Clean and Jerk

A two-part Olympic lift that combines a clean to the front rack with a jerk to lockout overhead. It allows the most weight of any single overhead movement and is a benchmark of full-body power.

Standard: A valid rep first brings the bar from the floor to the front rack (the clean), then drives it to full overhead lockout (the jerk), finishing standing tall with hips, knees, and arms fully extended.

How to do the Clean and Jerk

1. Perform a clean: pull the bar from the floor and receive it in the front rack, then stand to full extension.
2. Reset your stance and grip on the bar and re-brace the midline before the jerk.
3. Dip vertically by bending the knees while keeping the torso upright.
4. Drive explosively through the legs to launch the bar off the shoulders.
5. Punch the arms to lockout while dropping under the bar (split or push jerk) into a stable receive.
6. Recover to standing with the bar locked out overhead and hips, knees, and arms fully extended.

Common faults

• Rushing from the clean into the jerk without a solid rack and reset.
• Dipping forward or too deep in the jerk, sending the bar out front.
• Pressing the bar out instead of dropping under it in the jerk.
• An unstable or uneven receiving position with soft elbows overhead.

Scaling & progressions

• Reduce the load and train the clean and the jerk as separate lifts.
• Scale the squat clean to a power clean to reduce the demand.
• Practice the jerk from a rack to focus on the dip, drive, and drop.
• Use a PVC or empty bar to drill split or push-jerk footwork.