The Barbell Power Jerk is a dynamic overhead lift that develops explosive strength and coordination.

  1. Start with the barbell resting on your shoulders.
  2. Dip slightly by bending your knees while keeping your torso upright.
  3. Explosively extend your legs and drive the barbell overhead.
  4. Lock out your arms and stabilize the weight above your head.
  5. Lower the barbell back to your shoulders to repeat.

How to perform the Barbell Power Jerk

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Power Jerk using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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