Exercise of the Week: Clean and Jerk to Lunge
The Clean and Jerk to Lunge combines three different lifts that work your ability to generate power throughout the body. This directly translates to improvements in several athletic attributes—including speed, strength, vertical jump and tackling ability.
Paul Rabil, Boston Cannons midfielder, uses this exercise to develop his explosive speed, strength and the 111-mph shot that make him one of the best lacrosse players on the planet.
The Clean and Jerk involves a triple extension—working joints in the hips, knees and ankles—which builds strength in those areas. Both movements also engage the upper body with a powerful pulling and pushing motion in the Clean and Jerk, respectively. As an bonus, the combination finishes with a lunge, which further fatigues the legs, hips and glutes while also activating the core and other stabilizer muscles used to balance the bar overhead.
- Assume athletic stance with wide grip on barbell resting at hips
- Explode upward by forcefully shrugging and fully extending hips, knees and ankles
- Pull bar up, keeping it close to chest
- Drop under bar with bent knees, catching bar in front of shoulders with elbows forward
- Rapidly extend hips, knees and ankles to propel bar upwards and catch overhead with arms locked
- Step forward with right leg into lunge position, keeping arms locked overhead
- Push back with heel of front foot and return to start position
- Repeat for specified reps in alternating fashion
Sets/Reps: 2-3×3-5 each leg with 60-90 seconds rest
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Exercise of the Week: Clean and Jerk to Lunge
The Clean and Jerk to Lunge combines three different lifts that work your ability to generate power throughout the body. This directly translates to improvements in several athletic attributes—including speed, strength, vertical jump and tackling ability.
Paul Rabil, Boston Cannons midfielder, uses this exercise to develop his explosive speed, strength and the 111-mph shot that make him one of the best lacrosse players on the planet.
The Clean and Jerk involves a triple extension—working joints in the hips, knees and ankles—which builds strength in those areas. Both movements also engage the upper body with a powerful pulling and pushing motion in the Clean and Jerk, respectively. As an bonus, the combination finishes with a lunge, which further fatigues the legs, hips and glutes while also activating the core and other stabilizer muscles used to balance the bar overhead.
- Assume athletic stance with wide grip on barbell resting at hips
- Explode upward by forcefully shrugging and fully extending hips, knees and ankles
- Pull bar up, keeping it close to chest
- Drop under bar with bent knees, catching bar in front of shoulders with elbows forward
- Rapidly extend hips, knees and ankles to propel bar upwards and catch overhead with arms locked
- Step forward with right leg into lunge position, keeping arms locked overhead
- Push back with heel of front foot and return to start position
- Repeat for specified reps in alternating fashion
Sets/Reps: 2-3×3-5 each leg with 60-90 seconds rest