Power Jerk
A barbell jerk where you dip, drive the bar off the shoulders and catch it overhead in a partial squat, feet landing slightly wider. It builds overhead power and is simpler to learn than the split jerk.
Primary muscles
- Quadriceps
- Front Delts
- Triceps
Secondary muscles
- Glutes (Gluteus Maximus)
- Side Delts
- Traps (Trapezius)
- Calves (Gastrocnemius)
- Abs (Rectus Abdominis)
- Sets
- 3–5
- Reps
- 1–3
- Rest
- 120–180s
How to perform
Main muscles working (thicker lines)
Starting position
Stand with feet hip-width and the bar in the front rack on your shoulders, full grip just outside shoulder width.
Dip a few inches straight down by bending the knees, torso vertical.
Drive up explosively through the heels, moving your head back as the bar leaves the shoulders.
Lift the feet and replant them slightly wider as you push yourself under the bar.
Catch the bar with arms locked in a quarter squat, bar over the back of the neck.
Stand up with the bar overhead, then return it to the shoulders.
Breathing: Hold a braced breath through dip, drive and catch, and exhale when you stand.
Coaching tips
Straight down, straight up
Punch yourself under
Land with locked arms
Common mistakes
Pressing the bar out after landing
Dipping with the hips going back
Catching on the toes
Bar finishing in front of the head
Safety notes
Use bumper plates and a platform so a missed jerk can be dropped forward.
Build the dip and drive with push presses first.
This information is general fitness guidance, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain and consult a qualified professional.