How To Perform Olympic Clean And Jerk
Few moves are every bit dynamic and recruit every bit many muscles — namely, the quads, back shoulders, glutes, and cadre — as the clean and jerk. It's one of the two competition lifts in the sport of weightlifting, simply it'south a pretty useful addition to your conditioning plan. That said, the make clean and jerk isn't easy to do. It'south essentially three moves in 1 — a deadlift, a clean, and an overhead press — and learning it takes time, skill, and patience. Nevertheless, y'all'll be rewarded with more full-body strength, coordination, and power — which is probably why y'all're reading this article.
In this guide, we'll go over all of the steps needed to perform a proper clean and jerk, too equally the move'southward benefits, variations, and alternatives.
- How to Practice the Clean and Wiggle
- Benefits of the Make clean and Wiggle
- Muscles Worked past the Clean and Jerk
- Who Should Do the Clean and Jerk
- Clean and Wiggle Sets, Reps, and Weight Recommendations
- Clean and Jerk Variations
- Clean and Wiggle Alternatives
- Frequently Asked Questions
Editor'south note: The content on BarBend is meant to exist informative in nature, but information technology shouldn't have the place of communication and/or supervision from a medical professional. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. Speak with your physician if you take any concerns.
How to Do the Clean and Jerk
Beneath is a step-by-step guide on how to perform the clean and jerk with a barbell. (Annotation: You tin nearly certainly do a make clean and jerk with a set of dumbells or a pair of kettlebells. It'southward traditionally done with a barbell, so that'due south the variation we're outlining below.)
Footstep 1 — Get Fix
Stand in front end of a loaded barbell with the anxiety set up hip-width and turned slightly out (as this will allow the lifter to go on the knees/thighs out on the setup). The shoulders should cover the barbell, with the hips lower than shoulder-level however college than the knees. Note: these are general setup concepts, and specific setups may vary based on coach/athlete preferences.
Form Tip: The barbell should be in contact with the shins at the setup. This will ensure the barbell starts shut to the body in the pull, which ensures a smooth bar path.
Step two — Initiate the First Pull
The first pull of the clean occurs when the barbell initially breaks from the floor. The first pull ends when the barbell passes the genu, which is the start of the second pull. The initial pull is essentially a deadlift. Be sure to maintain a neutral spine and to keep your core braced.
Class Tip: The goal of this first pull is to proceeds the momentum necessary for an explosive 2nd pull.
Step 3 — Initiate Second Pull and Turn the Bar Over
This next step could be broken down into ii parts, just information technology happens so quickly that information technology's basically one cohesive step. For this pull, the barbell passes the knee joint and ends upwardly correct at hip level. The lifter then drives their hips and pulls the barbell upward the body, making sure to stay balanced in the full foot with the shoulders above the bar. And so, the lifter acts upon the barbell to forcefully rotate their elbows underneath and into the front end rack position. As you finish the second pull, stay active on the barbell afterwards the 2d pull using the traps to elevate the bar higher and pull oneself nether the bar.
Grade Tip: Try to simultaneously move the anxiety and reset them firmly under your hips so that you're in a strong front rack position.
Step 4 — Catch the Barbell
As the bar is exploding upwardly from the hip drive, the lifter will chop-chop squat downward and catch the barbell across their shoulders in a front rack position. The elbows should exist pointing forward.
Grade Tip: Be aware of your knees. A lot is going on during a clean and jerk, so be sure to proceed your knees actively pressed out for an efficient squat.
Pace 5 — Dip Downwardly
From the front end rack position, the lifter is going to dip their knees down a few inches. This creates a bound-like issue to assist drive the weight overhead for the jerk phase of the lift. This phase of the lift is essentially a push press.
Form Tip: The dip speed should exist smooth and let for a stretch reflex to take place. Exist sure to dip down in a straight line, not letting the torso sway back or come forward.
Pace 6 — Jerk the Bar Overhead
In that location are two types of wiggle — a carve up jerk and a squat jerk. For now, we'll stick with the squat jerk. Don't remember of the wiggle as just an overhead press. Really, information technology'south a push press that your drop under to reduce the distance it has to travel overhead. And so, you're going to a) dip down, b) bulldoze the bar over your head, and c) drop into a half squat position equally the bar ascends.
Form Tip: Initiate the drive with the legs, and think most pushing everything you tin through the bar.
Stride 7 — Receive and Recover the Jerk Overhead
Lock your arms out and pause in the bottom of the wiggle to stabilize the weight. Concord this position while yous go set up. Practice non stand until the weight feels balanced. One time y'all're stabilized, stand up up.
Course Tip: If you feel as though yous're going to drop the weight, keep your arms locked out and let them autumn forward so that the bar crashes to the floor. Don't lean frontward, equally the bar may bounce back and striking your head.
Benefits of the Clean and Jerk
There are many benefits of the clean and jerk. Hither are iii primary ones that brand the make clean and jerk a worthwhile addition to your workout split.
Total Body Strength and Power
You have to be strong and explosive at every stage of the lift — from the pull off the ground to the hip bulldoze to the jerk. Each musculus will be taxed and activated during the clean and jerk, which is why it'southward considered i of the all-time full-trunk moves you can practise for more strength and power. Just as focusing on the deadlift, push press, and make clean will carry over to a stronger all-around clean and jerk, doing clean and jerks will strengthen those private moves.
Improved Athletic Performance
There's a reason why athletes teams outside of weightlifting perform the clean and jerk (and its many variations). The strength that it develops in the glutes and legs results in the ability to sprint faster and jump college. 1 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that Olympic weightlifting movements effect in an improved vertical spring. (1)
Better Motor Skill Development
The make clean and jerk is a technically complicated move that requires the lifter to focus on many aspects at once. To make this exercise — or whatever practise — happen, the central nervous system sends signals to the muscles to direct them. This connexion between your encephalon and your muscles is likewise called "motor skill." Similar a muscle, the CNS can exist trained to exist more efficient and responsive. The more you do the movement, the more than skillful you'll be at it.
Muscles Worked by the Clean and Jerk
The make clean and wiggle is a total body movement that stresses near every muscle in the body. Below are the major muscle groups that are worked when performing the clean and wiggle exercise.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings are really only involved in the hip-bulldoze, or second pull, stage of the clean and jerk. They're contracted explosively and for a short time, and then the clean and jerk isn't the best practice to grow your hammies. You'll desire to as well add the Romanian deadlift and good morning to your routine for optimal hamstring evolution.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are used in the squatting aspect of the clean and the dip and bulldoze phase of the jerk. Stiff quads assist increase one'southward ability to exit of the clean.
Back and Traps
The dorsum (lats) and traps are all used during the pulling, squatting, andwiggle phase of the lift. A potent dorsum and traps are needed to maintain an upright position in the front end squat and offer stability in the jerk.
Shoulders
The shoulders, along with some of the supporting muscles of the artillery (triceps and biceps), are nearly active during the jerk. Though the wiggle movement comes mainly from leg drive, the shoulders are working isometrically to stabilize the weight overhead. So, you lot'll however desire to add different shoulder exercises into your routine to develop them fully.
Who Should Do the Clean and Jerk?
Below nosotros will hash out what types of athletes can benefit from the clean and jerk and why.
Strength and Ability Athletes
Force and power athletes use the bench press to increase overall strength, add quality musculus mass to the breast and triceps, and improve sport-specific functioning.
- Powerlifters and Strongmen/Strongwomen : Pure strength athletes can integrate the clean and wiggle into their training to improve power output and overall athleticism.
- Weightlifter s: The clean and wiggle is a necessary practise for all Olympic weightlifters to railroad train every bit it is one of the two movements performed in a competition. Practicing this movement and its various positional drills can increment technique and overall functioning in competition.
Functional Fitness Athletes
The clean and jerk is a motion that is often institute in CrossFit programs, competitions, and workouts (in some form). CrossFit and fettle athletes should use the clean and wiggle to amend overall force , power and railroad train it to use in competition.
General Population
Everyday gym-goers can reap the same benefits mentioned higher up past using the make clean and wiggle. That said, it's a technical movement that, if non done properly, tin can lead to potential injury risk. So, be certain to consult a trainer for guidance and always use a lighter weight than you lot call back you can handle.
Make clean and Jerk Squat Sets, Reps, and Weight Recommendations
Below are iii sets, reps, and weight (intensity) recommendations for coaches and athletes to properly program the clean and jerk based on preparation goal. Annotation that the beneath guidelines are hither to offer coaches and athletes loose recommendations for programming. While the make clean and jerk can help spark muscle growth, it'due south non a move you should plan for hypertrophy purposes.
To Improve Technique
The make clean and wiggle should be trained with light to moderate loads to develop proper positional awareness, timing, and foundational movement patterning necessary for more advanced training progressions. Start by performing three to v sets of iii to 5 repetitions with light to moderate loads or fifty-65% of your one-rep max. The key here is motility quality, timing, and precision.
To Increment Power Output
This phase is often used for athletes (not-Olympic weightlifter, come across next department) looking to integrate the clean and jerk to amend athletic ability outputs. Stick with three to five sets of two to five reps using lx-80% of your 1RM.
To Better Olympic Weightlifting Performance (Not-Peaking)
This is the training range that most Olympic weightlifters will spend most of their training career in, as information technology can be manipulated to increase volume, add intensity, and address maximal power output. Generally speaking, most Olympic weightlifter volition perform three to ten sets of one to three reps with around 70-75% of their 1RM.
Clean and Jerk Variations
Below are iii common clean and jerk variations to build forcefulness, address technique issues, and improve Olympic weightlifting functioning.
Block Clean
The block clean tin can be washed to increase the charge per unit of force production in the clean or accost technical breakdowns in the pull. The block make clean is done from blocks, set at varying heights to help improve positional forcefulness. These are also great additions to employ before a block clean, such every bit in a complex (see below).
Clean + Jerk Complex
Weightlifting complexes are a combination of unlike phases of an Olympic lift strung together. This catamenia of movements increases grooming volume, adds variety to preparation, and reinforces proper technique and positional strength. For example, in the video beneath, the lifter performs a clean, then a forepart squat, so two jerk variations. He still did a full clean and wiggle just broken down into split up lifts. You can attempt that complex below or beginning with something more simple. Even a total clean with an additional front squat is an added challenge.
Hang Clean
The hang clean is similar to the block clean in that it increases forcefulness product in the clean. This is besides a good variation to incorporate with lifters who have issues transitioning nether the bar. Y'all can perform these from varying hang heights, such as below the knee joint (low hang) above the knee.
Clean and Wiggle Alternatives
Below are iii make clean and wiggle alternatives that tin be used to improve power outputs with an easier learning curve.
Clean/Snatch High Pull
The make clean/snatch high pull may decrease injury risks of the wrists or minimize the technical coaching needed to help lifters. This tin can help non-weightlifting athletes looking to get the benefits of power training without running risks of injury due to lack of proper readiness.
Clean and Press
The make clean and pres s is similar to the clean and jerk. However, the athlete can perform a strict pres to get the weight overhead. This is a skilful option for lifters who lack proper wiggle timing and technique. This is too good for adding overhead strength, as the jerk requires less concentric strength equally strict pressing or push button pressing loads overhead.
Ball Clean
The brawl clean has the lifter perform the movement with a medicine ball. It's a great way to teach the practise and for younger or older lifters who may lack the skills for the barbell version.
FAQs
How should I learn the clean and jerk?
Ideally, you'll find a local qualified coach (United states Weightlifting Accredited) in you area to go some initial coaching from. I f you cannot exercise this, opt to look for a good motorbus online who will interruption down the lift and accept yous begin with the basics similar movements.
I'grand weak out of the hole of my front squat, how can I fix this?
Increasing leg strength for the clean and jerk is not as simple equally doing more cleans. In addition to increasing the volume of forepart squats you do, be sure to care for the front squat portion of the make clean equally a carve up lift. This means have a 2d to go set, lower yourself slowly, and drive up with good form. Don't rush through the movement similar it's simply a step in the clean and jerk. Information technology is, but one that should be handled with care.
How frequently should I do the clean and jerk?
Nigh lifters looking to improve weightlifting operation and technique should aim for at least 3 preparation sessions per week that include the clean and jerk or variations. The more often you train information technology, you demand to make sure you are too monitoring recovery, preparation intensity, and operation over time to detect what works best for you.
References
Featured image: A.RICARDO/Shutterstock
Source: https://barbend.com/clean-and-jerk/
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