Reflections on Teaching the Jerk in Weightlifting

Before I began weightlifting, the first overhead movements I learned were the press and the push press. Eventually, I progressed to the split jerk. When I transitioned from athlete to coach, I adopted a similar progression in my instruction: beginning with the press, then moving on to the push press, followed by the power jerk, and finally, the jerk. This approach remained my standard for the first several years of my coaching career.

After nearly a decade of coaching, I took a sabbatical and stepped away from active coaching for seven years. During this time, I remained deeply engaged with the sport—closely following its developments, reflecting on past experiences, and re-evaluating my approach to coaching. This period of introspection, free from the demands of daily coaching, allowed me to reconsider many aspects of my methodology.

During this time, I revisited Bud Charniga’s series of articles on the jerk, reading and re-reading them with renewed interest. I also recalled how one of my former athletes had once described the jerk as “like rubbing your stomach and patting your head”—a sentiment that captured the complexity of the movement. I began to question the value of teaching the press and push press as precursors to the jerk. Was this progression truly effective? After all, the jerk is initiated with the legs, and the arms function not to push the bar upward, but rather to drive the body beneath the bar—a fundamental principle familiar to all weightlifting coaches. So what, then, is the pedagogical value in beginning with movements that reinforce different mechanics?

Upon returning to coaching, I decided to revise my teaching approach. I now teach the jerk by directly teaching the jerk. No presses, no push presses. I begin by having athletes use a stick to learn the dip, drive, and foot split—nothing more. In my experience, this method has not produced any noticeable drawbacks. In fact, I believe that my current athletes exhibit a higher collective proficiency in the jerk compared to previous groups I have coached. Presses are still incorporated later on, but strictly as accessory exercises to develop shoulder and arm strength—they are no longer emphasized as foundational movements.

I often reflect on the influence of the coaches who shaped me, particularly Lou DeMarco, who had the greatest impact on my development. He often told me that it is best to learn the lifts while one is still weak. When athletes lack the strength to compensate, they are more likely to rely on proper technique—pulling correctly in the snatch and clean, and avoiding reliance on arm strength in the jerk. Once sound mechanics are established, then basic strength exercises can be introduced to address specific weaknesses.

Over the years, I’ve observed that time spent improving the press or push press does not always translate to improvements in the jerk. The transfer is inconsistent at best. Many lifters can demonstrate impressive numbers in the push press but that achievement does not necessarily correlate with their ability to execute a successful jerk.