Squat Jerk
- Works
- Quads, plus calves, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders and triceps
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Advanced
- Type
- Compound
How to do it
Setup. Standing with the weight racked on the front of the shoulders, begin with the dip. With your feet directly under your hips, flex the knees without moving the hips backward. Go down only slightly, and reverse direction as powerfully as possible. Drive through the heels create as much speed and force as possible, and be sure to move your head out of the way as the bar leaves the shoulders.
- At this moment as the feet leave the floor, the feet must be placed into the receiving position as quickly as possible. In the brief moment the feet are not actively driving against the platform, the athlete's effort to push the bar up will drive them down. The feet should move forcefully to just outside the hips, turned out as necessary. Receive the bar with your body in a full squat and the arms fully extended overhead.
- Keeping the bar aligned over the front of the heels, your head and chest up, drive throught heels of the feet to move to a standing position. Carefully return the weight to floor.
Cues
- Short, straight dip.
- Drive the bar off the shoulders.
- Drop into a squat, arms locked.
- Stand up with the bar overhead.
Common mistakes
- Pressing out.
- Bar drifting forward in the squat.
Where to start
Sets3
Reps1-3
Rest3 min
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, sore wrists and sore knees. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.