Kettlebell Clean and Jerk

The Kettlebell Clean and Jerk is a dynamic, full-body compound exercise that combines an explosive hip hinge with a powerful overhead drive. This advanced movement targets the legs, glutes, shoulders, and core while building significant power and coordination.

How Iridium Helps

Since this is a high-skill, explosive movement, the AI's ability to track Recovery and HRV is crucial for determining if your central nervous system is ready for the plyometric demand. By analyzing your RPE and performance data on previous sets, the AI can adjust the load in real-time to prevent technical breakdown caused by fatigue. If you report shoulder or lower back pain, the system can immediately suggest regressions like the Push Press or High Pull to maintain training stimulus without aggravating specific joints.

Form Cues

Do
  • Drive through your heels to initiate the clean explosively
  • Keep the kettlebell close to your body in a vertical line
  • Rotate your hand around the bell to rack it smoothly
  • Dip your knees quickly before driving the weight overhead
  • Catch the weight with a straight arm and soft knees
Don't
  • Don't let the kettlebell swing far away from your body in an arc
  • Don't simply muscle the weight up with your biceps
  • Don't arch your lower back excessively during the overhead press
  • Don't let the kettlebell slam onto your forearm at the top of the clean
  • Don't press the weight forward; keep it stacked over the shoulder

Common Mistakes

  • Casting the bell out too far
  • Muscling the clean with arms
  • Banging the forearm during the rack
  • Pressing forward instead of vertical
  • Hyperextending the lower back

Muscles Worked

This exercise is a true full-body power builder, primarily engaging the glutes and quadriceps to generate the initial momentum. The anterior deltoids and triceps take over to stabilize the weight overhead, while the entire core and erector spinae work overtime to transfer force and protect the spine.

Primary

QuadricepsAnterior DeltoidGlutes

Secondary

Triceps Lateral HeadGeneral CoreErector Spinae

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