One-Arm Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

Also called kettlebell clean and jerk, kb clean and jerk and long cycle.

Works

Shoulders

Equipment

Kettlebell

Level

Intermediate

Type

Compound, one side at a time

How to do it

Setup. Hold a kettlebell by the handle.

1. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulder. Rotate your wrist as you do so, so that the palm faces forward.
2. Dip your body by bending the knees, keeping your torso upright.
3. Immediately reverse direction, driving through the heels, in essence jumping to create momentum. As you do so, press the kettlebell overhead to lockout by extending the arms, using your body's momentum to move the weight.
4. Receive the weight overhead by returning to a squat position underneath the weight.
5. Keeping the weight overhead, return to a standing position. Lower the weight to the floor to perform the next repetition.

Cues

• Clean to the rack, wrist straight.
• Short dip with the knees only.
• Drive up, punch under the bell.
• Lock out, then drop to the rack.

Common mistakes

• Pressing out instead of dipping under.
• Leaning back on the dip.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a sore shoulder and sore wrists. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

Easier

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