The clean and jerk lifts a barbell from the floor to the shoulders in the clean, then drives it overhead in the jerk. It is a classic Olympic weightlifting movement that builds explosive power throughout the body.
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5
Sets
5
Reps
Barbell
Equipment
13.00
Cal/min
🎯 Muscles Worked
🎯
Primary
Full body
📋 How To Perform Clean & Jerk
1
Start with the bar on the floor, grip just outside your knees.
2
Pull the bar explosively, extending your hips, and catch it at shoulder height in a front squat position (the 'clean').
3
Stand up fully with the bar racked at your shoulders.
4
Dip slightly, then drive the bar overhead explosively, splitting or squatting under it (the 'jerk').
5
This is a technical, advanced lift — learn with a coach and light weight first.
💡 Benefits of Clean & Jerk
Develops speed, power and coordination while training the legs, hips, back and shoulders in a single lift. It is a powerful skill for athletes and CrossFit competitors, and the rapid hip extension it teaches carries over to jumping, sprinting and throwing.
📈 Sets, Reps & Programming
Practise with a light barbell and a coach, 3 to 5 sets of 2 to 3 reps. Technique takes months to learn, so keep the load light until the movement is smooth.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pulling with the arms too early instead of extending the hips
Catching the bar too far forward of the shoulders
Not dipping and driving with the legs in the jerk
✅ Pro Tips
Keep the bar close to the body and extend the hips explosively
Receive the bar on the shoulders with the elbows high
🛡️ Safety Notes
Highly technical and demanding. Learn with a qualified coach, use bumper plates, and train in a space with room to drop the bar safely.
🔁 Progressions & Regressions
Make it harderheavier weights or complex variations.
