I you have ever skateboarded, surfed, boxed, snowboarded, or shot a rifle you should already know which leg you prefere to be forward because it will be the same foot as the one that you put forward for those other activities. This will vary from person to person and whatever feels best to you is the one you should use. However, that being said, it is still not a bad idea to do some reps with one foot and then some with the other foot in order to develop your strength, coordination, and explosiveness evenly. However, you will always perform your very best lifts when you utilize the split stance that feels most natural to you of course.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com
The Jerk is the top portion of the Clean and Jerk which is one of the exercises performed in Weightlifting in the Olympics. In training, however, the Clean and the Jerk are frequently practiced separately to allow for maximum focus on each movement individually.
Ideally your gym will have a set of Jerk Blocks to utilize for performing Jerks. However, most gyms these do not have Jerk Blocks and most trainers probably don't even know what Jerk Blocks are. If you do have access to Jerk Blocks, consider yourself lucky and utilize them.
To perform the Jerk, rack a weight on a Squat Rack (or Jerk Blocks if you have them) and get under it with the front of your shoulders (exactly as you would for a Front Squat). If using a Squat Rack rather than Jerk Blocks, step away from the rack a few feet to give yourself sufficient space. When you are ready, dip down rapidly in a semi-squat (typically approximately a quarter squat or less) and spring back up rapidly with all the force your legs can muster (as though you are trying to perform a maximum Vertical Jump). The moment after you jump, split your legs (throw one leg to the front and one leg to the back in a lunge position (but don't drop all the way down into a full lunge...just put your legs in that split stance position and allow yourself to drop into approximately a quarter of the depth of a normal lunge). As the weight flies up from your shoulders, grasp it with your hands so that you have a firm grip on it when your arms reach a full lockout position overhead.
The moment that you "catch" the bar overhead with your arms in a fully locked out position, your feet you also lands solidly (and loudly) on the floor in the lunge position just mentioned above. It should appear to an observer that the loud pop of your feet hitting the ground was the pop of your elbows snapping into their fully locked position overhead.
Once you are in this position and are stable, step your front foot back halfway and then step your back foot forward halfway. This will leave you standing straight up with your feet right next to each other underneath you, and your arms locked out straight up overhead with the bar in your hands.
If you have Jerk Blocks then you will literally just drop the weight straight back down onto them. If you do not have Jerk Blocks then you can either lower the weight back to your shoulders in the most control manner you can in order to start the next rep, or else you will have to drop the weight on the ground (if this is allowed in your gym) and then Clean the bar back up to the shoulders again to perform the next rep.
It should be noted that when you split your legs and throw one leg forward and the other leg back, you should choose the leg that feels natural to you. I you have ever skateboarded, surfed, boxed, snowboarded, or shot a rifle you should already know which leg you prefere to be forward because it will be the same foot as the one that you put forward for those other activities. This will vary from person to person and whatever feels best to you is the one you should use. However, that being said, it is still not a bad idea to do some reps with one foot and then some with the other foot in order to develop your strength, coordination, and explosiveness evenly. However, you will always perform your very best lifts when you utilize the split stance that feels most natural to you of course.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com