Coaching Cues for Jerk

Derek Simonds · 05-25-2007, 06:44 AM

I have reread a bunch of stuff on the Jerk and I need some simple ways to coach myself.

I struggle with jerking anything over 155 lb's. Which is very frustrating and I think partly psychological as I can push press pretty much the same amount.

Right now I tell myself dip, drive and lock out. I don't think I am getting enough leg drive maybe and I have a problem with transitioning my hands from the catch to the press portion of the jerk.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Dave Wilson · 05-25-2007, 07:32 AM

Derek, Is the bar racked on your shoulder's? If you are holding the bar in your hands, you are killing the power from your hip and leg drive.

Derek Simonds · 05-25-2007, 07:53 AM

When I C and J or Rack Jerk the bar is on my shoulders but my hands are not in a position to push the bar overhead. I feel like I lose power trying to adjust my hand position so that it is more similar to a press. Hope that helps.

Dave Wilson · 05-25-2007, 08:40 AM

Try to keep the bar in a racked postition, with minimal adjustment of the hands, your arms do not have to be in a full pressing postition, KEEP YOUR CHEST HIGH, take a breath, a qucik dip, drive through the heels.

If you have a video camera get a video from the side, watch to see if your chest drops when you dip.

-Ross Hunt · 05-25-2007, 10:39 AM

Obviously, video is your friend, but one mistake that many people make is to dip too quickly. Don't out-run the barbell down in the desire to use extra speed for an extra-heavy weight. You have to go down at exactly the same quick but controlled pace you would use for a lighter weight, and be confident that the speed from your fast reversal of direction at the bottom of the dip and fast acceleration will suffice to make the lift.

Also, make sure that you are dipping by bending the knees, not pushing the butt back as you would in a squat.

Also, make sure that you aren't cutting off the drive in a hurry to dive under the bar. Patience, grasshopper.

Also, you could just be weak. How much do you press/ push-press/ squat?

Finally, you could just be temporarily klutzy. This stuff takes time.

Derek Simonds · 05-25-2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Ross Hunt

Patience, grasshopper.

Also, you could just be weak. How much do you press/ push-press/ squat?

Finally, you could just be temporarily klutzy. This stuff takes time.

Patience, good point. I definitely am weak in the overhead area. Currently these are my maxes (more than a sort of max less than a max max DJ TM noted) 120 / 140 / BS 250 + FS 200. Greg had written in a response to me that there is no need (for a competitive lifter) to be able to clean more than you can jerk or vice versa. My C and J has not gone up in 3 weeks as I haven't been able to jerk more. I wanted to make sure that my technique wasn't the limiting factor on the jerk as I am working on my strength.

Thanks for the replies. I have got to get out west for some coaching.