The Clean and Jerk (C&J) is one of the two official lifts contested in Olympic weightlifting. This compound exercise engages nearly every major muscle group in a coordinated, full-body effort to lift a barbell from the floor to an overhead position. The lift requires both maximal strength and explosive power, achieved by breaking the movement into two phases: the clean, which brings the bar to the shoulders, and the jerk, which lifts it overhead.
Muscle Recruitment During the Clean
The clean phase begins with the first pull, lifting the barbell from the platform to just above the knees. The initial movement is driven by the powerful extension of the lower body, engaging the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings to push the floor away. During this segment, the lifter maintains a consistent torso angle, relying on the isometric strength of the erector spinae and upper back muscles to keep the spine rigid and the barbell close.
As the bar passes the knees, the lifter enters the transition phase, setting the stage for the second pull. This is the most explosive part of the lift, characterized by a rapid triple extension of the ankles, knees, and hips. The glutes and hamstrings fire powerfully to extend the hips, while the calves contribute to the final vertical drive.
The explosive hip extension is immediately followed by a shrug of the shoulders, utilizing the upper fibers of the trapezius muscles to accelerate the bar upward. The final action is the catch, where the lifter pulls themselves under the bar into a deep front squat position. The anterior and lateral deltoids and upper back muscles, including the rhomboids and latissimus dorsi, secure the barbell in the front rack position across the shoulders. The quadriceps and glutes then stand up, completing the clean.
Muscle Recruitment During the Jerk
The jerk phase begins with the barbell resting across the shoulders in the front rack position. The initial action is a brief, controlled dip, driven by the eccentric contraction of the quadriceps and glutes. This dip is performed with a vertical torso to keep the center of mass over the feet, creating readiness for the immediate drive upward.
The drive is a rapid and powerful extension of the legs, utilizing the quadriceps, glutes, and calves to launch the barbell vertically. This vertical drive provides the necessary momentum to elevate the bar, making the jerk fundamentally a leg-driven movement. Generating maximum vertical velocity minimizes the work required from the upper body to fixate the weight overhead.
As the bar reaches its peak height, the lifter quickly moves their body underneath it, extending the arms to lock out the weight. The triceps brachii and the anterior and medial heads of the deltoids are responsible for the final fixation and stabilization overhead. Once the arms are fully extended, the stabilizing muscles of the shoulders and upper back maintain a secure and balanced overhead lock.
Essential Stabilizing Muscles
Throughout the Clean and Jerk, a network of muscles works isometrically to stabilize the body and efficiently transfer force. The core musculature, encompassing the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis, braces the trunk. This bracing action prevents spinal flexion or lateral movement under heavy load, ensuring the lifter’s power is directed upward.
The erector spinae, which run alongside the spine, are engaged during both the pulling phases of the clean and the overhead fixation of the jerk. Their isometric contraction maintains a neutral and rigid spinal posture, preventing the back from rounding. The forearm flexors and extensors are constantly under tension to maintain a secure grip on the barbell, acting as the link between the lifter and the weight.