A barbell overhead drive where you step into a split stance to receive the load, engaging leg drive, shoulders, and core. It combines an explosive leg extension with an overhead lockout.
How to do the Split Jerk#
- Place the bar at shoulder height and grasp it just outside shoulder width, resting it near your upper chest.
- Brace your core and bend your knees slightly to load the legs.
- Drive upward through your legs and hips while pressing the bar overhead and simultaneously step one foot forward and the other back into a split.
- Secure the bar overhead with locked arms, keeping the front shin vertical and the rear foot balanced on the toes.
- Stand both legs to recover, bring your feet together under control, then lower the bar back to the chest or rack it.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Quads (Quadriceps Femoris), Glutes (Gluteus Maximus), Front delts (Anterior Deltoid)
- Secondary: Triceps (Triceps Brachii), Traps (Trapezius), Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus), Abs (Rectus Abdominis), Upper back (Rhomboids & Middle Trapezius)
Common mistakes#
- Relying on the shoulders to press instead of generating power from the legs.
- Not fully extending the hips and knees during the upward drive.
- Catching the bar with bent elbows instead of locking it out overhead.
- Letting the rear foot sit flat instead of keeping weight on the toes.
- Allowing the torso to lean or collapse backward on the catch.
