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Barbell clean and jerk

Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Glutes, Lats, Trapezius, Shoulders
🔧 barbell ↕ hinge and push Difficulty:

How to perform

First Pull. The lifter extends at their hips to pull the bar from the floor. They should be pushing into the floor while keeping the barbell close to their body. Transition (Scoop). Once the bar gets above the knees, the hips thrust forward with a slight bend in the knees. This is important to translate into the next phase. Second Pull. As the barbell is rising above the thighs, the lifter extends the hips, knees and ankles to perform an explosive move upward. The lifter also performs a shoulder shrug as the barbell moves upward. Catch. As the barbell is moving upward, the lifter drops into a squat position under the barbell so it will rest across the front of the shoulders along the clavicle. The lifter then stands upright. Jerk. The lifter performs a slight squat, then forcefully presses the barbell upwards. They can drop into a squat or split squat position so that the arms are fully extended overhead. The lifter then stands in a fully upright position with the barbell in line with the arm, hips and ankles.

Muscles Worked

Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Glutes, Lats, Trapezius, Shoulders, Lumbar erectors
Secondary: A, b, d, o, m, i, n, a, l, s

Tips

For maximal clean and jerk, athletes usually squat clean and split jerk. Practice progressions to build toward this, and work with a qualified coach before increasing intensity.