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Kettlebell One Arm Jerk

A leg-driven overhead lift from the rack that puts a kettlebell overhead with far less shoulder fatigue than pressing, the backbone of kettlebell sport.

OlympicKettlebellOverhead jerk
GoLightWeight mediakettlebell-one-arm-jerk

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

QuadricepsDeltoids

Secondary

TricepsGlutesCalvesCore

Equipment

Kettlebell

Pattern

Overhead jerk

Setup

  1. 01Clean the kettlebell into a solid rack position.
  2. 02Rest the elbow on the hip or ribs with the wrist neutral.
  3. 03Set the feet about shoulder width with weight over the whole foot.
  4. 04Take a breath and brace before each rep.

Execution

  1. 01Dip a few inches by bending the knees with a vertical torso.
  2. 02Drive explosively through the legs to bump the bell off the rack.
  3. 03As the bell floats, dip under it a second time with bent knees.
  4. 04Receive the bell on a locked arm, then stand to full extension.
  5. 05Lower the bell back to the rack by absorbing with the legs.

Checkpoints

  • -The arm stays passive until the legs have launched the bell.
  • -The elbow locks before the knees straighten in the catch.
  • -The bell finishes stacked over the shoulder and hip.
  • -The heels stay down through the first dip.

Common mistakes

  • -Turning the jerk into a push press by pressing early.
  • -Skipping the second dip and pressing out the lockout.
  • -Dipping too deep and losing the elastic rebound.
  • -Letting the elbow drift off the body in the rack.

Programming notes

  • -Use 4 to 6 sets of 3 to 5 reps per side for overhead power.
  • -Timed sets of 1 to 3 minutes per arm build sport-style endurance.
  • -Use a bell 10 to 20 percent heavier than your strict press to force real leg drive.

Related exercises

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