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Clean and Jerk

Clean and jerk is the second Olympic weightlifting lift after the snatch. The barbell is first cleaned to the shoulders and then jerked overhead under the rules; the best valid lift is ranked and also contributes to the total.

LevelVariant FamilyStrength Sports CategoryStrength sport

AI-generated illustration: Clean and Jerk — AI-generated illustration

Classification

Category Strength sport

Family Strength Sports

Level Variant

Getting started

Kurzbeschreibung Two-part Olympic weightlifting lift: clean plus jerk.

Geeignet für Suitable for people seeking strength, explosiveness and precise barbell technique with coaching.

Cost Medium: club/class, platform, barbell and optional weightlifting shoes. Club/gym fee, coaching, shoes, belt/straps by rules and competition fees. Weightlifting club, IWF/national-federation club or qualified weightlifting coach. Technique before load; not a generic repetition profile.

First progress Basic positions in weeks; heavy valid competition attempts take much longer.

Fitness level high

Was du brauchst

coach
weightlifting platform
barbell
plates
collars
suitable shoes

First steps

find coach
learn front rack
drill pull position
practise jerk footwork
then add load

Weightlifting club, BVDG/USAW/IWF-adjacent club, weightlifting class or qualified coach.

Train only on a suitable platform with drop rules, technical supervision and progressive loading.

Weitere Angaben

Tags weightlifting, clean-and-jerk, barbell, olympic-weightlifting, strength-sport, kraftsport

Rules and format

Die Grundlagen

Ziel

Clean the barbell and jerk it overhead under the rules.

Teilnehmer

Individuals by bodyweight category.

Teamgröße

Individual sport.

Spielfeld

Weightlifting platform.

Dauer

Three attempts in the clean and jerk phase of competition.

Wertung

Heaviest valid clean and jerk; also part of the total.

Gewinnbedingung

Highest valid load under the rules, or total ranking.

Ausrüstung

barbell
plates
collars
platform

Wichtige Regelpunkte

press-out
dropping before signal
illegal movement
time violation

Regelquellen

Federations and sources

Federations

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)

IWF Technical and Competition Rules 2025 International Weightlifting Federation · rulebook · high
Knowing one of the basic lifts: Clean & Jerk International Weightlifting Federation · official · high
Weightlifting: rules and records Olympics · sport-guide · medium