Jerk Balance

How to do it

1. Take a bar from a rack on the front of the shoulders with a jerk grip, elbows up.
2. Step into a short split: front foot forward about half the distance of a full split, back foot behind.
3. Dip a few inches by bending both knees, keeping the torso upright.
4. Drive up with the legs and, as the bar rises, step the front foot forward into a full split while punching the arms to lock.
5. Catch the bar overhead in the split, arms locked, torso vertical.
6. Recover the feet under the bar, lower it to the shoulders and reset the short split.

Common mistakes

• Moving the back foot. Only the front foot steps; the back foot stays where it started, which is what makes this a drill for driving the front foot forward.
• Letting the torso lean forward as the front foot lands. The chest stays up and the bar stays over the hips; a lean puts the bar out in front.
• Stepping short. The front foot has to travel enough to make a real split; a shuffle forward is not the movement being practised.
• Pressing the bar out. The lock-out comes from dropping under; if the arms are finishing the lift, the step came too late.

Muscles worked

Primary

• Shoulders

Secondary

• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Quads
• Triceps