Developing the Behind-the-Neck Split Jerk With Coach B: Part 2

Working his magic on Dave Lipson, Coach Mike Burgener refines the split jerk by breaking down the movement and rebuilding it.

In Part 2, Burgener points out some common faults with footwork: finishing forward in the lunge and finishing with a straight back leg. He says both of these faults load the lower back and force the athlete to recover forward.

“Ninety percent of all missed lifts in Olympic-style weightlifting—whether it’s in the snatch, the clean or the jerk—can be attributed to something to do with the feet,” he says.

In the split jerk, speed is king.

“I’m after fast hands, fast feet,” Burgener says.

Burgener coaches Lipson on achieving the proper lunge and head positions, and he also uses a PVC pipe to create a straight bar path and correct a forward dip.

“I don’t like to spend a whole lot of time on doing repetitions. I like to get the singles in there and coach on the run,” Burgener says of his style. “We’ll see as the weight gets heavier how his technique holds up.”

13min 13sec

Additional reading: Teaching the Jerk by Mike Burgener with Tony Budding, published May 1, 2007.