How To Warm Up For The Jerk | Olympic Weightlifting Basics
Warming up for the jerk can be confusing.
Plenty of videos on Instagram would have you believe that your warm-up needs to take 30 mins, include 10 different pre-hab and mobility drills, and generally be very complicated.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced weightlifter, your warm-up should take no more than 10 minutes (if you do it right).
Here’s how I recommend warming up for the jerk.
P.S. If you have mobility issues, check out this free Mobility101: Guide for Weightlifters
Pre-Barbell Warm Up
While many people love to spend hours on a foam roller or lacrosse ball before lifting, I’ve found that it is largely a waste of time, unless you have a serious mobility restriction.
Even with a serious mobility restriction, you likely only need to do one or two drills to help achieve the ideal overhead position and/or front rack position. If this is something you struggle with, then check out my free mobility guide for weightlifters. It’s got 30+ of the most effective mobility drills, written by weightlifters, for weightlifters.
Assuming you have no serious mobility restrictions, then we really only need to do one thing - get the body warm.
You can do this with 5-10 mins on a bike or cardio machine, which many people like. However, I’ve found this just makes your first couple reps with an empty barbell feel better. If you’re ok with your first few reps not feeling great, then skip it. It’s not necessary!
Once you are adequately warm, then it’s time to grab a barbell.
Barbell Split Jerk Warm Up
The key to a good barbell warm-up is two things…
Movements that prepare you to snatch
Minimal rest between reps and exercises
If you want your warm-up to do what it’s supposed to do, then don’t spend a bunch of time resting between reps. This is a huge pet peeve of mine and a waste of time. If you need to sit down between empty sets of barbell work, you’ve got other issues to worry about.
As far as movements go, I follow this progression every time.
Strict Shoulder Press
To Jerk properly, you need to be able to get the bar into the correct overhead position.
That’s why every clean and jerk session begins with strict shoulder presses. I usually go with 5-10 reps, making sure to emphasize the final locked out position with the barbell behind the head, the elbows fully locked, and the core and glutes squeezed tight.
Along with practicing the final overhead position, the shoulder press also doubles as an effective shoulder warm up!
Pause Push Press
The Pause Push Press is a great way to practice the correct dip position for the jerk, get some quick leg drive to move the bar, and continue warming up the shoulders.
Try 5-10 reps after your strict press and you should be ready to practicie some jerks afterwards.
Double Pause Jerk
The Double Pause Jerk is one of the key progressions in my free WL101: Beginner Guide + 6-Week Program for a reason.
It’s incredibly effective at allowing you to practice the correct dip position as well as the proper split footwork. By pausing in each position you can take the time to correct any mistakes such as a forward lean or excessive dip height in the dip, or a short split, straight back leg, or incorrect balance in the split position.
Try 3-5 reps of these with an empty barbell before adding some weight and speed to the lift!
Split Jerk
Finally! We can do some empty barbell split jerks! Now, if you’re more experienced as a lifter, you can likely skip the push press and double pause jerks and just get some strict presses in before practicing your jerk for 3-5 reps before loading up some weight.
As a beginner though, we can use the previous exercises to re-learn the proper technique AND get warm at the same time.
Try 3-5 reps with an empty barbell before you put some weight on for your first warm up set.
Hopefully, this clarified or simplified some things for you! If you ever need a free form check on your videos, you’re always welcome to join my free discord here and drop your video in the #form-checks channel.
By the way, I’ve got a free beginner weightlifting guide and a 6-week program! If you’re new to the olympic lifts, then check it out here!
And if you’re looking for a weightlifting program designed to help you set PRs, improve your technique, and get strong af, then check out a FREE WEEK TRIAL of my 3 & 5-Day OlyStrong Team at the link below!