Squat Jerk
Squat Jerk earns a place on leg day, and heavy bilateral barbell loading keeps the focus on legs that drive out of the hole.
How to do Squat Jerk
- Start with the barbell resting on your shoulders, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your chest up and your knees tracking over your toes.
- As you reach the bottom of the squat, explosively drive through your legs and push the barbell overhead.
- As the barbell reaches its peak, quickly drop into a split position, with one foot forward and one foot back.
- Catch the barbell overhead with your arms fully extended and your back knee slightly touching the ground.
- Stand up from the split position, bringing your feet back together.
- Lower the barbell back to your shoulders and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Squat Jerk Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Common Squat Jerk Mistakes
Bouncing the bar to get through the hardest inch
Pause briefly so the muscle, not the rebound, does the work.
Raising the hips first so the load shifts to the lower back
Lead out of the bottom with the chest so hips and shoulders rise together.
Easier and Harder Than Squat Jerk
Swap Squat Jerk For
Squat Jerk — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Squat Jerk?
Start with the barbell resting on your shoulders, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your chest up and your knees tracking over your toes. As you reach the bottom of the squat, explosively drive through your legs and push the barbell overhead. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Squat Jerk work?
The Squat Jerk primarily targets the quads. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Squat Jerk should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Squat Jerk good for beginners?
Not usually. The Squat Jerk is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier legs progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Squat Jerk?
Try the Dumbbell Step-up Split Squat, Band Single Leg Split Squat or the Lever Alternate Leg Press. Each trains the quads with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
