The jerk extension is a partial jerk exercise to teach, reinforce and strengthen the motion, positions and balance of the dip and the power and extent of the drive. It’s simply a jerk drive without the push of the arms to lift the bar off the shoulders—this prevents the common problem of jerk drives building the habit of pushing the bar forward.
 
Stand in your jerk drive stance with the bar in the jerk rack position. Brace your trunk as you would for a jerk, then dip and drive exactly as you do for a jerk. Extend up as high as possible while keeping the bar securely on the shoulders.
 
Absorb the weight with the legs as you come back down and reset completely for the next rep.
 
Notes
This exercise is usually a better choice than the jerk drive, which can create the bad habit of pushing the bar forward with the arms.
 
Purpose
The jerk extension is intended to strengthen the entire dip and drive motion, improve the timing and elasticity in the bottom, increase drive power, and help train a complete drive, and does this without the risk of bad habits likely with the jerk drive.
 
Programming
The jerk extension can be performed in isolation from a rack or blocks for 1-5 reps, combined with cleans or front squats, or performed for 1-3 reps prior to one or more jerks. Weights can be very heavy and may exceed the lifter’s maximum jerk as long as the motion is correct.