How to Warm up the Jerk

Use this warm up progression to pattern and prime the Jerk 

Each movement should be done for 5 reps each

 

Overhead press - Put the bar into the front rack position, shrug the shoulders up, grasp the bar. 

Press the bar up and back, aiming for your forehead, return to the start position by pointing the elbows forward. Try to get the bar back in the jerk rack position each time. (use this to build the jerk rack position and proper bar path)

Push press - Start in a secure Jerk rack position by grasping the bar and shrugging the shoulders up, Break at the knees, driving them out and keeping the weight over the front of the heels. Elbows and bar do not move as your torso travels downwards. At the bottom position explosively extend the hips and knees guiding the bar up and back as if you were doing a strict press. (use this to help pattern the proper dip drive, focusing on keeping the weight balanced and vertical bar path)

Tall jerk - Start with the bar on the top of the head. As simultaneously as possible, move both feet. In this order  make sure the back foot hits the ground first, elbow lock out and then the front foot hits the ground last. Confirm you are balanced before you recover. Recover by stepping the front foot back then the back foot forward. (use this to help build speed under the bar, foot/elbow timing and balance)


1 Push Press + 1 Jerk - Start with the bar in a secure jerk rack position. Execute one push press then one jerk. Note that the jerk is simply a push press with a press under the bar, The Push press is what accelerates the bar up off the shoulders to a height that will resemble the tall jerk. At that point you are to press the hips under the bar and secure it to the body by locking out the elbows before the hips stop traveling. (use this to blend the dip and the press under. Keep thinking of the 1st part of the jerk as a push press).

The Jerk can be complicated due to balance and coordination. Go slow with this and identify which part of the warm you are struggling with the most and you may want to really hone in and clear that movement pattern first. You can also train all 4 movements separately as their exercises and progress them slowly. One other addition would be pauses in the bottom of the dip and pauses in the lock out. Add those so you can adjust your weight if balance is an issue.