The first time I watched the videos on Catalyst Athletics of someone doing jerk recoveries I thought ‘Big deal. You lift the bar off the rack as you stand up straight out of your jerk split. That’s moving the bar like 2 inches. Easy peasy’.And then they got added to my program.Not easy peasy.For those of you not familiar with the exercise, you set the barbell in a rack or on blocks about 2-3 inches below where it would be in your split jerk receiving position. Set your jerk grip on the bar and get into your split position underneath it. Now comes the fun part. Make your core super tight. Make your back tight. Make sure your arms are extended. And then just go ahead and recover into a standing position, front foot moving first. Then lower the bar onto the rack. Oh yeah – and there will be anywhere from 100% to like 130% your max jerk weight on the bar. So you know, like more weight than you’ve ever put over your head in your life.They are a great addition for people who need work on overhead positioning, and can be a great confidence builder for people who are ready to move into heavier jerks. The first few times you do this it’ll be a struggle to break the bar off the rack. And then you’ll struggle to control the bar and keep it balanced overhead while you recover your feet. I cannot stress one thing enough – TIGHT! Every time I do these I think ‘Is this what it’s supposed to feel like at the end of a jerk?’. Clearly, I’m not staying tight enough through my whole jerk movement (and my core reminds me of this the next morning).The other ‘a-ha’ moment I had doing these is that the stabilization really has less to do with the arm lock out and the sensation of a pushing up the arms. The best jerk recoveries I experienced were when I could feel the brunt of the weight being held in my back, through my lats and shoulder girdle. It’s that activation of the shoulder into the shoulder girdle and the firing of the upper back that provide that stable overhead position.Finally, for someone who tends to want to recover fast, like me, these are a great way to teach patience. To be at peace being in an uncomfortable position under a heavy bar. To control my breathing and not panic.Sound like fun you need added to your program?
