Kettlebell Clean and Jerk
Also known as: KB Clean and Jerk, Kettlebell Long Cycle
Body region
Muscles
Main
Helps
- Serratus Anterior
- Trapezius
- Rectus Femoris
- Vastus Lateralis
- Vastus Medialis
- Biceps Femoris
- Semitendinosus
- Gastrocnemius
Holds
Equipment
Technique
- Stand with feet about hip-width apart and two kettlebells on the floor just in front of you.
- Hinge at the hips, take the handles, hike the bells back between your legs, then snap the hips forward to bring them up to the rack position at your chest.
- With the bells resting on your forearms, dip a few inches by bending the knees while the torso stays upright.
- Drive up hard with the legs and, as the bells float upward, dip under them a second time to lock the arms out overhead.
- Stand up fully with the arms locked, then lower the bells to the rack and let them drop between the legs for the next clean.
Cues
- Learn the swing and the single clean before adding the jerk, and start light.
- Keep the bells close to your body on the clean so they roll onto the forearms instead of banging the wrists.
- Let the legs do the work; the arms only finish the lockout.
- Brace the core at the top so the lower back does not arch.
Common mistakes
- Pressing the bells up with the arms instead of driving with the legs.
- Leaning back with an arched lower back at lockout.
- Letting the bells swing wide and crash onto the forearms.
- Rounding the back as the bells drop between the legs.