Jerk Assistance Exercises

My website is called “StrongSnatch” mainly because I have the sense of humor of a 15yo boy.  But it’s apt because I have a relatively stronger snatch than clean & jerk.

My max snatch is 83% of my max clean.  But my max snatch is 91% of my max jerk.  The snatch and clean ratio is fairly appropriate.  But the snatch jerk ratio is almost getting embarrassing.

So it’s time to work on the jerk.

While I will be deferring to my awesome new coach in all things on this, I decided to put together a compilation of the 6  exercises that I have previously used to work on the components of a better jerk: timing, strength and confidence.

on the video, these are:

Sots press with internal  rotation of the humerus (strength, core stability)

press in split (strength, stability)  learned this and the next one from Zigmunt Smalcerz, the US olympic team coach, at the olympic training center

jerk in split (timing, explositivity, stability)

jerk balance aka drop jerk (timing, speed)

jerk hold (strength and confidence)

jerk hold and recovery (strength, confidence)

As you can see from the video, there are a lot of things I need to keep working on.  But since I learn from other people’s journey to improvement, I hope you can learn from mine.

Bar Whip

Today was jerk day, among other things.  I am happy to report that my jerk is slowly getting better, partially because of increasing upper body strengthening in various ranges of motion, partially by improving mobility and a little by just the sheer grunt work of practicing foot work.

But today my coach Jaremy Lynn (that’s him in the pic) introduced this idea to me.  My weights aren’t giant red plates that bend the bar in the rack.  So to help me feel whip a little more, he moved the plates out closer to the edges of the sleeve by putting in a few “spacer” lockjaw clamps.  Voilá! More whip at the bottom of the dip.  I think it’s a brilliant easy way to start getting a better feel for timing in the dip and drive.