Tips To Recover Well From A Split Jerk
Written by Gaje McDaniel
Split jerks in weightlifting can often be the make or break portion of the clean and jerk. If there is any slight mistake when performing a jerk then often the barbell will be dropping back to the floor for a missed lift. This can be due to a few things, one being poor recovery.
Now it seems very simple that once the barbell is overhead in a split position that the lift is over. You’d almost be right in stating this. But, until an athlete has successfully shown control with both feet under the hips with arms extended overhead, the lift is not complete. Recovering from a split position is a very simple action but can easily be messed up.
We all should know the ‘front foot, then back foot’ saying and have this ingrained in our minds. It is very important to know this because it can be a make or break movement, although being simple. If an athlete choose to recover back foot first then the majority of the time they would be pressing the barbell forward and that barbell will have gained momentum going that direction, often forcing the athlete to drop the barbell before the lift has been completed. The best way to complete the lift successfully is to recover with the front foot first, cutting down the distance by half, and then bring the back foot to join underneath the hips.
Also to note in the recovery process are these following tips:
- Let your shoulders stabilize before you recover, your success will be much higher.
- Evenly distribute your weight between your legs as it makes the process of recovery much easier. Hold your receiving position until you feel evenly distributed.
- Watch the below video on ways to safely bring the barbell back down to your shoulders when doing submaximal lifts for repetitions:
Take your time drilling this so that you may not “accidently” fail the lift because of poor recovery. Remember: ‘front foot, then back foot’ and ensure a successful lift.
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