How to do a Split Jerk to increase your technique and improve your performance in CrossFit WODs.

Set Up for a Split Jerk

• Stand with heels underneath your hips, legs locked out
• Hands outside the shoulder with a full grip, elbows slightly in front of the bar
• Begin with the bar racked on the front on the shoulders, belly tight

Points of Performance for a Split Jerk

• With the bar supported in the front rack position dip, drive, press under the bar, catch overhead and stand (it’s that simple…)
• To initiate the dip and drive, break at the hips and knees dipping straight down and dynamically straight back up, keeping the torso vertical
• After the hips get fully extended in the drive, move the feet at the same time from under hips to a split position in the catch
• Push yourself down under the bar and catch the bar in full lockout
• With the bar overhead the front foot recovers back a step to center, then the back foot steps forward
• Rep is completed when the elbows, hips, and knees are all fully locked out

Tips and Tricks for a Split Jerk

• Splitting to catch the bar overhead should only be as deep as necessary to catch the bar overhead in full lockout
• Catching in a full split requires an increased range of motion in the shoulders, hips, and ankles but can be used when the load demands
• Think about pushing your knees out and driving through your heels to keep the torso vertical on the initial dip-drive
• The power for this lift is initiated in the hips
• Control the initial dip and explode with the opening of the hips to create the power sending that bar overhead