Weightlifting discipline

Clean and Jerk

The clean and jerk is one of the two Olympic weightlifting lifts, raising the bar to the shoulders and then driving it overhead in two phases.

Part of Weightlifting

Overview

The clean and jerk is the second lift contested in Olympic weightlifting. It is made up of two connected phases performed one after the other.

In the clean, the athlete lifts the barbell from the platform to the front of the shoulders, usually catching it in a squat and then standing up. In the jerk, the athlete drives the bar from the shoulders to a locked-out position overhead.

The jerk is often finished by splitting the feet forward and back to receive the bar, though other styles exist. More weight can usually be handled here than in the snatch, and both lifts count toward the combined total.

What defines it

Made up of two phases: the clean to the shoulders, then the jerk overhead.
The clean is commonly caught in a front-rack squat and completed by standing up.
The jerk drives the bar overhead, frequently using a split of the feet.
The arms must be locked and the bar held under control overhead for the lift to be judged good.
Usually the heavier of the two lifts; both count toward the athlete's total.

Getting started

1Beginners often practise the clean and the jerk separately with light loads before joining them together.
2Learning the front-rack position and a comfortable overhead lockout tends to come early.
3A qualified coach commonly guides the order in which the pieces are learned.