What equipment do you need for the split jerk?

You need barbell to do the split jerk.

What is a good split jerk?

For men, a good split jerk is about a 197.5 lb estimated one-rep max, the Gold (intermediate) standard in Kovo. Beginners start near 92.5 lb and elite lifters pass 325 lb. For women, the standards run from about 55 lb to 175 lb. The tier table above lists every rank from Bronze to Champion.

Shoulders · Barbell

Split Jerk

How to do the split jerk, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.

Equipment: Barbell
Difficulty: Intermediate
Logged as: Weighted reps
Movement: Vertical Press
Mechanic: Compound

Find more:Shoulders exercises Barbell exercises

How to do it

Start with a barbell resting on your shoulders, hands just outside shoulder width and feet hip-width apart. Dip your knees and hips slightly to load, then drive explosively upward, pressing the bar overhead while simultaneously splitting your legs, one foot stepping forward and the other stepping back, to drop under the bar. Catch the bar with your arms locked out and your torso upright. Recover by bringing your front foot halfway back, then your back foot forward to stand with your feet parallel. Lower the bar back to your shoulders carefully for the next rep.

1Dip and drive the bar upward explosively, then quickly split your legs to catch it overhead, feeling your shoulders and triceps stabilise the load
2Land with your front knee bent and back leg straight, absorbing the weight through your hips
3Recover by bringing your feet together under control, feeling balanced under the bar

Common mistakes

Don't press with your arms before generating power from your legs
Avoid stepping too narrow or too wide in the split, which can affect your stability
Don't let the bar drift forward or backward; catch it directly over your base