Power Jerk

shoulders, triceps, quads, glutes, coreBarbell

The power jerk develops explosive lower- and upper-body strength without splitting your feet. It teaches rapid drop-under technique and full-body coordination.

How to do it

1Set your feet shoulder-width apart and rest the barbell across your upper chest and collarbones.

2Perform a quick, vertical dip without leaning forward or lifting your heels off the floor.

3Explosively extend your legs and drive the bar straight up along your torso.

4Drop quickly into a partial squat while forcefully punching your arms straight overhead.

5Stand up fully to lock out the weight, then lower the bar under control.

Common mistakes

Pressing with your arms instead of using your leg drive, overloading your shoulders.

Hyperextending your lower back at lockout, placing unwanted axial stress on your spine.

Dropping into the partial squat too slowly, missing a stable receiving position.

Breathing

Inhale before you dip and hold your breath through the drive and catch. Exhale after standing up completely at the top.

Make it harder or easier

To scale down, practice with light dumbbells to master timing and symmetry.

To scale up, increase the weight or hold a pause at the bottom of the dip.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.