Teaching the Jerk Part 4: Skill Transfer Exercises

In the last part of a four part series, Coach Mike Burgener of Mike’s Gym introduces four skill transfer exercises that develop proficiency in the four main aspects of the jerk: executing a powerful dip and drive, aggressively driving the body under the bar, receiving the barbell overhead in the frontal plane, and stabilizing the load overhead while standing upright.

We assume that the basics have been established and that these exercises will be used to refine the movements and introduce the athlete to jerking heavier weight. The accompanying article, photos and videos show all four exercises. The first two may be summarized as follows:

Rack jumps: Set a bar on the pins of the power rack at the same depth as the dip used in the jerk. Start by standing with the bar on the back, as for a back squat. Bend at the hips and knees as in the dip of the jerk, vigorously extend the ankles, knees, and hips to aggressively jump the body upward—but come off the ground no more than half an inch or so.

Tall jerks: Hold the barbell at or just above the forehead. Look up slightly with your head (mimicking having just gotten out of the way of the rising bar), and rise up on up your toes. With no dip whatsoever in the hips, knees, or ankles, aggressively drives your body down with your arms into the split position, receiving the barbell overhead.

Other articles in this series:

Teaching The Jerk introduces the series and discusses the push jerk

Teaching The Jerk, Part 2 discusses receiving the bar overhead in the split landing position

Teaching The Jerk, Part 3: Split Jerk Drills