Videos
Instructions
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, kettlebell between your feet.
- Grip the kettlebell with one hand, keeping back straight and chest up.
- Drive through your legs to pull the kettlebell up, rotating your wrist to catch it in rack position at shoulder level.
- Dip slightly by bending your knees and explosively push the kettlebell overhead to full lockout.
- Lower it back to rack position with control and then down to the starting position.
Technical Tips
- Keep your core tight throughout the movement.
- Avoid excessive backward lean when pressing overhead.
- Ensure the kettlebell travels close to your body during the clean phase.
Breathing Tips
- Inhale before lifting the kettlebell from the ground.
- Exhale sharply during the jerk as you press overhead.
- Inhale as you lower the kettlebell back to the ground.
Medical restrictions
- Shoulder injuries
- Lower back pain
- Wrist or elbow tendinopathy
How do I perform a kettlebell single arm clean and jerk properly?
To perform a kettlebell single arm clean and jerk properly, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, grip the kettlebell, clean it to your shoulder by driving through your legs and rotating your wrist, then dip and drive it overhead in a jerk, keeping your core engaged throughout.
What muscles does the kettlebell single arm clean and jerk work?
The kettlebell single arm clean and jerk works your shoulders, back, quadriceps, glutes, triceps, and core, making it a powerful full-body exercise for strength and conditioning.
Is the kettlebell single arm clean and jerk suitable for beginners?
The kettlebell single arm clean and jerk is generally recommended for intermediate trainees due to its technical demands, but beginners can learn it progressively under professional supervision to ensure safe and correct form.
What are the benefits of doing kettlebell single arm clean and jerks?
The benefits of kettlebell single arm clean and jerks include developing explosive power, improving overhead stability, enhancing coordination, increasing full-body strength, and boosting metabolic conditioning efficiently.
Can I use an EZ bar for clean and jerks instead of a kettlebell?
While the EZ bar is not typically used for clean and jerks due to its design, it is biomechanically preferable to use kettlebells or barbells for proper technique and safety during clean and jerk movements.
The Kettlebell Single Arm Clean and Jerk is a dynamic full-body exercise commonly used in CrossFit, functional training, and strength conditioning routines. This exercise combines the clean and jerk movements into a seamless flow that develops explosive power, coordination, and muscular endurance. It effectively trains the shoulders, back, quadriceps, and core while also improving grip strength and stability. The clean phase generates powerful hip extension and triple extension through ankles, knees, and hips, whereas the jerk phase develops overhead pressing strength and neuromuscular efficiency. Its unilateral execution enhances balance and corrects muscular imbalances between sides. Incorporating the Kettlebell Single Arm Clean and Jerk into training programs improves athletic performance by developing force production, vertical thrust capacity, and whole-body integration under load. This exercise is highly beneficial for athletes and fitness enthusiasts aiming to build functional power, improve overhead stability, and develop metabolic conditioning in a single efficient movement pattern.