Kettlebell Clean and Jerk Exercise: Tips, Techniques and Benefits

Kettlebell clean and jerk exercises can help improve strength, mobility and flexibility.

Kettlebell exercises help with functional movements. These workouts allow you to add variations to your routine, ensuring you don't hit a plateau or allow your muscles to get used to a particular movement.

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Correct Technique of Doing Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

To do this exercise, take a kettlebell that's moderately heavy - one you should be able to lift over your head.

To do the exercise, hold the kettlebell with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Next, do a clean pull, and bring the kettlebell up to your shoulders, but at the same time, turn your wrist so your palm faces forward. Finally, slightly squat down as you turn your wrist, and push yourself up using your quads as you extend your arms towards the ceiling, replicating a shoulder press.

You should do the aforementioned steps at least five to eight times on each side. As you become stronger, you can try doing the exercise with kettlebells in both hands at the same time.

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Tips for Doing Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

When you’re doing the clean and jerk, the idea is to perfect your form. You shouldn’t do the exercise with a heavy weight unless you’ve mastered the form. Otherwise, you’ll be susceptible to injuries.

If you engage your core during the exercise, you’ll be able to attain better stability and balance.

Finally, it’s important to keep your back straight during the exercise. Whether you’re pulling the kettlebell towards your shoulder or pressing it overhead, your back needs to be straight and stable. A curved back can lead to spinal injuries.

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Benefits of Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

Clean and jerk has quite a few benefits, and most of them have to do with strength.

It’s a great exercise to build strength along with improving muscle endurance and mobility. This exercise has other benefits as well, such as:

1. Improves cardiovascular health
2. Boosts core strength
3. Boosts muscle hypertrophy
4. Assists in burning calories
5. Improves mental strength and promotes physical well-being.

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Bottom Line

If you have access to kettlebells and have done foundational movements such as deadlifts, upright rows and overhead shoulder press, you must try the clean and jerk.

It’s an exercise that can build your physique and enable overall muscle development. Additionally, kettlebell clean and jerk can pave the path for barbell clean and jerks and other advanced compound and CrossFit movements.

The more variations and advanced movements you add to your routine, the more your muscles and physique will take the desired shape. Of course, your diet, sleep, and hydration play a key role in this entire process.

If you do not give yourself the requisite rest and nutrition, your muscles and strength won't develop as well as you want them to.