LEARN TO JERK - STEP 3 - POWER JERK. Learn the Clean and Jerk lift from U.S. Olympic & Team USA coach, Harvey Newton. The third stage of learning how to jerk involves practicing the power jerk. Here the lifter bends the knees twice, once to drive the weights overhead and once to lower under the bar to catch the weights with no pressing action. The power jerk, like the power snatch and power clean, simply means the lifter descends into a partial squat receiving position. This lift reinforces the dip and drive sequence necessary for the jerk, along with teaching the lifter to push under the rising barbell with no press out action. The lifter starts in the same position as the press and the push press, with the bar resting on the shoulders and clavicles, arms relaxed. The lifter inhales and holds the breath, then quickly dips into a partial squat position (about 10% of the lifter's height) and immediately reverses direction, exhaling partially and driving the barbell upward, off the shoulders. The lifter completes the lift by pushing under the rising barbell, catching the weights solidly at arms' length. Once steady the lifter inhales and slowly lowers the bar to the original position on the shoulders and clavicles, absorbing the descending weights with a slight flexion of the knees. Stand straight and repeat for the desired number of repetitions. Since this exercise is used to learn to jerk be sure to fully extend onto the toes during the drive portion of the lift.