Squat Jerk ~ If you can, should you?

**Judas** · 11-06-2018, 05:15 AM

Personally, i see squat jerk as the way ov the future. It might take longer to fully catch on than say squat snatch did in the days that they were still splitting, but i think it will become at least a decent proportion ov the jerks among competitive athletes at some point. Thats my opinion anyways.

I have a new lifter, a VERY competitive powerlifter (she's 25, been powerlifting 2 years), but one i've always coached with an eye to making the switch to weightlifting down the road (only olympic style squats, semi-oly-style conventional pulls, oly style presses, lots ov RDL's, etc.). She's a SHW, and Canada's SHW class is pretty damn weak... so thats a motivation too. With some time to play with in between major comps here, we've done 2 months ov weightlifting, exclusively. She's done very VERY well. In fact, i'm blown away with her positions, and technique. This is an extremely coachable girl.

For kicks, i had her try a squat jerk one day. Had her C&J, and then squat it as far down as she could go. She went right to bottom depth, first try. Within 2 attempts, she did a legit squat jerk. To date, she'd split 68kg, and so after messing around just a bit on them that first night, in her second night, she squat jerked 64. She's since done 67 (only 3 more sessions). I'm stunned a 115kg raw bencher can even DO a squat jerk, but this girl has a talent for them. She's since done clean-grip OHS to 75x3. We've done maybe 5 total sessions clean and squat jerks, and maybe 15 total C&J sessions period.

So... do i pursue this? Her splits are very technically good. In fact, ov the three lifts, its far her best technically. But man... squat jerking near your max first night... And she DOES have the mobility. Curious as to what coaches would do here...

**Chris McCarthy** · 11-06-2018, 05:22 AM

I'd say sure, continue to keep it in the rotation...at the moment she sounds like she is so far from her potential the ability to Squat Jerk that kind of weight isn't the thing rather than she can do it at all (as you mentioned).

Also Squat Jerks have always had a high potential but they demand that much more precision, so it will be interesting to see if she can maintain that as she gains experience and the kilos add up.

**Blairbob** · 11-06-2018, 05:30 AM

Just rotate each around. Whats her split footwork look like? Solid and snappy or good enough to split 70 but a clusterfuck?

I don't know of any SHW that SqJerks besides a 114 Ilya. A few 105s but its rare and almost zero females though Im probably wrong on that.

**jackie** · 11-06-2018, 10:15 AM

Why do you think it's the future?

I have never understood why some would prefer the squat jerk over the traditional split jerk (or even the push jerk). Those that squat jerk will end up overhead squatting a maximal clean weight, after already cleaning it. To me, that takes an immense amount of leg strength and an inefficient lifter.

Now, it is cool to see though.

**PVCPipe** · 11-06-2018, 01:09 PM

I can't remember who said it I think it was David Rigert but I don't think the squat jerk is the way of the future but rather the power jerk/split jerk.